November 8, 2019

"'Trust me': It’s a tired cliché, a throwaway line, but when you first encounter it in 'A Warning,' the new book by 'Anonymous,' who is identified here only as 'a senior Trump administration official,' it lands with a startling thud."

"Any revealing details have been explicitly and deliberately withheld to protect this person’s identity. Who is this 'me' that we’re supposed to trust? It’s a question that the anonymous author — who wrote an Op-Ed for The Times last year about resisting the president’s 'more misguided impulses' — might have anticipated, given how much of the book is devoted to the necessity of 'character'...  [E]verything in the text of 'A Warning' suggests a dyed-in-the-wool establishment Republican. There’s the typical talk about American exceptionalism and national security. There’s the eternal complaint that President Barack Obama was 'out of touch with mainstream America.' There’s a wistful elegy for 'our budget-balancing daydreams.' Yes, Anonymous is happy about the conservative judicial appointments, the deregulation, the tax cuts; what rankles is the 'unbecoming' behavior, the 'unseemly antics.' A big tell comes early on, when Anonymous reveals what “the last straw” was.... [T]he truly unforgivable act was when Senator John McCain died last year and Mr. Trump tried to hoist the flag on the White House above half-staff: 'President Trump, in unprecedented fashion, was determined to use his office to limit the nation’s recognition of John McCain’s legacy.'

Writes Jennifer Szalai "Book Review: In ‘A Warning,’ Anonymous Author Makes Case Against Re-election/The same official who wrote an Opinion essay in 2018 argues in a new book that the president’s contract shouldn’t be renewed" (NYT).

I was going to say that it sounds like this book won't be too interesting to anybody, but I looked on Amazon and see that it's the #1 bestselling book!

74 comments:

MadisonMan said...

Of course it's the #1 book -- Every Democrat who hates Trump will buy it to reinforce their in-the-bubble viewpoint.

rehajm said...

This week, the talk of the razor-close Massachusetts governor's race has been a single word.

It is the word ''unbecoming,'' which Mitt Romney, the venture capitalist and Republican nominee, used in a debate on Tuesday to describe what he saw as the aggressive demeanor of his Democratic opponent, State Treasurer Shannon P. O'Brien.

Ms. O'Brien and the large number of women who support her quickly called Mr. Romney's choice of language sexist and demeaning. ''I certainly think that he wouldn't use the term 'unbecoming' if he were talking to a man,'' Ms. O'Brien told reporters.

Mr. Romney has responded with a tortuous defense. First he said in a telephone interview that ''unbecoming'' could be used for either sex. Then he called back with more explanations. ''The most familiar usage of that term is 'conduct unbecoming an officer,' which is a military term and in that context it is overwhelmingly male,'' Mr. Romney said. He said that at Harvard, where he went to law and business school (Ms. O'Brien graduated from Yale), '' 'conduct unbecoming' is a term that's used for disciplinary cases.''

Finally, Mr. Romney said, ''I realize it's not a word that's frequently used, but I was an English major and occasionally I will use words that are not that common.''


-NYT Nov 2, 2002

Wince said...

If these people are trying to convince us there is no "Deep State" they're doing a hell of a job.

Ice Nine said...

>>"I was going to say that it sounds like this book won't be too interesting to anybody,"<<

Really?! On the contrary, it will be gobbled up by hundreds of thousands of TDSers - precisely those for whom it was written.

Sebastian said...

"in unprecedented fashion, was determined to use his office to limit the nation’s recognition of John McCain’s legacy.'

WTF?

What was unprecedented was the glorification of a senator, staged as giving the sitting president the middle finger.

traditionalguy said...

The CIA has thousands of narrative fiction writers embedded in the Media that could work with any of several spies embedded in the White House by McMaster. Until now the Trump Military Intelligence team has left them alone while surveilling them to trace their communications networks back to the higher ups, and also to feed them bad info. Think of it as Bletchley Park wing of the White House. They read the enemy's coms and send disinformation though them all the while carefully not letting on that Ultra exists.

chuck said...

Trump doesn't wear a bow tie.

Shouting Thomas said...

Trump Derangement Syndrome is a very profitable business!

To an extent, Trump courts this. He learned from WWE that the most hated character in the show had the most “heat.” The hatred that generates in fans is a great box office draw.

