Cruz spoke first. You can scroll back in the video to see that. He introduces Trump and Trump comes out slowly, interacting with the crowd and not looking at Cruz, whose back is to the camera:
Finally, Trump begins to turn toward Cruz, but he continues to look away, as Cruz's blocky head and back fill the screen:
Finally, Trump casts his eyes on Cruz:
What's that expression on his face? Some sort of begrudging smile? Something that means, I can work with you but I don't trust you?
Then Trump moves in with the deep piercing eye contact. Out of view is the hand shake, and Trump's left hand is way up for the shoulder grab, before Cruz can get any left-hand business happening:
Now, Cruz has the left-hand death-grip happening on Trump's right biceps, and Trump's expression is an instant of passing anguish:
And immediately, Trump is back in control, enacting, for the camera, the appearance of having an important conversation where he's really explaining something to Ted (whose face we barely see):
Now, there's a hug, but look at Trump's expression. It's like he's giving Ted the shiv:
Trump's done with this part and the effort shows:
Finally, he's rid of the man. Trump turns his back on Cruz and settles into his walking-and-clapping-settling-into-his-own-thoughts mode:
ADDED: Who has tiny hands? Seems to be Cruz:
Posts
145 comments:
Looks like two mature, heterosexual men on a dais before an adoring crowd.
I don't agree with your assessment. The greeting was cordial.
The strange bedfellow like that dare not speak it's name.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with their meeting.
I guess I'm not seeing what you're seeing.
I assume what Althouse is getting at is that most of the time they were together, Trump didn't look at Cruz, but played to the crowd while Cruz looked on. The greeting was cordial, but I think if it were heartfelt, it would have happened sooner, in the midst of greeting the crowd, not after that part was over. There also seemed to be a bit of a lecture in between the hugs.
Fremdschamen is the word. I hate cringing for others. Thankfully I didn't watch the clip. Ol' Lyin Ted and Small Dick Don... those scoundrels
AA offers political nuance!
Methinks the size of the crowd is more important (see, election, 2016)
This post reveals the pricks among the commenters.
We are taking names.
Trump is quite magnanimous toward Cruz, given that Cruz's father was involved in the Kennedy assassination.
And the media crying, "OMG there are empty seats! Empty seats!" need to be reminded that the empty seats they were showing were the private boxes. Those are owned by individuals and companies and cannot be used buy anyone other than the owner or their designee.
100,000 people--including the ones outside that couldn't get in.
Hillary can't pull 200 unless they bus in city workers during work hours.
on the other hand... while this was going on, O'Bama was saying:
Obama: When you hear economy is improving, 'remember who started it’
and *I* want to say: Barry, YOU DIDN'T BUILD THAT
Thank GOD for Donald Trump!
What did he whisper to Cruz? I'm going to go with: "I guess I'm going to have to win this one for you..."
This should be interesting. This is why we love Althouse.
I didn't really notice anything unusual in the meeting either. Before the greet, Trump ignoring Cruz was pretty obvious. But isn't that normal. To work the crowd first.
Bad Lip-Reading would some fun with that.
It's a business. Like and don't like doesn't come into their calculations.
Methinks the size of the crowd is more important
I heard a report that people were lining up over the weekend in order to get tickets so they could get inside. Even though they always put up giant TV screens outside the event so that people who don't get inside can participate in the rally as well. Obama was attending a rally in Nevada over the weekend, it attracted about 2000 attendees. Trump attracted around 30,000 counting the people in the venue and the crowd outside. There are claims that 100,000 rsvp'ed wanting tickets.
Should haves and have-nots really be haves and haven'ts. (Alan Partridge)
If you didn't see what I was talking about from the video, maybe my screen shots will help.
Verdict:
Meh.
I didn't detect any animosity between them. It was a Trump rally, not a Trump and Cruz rally.
Cruz is like one of the kids who got a ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory. He's just lucky to be there at all
I think the point our hostess is making, starts with the given, that everything is scripted, and stage directed, by President Trump. The timing, of Cruz entering the stage, his 'mark' he had to hit, The Presidents entry, timing, mark, etc. All crafted by President Trump, the Alfa, for the benefit of the Alfa. I didn't see any genuine, affection, or respect. I saw the President, doing a favor, making sure Cruz understood who owes who, who is in charge of Cruz's political well being. Cruz know's President Trump is the master and has the power destroy Cruz. Cruz understands, doesn't know how the President does it, just knows he can. It is the truth that cannot be spoken aloud.
I'm not sure I see the disdain during the handshake and greeting, but it is obvious as hell that Trump made Cruz wait awkwardly while he was working the crowd. Trump wants Cruz to know his place.
