Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me "old," when I would NEVER call him "short and fat?" Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 12, 2017
ADDED: For reference, here's our discussion on October 1, 2017, of the Trump tweet, "I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man..." Here's how Althouse readers analyzed that:
AND: Why would the President of the United States take such a sarcastic tone with the leader of North Korea? Childish too — "I try so hard to be his friend."
IN THE COMMENTS: Tom from Virginia said:
Actually, Scott Adams' explanation (I just watched it on Periscope) is not reflected in any of the choices in the poll. He's persuaded me.Okay, I've watched it. Here:
Scott back https://t.co/stXAZYF6hu
— Scott Adams (@ScottAdamsSays) November 12, 2017
I'd say that if you agree with Adams, you should definitely pick the third option on my list.
Adams's idea is that Trump is putting an obvious joke out there (and a wish to be friends) as an invitation, and if Kim jokes back, then the 2 men will be able to meet. It was a signal to signal back that we get each other, and once that exchange happens, a relationship becomes possible.
It made me think: If those 2 women in the hotel room with Louis CK had only masturbated back at him, they'd have opened the door to a relationship.
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45 comments:
He's saying to Kim that the usual modes of persuasion won't work any longer.
I think it’s brilliant, actually (not necessarily saying trump is brilliant, as in intelligent, the other meaning).
I can imagine that leftists are having the vapors over this. They put too much stock in words being equivalent to actions. This tweet is for them (us), anyway.
Multiple choice needs "I have no idea whatsoever. The man is a mystery."
Only a person who has read the new book by Scott Adams could write those poll choices; especially the final one. I just started the book.
And that fact, fellow readers, is why the Althouse blog is the greatest in the Universe.
"Only a person who has read the new book by Scott Adams could write those poll choices; especially the final one. I just started the book."
I need to do more polls where one of the options is: How Scott Adams would explain it.
This poll could also use an option like: The ways of Trump, like the ways of God, cannot be understood. We can only trust (and ready ourselves for the end times, which will come we know not when).
Actually, Scott Adams' explanation (I just watched it on Periscope) is not reflected in any of the choices in the poll. He's persuaded me.
It is a big "fuck you" to kim. Humiliating. A challenge to a supposedly crazy guy. If Kim is really scary crazy and a tough guy he has to fire off a couple of rockets or something to prove it. If he doesn't he is the little dog rolling over and showing his belly. North Korea population is expecting Kim to fire back.
It is a Trump twofer. It asserts to the Orientals watching that this American strong man really want friends at peace with the USA. So don't blame us for the 20 million dead Koreans coming very soon.Better them dead than the 200 million dead Americans Kim wants to show off with.
But Trump tried to tell the fat bug before the USA squashed him.
Trump is hoping to motivate Kim toward diet and exercise by implying that if doesn't take better care of himself and stop threatening America he will never get old.
All of the above.
Possible Trump hasn't slept for a week and is punchy which is why we have carefully crafted public statements
-John Podhoretz
The President is tweeting like a mean girl at a rogue nuclear state while we argue over whether a guy in Alabama who dated teens as a grown man should be a US senator.
We had a good run, America.
-Tom Nichols
I think it's all of the above too. But I am pretty sure that never Trumpers like John Putz have an explanation for everything Trump does that liberals would like.
I think Trump's tweets are great. Sorry that he found a way around the gatekeepers that Wikileaks shows that the Democrats worked so hard to create.
The ways of Trump, like the ways of God, cannot be understood.
This option is only for people who don't like Trump. Well, I suppose if you really don't understand him by now but how could that be unless you don't want to understand him. As we're constantly reminded by people who don't like Trump he's not that complicated.
Oh, and if you don't like Trump you're not allowed to say he's both a simpleton and enigmatic. Mutually exclusive.
How about, he's being funny and ironic at the same time?
"It made me think: If those 2 women in the hotel room with Louis CK had only masturbated back at him, they'd have opened the door to a relationship."
I love you, Althouse.
I am Laslo.
The ways of Trump, like the ways of God, cannot be understood
I don't pretend to understand him, but I like the results.
"Looking forward to people who have zero understanding of the north Korean situation analyzing this in a Eurocentric framework"
One should check out Michael Malice, to get an understanding of Trump's tweets, in light of North Korean culture:
"The basis premise of north Korean propaganda is that the US imperialists are terrified of Marshal Kim Jong Un and would "re"invade but for him"
Malice, also trolls everyone, so beware
When do we get to talk about Trump's outfit in the Philippines, he looks like Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now.
I thought of Adams' interpretation before I scrolled to Adams' interpretation. I call you little and you call me old and I call you fat, and how can anyone take this seriously?
