१३ जुलै, २०१८

"This week, I’m traveling to Africa for the first time since I left office – a continent of wonderful diversity, thriving culture, and remarkable stories."

That's Barack Obama, Facebooking platitudes. It's kind of refreshingly mellow and relaxing, isn't it?
Over the years since, I've often drawn inspiration from Africa's extraordinary literary tradition. As I prepare for this trip, I wanted to share a list of books that I’d recommend for summer reading, including some from a number of Africa’s best writers and thinkers – each of whom illuminate our world in powerful and unique ways.
I'm pleased to have the opportunity to use my old "Obama is bland" tag. So... should we read some books Obama recommends, something that illuminates our world?

There are 6 books on the list, and the first 5 are by African writers, with African subject matter. But the 6th book is "The World As It Is" by Ben Rhodes:
It’s true, Ben does not have African blood running through his veins. But few others so closely see the world through my eyes like he can. Ben’s one of the few who’ve been with me since that first presidential campaign. His memoir is one of the smartest reflections I’ve seen as to how we approached foreign policy, and one of the most compelling stories I’ve seen about what it’s actually like to serve the American people for eight years in the White House.
Few others so closely see the world through my eyes like he can. Does it take nerve or just obliviousness to write that when the freshest image we've got of Ben Rhodes seeing the world is...

१०५ टिप्पण्या:

Ralph L म्हणाले...

Diversity uber alles.

Some African countries are holier than others.

mockturtle म्हणाले...

The culture is so 'thriving' that people are leaving in droves for Europe.

Rob म्हणाले...

". . . each of whom illuminate"? Should be "illuminates." But since Obama also uses "Michelle and I" as the object of verbs and prepositions, we shouldn't be surprised.

David Begley म्हणाले...

Diversity? What is he talking about?

I doubt he read those books. Virtue signaling.

And Ben and Barack cooked up that horrible Iran deal. Barack, Val and Ben got paid. Trust me.

Sal म्हणाले...

I'd be more impressed if an African wrote about something other than Africa. A great science fiction novel, for example.

"Diversity" is code-speak for "black" so he could've just said that Africa is a continent full of wonderful black people.

Molly म्हणाले...

(eaglebeak)

Chinua Achebe was a great Nigerian novelist (he died in 2013) who wrote the amazing book Things Fall Apart.

As to Obama's blandness, personally, I thought he was an enraged and bitter creep, but anyhow, read Achebe.

eddie willers म्हणाले...

I read mystery books by Deon Meyer. He's an Afrikaner, so I don't know if he counts.

Unknown म्हणाले...

Rhodes almost makes me embarrassed to be a Rice graduate.

Molly म्हणाले...
ही टिप्पणी लेखकाना हलविली आहे.
Comanche Voter म्हणाले...

Having travelled to Nigeria and Benin on business in the 1980's, I don't see this as a great destination. Trysweating in an African night at Murtala Muhammad airport in Lagos at 0230 in the morning waiting to clear immigration--where the prime question was, "Do you have a return ticket".

The answer (thought, but not spoken) was, "My mother didn't raise any idiots." Yer goldangeds straight I have a return ticket.

I was at a reception at the US Ambassador's residence in Lagos when the US diplomatic group that had staffed our Chad embassy had been evacuated to Lagos. Obama is welcome to Africa. He can have my share.

Michael K म्हणाले...

Meanwhile I have been interviewing African applicants to the US military.

Two Nigerians in the past month had Engineering education, one with two degrees.

I met a Ugandan about a year ago who had his next 20 years planned, Join the US Army, get his citizenship, go to college on the GI Bill, then medical school.

About ten years ago I had a girl from Eritrea who was so poor she could not afford a laptop, the modern equivalent of a microscope.

She did fine and graduated.

At the same time, I had two black students from California. One played water polo at UC San Diego.

The other had the typical victim complex. He failed in spite of two tries at year I.

Obama could have done a lot for the kid who tried to live at home in LA. But the victim complex was too powerful.

The one who played water polo (how many black college students play water polo?), did fine.

Ambrose म्हणाले...

"Wonderful diversity, thriving culture, and remarkable stories. And yes I got all my shots. I may be dumb but I am not stupid."

Michael K म्हणाले...

"Obama is welcome to Africa. He can have my share."