Trump's expression in the screen shots seems like that of a father who's wayward son has finally returned.
Nice work Ann. Your visual analytic ability is still as sharp as ever.
the impression i got, was Cruz coming to heel.
Trump is Tom Bombadil, Trump is the Master.
Trump is silly, and talks funny.
Trump is not affected by murderous willow trees, or evil barrow wights.
The ONE RING has no affect on Trump.
Trump has a BEAUTIFUL wife.
Trump is the Master
Trump is pretty absent minded, and will expect US to take care of the Black Riders (after giving us the tools/swords to do the job). If we screw it up, Trump will be fine in his house in the Old Forest; if we do the job, Trump will be fine too. Nothing will affect Trump, Trump is the Master
the media crying, "OMG there are empty seats! Empty seats!"
Their just trying to comfort themselves. Anyone looking at the crowds attending these rally's can see that Trump is hugely popular. And all he does is stand around and talk about how great America is and his plans for improving the economy and enforcing the immigration laws. And that he is a nationalist who is opposed to globalism. People are lining up at 10:00 am Sunday for a political rally starting on Monday at 6:30 pm. Intelligent politicians must be taking note of that. I think it was TS Elliot who said something along the lines of it not being sufficient to get good people elected into office. What was necessary was to create an environment where bad people in office would need to do good things in order to get reelected.
Seems like the usual for ego driven performers to me.
I've been the backline keyboardist for more than a few of those all-star shows where every musician walks onstage for one tune to be greeted by the dazzling host.
Knowing the participants as I did, I knew that the kissing and hugging was fake and that they often hated one another out of jealousy and past insults and injuries, but everybody smiled for the audience and the camera and pretended to love one another.
No stage hog wants to share the spotlight.
I watched it on TV and I didn't get that impression at all. I thought the exchange when Trump was speaking to Cruz personally, looked like Trump was either apologizing or thanking Cruz. I commented on it to my wife and she agreed. Regardless, my wife is on the way to vote early for Cruz and I will do the same in a few days. On a practical note, early voting in Harris County, TX (Houston) was over 80,000 yesterday, breaking the previous first day of early voting record by 35,000. Both Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott were in Houston, yesterday. Draw your own conclusions. I have been predicting Cruz over Beto 57-43 but I think I'll edge it on up to 59-41.
Did Trump/Cruz flash evil Nazi gang symbols to one another? You can tell - the left hand raised - yup: a Nazi for sure.
That was Trump's grand entrance. All those people had been waiting for Trump for many hours at that point. Trump was paying attention and respect to them as well as basking in their applause. He does the same at every rally no matter who introduces him. The message is, Trump's voters come first, not the politicians and VIPs.
If you watch the very beginning of the clip, Cruz is introduced and there is significant booing. No doubt Trump heard that backstage.
No surgery will stop you from seeing what you want to see.
All I see is typical Trump.
Great analysis, Ann.
This is a classic example of non-verbal bypassing. Trump has no focus on Cruz. We're in no position to gauge Cruz from the back, but he's probably doing the same thing to Trump, albeit beholding.
In this case, all that matters is that Trump is there for the man.
M
So you and your boss got into it a year or more back. You were both up for a promotion. He wanted to make a whole mess of changes and dazzled the board of directors with an animated PowerPoint razzamatazz presentation. You, on the other hand, held back and said, "ya know, things are going pretty good, we really just need to stay the course with a few tweaks." The two of you battled back and forth and sometimes it got personal.
He got the job.
But, it turns out his razzamatazz had some actual good ideas for the direction of the company. Profits went up, the price of the stock not only went up, there were splits! Here you thought his presentation was all flash and no substance, but you were wrong.
You may not have gotten the job, but you have a lot more money in the bank and your new boss is working with you and helping you and making sure you get your due as well.
Do you forgive him? Do you hold a grudge? Some would. The LLR's of the world would. The smart ones tighten their seat belts and hang on for the wild-ass ride.
Althouse, that's great work.
* * *
Gilbar, that's a great allusion.
The people that consider Trump a destroyer of norms have blinded themselves to his essentially comic character.
Seems like Trump being Trump, to me. Cruz is definitely awkward and the contrast with Trump’s mastery of working the crowd is painfully obvious - he should not just turn his back to the crowd, for starters.
But like Bay Area Guy I’d say the size of the crowd, and the lines of people waiting to get in to his rallies, is by far, BY FAR, the more important story. If it walks like 2016, and talks like 2016, ...
