June 15, 2018

"After arriving in Singapore on Sunday, an antsy and bored Trump urged his aides to demand that the meeting with Kim be pushed up by a day — to Monday..."

"... and had to be talked out of altering the long-planned and carefully negotiated summit date on the fly, according to two people familiar with preparations for the event. 'We’re here now,' the president said, according to the people. 'Why can’t we just do it?' Trump’s impatience, coupled with a tense staff-level meeting between the two sides on Sunday, left some aides fearful that the entire summit might be in peril. Ultimately, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders persuaded Trump to stick with the original plan...."

The Washington Post reports.

1. Why are we hearing about this at all? Can I infer that Trump and/or his people believed this tidbit made Trump look good or serves to his advantage in some way? If not, who was leaking to hurt him?

2. WaPo chose the words "antsy and bored" but presumably the sources (if they were loyal to Trump) used words that signified that Trump is never complacent or idle and always looks for new angles, engages in lateral thinking, and weighs the possibilities for creative destruction.

3. The idea was floated by Trump and ultimately rejected by Trump, so the question isn't whether it was a better approach than the planned one, but whether it was good enough that it was worth considering at all. Is the idea — the rejected idea — so impulsive and bizarre that we need to worry about Trump's stability, or was it something to contemplate and use to test the benefits of the planned approach?

4. What if — with the press and the world waiting for the sober, stately planned event — suddenly a much more informal meeting happened? How would that look? What would that mean? How would that help get Kim Jong-Un and Donald Trump started working with each other? Trump was indicating that he's flexible and can think on the spot, and would Kim Jong-Un react by showing that he's like that too? Remember, it only needs to be an idea worth considering, since Trump ultimately rejected it.

5. "We're here now. Why can't we just do it?" That's a saying — like "Be here now" — that could be your new mindset, usable continually — a philosophy, a way of life.

50 comments:

David Begley said...

Trump was up for over 26 hours straight at one point in Singapore. This guy is an amazing workhorse and at age 72!

When Trump cures cancer the WaPo headline will be, “Doctors and Nurses Lose Jobs Thanks to Trump.”

exhelodrvr1 said...

Anybody have an idea how can we spin the summit to make Trump look bad?

whitney said...

The reporting on this has just been bizarre. None of these people think about listening to tapes of themselves from 6 months ago do they.

Narayanan said...

Gods are always ready but priests guard the temple gates. And allow audience.

Matt Sablan said...

I honestly think Trump is an idea guy who needs to constantly be reined in. This is sometimes to his benefit, and sometimes if he doesn't have strong advisers to check him, to his detriment.

Elliott A said...

Somehow, the press and the majority of the political world do not understand that the President is not a statesman and approaches other world leaders as CEO's of a very large company that is a country. He does not appear interested in pomp and circumstance or formalities beyond respectfulness. He is likely direct and to the point. He doesn't care for old rules of statesmanship. Gorbachev said in an interview a few years ago that he knew he could trust Reagan after he asked to say something before the nuclear arms talks got underway and began with "Let me tell you why we hate you". The diplomat types at the table were aghast at this. History tells us the very direct approach succeeded. Maybe it will here

Danno said...

I'm sure that his aides turned the television on to the gorilla channel and everything turned out fine.

Tank said...

Settled many cases just like this. It's not time to try the case, but the lawyers and principals are present for some preliminary matter, a dep, a pre-trial hearing, a motion, whatever. Hey, we're all here, lets go talk in the conf room. Thirty minutes later you're putting a settlement on the record.

RMc said...

"We're here now. Why can't we just do it?"

Stormy Daniels joke in 5...4...3...

Tank said...

The President is a goal oriented individual (exactly the way Tank approached practicing law). He is not interested in "the usual" process. He is interested in any approach that gets him to his goals. If that means an impromptu meeting, let's do it.

Bob Boyd said...