The smart ones are coming here. They know a good deal when they see it.

Fernandinande म्हणाले...

Africa is the only continent in the world where children are both fat and stunted and diverse.

n.n म्हणाले...

Diversity? He must be referring to quantity, and quality, not color. A progressive heretic.

Ralph L म्हणाले...

". . . each of whom illuminate"? Should be "illuminates."

Jack Cashill (at American Thinker in 2008) said BO has a recurring problem with subject-verb agreement when he was comparing his small amount of known writing with Dreams, which Cashill believes was written by Ayers.

Unknown म्हणाले...

Bill Clinton had the same misunderstanding regarding I and me.

J. Farmer म्हणाले...

I'd add to the list Out Of America: A Black Man Confronts Africa by Keith Richburg

Gahrie म्हणाले...

Who has done more to help the average African...George Bush or Barack Obama?

rehajm म्हणाले...

How can we miss you if you won’t go away?

RoseAnne म्हणाले...

I read some of the responses to his post about the books. They remind me of the crushes my friends and I had on Bobby Sherman in middle school.

Obama has never impressed me as either a brilliant speaker or brilliant intellect. I think "lazy" would be a better term. Much of his "legacy" is being dismantled because he never did the work of getting it passed. If you do something with a "pen and phone", it can be undone with a "pen and phone" - which is what Truump is now doing. Although I don't think Obama is brilliant, he isn't stupid either. As long as people keep responding to him as the people responded in the post, he will continue to be able to do and say what he wants with little consequence - and be well compensated for his efforts such as they are.

Here's my contribution to the reading list - a relatively short essay on writing about Africa that I was assigned to read in a writing class.

https://granta.com/how-to-write-about-africa/

rehajm म्हणाले...

Miss me yet?

Ah, no.

Sprezzatura म्हणाले...

I'm a long time reader, but first time commenter.

Now, I must come forward. Folks can't find this sorta Alt genius anywhere else.

Althouse is brilliant. Obviously, the brightest mind in MadTown. Probably, re the entire universe. And, all the multiverses, too.


Too bad I can't buy a new jet w/ the portal. Her wisdom and logic has, obviously, earned the kickback.

Please keep up this Uber-high level of jabber. It's the best eva!!



Duh.

Sprezzatura म्हणाले...

"Obama could have done a lot for the kid who tried to live at home in LA. But the victim complex was too powerful."

Don't worry Doc Mike. The famous black serial rapist already told the blacks to shape up and pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

So, it turns out that the blacks' problems are already solved. They just needed a good talkin' to. The rapist got that covered = problem solved.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves म्हणाले...

Ass kiss reality. Sadly, Africa is in part those things but it's mostly really poor and ruled by corrupt dictators.

todd galle म्हणाले...

Yep, tell that to the Rhodesians. Soon to come, if not already arrived, to South Africa. Ask many of the Africans who want desperately for the Europeans to return. Not Obama types, more the Napier variety.

Jaq म्हणाले...

I love how there are over a million views of Ben Rhodes choking on the Hillary loss.

Sprezzatura म्हणाले...

Sadly, Africa is in part those things but it's mostly really poor and ruled by corrupt dictators.

=

http://fortune.com/2018/07/09/donald-trumps-china-tariffs-dont-apply-to-ivanka/

CWJ म्हणाले...

"It's kind of refreshingly mellow and relaxing, isn't it?"

"Does it take nerve or just obliviousness to write that when the freshest image we've got of Ben Rhodes seeing the world is..."

Mellow AND oblivious. That's some major league trolling right there.

Jaq म्हणाले...

Nothing is more devastating to Trump support than rich guys like ADS bragging about their money and spouting the whole “America’s already great!” line, albeit, obfuscated with a copius slathering of irony.

Andrew म्हणाले...

What empty gasbagging. I am so glad I don't have to listen to him anymore.

And "African blood" sounds mighty racist. Unless it includes all the white people who live in Africa. Many of whom are in danger for their lives.

What does Obama think about the albinos of Africa who are hunted so their body parts can be used for witchcraft? Does he ever pontificate about that? Is that included in "diversity"?

narciso म्हणाले...

Well yuseveni of Uganda who started out having been taught by walter Rodney hasbmorexsense than most.

Michael K म्हणाले...