The Iron Shiek was a huge WWE star with intense heat. That role entrances the audience.

So, Trump, I think, doesn’t mind playing the role of the villain with the most heat. He enjoys it.

Temujin said...

Half of America will buy it, sleep with it under their pillow, and quote it at cocktail parties to let those around them know just how smart they are.
The other half of America will shake their heads at it, look at it as if it was lifted from the pages of the National Enquirer. Or Vox. And wonder how anyone of any intellect can take it at face value.

Anonymous will appear, in the dark-with bag over head- on 60 minutes. And as a bodyless voice on Bill Maher's Friday night panel.

Rachel Maddow will get two weeks out of it. And new oxygen tanks are being installed as we speak over at CNN because the level of breathlessness coming has not been seen in...about 3 hours now.

I will continue to go to work. Feed my dog. Love my wife. Pay my bills. And try to find something, anything to grab onto to help me believe that this country is not going down the tank.

Craig said...

The media have created an insatiable demand for Trump Hate.

narciso said...

Meh, and does he need schoolhouse rock toknow who writes up budgets

gilbar said...

Hey! my Dad died! I want you lower the WH flags to half mast!
...sorry, we don't usually do that for private citizens
But! he was a Senator!
...sorry, we don't usually do that for Senators
But! he was a War Vet!
...sorry, we don't usually do that for war vets
But he got shot down, and was a POW!
...sorry, we don't usually do that for POWs
But! his dad, And his granddad were admirals
SO?
He ran for President! He ran for President!
Huh?
He HATED Donald Trump!
OH! why didn't you Say So? He's a NATIONAL HERO!!!

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

It seems Moby wrote a book that Dems will buy, but not read. It’s only telling them what they already know in their hearts.

dbp said...

What a monumental sense of entitlement:

"[T]he truly unforgivable act was when Senator John McCain died last year and Mr. Trump tried to hoist the flag on the White House above half-staff:"

How dare the commander in chief presume He of all people to have authority over placement of the flag at the White House? Who does he think he is?

chuck said...

>> On the contrary, it will be gobbled up by hundreds of thousands of TDSers


Bingo. "What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?"

- Rachel Maddow
- Ronan Farrow
- John Lithgow
- Neal Katyal

Skeptical Voter said...

I have to say that I am done with establishment Republicans. But then I'm also done with the progressives of whatever stripe-left, hard left, crazier than a moonbat left and way out there near Mars left.

I'm a life long registered Democrat--cast my first presidential vote for LBJ--having reached electoral age 5 days before the 64 election. But registration is one thing--voting record is another. And it seems like Washington and New York are occupied by completely emotionally unhinged people. As Joe Biden said (in one of his rare moments of clarity) "ignore the facts, we stand for Truth!" Who knew that Slow Joe was the Torquemada of the secular faith?

In the meantime, I've got a life to live and don't pay too much attention to the politicos playing with their pee pee in the mud in the swamp.

Michael said...

You know how to game the Amazon ranking system? Before the day of release, you coordinate with a number of others to purchase bulk numbers of books. Thus for 1-2-3 days, you are the #1 Amazon Best Seller. After that who cares how many sell, because from that moment onward you can do the talk show and conference circuit touting yourself as a #1 Best Selling Author.

Just another example of how much in our society these days is totally faked.

Not Sure said...

Congrats to Chuck for his successful book launch.

Carter Wood said...

Hasn't computer-based textual analysis advanced sufficiently to allow an interested academic to examine the book and match it to other public writings - assuming such writings exist? There must be great speculation about the author already, which could serve to limit the selection of other texts for analysis.

Bill Peschel said...

Meanwhile, Mark Halperin's "How to Beat Trump" sold about 500 copies the first week, and is at #5,688 on Amazon.

And Trump Jr.'s book is number 3.

Limited blogger said...

Hey, listen, I can't fault anyone for cashing in on Trump's America.

Good for all these entrepreneurs.

Bay Area Guy said...

Stupid book by a stupid anonymous bureaucrat.

In lieu thereof, I'd recommend:

Mollie Hemingway's book on Kavanaugh; and

Andrew McCarthy's "Ball of Collusion"

Original Mike said...

