I was just listening to a few minutes of "Morning Joe" as I was driving over to see the sunrise this morning. They had the same topic and were flatly opining that Trump was hurting himself by talking too much at the briefings. They warned him that Biden would be able to pick over his voluminous remarks and find damaging things to quote.
At the time, I thought, well, that must be the most damaging thing they've got against him today — that he's on camera talking too much — or it's the other way around and Trump's appearances are helping him and they want him to stop.
Here are the quotes in the NYT in support of that headline:
Mr. Trump “sometimes drowns out his own message,” said Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who has become one of the president’s informal counselors and told him “a once-a-week show” could be more effective. Representative Susan Brooks of Indiana said “they’re going on too long.” Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia said the briefings were “going off the rails a little bit” and suggested that he should “let the health professionals guide where we’re going to go.”That's far from harsh criticism. Of course, the briefings go on a long time. Trump and the force stand there taking questions as long as the reporters keep asking. Why not tell the reporters to stop talking so much? They can't complain that he won't answer questions. I don't know why, but I've been watching the show. I don't watch TV news. Can't stand the news on TV. But I watch the coronavirus briefing every day. It has high ratings, and I can see why.
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137 comments:
President Trump's speeches are still better than the whining and sniveling (And lies) inflicted by Gov. Cuomo on all of us.
Same. I watch the briefing every day. I learn something every day, and I cringe every day.
LOL! Sure, listen to them, not what you have been doing and has been working!
Trump performs at his best when he is unscripted.
If Trump wasn't personally out giving briefings every day, the headlines would be "Trump hiding from press during worldwide crisis".
Ohio's governor has a daily briefing at 2pm, covered by the idiot Rush affiliate, causing me to have to record the last hour off of a streaming Rush station.
Imagine? Live TV. No talking heads. It's so 1956.
Oh yeah Biden will pick apart things Trump says. Eyeroll. Forgive me if I am dismissive of the concern trolls from the NYtimes. They only have Trump's best interest at heart when they tell him to stop the daily pressers.
Do any of you remember when we could approach the news WITHOUT having the thought, “I wonder if this is true”? Especially headlines.
I recommend that anyone who hasn't watched Attorney General Barr's interview last night with Laura Ingram should do so. There is some very bad stuff for the Democrats that is on the way from the Durham investigation.
The NYT jumped the rails on its coverage of anything Trump long ago, but I sense a new sense of panic lately.
This is just battlefield prep.
Okay, I'll ask. Are you favorably impressed? Is Trump more or less likely to win your vote as a result?
Great point about the reporters.
Meade, that was remarkably pithy up top there.
But yeah, any time these guys tell me I'm hurting myself, I know I must be doing something right (or they've discovered reverse psychology, but I doubt it).
Among the out-of-touch claims are that Trump should permit the medical folks to be front and center. Anyone who thinks that has not been watching (but that probably applies to 99 percent of the NYT readership; can't watch, he's too icky).
Meade, setting new standards in laconic.
I'm curious who exactly makes up this "some republicans" group. But I don't want to click through to the NYT to find out, assuming they even name names.
It's just assumed that "some Republicans" would think that way if the Times actually took the time to find and ask them.
Trump's breifings are the only thing I'll watch.
I headline scan for other info. I extrapolate the actual news based on reversing the spin put on the headline by the MSM.
No, Trump should keep talking. It’s an entertaining TV event. And the press should just shut up and let him keep talking.
Showing is better than telling and Trump is showing us that he cares enough to spend about two hours a day, plus prep time (I know, the MSM/DNC don’t believe he prepares) informing the American people about this challenge. Some of them won’t forget.
Starting to look like we'll have a 16 year presidency similar to that of FDR.
Sniping is all the Dems/MSM have at the moment. When the economy starts opening up is when the full court press will start. Swift recovery would be devastating for their chances. I'm not sure they can walk the fine line of rooting against America while trying to appear pro-American, but they'll give it their best shot.