I way underestimated the professional entertainment experience that Trump brought to the presidency. Probably because I didn't like him or The Apprentice, and so never watched it except for when Dennis Rodman was on one season, and then only a few episodes. (Wife was a Bulls fan.)
He is a master at this type of event. His instincts for framing and extemporaneous speech are outstanding. I think like Bush 43, being misunderestimated is one of his strengths. Underestimate Trump at your peril. Don't fall for the fool act. It just lulls you into self-immolation or worse.
Cruz was acting as a bullet catcher for the first four minutes of the rally. No greater love than that.
I also get a kick out of the Vladimir and Estragon performance by our first five commenters.
Henry is a commie c-sucker for those keeping score at home. His comments reflect that and nothing more. There are others, so keep vigilant.
"It was not perhaps the warmest friendship in the world, they would not send each other Christmas gift greetings, but they would not murder each other. That was friendship enough in this world, all that was needed."
--Puzo, The Godfather
"I think the point our hostess is making, starts with the given, that everything is scripted..."
That's not her point, but rather that the exchange is a demonstration of all the bad that is our President. Of course, she sees what she wants to see. Likely still wondering how that awful guy made it to the Supreme Court and hating Trump for it.
Obama was attending a rally in Nevada over the weekend, it attracted about 2000 attendees. Trump attracted around 30,000 counting the people in the venue and the crowd outside.
Obama's rally was in Las Vegas, but Trump's was in Elko, NV population about 20,000.
YES, Annie C. Nice parable.
Trump doesn't hold grudges. He's far too pragmatic for that.
And I agree with some others that inferences drawn by our hostess are off the mark.
God that is funny. I worked for a manager who was impressed at all the "body language" stuff, and showed us videos of Clinton and other world leaders going through a doorway. Who stays back, steering the other, lesser beings forward? Who gets to put the big hand on the little person's back?
Blogger Mike Sylwester said...
Trump is quite magnanimous toward Cruz, given that Cruz did not endorse Trump at the 2016 convention.
FIFY
crosse said...
Obama was attending a rally in Nevada over the weekend, it attracted about 2000 attendees.
Look at the photo on Powerline.
It looks like 200.
Last night Obama was in Vegas while Trump was in Texas.
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2018/10/23/wow-the-bloom-is-really-off-the-ruse/#more-155752
(Sorry. I'm bad at links)
Check out the crowds.
Poor Barry
Damn. Mike beat me to it.
(sulk)
"I also get a kick out of the Vladimir and Estragon performance by our first five commenters."
I guess I'm not seeing what you're seeing.
When Trump won the Indiana primary, clinching the nomination, he singled out Ted Cruz ywice in his victory speech--calling him a great and tough campaigner and an honorable man. He stopped the crowd from booing Cruz and told them Cruz pledged his help winning in November.
Once again, you have to read UK newspapers to see what is happening.
Until recently, it was widely assumed the Republicans would lose control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections.
It was being depicted as a ‘damning referendum on Trump’ and historically, most presidents – like Obama - take a whack in the midterms.
But now, I’m not so sure.
In fact, I’d say there’s a very good chance the Republicans will hang onto the House, as well as the Senate, and Trump will move on empowered and emboldened to what could very well be an even bigger win in 2020.
Why is this happening?
Well first, the US mainstream media has become the boy that cried wolf.
Their constant collective outrage over every tiny thing Trump says, tweets or does – much of it driven by commercial self-interest - has had the inevitable effect of diluting the impact of that outrage.
Barely a week goes by without some supposed new ‘Trump crisis’ fuelling wall-to-wall cable news coverage and dire predictions of impeachment or even jail time for the President.
Yet within a few days, each ‘administration-threatening scandal’ dissolves into a giant nothing-burger.
The headline ?
PIERS MORGAN: The media hates him, Hollywood hates him but every hysterical piece of abuse they throw at him just makes Trump stronger and now the Democrats are heading for a midterms disaster
Now run home and get your shinebox.
If I hadn't read the Althouse blog for years, and this was my introduction, I would suspect the hostess suffers from Asperger's and in an effort to understand human emotion has memorized a set of visual clues. I watched the video of the rally last night and my impression was more like, "damn, what a large and enthusiastic crowd for a mid-term political rally" (CHALLENGE - WHAT PRESIDENT HAS DRAWN A BIGGER MID-TERM RALLY CROWD?) and "wow, Trump has a lot of energy for a man his age" and "the guy has a pretty good story and he will probably kick ass in 2020"
It's not personal. It's business.
Oh, and another thing - Trump said "yeah, I'm a nationalist". What a great "fuck you" to the 20th Century. The man is a prodigy.