Don't worry Doc Mike. The famous black serial rapist already told the blacks to shape up and pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

Who are you talking about ?

Is this supposed to be funny ?

How many Africans do you know?

CWJ म्हणाले...

"Over the years since, I've often drawn inspiration from Africa's extraordinary literary tradition."

Library check out cards, or it didn't happen.

"There are 6 books on the list, and the first 5 are by African writers, with African subject matter."

Africa's extraordinary literary tradition. Did he read them in the original Austrian, I mean African? And what are the candidates for the great African novel. Do any of them pre date 1950?

David Begley म्हणाले...

Barack is going to Africa to make money. Admit it, you fake. King Obama! I wonder if he will meet his broke half-brother?

tcrosse म्हणाले...

"There are 6 books on the list, and the first 5 are by African writers, with African subject matter."

Was one of them "Out of Africa", or "The English Patient", or "Flame Trees of Thika" ?

Etienne म्हणाले...

A lot of Americans are in Africa. They are shooting and bombing the bastards with diverse weapons, and showing the culture of Islam how the Christian crusades.

Refreshing. You can almost hear the church bells chime.

Biotrekker म्हणाले...

I have vomited on my shoes.

narciso म्हणाले...

Dinesen was dutch oondatje is from sri lanka, i dont know the last one.

Temujin म्हणाले...

Just simply and crudely: no one's every been more full of shit than Barack Obama.

narciso म्हणाले...

There is a powerful book by two missionaries in Rhodesia, the axe and the hammer, they have been there for nearly four decades, through an attack on their church by zanu elements, ignored by the west, decades later one of the perpetrators was driven to confess and ultimately turn to christ

tcrosse म्हणाले...

Dinesen was Danish. All three wrote of African subject matter.

mockturtle म्हणाले...

I think the only great book I've read from an African author was West With the Night by Beryl Markham. I did read Out of Africa but was not terribly impressed. Interestingly, Dinesen and Markham were acquaintances, friends at times, enemies at others. Markham was a skilled pilot a well as being a very talented writer.

Jaq म्हणाले...

Doris Lessing is pretty good.

Michael K म्हणाले...

I see no answer from "de sitter" or whatever his pseudonym is today.

Just another piece of crap thrown against the wall.

Matt म्हणाले...

"This week I'm traveling to a shithole for the first time I left office..." doesn't sound as nice, but it is more honest.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent म्हणाले...

Not a chance in Hell Obama actually wrote those comments. They are so predictably boilerplate, there’s probably some dude churning this stuff out as soon as Obama’s secretary updates Obama’s calendar.

LordSomber म्हणाले...

His mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives.

Etienne म्हणाले...

I hope he's taking Ben Rhodes and his wife with him, so they can visit the Iranian military advisers stationed in the desert. Talk about old times of duping the press.

Mr. Groovington म्हणाले...

Or anything by John Coetzee (white novelist, Nobel Prize) or David Benatar (white philosopher, promoter of antinatalism)

I’m in South Africa for a couple of months, currently in Cape Town. It’s a beautiful, thriving city. Mandela day celebrations start on Wednesday at noon. Obama will be blithering in Johannesburg, a city I probably won’t be visiting.

rcocean म्हणाले...

Never trust a politician when they make Book recommendations. What does Rhodes have to do with Africa?

Nelson Mandela? Apartheid died over 20 years ago. And "Things fall apart: was published in 1959 and set in Africa of the 1890's.

Talk about "old School".

Lewis Wetzel म्हणाले...

Something from Jonah Goldberg's latest podcast: https://www.nationalreview.com/podcasts/the-remnant-with-jonah-goldberg/
Goldberg's guest, Jay Cost, explains that Obama is not an intellectual, he is a politician for intellectuals. This means he has mastered the art of making intellectuals think that he is one of them.
I suppose the same thing could be said about Trump & the working class, with the exception that no one believes Trump is working class.

wild chicken म्हणाले...

VS Naipaul did some Africa books. Bend in the River was good. I do believe he doesn't some time there.

Then there was Evelyn Waugh..

wild chicken म्हणाले...

..spent some time...

Mr. Groovington म्हणाले...

I think David Benatar, and antinatalism, might be right. There’s a Sam Harris podcast on his site of the 2 of them thrashing it out.

Lewis Wetzel म्हणाले...