"No, Trump should keep talking. It’s an entertaining TV event. And the press should just shut up and let him keep talking."
You're missing the point. Trump is talking a long time, because the reporters in the room are asking him questions and he keeps calling on them instead of saying that's enough and walking out. If they stopped, he would stop.
This complaint, about Trump talking too much or saying the wrong thing or using the wrong style and language is nothing new! All these complainers and advice givers have always said he hurts himself, politically, in this way. And, yet, he keeps succeeding in spite of their advice.
I find their complaining to be very strange and weird.
I think the reporters are frustrated because they are trying and trying to catch Trump in something that will be usable to attack him. He knows what they are doing and he openly talks about it! It's very interesting to watch. He's seeing what they are doing in real time and taking them on. It's an amazing performance.
He's also taking the virus and the economy completely seriously. And he's also expressing optimism and looking indefatigable.
What is the basis for claiming these briefings hurt Trump? It's not his poll numbers. Those have been going up!
The media used to complain that Trump did not hold enough press conferences - and would gleefully do so again if he curtailed them.
I haven't seen a single briefing - I need to start watching them. What I gather from comments here and elsewhere is the usual thing from the President: he throws wide the factory doors and reveals the sausage-making therein, whether it's openly talking about reporters' gotcha questions or letting everyone listen in on his stream of consciousness. It is, in my opinion, a bold move, even by a man who believes - who must know - he has nothing to lose.
Quick google finds this:
https://theconversation.com/trump-white-house-goes-300-days-without-a-press-briefing-why-thats-unprecedented-130164
Obviously what Trump is doing is working far better than anyone expected it could. So the left must resort to concern trolling, there are no other arrows in the quiver.
When we shift into economic recovery mode, Trump is really going to shine.
This is why the media/democrats are trying to forestall reaching that milestone.
Still exposing yourself to the NYT contagion, I see.
Sorry, I'll socially distance myself from it.
I watch the briefings every day. I think they're great. Trump comes across as caring and positive. The experts with him seem competent and capable. And the reporters, for the most part, come off as clowns. It's a win for everyone but the reporters.
I’d like him to seriously take back the reins from the pencil pushing experts. Their “plan” to get over this is to never get over it.
We should have started letting Putin pick our Presidents a long time ago.
He's also taking the virus and the economy completely seriously. And he's also expressing optimism and looking indefatigable.
Its the expressing optimism that's upsetting his opposition. But that is what a leader needs to do in a crisis, of course. Trump is a natural leader and he went to a military school as a youth. I've never been to a military school, but I was in the Army and ROTC. A lot of time, and I mean a lot is spend on leadership training. One of the first things you are taught is "if you are in charge, take charge." Trump obviously does that. He takes charge. You're also taught to listen to input as needed and evaluate your options. But, you are also taught that a good enough solution now is always preferable perfect solution in the future. And finally, one of the most important things a leader does is set the tone. He is supposed to be optimistic. Trump understands all of that. His critics seem to understand nothing.
And the reporters, for the most part, come off as clowns.
I can't watch the briefings because I find the reporters to be too annoying. They sound like they're having panic attacks.
Can you imagine Joe Biden being on center stage taking incoming flak day after day? Can you imagine Joe Biden even being capable of standing up for any extended period of time?
The press had done their level-resistance-best to take whatever snippet they could out of the daily briefings and spin it to Trump's disadvantage, and Trump gives them plenty of ammo each time. So I started watching the daily briefings myself, live, real-time, and unfiltered by the press nearly every day for the last two weeks in order to form my own opinion.
The briefings are supposed to start around 3PM ET / 4PM CT, but they rarely start on time, almost always a half hour to a full hour late. I can only speculate as to why that is, though given they all come out onto the stage within 5-10 minutes of each hour I am guessing they are meeting, strategizing, and preparing for the briefing.