Following Althouse's line of thought, how would Kim and the Norks interpret this information?
Would it make them anxious? Spur them to hurry up and start moving things forward before Trump gets tired of the project, gets distracted by some new priority and they lose their best opportunity to negotiate while the deal is still important to Trump?
Many a girl in Trump's life probably decided she'd better go ahead and start sleeping with him before he found another who would. Maybe Trump has decided he's been at first base long enough and wants Kim to start putting out.

Matt Sablan said...

Honestly though... What's wrong with that question?

He asked it; his aides gave him good reasons why not to just do it, and he agreed with them.

Isn't that... exactly how it is supposed to work?

AllenS said...

If Trump was a country boy, his approach would be called "Get 'er done."

traditionalguy said...

Trump's Road Runner style is intentional. It catches his Wylie Coyote opponents off guard and scared about what is happening before they are ready to counter it. His only fault is a support system that cannot always keep up with his pace.

General Forrest said to get there firstist with the mostist; and when outflanked, separate and attack in both directions. Boyd just reduced that to get inside their OODA Loop

Trump understands that making Peace in Korea is a war. Airforce One had been under submarine launched missile attack on the flight over to Singapore.

The Miracle of Singapore was that Kim and Trump both got there alive. Why wait for the next day?

Temujin said...

That's nervous energy at play. I get that way when I have a pending important meeting or presentation. I hate the wait. Want to get it going now. Not 'get it over', but 'get it moving'. And Trump- people have to remember, his background is not academia. He did not come from a slower, more deliberate pace complete with months off each year, and days that consisted of a few hour-long lectures, followed by research and reading (or drinking). No offense meant, Professor. This was Obama's pace.

Trump comes from a very fast paced, make decisions on the fly arena, with dozens of details changing as deals are forming, right up to the actual signing of the deal. And he was one of the giants of that segment. This is the pace/world he came from. It's how he's been groomed. The fact that so many still insist he be compared to Obama is just annoying already. Screw the nose in the air speaking, the perfectly creased pants. We've got real talks going on with N. Korea, and the GDP is projected at 4.6% growth in the 2nd Quarter. Those two things are what affect people and get someone reelected.

FIDO said...

It occurs to me that I do not compliment Ms. Althouse for posting these articles and asking these questions nearly enough.

Now it is possible that at heart she is a doctrinaire Democrat, merely catering to the vast majority of her anti-Democrat readership, but to me this is both unlikely and irrelevant. It is that she is mentally flexible and honest enough to even imagine these questions as a hypothetical which makes her a blog treasure, whatever her inner ruminations and puts her far above an Inga.

So thank you for this place, these posts and the pictures. And if I have to put up w some Feminist Church Lady rhetoric, well, that is a small price to pay since you occasionally take them to task as well.

Darrell said...

WaPo--you made me love Trump even more!
That's was your intention, wasn't it?

Jeff Brokaw said...

More "Trump is an immature moron who would implode without careful handling" bullshit despite the obvious exculpatory evidence that he is worth $10B or more and built a worldwide real estate empire over 40 years based on his vision, his leadership, and his work ethic.

Right. Okay. Sure.

Elliott A said...

There is only so long you can spin wins as losses. So much winning.

Darrell said...

I have it on good authority that during this time, WaPo reporters were masturbating with their own feces as lubricant.

gilbar said...

"Honestly though... What's wrong with that question?"

if Trump does a thing democrats wouldn't do: it's terrible!

if Trump does a thing democrats Would do: it's terrible!

More of the single standard: Trump Always BAD!

What they don't understand is:
WaPo--you made me love Trump even more!
That's was your intention, wasn't it?

clint said...

If the press are condemning President Trump either on style or process, you can be sure that the substance is quite good.

Just like the proverbial lawyer pounding the table, because neither the facts nor the laws support him.

rhhardin said...

Trump doesn't like travel either. Motels are the same everywhere.

Fernandinande said...

An antsy and bored Amazon copywriter, er, WaPo reporter made that up.

readering said...

Althouse trying to take fun out of behind-the-scenes journalism?

The Godfather said...

A client of mine, a very smart real estate investor, wanted to buy an apartment building. After substantial negotiations, the contract was signed. Then my client said to me, This is when the real negotiations begin.