"[T]he truly unforgivable act was when Senator John McCain died last year and Mr. Trump tried to hoist the flag on the White House above half-staff:"

Actually, protocol is to raise it all the way up and then lower it back down it to half-staff. Just raising it half way is tantamount to saying "thanks for dying".

rhhardin said...

Should have lowered a Savings and Loan flag for McCain.

Ann Althouse said...

"Really?! On the contrary, it will be gobbled up by hundreds of thousands of TDSers - precisely those for whom it was written."

The quoted part of the review shows why it's not what Democrats would want. That's the reviewers problem with it. I don't think it seems appealing to GOP never-Trumper types, but perhaps it is.

Tom said...

If McCain had passed around a dodgy dossier on me, I’d try and destroy is legacy too and he’s deserve it.

narciso said...

Also lee smith plot against thr president.

~ Gordon Pasha said...

The content is different but I'm sure the German version will be titled Mein Kampf.

Ice Nine said...

>>I was going to say that it sounds like this book won't be too interesting to anybody
>The quoted part of the review shows why it's not what Democrats would want. That's the reviewers problem with it. I don't think it seems appealing to GOP never-Trumper types, but perhaps it is.<<

It doesn't matter what the reviewer said. You said "anybody." Not just GOP types. "Anybody" is *any*body. And the Democrats *will* buy it because it is clearly a hit job on Trump.

rehajm said...

You know how to game the Amazon ranking system? Before the day of release, you coordinate with a number of others to purchase bulk numbers of books

...or just get your publisher to do it, like they do it with the NYT best seller list.

Craig said...

A book so stupid, its author is not even willing to sign it.

Bilwick said...

When a "liberal" (i.e., tax-happy, coercion-addicted, power-tripping State fellator) says, "Trust me," I automatically take a tighter hold on my wallet.

FullMoon said...

Anonymous author raises questions over Donald Trump's mental fitness saying he 'stumbles, slurs, gets confused, is easily irritated' and it's getting worse


Yeah, compare this statement to the impromptu pressers Trump gives almost daily. Looks pretty calm and focused to me.

MayBee said...

I'd guess the pro-Republican stuff is thrown in there just to make it sound like a Republican really wrote it.

FullMoon said...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7665031/Anonymous-author-raises-questions-Donald-Trumps-mental-fitness.html

'It's like showing up at the nursing home at daybreak to find your elderly uncle running pantsless across the courtyard and cursing loudly about the cafeteria food, as worried attendants tried to catch him,' Anonymous writes. 'You're stunned, amused, and embarrassed all at the same time. Only your uncle probably wouldn't do it every single day, his words aren't broadcast to the public, and he doesn't have to lead the US government once he puts his pants on.'

Dang it. This author sounds like Tom Wolfe, Christopher Hitchens and Mark Steyn rolled into one. Quality writing, fer shure.

wendybar said...

That's because there is a lot of Trump hate out there (case in point...watch The View), and they will grasp at anything to make sure others feel the same anger that they do.....Want to make money....write an Anonymous Hate Trump book. You too could become rich!!!

Bay Area Guy said...

Here's the Cliff Notes summary of "Anonymous"'s new book.

1. I really don't like Trump.
2. He is mean.
3. Permit me to restate this opinion in 300 different ways over the next 200 pages; and finally
4. I'm sure the NYT review of books will find my critique of Trump to be "devastating".

Bob Boyd said...

What exactly is John McCain's legacy anyway?
I think you could argue that Trump has encouraged the recognition of John McCain's legacy and the fact that his legacy has not been very good for the majority of Americans.

Francisco D said...

I'd guess the pro-Republican stuff is thrown in there just to make it sound like a Republican really wrote it.

Are you accusing the Resistance of being liars?

They have their truths doncha know.

Gospace said...

https://www.halfstaffalert.org/flag-code

The President, any president, including Trump, on a day-to-day basis pays no attention to protocol rules, like when and how long the flag is at half staff. There are underlings who have all the rules at their disposal, and they handle it seamlessly.

The brouhaha over the flag at half-staff for

McCAin was all completely made up bullshit. From teh above link: 2. The flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels of the Federal Government in the metropolitan area of the District of Columbia on the day of death and on the following day upon the death of a United States Senator,.