The briefings usually last two full hours. Trump reads prepared statements for the first 15 minutes or so on all the progress being made on case numbers, treatment, equipment acquisition, etc. Then he spends time rehashing history, bragging about his accomplishments, slamming the Democrats and the press, and almost always talks about hydroxychloroquine and more recently zithromycin and zinc.
Then he takes questions. Until one of the usual bomb-throwers throws a bomb, the Q&A continues productively, with Trump and VP Pence and Drs. Fauci and Birx all taking turns answering questions.
And then some jackass throws a bomb with the intent of eliciting a fight from Trump, which Trump is happy to give them. And once the bomb is thrown, it's like pouring chum into a shark tank with the whole press pool descending into a feeding frenzy. The others - Pence, and Drs. Fauci and Birx don't tolerate inflammatory questions and are pretty good at diverting them.
Trump could do so much better. If he's going to remark about absentee ballots being ripe for fraud, he should be prepared to state why that is, but he gets caught on positions he might be 100% correct on, but isn't prepared to defend. Now, he has bigger fish to fry than to discuss absentee ballot voter fraud at the moment, and that SHOULD be his response, but he continually lets the press bait him, which is his own damned fault, and his non-prepared and ham-handed response will be what make the news, not any of the accomplishments or progress being made in fighting this disease.
I remember the first time I heard of Maggie Haberman.
Her name came up in the Podesta emails. The Clinton campaign were looking for media hacks that would be "useful". That is, other than Maggie Haberman, who had already proven herself.
Early in the Trump campaign, one reporter kept posting empty seats at Trump rallies. Obviously the reporters were allowed into the venue before the general public, and this reporter time and time again would post a picture of empty seats and say it was a small crowd.
That reporter was Maggie Haberman. You can read her frequently at the New York Times and Althouse blog.
That said, I agree with Ann.
Trump could brag less (though really, who is going to toot his horn for him?), and attack less (though the best defense is a good offense), but to hold a nearly non-scripted Q&A for two whole hours nearly every day is unprecedented - no one can talk that long without sticking their foot in their mouth, and so I give him lots of slack.
Trump is on the phone each day with manufacturers, health care coordinators, and world leaders, and making sure the sausage is getting made each and every day.
Biden can't string a whole sentence together. Can you imagine a two-hour non-nonsensical Biden word-salad?
I agree that Trump gets too easily sidetracked and I also get annoyed when he misses an easy dunk on a dumb question. But it's all a net positive.
“or it's the other way around and Trump's appearances are helping him and they want him to stop.”
Bingo!
“Looking indefatigable”
Every minute he stands there, speechifying, fielding questions, reading the phone book, whatever, is in contrast to Bunker Joe babbling incoherently behind his mask in his basement.
The Donk media are right about one thing. These press conferences are re-election campaign events.
"Trump shouldn't tweet so much. It only hurts him" is an established meme with much truth to it.
Adapting the meme to the briefings was easy, natural and to be expected, even if there's less truth to the new meme than there was in the original one.
They HATE that he goes directly to the American people via Twitter, his rallies, and now the briefings. They hate that more people listen to him, instead of them. They know the reporters come off as looking like smarmy arrogant snots who want the economy to tank, and the virus to win.
Typical left wing bs wanting to muzzle an argument they are not, or can't win. No different that the University Campus shout down, or storm the stage for a speaker they don't like...
Same old...same old...
Let the experts speak. He does, they just speak after him. And then CNN cuts away.
What I've learned, or have had reinforced, is thank GOD the world isn't run by "experts".
"He knows what they are doing and he openly talks about it! It's very interesting to watch. He's seeing what they are doing in real time and taking them on. It's an amazing performance.
He's also taking the virus and the economy completely seriously. And he's also expressing optimism and looking indefatigable."
Exactly.
Every tme he does that, the implicit contrast becomes clearer.