It's not personal. It's business.
Exactly, tcrosse.
“That's not her point, but rather that the exchange is a demonstration of all the bad that is our President. Of course, she sees what she wants to see. Likely still wondering how that awful guy made it to the Supreme Court and hating Trump for it.”
Rosa Marie is mad that Althouse didn’t gush over the meeting of these two wonderful men. Aren’t there enough sycophants here already?
You have to consider what this meeting represented. During this election, which has been framed as a referendum on Trump's character, Cruz meets him onstage. This is Trump's campaign; Cruz has now hooked his wagon to the Trump train.
This is an enormous risk, and I'm certain Cruz' political experts have cautioned him against it. Usually the President loses first mid term.
I watched 15 minutes or so, where he told how Cruz is really good in Washington, then described how during the campaign they went at each other, but all is well now.
And the 'fake news'. I wonder how many people cancel their cable or turn off CNN when he does that. He had the crowd laughing and mocking them.
There is something going on there. This man is extraordinarily dangerous as a political opponent. He has the crowd with him wanting more. The Democrats and Media worked nonstop to denormalize his presidency, to make it uncool to support him, deplorable even.
What I saw was half the country laughing and enjoying a private joke with the other half looking on wondering what is going on, and starting to get curious why they are all having so much fun.
Estragon is angry.
Inga said...
Rosa Marie is mad that Althouse didn’t gush over the meeting of these two wonderful men. Aren’t there enough sycophants here already?
I actually thought the analysis was quite complimentary to Trump.
“What I saw was half the country laughing and enjoying a private joke with the other half looking on wondering what is going on, and starting to get curious why they are all having so much fun.”
The other half of the country is wondering what the hell is wrong with these people.
Bod Boyd said...
I guess I'm not seeing what you're seeing.
Just something about the way those five terse comments almost form an absurdist dialog.
At least there's no fake smiling.
“I actually thought the analysis was quite complimentary to Trump.”
Maybe so, apparently several commenters including Rosa Marie don’t agree. I’m pointing out how Trump sychophants demand outright gushing and reject Althouse’s analysis of the meeting, maybe because it wasn’t complimentary enough.
"Estragon is angry."
Estragon was trying to be funny.
All five comments are addressing Althouse, but imagine they address each other:
Vladimir: Looks like two mature, heterosexual men on a dais before an adoring crowd.
Estragon: I don't agree with your assessment. The greeting was cordial.
Vladimir: The strange bedfellow like that dare not speak it's name.
Estragon: There was absolutely nothing wrong with their meeting.
Vladimir: I guess I'm not seeing what you're seeing.
The other half of the country is wondering what the hell is wrong with these people.
If by "other half" you mean the measly 6% of the country which is hardcore Leftist and disconnected from reality, yes. The independents can feel what's going on. They are not attracted to pussy hatted or migrant-swarmed or paranoid schitzo-politics obsessed mobs. Jobs not mobs are going to win this one. It really is a huge repudiation to everything you stand for, Inga. To have Trump be able to reverse historical precedent for midterms in such a strong and dominant way must mean the Democrats are losing all hope of regaining a majority in any chamber before 2022 at the earliest.
See that dot on the horizon? That's the boat and you done missed it long ago. #BlueWave
Good eye Henry. The love for absurdity knows no party lines.
Mike is right.
Trump is an expert at this.
He had talent to begin with, but he obviously, deliberately trained in this for many years. A natural turned into a prodigy.
What impresses me even more (as it did in 2016) is the organization and logistic skills that put the Trump show in dozens of venues, with sell-out crowds everywhere - and each one night only! - in the two months before this election. An intense pace of operations. This is superbly organized system. Trump has hired an excellent staff.
"All I see is typical Trump."
Which doesn't mean Althouse's interpretation is wrong. Dudes know that type of dude. You lay down your grudge and I'll do my best for you. We don't have to love each other to work together. Funny that this is so alien to some folks.
I suspect the Dems are engineering a pre-mid-term market downturn but not sure how.
Had Cruz backed away from the lectern to the back edge of the dais, all would have seemed quite different.
Cruz would have been facing the crowd and Trump simultaneously.
Any blame falls to Cruz, the candidate whose policies I believed I liked best after Walker withdrew.
I was wrong about Trump.
I prefer his policies.
Can't we have jobs AND mobs?
Rent a mob for Hillary.
It takes a village to support a rape excuser and a Private Server in the closet for secret cash flow.
The visual fisking seems a little off.