I wonder if that's what Trump was thinking?

Lucien said...

This story advances the “Trump is an impulsive child (who should not have access to the Nuclear Codes)” narrative.

On days when the left is not pushing the “Trump is a master manipulator of framing , language, and propaganda” narrative (see, e.g., George Lakoff, etc all.), or the “Trump is apussygrabbing racist who delights in tearing Hispanic families apart”, it is necessary to have something to fall back on.

Earnest Prole said...

Can I infer that Trump and/or his people believed this tidbit made Trump look good or serves to his advantage in some way? If not, who was leaking to hurt him?

Your naivete about how Washington actually works is charming.

mockturtle said...

Trump doesn't like to waste time. He's a high-energy guy and works longer and harder than any President in my memory.

mockturtle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
mockturtle said...

FIDO, I second your comment about Althouse asking good questions. I just wish she would broaden her news sources. For example, if a story originates outside the exalted NY/WA-DC area, why not use a local news source? News about Dallas or Los Angeles, for instance, shouldn't be filtered through the biased snarkiness of the NYT.

Owen said...

Narayanan Subramanian: "Gods are always ready but priests guard the temple gates. And allow audience."

Excellent.

Seeing Red said...

Trump is a ‘git er Done” guy. Nike is cringing.

Just do it!

Time is money. They sat around for a day doing?????....

He’s a busy bee. The olde worlde can’t keep up.

Seeing Red said...

He came in like a wreeeecking ball!

No wonder why they’re pissed. Especially the G6. He got the photo op said his piece and left.

Big Mike said...

Why are we hearing about this at all? Can I infer that Trump and/or his people believed this tidbit made Trump look good or serves to his advantage in some way? If not, who was leaking to hurt him?

Very good questions, Althouse.

Long rests are scheduled before diplomatic meetings that occur after long flights to reduce the impact of jet lag. Perhaps Trump doesn’t particularly suffer from jet lag? I’m his age and it can hit me pretty hard so I have to admit that I am jealous.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“FIDO, I second your comment about Althouse asking good questions. I just wish she would broaden her news sources. For example, if a story originates outside the exalted NY/WA-DC area, why not use a local news source? News about Dallas or Los Angeles, for instance, shouldn't be filtered through the biased snarkiness of the NYT.”

I’m grateful Althouse uses reliable sources, the day she links to Breitbart or Gateway Pundit or Conservative Tree House, or some other purely rightist rag, I’ll start worrying about her. Of course news sources from the middle of the country are acceptable, unless they’re crap sites like so many of the sites that Trumpists so often read and rely on for the truth.

FullMoon said...

My wife liked The Apprentice. I saw most of the episodes and was not too impressed with Trump. I assumed if he won the election, he would hire competent people to do the work and spend his time playing golf and fooling around. Nothing real good or real bad would happen.

With all the turmoil caused by the left resistance, people coming and going, twitter stuff, whores and lifelong investigations, Trump seems to be the guy getting stuff done instead of relying on his staff.

Unlike most politicians, he is actually attempting to follow through on the things he ran on. The one big thing missing is going after Hillary to Lock-Her_Up.

In spite of claims Trump is vindictive he has not used his power to harass his enemies aside from Twitter insults. Insults to him and his family are not punished. Personally, I would like to see Trump pull a Mueller on a lot of the left. Investigate their whole life, as well as there friends and relatives. See how they like it. Make 'em pay defense attorneys for the next couple of years.
Wonder if Jimmy Kimmel, Joy Beher, Whoppi, Samantha Bee could survive a Mueller type investigation? Any of them ever buy illegal drugs? Cheat on there taxes?



FullMoon said...


I’m grateful Althouse uses reliable sources..

Interesting. Seems that most of the time AA links NYT or WP it is to show how they twist the facts, attempt to put Trump in a bad light or are dishonest in reporting.
This post is an example of using nonsense in an attempt to make Trump look bad, somehow.

traditionalguy said...