Every time he does that, his seriousness becomes clearer.
Ann said: "I think the reporters are frustrated because they are trying and trying to catch Trump in something that will be usable to attack him. He knows what they are doing and he openly talks about it! It's very interesting to watch. He's seeing what they are doing in real time and taking them on. It's an amazing performance.
He's also taking the virus and the economy completely seriously. And he's also expressing optimism and looking indefatigable.
I've watched every single briefing and, to me, his performance is captivating. I agree 100% with Ann's statement!
And her earlier statement that all the reporters have to do is to stop asking questions. But they can't help themselves!
The Irony. The most unqualified person to lead this effort, and make sure we don't end up in a depression, is the "expert" Dr. Anthony Fauci. He is the most unqualified person to run the supply chain, or negotiations with world leaders.
Can anyone name a call he's made that was right since January? First he said, Americans have nothing to worry about (Jan), then he fluctuates and supports bloated death numbers, opposed Trump's promotion of Hydroxychloroquine. He praises the W.H.O after they parroted China's propaganda.
The only thing that makes him an "expert" to many people is that fact he is not Donald Trump.
This may be the single most hilarious Trump tweet ever: "HAPPY GOOD FRIDAY EVERYBODY!"
Fifty bucks says Trump has no clue what Good Friday commemorates
@rhhardin - You can watch Governor Dewine's daily briefing on WKSU. They live stream it on the internet and keep it up until the next one. Google Dewine Daily Press WKSU.
$50 says J Farmer cannot read Trump's mind as to what Trump knows.
The best benefit Donald Trump is getting from his daily press conference is putting the Washington press corps front and center to show the world what a bunch of fucking idiots they are.
Jonathan Karl putting a Chinese spy into the room with Trump was must-see television and shows the depravity of both him and ABCNews.
My prediction: They're going to try to kill President Donald Trump by infecting him - one way or another.
I think the most impressive/important thing is that Trump answers questions on a wide variety of subjects, chosen by the questioners, and has a fair amount of factual material in his head or an angle on most of these subjects. Up until now, the underlying theme for the Presidency was that Trump was the Gorilla Channel President, lazy, uninterested in governing, picking up bits here and there from watching Hannity or Fox and Friends. This is no longer tenable. He is clearly engaged and active. Whether or not he is making the correct calls, he is making the calls. The (political) reporters asking the questions appear to be the people picking up bits here and there from watching TV.
$50 says J Farmer cannot read Trump's mind as to what Trump knows.
It's called a joke, Birks. It's in the dictionary under J.
People are flocking to the new, televised Trump Rallies, people that would never have gone to a live event. These are the large size flocks, not the small flocks. Even Professor Althouse is flocking. Trump has people flocking and corn teening at the same time! Is there anything he can't do?
TGIGF!
Unfortunately on the weekends, we only get the B team of douchebag reporters. No Karl. No Acosta.
The best part of the briefings is when Trump knocks one of them down with a good roundhouse leg kick. The look on Karl's face when Trump called him out on not pointing out the "independent" Inspector General was and Obama appointee was hilarious. The first confrontation with the NBC guy over the chloroquine and "false hope" was awesome.
It plays to Trumps base. I certainly enjoy it.
Fifty bucks says Trump has no clue what Good Friday commemorates
Your salvation. Cookie's salvation. ARM's salvation. Etc.
On second thought, it's not all good.
AZ Bob said...
Trump performs at his best when he is unscripted.
Yes and the briefings, which I don't watch, show him as knowledgeable. The press hates that. I think Pence was right to stop Fauci and Birx from going on CNN. The briefings should be enough and if CNN has questions, ask at the briefing. Too bad he caved.
@Farmer, I’ll take that bet. Send my winnings as a donation to the RNC.
@Farmer, I’ll take that bet. Send my winnings as a donation to the RNC.