Sure, Trump gave priority to the crowd and Cruz can't help but come off as a beta compared to Trump, but otherwise it was just well-orchestrated business, between men who understand each other and now share major interests.
The minor interpretive kerfuffle here raises a larger question: if a fairly astute female observer like Althouse nonetheless slightly misreads male interaction, staged though it is in this case, what does that tell us about other misreadings by less observant women? Is it true, after all, that they just don't understand?
Mockturtle @ 9:05
The power-obsessed corruptocrats are always engineering something.
“The independents can feel what's going on.”
As a hard core Trumpist, based on your commentary, I doubt you have a good handle on what independents feel.
Blogger Inga...Allie Oop said...
“The independents can feel what's going on.”
As a hard core Trumpist, based on your commentary, I doubt you have a good handle on what independents feel.
The bedpan commando knows all about what Independents think.
I suspect the Dems are engineering a pre-mid-term market downturn but not sure how.
Nah, they aren't that smart. The market is pricing in the likelihood of the GOP losing the house. I wouldn't expect a long term dip unless the GOP loses the senate as well.
“They are not attracted to pussy hatted or migrant-swarmed or paranoid schitzo-politics obsessed mobs.”
Like the mob that cursed at Pelosi and pounded on a door to the building she was in at an event in Florida? And please don’t make a hypocrite out of yourself by defending their actions.
Well, General Eisenhower and Field Marshal Montgomery didn't like each other either. The important thing was, they got on with it and won the war.
“The bedpan commando knows all about what Independents think.”
The butcher knows about independents like he knows about cutting pork chops.
Inga...Allie Oop said...
“They are not attracted to pussy hatted or migrant-swarmed or paranoid schitzo-politics obsessed mobs.”
Like the mob that cursed at Pelosi and pounded on a door to the building she was in at an event in Florida? And please don’t make a hypocrite out of yourself by defending their actions.
Last I heard those were Miami Cubans who know a helluva lot about communism and reject it outright. Not the white supremacists of your dreams.
Inga got pwned. by Annie.
As a hard core Trumpist, based on your commentary, I doubt you have a good handle on what independents feel.
I'm a hard-core Patriot and a surprised and reluctant Trump supporter. You use the word "Trumpist" and I don't know what that means. I also think my living in a purple county in the Progressive clusterfuck that is California affords me a very good idea of what independents are thinking, especially independents marginalized by the idiotic Brown administration. You can doubt all you want but:
- I called the 2016 race for Trump in September 2016, based on traveling widely and speaking to many people / you were wrong
- I correctly predicted the Russia-Russia-Russia hoax would crumble into a nothingburger and it has / you were repeatedly horrendously wrong to the point of absurdity
- I predicted the Red Wave would turn to a Trickle and amount to losses in the Senate for Progressives with not much change in the House / you have predicted the opposite and are now in full panic as you realize I was right (AGAIN!) and you were wrong (AGAIN!)
- I told you illegals were voting in CA and gave Hillary her margin of "victory" for CA / you disputed it but lookie here: 100,000 mistakes* in voter registration
*First they admitted registering 1000 illegals to vote, then 1500, now...
“What I saw was half the country laughing and enjoying a private joke with the other half looking on wondering what is going on, and starting to get curious why they are all having so much fun.”
The other half of the country is wondering what the hell is wrong with these people.
We all agree then? The whole country is paying attention and has an opinion.
Nope. Not tired of winning yet.
Cubans do understand that Democrats are little power-obsessed Castros.
"What did he whisper to Cruz?"
My guess is something like, "I know it was you, Fredo."
Like the mob that cursed at Pelosi and pounded on a door to the building she was in at an event in Florida?
That's ONE. Care to compare scores. (Hint, you'll lose badly).
I found it reprehensible. But I found it understandable. Hit me once I may turn the other cheek. Hit me every day and I'll punch back. A on the right few are adopting the tactics of the left. we all should hope the left sees this trend swelling and THEY back down from their worst (far worse than cat calls at a public/political event) acts before the right imitates those too.
Not tired of winning yet.
10/23/18, 9:49 AM
And Inga never gets tired of losing.
I called the 2016 race for Trump in September 2016, based on traveling widely and speaking to many people / you were wrong
I was quite impressed with my daughter, the Democrat FBI agent who Inga is always bringing up, telling me in September 2016 that she would NOT vote for Hillary.
At the time I thought it was evidence of an agent revolt that prompted Comey's July presser.
Since then, I'm not so sure but I still did not think Trump could win. I was pleasantly surprised.
And Inga never gets tired of losing.
Inga is Charlie Brown with the football.