"I've read all the African authors. All the white ones, anyhow." #SomethingFitzgeraldCouldHaveWritten

Michael The Magnificent म्हणाले...

"Over the years since, I've often drawn inspiration from Africa's extraordinary literary tradition."

A bleeding-heart librarian friend (Quaker and Bernie voter to put things in perspective) many years ago made the trek to the dark continent with boxes of books, thinking that she was bringing enlightenment.

They used the pages of the books she had hauled not for enlightenment, but for ass wiping. True story.

gg6 म्हणाले...

Obama still sounding like his head is still up his own rear - it's almost frightening .....until I remember he and his are gone, gone, gone (almost). Halleluja!
Marchons mes deplorables!!

James K म्हणाले...

“‘Few others so closely see the world through my eyes like he can.’ Does it take nerve or just obliviousness to write that when the freshest image we've got of Ben Rhodes seeing the world is...
Ben Rhodes reacting to Hillary Clinton's hilarious defeat in 2016”

The obliviousness is to his display of narcissism. What book reviewer thinks that it’s acceptable or even interesting to assess whether the writer sees the world through the reviewer’s eyes? Why would a reader of that review care? Obama must think very highly of himself to put that out as a virtue of the book. He’s a parody of himself.

wildswan म्हणाले...

" anti-de Sitter space said...
I'm a long time reader, but first time commenter."

Not that it matters, but anti-de Sitter space has commented several times recently - Nov. 2, 2017, Feb 15, 2018, May 1, 2018. Perhaps he was being negatively hyperbolic but the sign got changed.

wildswan म्हणाले...

Why didn't Obama mention Sanders of the River? It's pretty much the same genre as Ben Rhodes' book - unrealistic versions of adventures in a swampy area inhabited by several warring tribes.

Bay Area Guy म्हणाले...

Every now and then, one of my rich neighbors, often a retired Professor, will regale us about a recent trip to Africa. Most everyone will swoon, and fawn over him, and shower the enlightened fellow with praise and frankensense and myrhh, and then the clouds will part, and harps will gently play, as streaks of sunshine burst from the heavens to our little block party BBQ, warming our souls, while vaporizing the plumes of white liberal guilt.

Myself, I'm like "Africa? Why the fuck would anyone wanna go there? Y'all want cheese on this burger?"

wildswan म्हणाले...

I read Things Fall Apart years ago and disliked it intensely but over the years the situation described and the way it worked out has repeatedly come back into my mind. That's one definition of a classic.

readering म्हणाले...

Obama is no Oprah but I bet there's a spike in sales for all these books including his buddy BR's.

Michael म्हणाले...

Wild swan
Same experience.

James K म्हणाले...

A Bend in the River was like that. Of course it was deemed "racist" and "pro-colonialism."

Phil 314 म्हणाले...

For the life of Me, I can't see what Obama saw in Rhodes.

Comanche Voter म्हणाले...

Ah Michael K, I think the "serial black rapist" was the fellow who was anointed as "our first black President" in 1992. Ol Billy Jeff needs more than a good talking to.

I will take your point that some of the best and brightest minds out of Africa come to the States for college. USC has had a very healthy international students program for a long time.

That said, tribalism and governmental corruption --and yes a lot of crime and violence (along with indigenization decrees) make it difficult for Western companies to operate in Africa.

You'd like to think that a country like Nigeria (home to the largest black population in Africa) or Liberia or Kenya could get and keep its act together and advance the economic and political lot of the population. I didn't see any of that in my travels there over a period of half a dozen years. But then I also travelled to Venezuela on business working at setting up a joint venture in the late 90s--and it was as bad as Africa.

Howard म्हणाले...

I've hunted in the northern Transvaal. Reminded me of the San Gabriels, the Santa Ynez and Temblor ranges. Chartered a 182 down to Kronstadt to visit a lion breeding farm where my buddy shot a springbok. It was very similar the the low foothill portion of Amador County Had the best bbq lamb kebobs ever. That part of Africa felt like home.

Mr. Groovington म्हणाले...

Blogger Bay Area Guy said...
Every now and then, one of my rich neighbors, often a retired Professor, will regale us about a recent trip to Africa. Most everyone will swoon, and fawn over him, and shower the enlightened fellow with praise and frankensense and myrhh, and then the clouds will part, and harps will gently play, as streaks of sunshine burst from the heavens to our little block party BBQ, warming our souls, while vaporizing the plumes of white liberal guilt.