I am not usually one to welch on a (real) bet, but I'd rather drag my dick across a mile of broken whiskey bottles than give a cent to the RNC. How any self-respecting conservative could support that organization is beyond me. At least the DNC tells you they oppose you and want to destroy you.
@Darrell:
Your salvation. Cookie's salvation. ARM's salvation. Etc.
On second thought, it's not all good.
I think you're a few days off there.
"...Biden would be able to pick over (Trump's) voluminous remarks and find damaging things to quote."
Biden? He couldn't identify a peanut in a PayDay bar.
Trump Keeps Talking. Some Republicans Don’t Like What They’re Hearing
Jen Rubin.
They're talking about Jen Rubin.
Could you and Meade buy a house on the lake? Then you wouldn't need to drive to see the sunrise.
It's really hard for the press to put words in his mouth when the guy won't stop talking.
Concern trolling 101...
There should be a rule at all Presidential press conferences and briefings that the longer the question the shorter the answer. If the correspondents want to preach for 2 minutes and then raise their voice at the end, the answer should be 10 words or less. If they lay a sentence or two of groundwork and then ask a sensible question, the President should answer in detail at some length. Maybe the Gaggle can be trained, up to a point, if workhorses get results and show horses get dismissed.
They can't complain that he won't answer questions.
They want a President tailored to their interests. "Democracy dies in darkness". Surely, a double-edged scalpel.
There's no Easter without Good Friday. Somehow I doubt that the Resurrection would have meant quite the same thing if Jesus had died peacefully in his bed of old age.
Yeah, it's a little unusual to hear "happy" juxtaposed with "Good Friday," but I can see how the sentiment would apply. (I can also see how one might focus on the "humanity's failure" aspect of Good Friday. But that's awfully humanity-centric.)
When the "liberal" Hive is telling you to stop doing something because it's hurting you, that's almost a guaranteed sure-fire sign you should keep doing it.
When the "liberal" Hive is telling you to stop doing something because it's hurting you, that's almost a guaranteed sure-fire sign you should keep doing it.
There's no Easter without Good Friday. Somehow I doubt that the Resurrection would have meant quite the same thing if Jesus had died peacefully in his bed of old age.
Some obvious logical truth there. You can't come back from the dead without dying first. But still, Christ dying is not remarkable. Everybody dies. The resurrection is the seminal event in Christianity. Personally, I'm of the opinion that Jesus was a Jewish apocalyptic who believed a supernatural event was going to occur. I don't think the historical Jesus had anything to say to gentiles. Christianity is really the creation of Paul, who never even knew Jesus. From an historical perspective, anyway. I'm not a Christian, so I don't really have much opinion on the theology of it all.
Meanwhile, good news from Ann Arbor.
Going in the right direction.
Indefatigable yes. Not only openly countering their attempts to build a narrative and do The Gotcha, he keeps telling them “ask better questions” and they generally are. Except that poor fool who started to ask Trump a question about the price of oil, and when interrupted by Trump with a counter-question didn’t actually know the price and was summarily dismissed but Trump. Very Apprentice type moment. He’s a people person. But he’s demanding competence from the gaggle and getting some results. Great management skills.
Dismissed by Trump not “but Trump”
I have not watched the past 3 days, because of the tiresome “gotcha” questions from the Press. I wish the Press would ask questions to get important information out to the American People, rather than trying to nail Trump.
I have been concerned about the lack of social distancing among the task force, especially between the President and Vice President.
Am I the only who has been concerned, if Trump and Pence become incapacitated - isn’t the Speaker of the House next in the line of succession?
Our “indefatigable” bad orange man persists. The phrase that comes to mind is “ tough as hickory”. Colonel Jackson was called that when he walked back toNashville with his woundedTennessee volunteers riding his horse. The nasty hate Media have no idea what they face in Old Hickory Trump. He never quits on us and we won’t quit on him.