We are blessed that DJT has Q level intelligence to fight the Intelligence Agencies out to destroy him. All JFK had to fight for him was courage and Daddy Joe's advice. And they did not let him to go from Ft Worth to Dallas a day earlier before the sniper teams were set up.

Achilles said...

Inga said...


I’m grateful Althouse uses reliable sources, the day she links to Breitbart or Gateway Pundit or Conservative Tree House, or some other purely rightist rag, I’ll start worrying about her. Of course news sources from the middle of the country are acceptable, unless they’re crap sites like so many of the sites that Trumpists so often read and rely on for the truth.


Inga believes some sources because they shape her world view.

She doesn't believe others because they disrupt her world view.

It is the lowest form of accomodation to new information. In other words what stupid people do.

The NYT/WAPO have been wrong and unhinged about everything for the last 3 years. Hillary has a 95% chance of victory after all. No path to 270.

Meanwhile the FBI is strictly partisan. The Obama DOJ/FBI were caught spying on Trump. Russia collusion is a hoax.

And Trump will be president for 6.5 more years.

The hits just keep on coming.

Unknown said...

He is always in a hurry. He's missed golf dates, advisers that talk blue collar. “let's go, “How can we help Venezuela”? Plus let’s Hussle, I’ve a ribbon cutting for a placement office for ex government employees and janitorial skills training with a preference lane set aside for State and other generic grievance groups, they all can sit in the back of the bus to training with their odiferous sandwich bag lunch we’ll hand out. No porta potty.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

"Honestly though... What's wrong with that question?"

Nothing whatever. I love the way Trump rejects the idea that things can only happen at the pace set by some ponderous bureaucracy. Not only because he sees no point in procrastinating but also, I believe, as a way of signaling contempt for those institutions that he sees as self-interested enemies of progress. The best way to destroy a reactionary institution is not to attack it directly, but to to envelop it in your dust as you speed by it.

mockturtle said...

The best way to destroy a reactionary institution is not to attack it directly, but to to envelop it in your dust as you speed by it.

Acting, not just thinking, outside the box.

Achilles said...

Sen. Graham: “So if you don’t like me working with President Trump to make the world a better place, I don’t give a sh*t.”

On CNN.

When the leftists lose Lyndsy Graham...

It is pretty easy to see where the electoral winds are blowing.

RI Red said...

This story is attributed to "two people familiar with the summit planning."

Guess what? I was familiar with the summit planning. I knew the date, the location and the hotels where each leader was staying. So, "two people" could be anyone...or no one.

So when I read a story based on such thin, or nonexistent, sourcing, I stop reading. And this is the case for the vast majority of Trump articles.

Oh, I am supposed to believe it because it comes from the Times or the WaPo? Sorry, that credibility ship sailed a looong time ago.

Narayanan said...

Hillary is in her own prison-bubble...named why aren't I ahead 50 points .... She can fossilize there with all she can trap with her.

gadfly said...

Happy birthday, Donnie - you turned 72 yesterday - but you haven't aged a single day mentally since you turned thirteen.

Michael K said...

Blogger gadfly said...
Happy birthday, Donnie - you turned 72 yesterday - but you haven't aged a single day mentally since you turned thirteen.


Isn't interesting to see these fools going on this way when there are real matters going on ?

Narayanan said...

Do we know what 13 year old Trump was thinking? Adult by Jewish custom.

In any case ....
To hold an unchanging youth is to reach at the end the vision with which one started.

Dagny in Atlas shrugged
Ayn Rand.

Sam said...

2. WaPo chose the words "antsy and bored" but presumably the sources (if they were loyal to Trump) used words that signified that Trump is never complacent or idle and always looks for new angles, engages in lateral thinking, and weighs the possibilities for creative destruction.

I don’t know about the source, or what words they may have used, but golly, Ann, you certainly seem “loyal to Trump” here. Could any of the hypotheticals you propose have been associated with good outcomes, as you imagine? Sure! But it’s kind of a tell where you’re staring up at the sky, watching wisps of cloud rush past, and anxiously imagining a (possible but unseen) silver lining to each one.

I guess it boils down to: you are protesting a bit much. What are you worried about?