Myself, I'm like "Africa? Why the fuck would anyone wanna go there? Y'all want cheese on this burger?"


Rule #1 of serious travel: when you go home, only talk about it with other serious travellers. The rest are incurious or resentful and it only bores or annoys them.
Rule #2: sleep with the natives.

Mr. Groovington म्हणाले...

We don’t know whether Richard Burton was fucking them by the tens or hundreds on his way to the Nile source and back, because his wife Isabel burned his most intimate journals.

He also translated the Kama Sutra and Arabian Nights. The greatest of the Victorian sex explorers. Best biography is by Fawn Brodie.

Gahrie म्हणाले...

I’m in South Africa for a couple of months, currently in Cape Town. It’s a beautiful, thriving city

Six months ago it was out of water and it's located in the rape capital of the world.

John henry म्हणाले...

Theodore Dalrymple spent considerable time in Africa a d has written several excellent books.

Stanley's diary, 1890s, is pretty good.

And Conrad's Heart of darkness, based on Conrad's experiences in the Congo never gets old. Even ic he had to tone the truth down for publication. The Belgian royals have a lot to answer for.

John Henry

John henry म्हणाले...

Why does "African" always seen to mean Sub-Saharan, black, Africa?

What are the Egyptians, Libyans, Moroccans, syrianz and so on, chopped liver?

And Afrikaaners, some who trace their roots to the 16th century never seem to be considered "African" do they?

John Henry

Mr. Groovington म्हणाले...

Blogger Gahrie said... Six months ago it was out of water and it's located in the rape capital of the world.

Both true. Can’t wait to get to the DRC either.

John henry म्हणाले...

I second Sodal Ye. I read it a long time ago but The Devil Drives is one of those books that really stuck with me.

John Henry

Mr. Groovington म्हणाले...

Blogger johnhenry100 said... And Afrikaaners, some who trace their roots to the 16th century

17th.

eddie willers म्हणाले...

For the life of Me, I can't see what Obama saw in Rhodes.

A Colossus.

Gahrie म्हणाले...

And Afrikaaners, some who trace their roots to the 16th century never seem to be considered "African" do they?

I always refer to Elon Musk as my favorite African-American.

Earnest Prole म्हणाले...

Ah, the refreshing and relaxing feeling when real, live human beings are abstracted into remarkable stories.

Achilles म्हणाले...

That's Barack Obama, Facebooking platitudes. It's kind of refreshingly mellow and relaxing, isn't it?

Mellow and relaxing.

Shit That’s awesome.

You could almost forget he used the government to spy on political opponents and persecute people he disagreed with.

Achilles म्हणाले...

It will be way more relaxing when Obama is invoking the 5th amendment and shuts the fuck up for once.

Darrell म्हणाले...

I always refer to Elon Musk as my favorite African-American.

I've always been fond of Juliet Prowse, myself.

Narayanan म्हणाले...

Obama should be using "naqba" from Palestinean vocabulary.
Is there any footage of Obama "processing" Trump win?

Bob Loblaw म्हणाले...

About ten years ago I had a girl from Eritrea who was so poor she could not afford a laptop, the modern equivalent of a microscope.

I've been impressed with the Eritreans I've met. They're a tough people. Smart, too.

jaydub म्हणाले...

This FB post was primarily a gratuitous plug for Rhodes' book, which is a gratuitous account of Barry's foreign policy, which Barry gratuitously endorses. I think this is known as a circle jerk.

I'll buy the fact that Ben sees the world through Barry's eyes, but who's to say Ben isn't looking through Barry's white half, a half whose existence is not particularly useful on a trip to Africa. Barry certainly couldn't say Ben's unique insight into his mind comes from "white blood running through his veins" any more than he can publicly acknowledge that bovine excrement is the primary literary vehicle Ben used to produce his tome. Plus, Ben's skin pigmentation does not contribute to shoehorning him into a group of actual African authors so as to facilitate the plug, i.e., as they say at the FBI Barry needed a "hook." So, Barry invented the fact that Ben can read the mind of a half-white fellow leftist who grew up in Hawaii and Indonesia, was educated in elite American schools and lived his entire adult life in North America, and Ben can do all that even though he has no African blood running through his veins! Good job Ben!