Personally, I'm of the opinion that Jesus was a Jewish apocalyptic who believed a supernatural event was going to occur. I don't think the historical Jesus had anything to say to gentiles. Christianity is really the creation of Paul, who never even knew Jesus. From an historical perspective, anyway. I'm not a Christian, so I don't really have much opinion on the theology of it all.
As I said in the other thread where you also posted -- "If YOU had any clue, Farmer, you would not be engaging in such spiteful mockery."
Now you admit that, in fact, you don't have a clue and are completely ignorant about Good Friday.
Here's the lesson to learn --
Before you are going to mock and snark and sneer in contempt at someone else, make sure you know what the hell you are talking about.
1. These reporters simply can't stand hearing Trump talk. About anything.
2. Therefore (they conclude) he talks too much.
@Mark:
Before you are going to mock and snark and sneer in contempt at someone else, make sure you know what the hell you are talking about.
What exactly have I gotten wrong? Disagreeing with my opinion isn't the same thing as me not knowing what I am talking about. I am pretty well acquainted with how Good Friday has been observed by Christian communities over time. So tell me this, have you ever used the phrase "Happy Good Friday!" in your life? Have you ever heard anyone use that phrase in your life, as if it is equivalent to Merry Christmas?
I don't think it's much of a sneer to point out that Trump is a cultural Christian not particularly well versed in Christianity. Of course, since I am not a Christian, this doesn't really bother me much. You may also recall that I described the tweet as "hilarious." In other words, lighten up, Francis.
Trump has a mind that figured out Scripture early on. It’s not that hard. And as a Calvinist he was raised on them as authority. But believing in the supernatural is a sine qua non. After all the Holy Spirit wrote the scripture using many men. And it is Paul that put the scripture’s message together in its final form from time he spent learning from the ascended King Jesus.
Trump has a mind that figured out Scripture early on. It’s not that hard. And as a Calvinist he was raised on them as authority.
I have no idea what that's supposed to mean. I still think the most likely answer is that Trump is a cultural Christian who is not particularly well versed in Christian theology or liturgy. I imagine that Trump likely believes that there is a god and that good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell. That's not very remarkable. There are plenty of Christians like that. They used to be referred to as "cafeteria Christians." But of course, as Birkel helpfully reminded us, it's all purely speculative since we can't know the content of someone's mind. Deepak Chopra could be totally sincere, too. I just don't think so.
But believing in the supernatural is a sine qua non. After all the Holy Spirit wrote the scripture using many men. And it is Paul that put the scripture’s message together in its final form from time he spent learning from the ascended King Jesus.
Completely agree with that. I have never found any particular reason to believe it myself, but if others do, that's their business.
Trump is just making the rubble bounce now as far as messaging who is in charge and what is being done on the Kungflu. The NY Times is tired of having him run circles around their efforts to deprecate everything trump says 24/7.
Articles like this make me wish we had more working class newspapermen like Chicago Tribune's Mike Royko around to put Trump in perspective. Royko had many a column defending Mayor Daley against the liberal elitists that neither understood Daley or the city he ran.
Trump has already won. The Democrats put up a dementia patient as the nominee for president.
I stopped listening to the press conferences after about three days. Before they started, you could hear the press talking amongst themselves about their topic du jour and I found it irritating. "He's not wearing a mask!" "They have us crowded in here without protection!" "He was around a COVID-19 positive person and has refused to be tested!" Then, afterwards their questions were just as bad and annoying. I've decided to devote my time to my state governor's press conferences instead since his announcements are more pertinent to my life.
Trump has already won. The Democrats put up a dementia patient as the nominee for president.
That's precisely why the DNC likes him. He's a ventriloquist dummy they can prop on stage. Biden will have ti leave the debate stage in a body bag. Unfortunately, no matter who wins in November, America loses.
I stopped listening to the press conferences after about three days.
Frankly, I don't have the slightest clue why anyone watches these things.
Farmer, you seem lost since your guy Bernie dropped out...