The day of his death, and the following day. That's what the rules were. Trump ended up ordering the flag flown at half staff longer to honor a back stabbing politician because of a "public outcry" that was really only the media elite. I spent 21 years active duty in the U.S. Navy; I knew the rules. Anyone who has dealt with flag etiquette knows the rules. Which likely excludes most liberals who think the U.S. Flag is only suitable for stomping on and burning, while burning a palestinian or rainbow flag should be prosecuted as a hate crime.

rcocean said...

i have zero intention of reading it. What's made up, and what is true? We don't know. Its like all the anonymous "White house officials" the NYT/Wapo have been quoting for almost 3 years. Most of the time they're completely wrong, and many times are just made up by the Reporters.

I would assume that if the book is accurate, any knowledgeable person on the White House staff could figure out who it was. Of course, that's assuming "Anonymous" isn't just relaying 3rd hand gossip. But if he has 1st hand knowledge his identity would be easy for Trump or his Staff to determine. Which brings up the question, IF SO, why hasn't he left, or been fired?

Trump tweeted about "Never-trumpers are human scum". Was Trump referring to this McCain loving "Anonymous"?

rcocean said...

Can you imagine the back-stabbing skulduggery if Trump has stupidity hired Mittens as Secretary of State! "Pierre Delecto" would've been tweeting out "anonymous" attacks on Trump, while smiling Mittens would've been assuring Trump - to his face - of his wholehearted support.

hstad said...

AA states, "...The quoted part of the review shows why it's not what Democrats would want. That's the reviewers problem with it. I don't think it seems appealing to GOP never-Trumper types, but perhaps it is..."

Well, I guess we are only left with 'Independents'. Unless, the bulk buying push is "fake" and designed as a 'Launch Vehicle'. Problem with that is the author is "Anonymous". Therefore, he/she must out themselves to go on the TV 'talk circuit'. But that at this point won't happen.

stevew said...

"Trust me", along with "To tell the truth", is usually the phrase liars use at the beginning of the telling of a lie.

And, as someone else has said, if you are anonymous how can I be expected to trust you? I have no way to assess you and the veracity of what you say.

Leland said...

The quoted part of the review shows why it's not what Democrats would want. That's the reviewers problem with it. I don't think it seems appealing to GOP never-Trumper types, but perhaps it is.

You and the reviewer are making a rational evaluation of people noted as deranged. Do you see the problem?

rcocean said...

If the book is a fake, the author has to be painted as a NEVER TRUMPER Mccain type. Obviously, no liberal Democrat is going to get hired by the Trump White House and be able to remain anonymous.

Assuming its not a total fake, I'd assume its some DoD/State guy or maybe someone in Treasury, who's been allowed to stay on because even though he's a "Never trumper" has some area of expertise that Trump likes. NPR stated that "White house Officials" were going to resign en masse because of something Trump did. However NPR never stated at what LEVEL these "WHite house officials" were. There are 1,000 people in the White House.

rcocean said...

Liars also use:

1) The fact of the matter is:
2) As is well known:

Gospace said...

BTW, as far as flag protocol goes, Original Mike pointed something out. It's a question I ask of Scouts.

Q: When is the flag raised to half mast?

A: Never

Then I make them look up why that's the correct answer.

Then there's why is the flag always raised swiftly, and lowered slowly and ceremoniously. And the answer is ancient. Raising a flag over an area, fort, ship, mountain, redoubt, whatever, indicates ownership - and in battle, show control of that area has just changed. And is raised swiftly to show ownership or conquest.

A flag hurriedly torn down indicates surrender. It's taken down slowly and ceremoniously to indicate it's simply resting for the night, ready to be swiftly hoisted the next day.

walter said...

Some people said something.
Dude gotta go.

Leland said...

The flag stuff is ignorance. US code on display of the flag: "The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress."

The flag was lowered the day of McCain's death and the following day. However, the President can issue a proclamation to lower the flag for any reason, and Obama often did so, supposedly to honor all sorts of things, but in my opinion to just lower the flag. After all, Obama often lowered the flag for several days after a mass shooting. Alas, Obama made a tradition of lowering the flag for Senators until their burial; except for Lautenberg (I guess in the view of anonymous, because Obama didn't care about a Senator that served during WWII).

My opinion is Obama had less reverence for the flag and enjoyed using it to make political statements on the importance of the government class and the dishonor of mass shootings. Trump followed the US Code. That this was "the last straw" for anonymous suggests they have a lot more reverence for [certain] individual people than either the flag or rule of law.