Okay, it's a tenuous relationship to the actual African authors, but tenuous ties don't stop the FBI, either, and Barry wasn't about to pay GPS to conjure one up.

stevew म्हणाले...

Obama, once a scold and uninvited advice giver, always a scold and uninvited advice giver. I don't care, do you?

-sw

Jaq म्हणाले...

Who are you talking about ?

He’s talking about Bill Cosby, who, by the way, still gets a lot of respect in certain quarters of the black community. Just like Booker T Washington. I am curious what ADS thinks we should do about black poverty. What concrete steps he thinks that we can take that will help a community that sure could use some help, if you rule out advocating for personal responsibility. I don’t see it.

David Begley म्हणाले...

There was a white kid from South Africa in my former neighborhood who went to mostly white Westside High. His dad was a doctor. They lived next door to the Mayor. He wanted to be recognized as an African American at school and got all sorts of grief and blow back.

Jaq म्हणाले...

Mostly ADS has become so shell shocked at the ass whooping he gets every time he states a testable “fact” that he has retreated into a style that is deliberately obfuscated and completely lacking factual support. One thing about him though, and I have to give him points for this, he still admits that he supports Hillary instead of lying about it.

exhelodrvr1 म्हणाले...

Think he'll visit Libya?

Ralph L म्हणाले...

My late step-monster's mother was a Boer named Bietz. Both her daughters were both boars and bores and so's her granddaughter. Hereditary bitches.

The daughters had Munchausens and other disorders such as financial incontinence.

Kevin म्हणाले...

Another thing to love about Trump: he doesn’t get interested in something and assign the rest of us homework on the topic.

exhelodrvr1 म्हणाले...

Ralph,
But were they boors?

Ralph L म्हणाले...

Bores was a Freudian slip. They talked enough to drill into your consciousness. I'm still pissed at her 5 years after she croaked.

Etienne म्हणाले...

Obama could to go into south Chicago and see tragedy the same as any place in Africa. Instead he just have the peasants builds a monument to himselves.

tcrosse म्हणाले...

Obama has borrowed Hillary's copy of 'How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read' by Pierre Bayard (available you-know-where).

readering म्हणाले...

Looking forward to when his memoir comes out and he gives the NYT a By the Book interview.

Michael K म्हणाले...

"I've been impressed with the Eritreans I've met. They're a tough people. Smart, too."

She is ow a doctor but we have not kept in touch as I do with some of my former students.

Her parents got her out of Eritrea during the war to South Africa which was still in the Apartheid period but was much safer. Then she went to France then to Guadaloupe and finally to LA where she lived with a grandmother.

She had a much more harrowing story than the race pimps in LA and has done very well.

Interviewing military recruits, I see quite a few from Africa and they are always (of course they are selected) well motivated and doing well.

One, a Nigerian with two Engineering degrees, was pleased that I asked him if he was an Ibo (Now Igbo). The Ibo tribe are gifted in math and and he told me he always found math easy. Many Ibos are "Quants" in financial firms in New York.

n.n म्हणाले...

Her parents got her out of Eritrea during the war to South Africa which was still in the Apartheid period but was much safer.

Political separation was never the threat. The conflict between black factions a la Tutsi and Hutu, Fatah and Hamas, Palestinians and Jordanians, was... and then social justice adventurers opened abortion fields.

Jim at म्हणाले...

I sure miss that preening, pretentious, narcissistic prick.

OK. I made that up.

Mary Beth म्हणाले...

But few others so closely see the world through my eyes like he can

Dear diary,
Ben gets me, he really gets me.

Bad Lieutenant म्हणाले...

Jim at said...
I sure miss that preening, pretentious, narcissistic prick.


I suggest more target practice.

Tyrone Slothrop म्हणाले...

I'd been aware of that video for a while, but never actually watched it until now. Man, I wish I'd watched it sooner. It filled me with a deep, warm contentment watching Ben try to conjure up a screen performance that would convey the misery he actually felt.

Robert Cook म्हणाले...

Obama's comment is just the kind of fake, thrice-warmed shit that sends shivers through his empty-headed admirers.

No wonder the Donald's crude tweets seems so refreshing to his empty-headed admirers: it's fresh shit, and succinct.