Trump doesn't look happy to be there, and that he really doesn't care for Cruz but views this as some sort of distasteful necessity.
He is a good enough actor to put on a happy face for 5 minutes so I wonder what is really going on...
They've interacted before. I remember Trump-as-president signing something space-related and making a crack about whether he (Trump) would have the guts to be an astronaut and asked Ted too, who (genially) replied something noncommittal.
The primary? It's just business.
I don't think that a careful, frame by frame analysis, is accurate without taking into account the perspective compression of telephoto lenses. Its akin to the business of Trump glowering over Hillary during one of the Presidential debates - he is actually much further away than is apparent due to the lens compression.
As a photographer I am especially sensitive to the sense of personal space between subjects and its affect upon the viewer. One of the most well known of these incidents was at the Democratic Convention of 1976 in New York where it appeared that Ted Kennedy would not acknowledge Jimmy Carter as he walked about the podium. No doubt there was a narrative about the animosity between the candidates - much as between Cruz and Trump - and the perspective distortion of telephoto lenses was seized upon to confirm the narrative.
I think I detect a narrative confirmation in Althouse's exegesis. But, make no mistake, I read Althouse every morning for her keen insights. However, this one may be wide of the mark.
“That's ONE. Care to compare scores. (Hint, you'll lose badly).”
All one has to do is observe Trump rally goers for angry mobs. Screaming “Lock her up!” directed toward Diane Feinstein. Republican mobs seem to want to take out their violent tendencies on old women like Pelosi and Feinstein. So fierce!
Why the hell doesn't Cruz slide off to the side to give a clean view of the lectern and Trump? Why do I have to look at the back of his doughy head forever?
First-day-early-voting numbers broke records in Tarrant County (Fort Worth and Arlington)yesterday. We're the only major Texas urban county that still votes red in state and national elections. Beto the Boyfriend may have won the race for homecoming king over Cruz, but he won't win the Senate race. Cruz doesn't have the charisma or the stage presence of Trump, but he shares Trump's high-energy competitiveness and fearlessness.
Igna is RIGHT!
screaming 'Lock her up!' is A MILLION TIMES WORSE than fracturing someone's skull with a bike lock. . . and screaming is a BILLION TIMES WORSE than shooting someone at a softball game
The Trump people are The Animals!!! they're screaming!!!!
Unlike Igna's folk, that just maim or kill
Hey FWBuff, we went to the Rockwall library yesterday and voted. Red. Except for the younger Bush. What he is doing to the Alamo is unconscionable. That one got my libertarian vote.
It was a really good crowd there too.
"Screaming “Lock her up!” directed toward Diane Feinstein."
The difference is, Feinstein isn't there.
Trump's face in public--and maybe in private--is always full Mussolini/Patton. You can't look at him any other way. Il Duce! It's one reason he gets stuck with the fascist label.
The other half of the country is wondering what the hell is wrong with these people.
Its a huge, historical, political realignment. The political arrangements that held in the 20th century were crafted for a world that no longer exists. The Soviet Union is gone. The means for mass communications are no longer monopolized by a few well placed elites, many of them related to each other or belonging to the same social networks. Perhaps most importantly, the people who style themselves as society's leaders no longer hold the same values as the people the purport to lead. And that is a situation that cannot last for very long.
Trump loves Cruz's vote. That's enough. Presidents have interests, not friends, to paraphrase.
The real problem with Ann's analysis is it ignores the counter factual. Imagine Trump had attended to Cruz and cold shouldered the crowd. Not very Trumpian I’d say. So no matter who it is on the stage Trump will schmooze the crowd first. It isn’t really about Cruz.
Ken B,
And if they want a friend they get a dog.
Obama got a dog.
If the Democrats had someone smart like Daniel Patrick Moynihan in place, he would've co-opted Trump (who has no true political religion) and started brokering deals.
Ron Winkelheimer
It CAN last a very long time. It lasted centuries in Britain, in India, in Rome, in ... All it takes is a strong class system. The Left is trying to build such a class system here. If they succeed it will last here too.
When Trump began his run for the Republican nomination with the slogan "Make America Great Again" the "elite" were shocked that such blatant nationalism would be aired in public. Nationalism, they declared is bad and anyone espousing it is repugnant, unfit for human society. This is an example of the purported leaders of society having values divergent from those that they claim to lead.
Republican mobs seem to want to take out their violent tendencies on old women like Pelosi and Feinstein. So fierce!
Hilarious. Are there any Democrats that are not "old women ?"
The Republican "mobs" cheer and attend Trump rallies by the thousands.