Jersey Fled said...

This is a best seller in the same sense that the Mayor of Baltimore's book was a best seller.

James Graham said...

I hope someone will soon expose this latest "anonymous of the week."

Ray - SoCal said...

The funeral of John McCain did him no favor, and lessened my opinion of him. I see him now as a bitter old man, that was focused on getting the adoration of the elites, especially of the media.

I’m still surprised at his election promises he betrayed.

“Complete the dang fence”.

Howard said...

The standard list of the lies of men:
Trust me, I love you, the check is in the mail, I won't cum in your mouth, you don't look fat in those pants...

Sam L. said...

Why should I trust the writer? I can think of no reason. None. Zero, zip, nada!

Marc in Eugene said...

If 'Anonymous' wrote a book about the nastinesses of a regnant Mrs Clinton, how long would it take for the 'journalists' to strip away his anonymity?

robother said...

The Bush, Romney and Huntsman clans have a lot of names on their Christmas lists, between family and retainers. This fits the bill perfectly, cheaper than a pot of jam. Extra bonus: it's a collectors item. They all will get Anonymous to sign at the family parties. (Only the next generation will discover when they go to cash in that there are many versions of Anonymous.)

Fernandinande said...

"My Secret Life"

Francisco D said...

The standard list of the lies of men:
Trust me, I love you, the check is in the mail, I won't cum in your mouth, you don't look fat in those pants...


You forgot: I am from the government and I'm here to help you.

- Ronald Reagan

Narayanan said...

rcocean said...
Liars also use:

1) The fact of the matter is:
2) As is well known
_____&&&&&
Both art close enough to mean ===>>
We hold these Truths to be Self-Evident

Discuss, educate me.

jg said...

Why should we honor John McCain at all?

Michael K said...

If Obama had a MFA in fiction writing as spokesman, why not another fiction writer?

I know a couple, NeverTrumpers and they are immune to logic.

Gunner said...

Do these so-called "McCain loving" Trump haters remember what the Democrats said about him before Trump was around? Al Franken and many others denigrated his military service much worse than Trump did.

FullMoon said...

Author of review not impressed with book:

Toward the end of the book, an earlier quote from Mr. Trump kept coming back to me, unbidden: “These are just words. A bunch of words. It doesn’t mean anything.”

Rabel said...

So maybe, just maybe, the whole fucking thing was a con to set-up the author to make bank with a later book sale.

FullMoon said...

' Yes, Anonymous is happy about the conservative judicial appointments, the deregulation, the tax cuts; what rankles is the 'unbecoming' behavior, the 'unseemly antics.'

Haha. Sounds like ol' LLR Check. Bet he is foaming at the mouth, wanting to comment and not being allowed.

Life is good.

tim in vermont said...

"Not Sure said...
Congrats to Chuck for his successful book launch.”

I know. Chuck and I have had our differences, but it’s nice to see an Althouse paisano make good.

RMc said...

Who is this 'me' that we’re supposed to trust?

Somebody who hates Trump. What more do you need, you filthy racist?!

roesch/voltaire said...

Most of this, except for the possible mass resignations of the White House staff, is already known and has been reported by various ex-staffers: Trump lacks intellectual curiosity, he doesn't understand the constitution or how governments work, he's self-centered and vindictive and he wants to assign everything to Jerod. And he compromises national security. Of course since he is an old fashion Republican, the Trumpers will ignore him/her?

Sam L. said...

I won't buy the book.

Bunkypotatohead said...

Most of us have no way to distinguish "anonymous sources" from making shit up. Perhaps if big media hadn't squandered their credibility, we could trust them on this. But it's too late baby...it's too late.

Birkel said...

roesch/voltaire would have me believe that Donald Trump gets lucky all the time. He's the Forrest Gump of politicians. The economy is growing middle class wages are rising by accident. Trade deals are finalized and only await House votes, by accident. Plots against Trump fail, by accident. Coups are thwarted, by accident.

Who would stand against a man so favored by the Gods?

tim in vermont said...

R/V, it’s pretty funny to see somebody as ill informed as you are about both sides of the issue describe somebody as incurious.

Bobb said...

How much for a signed copy?