Some comedian once talked about the difference between men and women being that if a woman has a big nose, her women friends will do everything to make it not seem like a blemish. "Your nose isn't big. It suits your full lips and high cheekbones." If a man has a big nose, his friends will do everything to rub it in. "Hi schnozz." The more you rub it in and mock it, the more the guy accepts he has a big nose and it's not a problem.
It's a trust issue. You're short and fat. I'm old. You're completely insane. So am I. Good thing we don't lie to each other.
I don't know about calling Kim "Little". But it's said that all the girls call him "Short Round". If you want to know what that means, ask an Army veteran.
Kim insulted Trump and now if Kim says "what did Trump say back?" the NORKS have to say the words "short and fat" in Kim's presence. Then everyone realizes that Trump arranged for those words to be said in front of Kim. Everyone knows Kim heard them. Kim knows everyone knows he heard them. This cannot happen to Kim. But it did.
As for Kim's insult, we have women in this country who throw better insults than that.
South Park: "Don't you get it?!? If he dances at you, and you dance back, It's On!!!"
Kim's modus operandi is to make threats in an attempt to garner aid and keep the respect of his people. He isn't the first NK leader to do this, he learned it from his forbears.
Trump can't get to Kim's nation, they are in the dark. But he can get to Kim and his inner circle. Kim is desperate to be taken seriously, so Trump continues to act as if he doesn't take him seriously while also letting it be known that if Kim tries anything serious, there will be a crushing retaliation. This is the same thing every American president has done, except for the mocking part. And that is the part that has confused Kim, which is the entire idea.
(I haven't read Scott recently, just as an aside).
It made me think: If those 2 women in the hotel room with Louis CK had only masturbated back at him, they'd have opened the door to a relationship.
Fast forward to your later post: If only they had badged him with their menstrual blood.
they'd have opened the door to a relationship.
They opened the door to a relationship when they agreed to go back to his hotel room.
Kim Jong-Un should tweet: I have called you old but I have not called you Hitler. Come over to my house for supper.
"They opened the door to a relationship when they agreed to go back to his hotel room." OT, of course: they thought he opened the door to discovering the meaning of life in deep conversation.
It is also significant that Trump is in China doing this.
Trump's got a few extra pounds on him as well.
Maybe a biggest loser challenge is in the offing.
" If those 2 women in the hotel room with Louis CK had only masturbated back at him, they'd have opened the door to a relationship"
The "script" would suggest taking knees.
In the United States, women are much more likely to focus their remarks on physical appearance. Men aren't blameless, but this is still mostly a female thing. It's not surprising, for example, that feminists believe that these remarks reinforce unrealistic notions of what is ideal in our society (spoiler alert it's tall, skinny and blonde). So that's our background, but what is the Asian one? How will Mr. Trump's physically focused remarks be received in North Korea? Is it normal for a MAN to mock another man's appearance? Is this just hurtful nonsense? Is it emasculating? I mean what's going on?
"If Hitler invaded Hell I would make at least a favorable reference to the devil in the House of Commons."
Childish and sarcastic remark by another short fat guy.
Time for a bit of Dr. Strangelove -- "Can you imagine how I feel about it, Dimitri?
The "I would NEVER call him short and fat" immediately reminded me of this:
"I ask you to note that I did not call you callous-ass strumpets, fornicatresses, or low-born gutter sluts. But I did say "whores." No escaping that. And for that slip of the tongue, I apologize."
Trump was waiting for the opportunity to spring another one on Kim.
Patterico has no clue what is going on.
They have been so infested with TDS that some commenters, including me, have largely left,.
"It made me think: If those 2 women in the hotel room with Louis CK had only masturbated back at him, they'd have opened the door to a relationship."
"You remember that time that that chick opened the door in her negligee?"
"Yeah, and I remember thinking: What a strange place to have a door!"
"I'd say that if you agree with Adams, you should definitely pick the third option on my list."
I don't see it that way. Your third option admits of no overall strategy behind the quip. It's just a random smart-ass Trump remark. Adams on the other hand suggests that Trump has a strategy for this quip (and others before it, in my opinion)
So with respect, I still would not select your third option
I picked 3 but I see Mike Feehan's point. I felt 4 was a little too specific but I do agree that part of the motivation of the tweet was to clarify the power relationship between US and NK.
Left Bank of the Charles: "Kim Jong-Un should tweet: I have called you old but I have not called you Hitler. Come over to my house for supper."
Love it.
Who would have thought that President Trump would be a master of paralipsis?
Did he really call him little or did he call his rockets little?
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