Democrat mobs send ricin to Senator Collins, shoot at Republican softball teams and vandalize GOP offices and steal equipment.
Not to mention harassing people in restaurants.
Trump is entering another phase of his presidency. There's no question now he's the boss, but in Cruz's case they were once "equals" and some rough tactics were taken. That look from Trump to Cruz is an honest acknowledgement that Trump did some dirty work on Cruz and Cruz could understandably be resentful. ("Lyin' Ted" is hard to forget.) Maybe that's what Ann meant by Trump doesn't entirely trust Cruz? Cruz is deeply ambitious, but I do think in his favor is that Cruz knows he was outmatched and he is willing to learn from the master. I don't believe he would attempt to backstab Trump, not unless Trump was already defeated.
I watched a few moments of Cruz's intro where he seems to try to be jocular and it was a stark reminder of how poorly Cruz speaks to an audience. He is cringeworthy. He's a good senator, a professional politician, but he doesn't really relate to the "common man."
When I said Trump is entering another phase -- I also meant he's deeply in the weeds now, having to deal with the craziness of allies like MBS and the Turks, and the Central American fiasco he's inherited. BTW, divine providence may intervene -- a major hurricane is on course to hit Mexico.
It CAN last a very long time. It lasted centuries in Britain, in India, in Rome, in ... All it takes is a strong class system. The Left is trying to build such a class system here. If they succeed it will last here too.
The difference here is that the American people are very, very well armed. Also, in Britain and Rome the rulers and ruled over had very similar believes. If you were a Roman citizen you thought that Rome was great, and so did the people ruling it. And for the most part Roman leadership looked out for Roman citizens, certainly they put citizens' interests ahead of foreigners. But even when dealing with conquered people they didn't go out of their way to antagonize them for the most part. As long as you paid your taxes they would leave you alone. Same for Britain.
What I saw was half the country laughing and enjoying a private joke with the other half looking on wondering what is going on, and starting to get curious why they are all having so much fun
Two movies...
The other half of the country is wondering what the hell is wrong with these people.
That’s because we’re just not that into you.
Republican mobs seem to want to take out their violent tendencies on old women like Pelosi and Feinstein. So fierce!
We want to retire them so they can enjoy their remaining years.
Ted should be on the SC.
Like the mob that cursed at Pelosi and pounded on a door to the building she was in at an event in Florida?
I won’t defend it but I’ll laugh my ass off.
It took 50 years to get to this point.
There’s a reason the assault rifle ban is polling down.
nga...Allie Oop said...
“That's ONE. Care to compare scores. (Hint, you'll lose badly).”
All one has to do is observe Trump rally goers for angry mobs. Screaming “Lock her up!” directed toward Diane Feinstein. Republican mobs seem to want to take out their violent tendencies on old women like Pelosi and Feinstein. So fierce!
********************
So...I suppose rabid fans at football games, with their shouts of encouragement toward the home team and expressions of derision toward their opponents are "mobs" as well.
Snort.
Looks like our hostess got bored with the regular news.
The other half of the country is wondering what the hell is wrong with these people. - Inga
Yep. If anybody's got the pulse on one half of the country, it's the Jill Stein voters.
I think Cruz would be better on the Supreme Court. He just doesn't look like a retail politician.
He is very very smart and does not suffer fools. Both are USSC qualities.
He is very very smart and does not suffer fools.
Dershowitz seems to think so.
Pathetic is the democrat party running on "Healthcare". They told us that they fixed "Healthcare" when they shoved Obamacare up our ass on Christmas Eve 8 years ago.
Cruz does not want on the supreme court yet. Too much money to be made as a senator.
" ... it was a stark reminder of how poorly Cruz speaks to an audience."
He really is a poor politician. He has no charisma and little "emotional intelligence".
His appeal is all head and no heart. He succeeded through sheer force of personality and intelligence, but that's it as far as his natural gifts.
Trump is a fucking monster.
All one has to do is observe Trump rally goers for angry mobs. Screaming “Lock her up!” directed toward Diane Feinstein. Republican mobs seem to want to take out their violent tendencies on old women like Pelosi and Feinstein. So fierce!
Context matters.
I can yell for and scream for 3 hours at the Football game, then call in on to the radio show on the way home and yell about the coach and the D line. All is proper. Hunt the coach down at a restaurant with his wife? That would get me tossed out on my ass. As it should.
Context matters
Blogger Annie C said...
Cruz does not want on the supreme court yet. Too much money to be made as a senator.
Maybe but his wife had a good gig. The next nominee has to be female and I bet on Amy Coney Barrett.
Cruz will replace Breyer.
Obama spoke at a rally in Nevada yesterday- a wide camera shot of the crowd showed it was about 1000 people maximum (he was speaking in the camera shot from behind him at the podium), and probably less than 500. Trump's crowd last night was at least 100 times as large.
I like Ted Cruz quite a bit- I voted for him in the primary. However, Cruz has little entertainment/stage intelligence, and it was on ample display last night- he should not have remained at the lectern that way (facing away from the cameras), but stood aside and worked the audience and the main television cameras, too. I guarantee you Chuck Schumer would have done that differently and better than Cruz did. This is a mild critique from me, though- one of the things I like about Cruz is that stiffness and lack of political savvy, but it does cost him with a small percentage of voters.
As the the feelings between the two men- I don't doubt that there a lot of animosity between the two still, but they are both quite smart and know they have to work together. To hold those grudges openly would be quite silly and irresponsible.
Crack wrote:
"Trump is a fucking monster."
Indeed.
Yancey Ward said...
Crack wrote:
"Trump is a fucking monster."
Indeed.
10/23/18, 12:54 PM
He means it in a nice way.
Inga...Allie Oop said...
“What I saw was half the country laughing and enjoying a private joke with the other half looking on wondering what is going on, and starting to get curious why they are all having so much fun.”
The other half of the country is wondering what the hell is wrong with these people.
4% growth.
Rising wages.
Record low unemployment.
Protecting our borders.
Ending BushClintonBushObama wars.
It is inexplicable why anyone would support Trump. Truly impossible to support him.
Why hasn't the democrats violent mobs and thuggery managed to persuade those people?
Total mystery.
Inga is the "End of File" marker for reading comments. After her first toothless comment, the comments circle the drain.
This is a two-fer: I save time as comments normally get very repetitive anyway and I never read Inga's talking points regurgitation.
buwaya said...
" ... it was a stark reminder of how poorly Cruz speaks to an audience."
He really is a poor politician. He has no charisma and little "emotional intelligence".
His appeal is all head and no heart. He succeeded through sheer force of personality and intelligence, but that's it as far as his natural gifts.
+1
Jim at said...
The other half of the country is wondering what the hell is wrong with these people. - Inga
Yep. If anybody's got the pulse on one half of the country, it's the Jill Stein voters.
65 million people voted for Hillary.
60 million of them say they voted for Jill Stein when asked.
They know how morally repellent they are.
All one has to do is observe Trump rally goers for angry mobs.
LOL. "Lock her up! screamed at a political rally, then they go home, sleep and report to work the next morning = BAD!
Smacking a guy with a bicycle lock on a chain, hounding people out of restaurants, vandalizing cars because of bumper stickers, shooting up a ball field because they are Republicans, pounding on the doors of the Supreme Court, shrieking harpies cornering a Senator in an elevator in front of (surprise!) MSM cameras, burning and crapping on cop cars, blocking traffic, and on and on = Nothing to see here, move along.
Inga, if you can't see the difference, you are among the few.
Trump will be right up I39 in Mosinee, WI tomorrow. There's your opportunity for a first-hand look and an on-site report.
Your reading on the interaction between Trump and Cruz is off target, but a woman's perspective on male relationships usually is.
I'm a great admirer of Ted Cruz and I was glad to see Trump going to Texas to help Cruz and other Texans in House races, front and centering Cruz, giving him a chance to speak on his own and mentioning that Cruz has supported Trump in the Senate. I have to say that I agree with Althouse that they don't like each other and her analysis explained a general impression I got of a cool relationship. People like me want both of them in politics and working together but people like them find that hard. Anyhow it was great rally. I'm hoping for a red tsunami, I think it's one of the possibilities but it's very hard to find out what people think or how they will vote when Trump supporters are silent or lying. Someone did a study and found that 37% of the people who voted for Trump in 2016 had claimed to be Hillary supporters or not to care very much. Before the last election, one of my relatives told me that Trump's opponents felt very strongly while Trump supporters (glancing at me) were rather indifferent. "Yeah, you probably don't need to turn out and vote," I responded.
The other half of the country is wondering what the hell is wrong with these people.
you could have said that about this COUNTRY when it was HOUSE DIVIDED (1770's to 1860's).
JAORE, don't forgot "attempting to kill Republican congressmen at a softball game and assaulting Rand."
Now they're making assassination porn.
Just another day in the Democratic Party.
Narayanan observes: The other half of the country is wondering what the hell is wrong with these people.
you could have said that about this COUNTRY when it was HOUSE DIVIDED (1770's to 1860's).
You're right. Nothing new in our history about extreme polarization.
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