Who you gonna go with now, brain-dead Quid Pro Quo Joe or Trump?
Farmer, you seem lost since your guy Bernie dropped out...
Who you gonna go with now, brain-dead Quid Pro Quo Joe or Trump?
As I've said from the beginning, barring some cataclysmic event, I will vote for Trump, just as I did in 2016. I'm a single-issue voter on the subject of immigration. But I'm also under no delusions. Being better than godawful on immigration isn't the same thing as being good on immigration.
p.s. As an ethno-nationalist, I am of the opinion that maintaining a strong national identity and common cultural core are vastly more important than the Dow Jones average or a few fractional points of GDP, which is why I tend not to be as overjoyed as others at these econometric measures. There's more to a nation than simply the material.
Saw one of these on a lawn today:
Any Functioning Adult - 2020
“ Could you and Meade buy a house on the lake? Then you wouldn't need to drive to see the sunrise.”
We love our house, but it would be great to have a house that had windows and porches wit sunrise and sunset views. My drive is just a 2 minute jaunt, and I am going to a place with a beautiful 1.6 miles run on a trail. I like that combination, because it forces me out of the house, I’m not running on pavement, and there’s a ritual and sense of accomplishment that has been like magic for me. So I’m not looking to change any elements.
BTW I love my little sports car and the little drive is fun for me. And there’s no other way I could sample Morning Joe and know what the sad people had the sads about today.
“ Except that poor fool who started to ask Trump a question about the price of oil, and when interrupted by Trump with a counter-question didn’t actually know the price and was summarily dismissed but Trump. Very Apprentice type moment.”
Yes! It is like The Apprentice. That was a great show, with a similar situation: Trump in control and the others needing to shut up and take it when he decides to let them have it. They can’t return in kind. But he doesn’t go negative except where we the viewers are going to follow along and appreciate his attack.
@Mike: Do any of you remember when we could approach the news WITHOUT having the thought, “I wonder if this is true”? Especially headlines.
Indeed I do. With the benefit of hindsight, were were naive fools even then. Avuncular Walter Cronkite was a socialist termite, just like every talking head on the major networks ever since then. The media scum have been lying to us since the days of Walter Duranty. They are the worst enemies of freedom and prosperity that we have. I hate and fear journalists more than I hate or fear Muslim terrorists. I taught my children to hate them too, and to jeer their lies in front of all their friends whenever they had the chance.
Don't believe anything you hear, don't believe everything you read, and only believe half of what you see.
This was household wisdom growing up in the 50/60s.
I am glad Trump is Hogging all of the TV time. It makes him think that he is in charge and is doing something useful while the Deep State is running the show and doing the real work. It's like giving a child a toy to distract him from the crisis.
@Howard: "[T]he Deep State is running the show and doing the real work."
That may be true with things that aren't currently in focus, but for things that are in focus, I believe the President is in control. Now, more than ever, in Trump's presidency.
Chuck said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
4/10/20, 11:20 AM
Do you like it in the ass, "LLR"? You must like it in the ass. Because you really don't come here to hunt, do you?
For some insight into Trump's religious background read "How Norman Vincent Peale Taught Donald Trump to Worship Himself"
"The magnate’s biographer explains the spiritual guide behind his relentless self-confidence".
By GWENDA BLAIR October 06, 2015
This is in Politico, a year before the 2016 election. Peale wrote "The power of positive thinking" in 1952. Trump and his family attended Peale's church in N. Y.
This explains a lot about Trump's lack of religious knowledge, since Peale's church, a liberal Presbyterian church, didn't focus on learning the Bible, but following Peale. An example of the gospel lite, "give to us, and god will bless you" school of "theology".
I'm non-religious, so (in the immortal words of James Lileks) "I don't have a god in this fight." But I like Peale, too. I can see why "liberals" wouldn't like him, however. Anyone telling the serfs that they should believe in themselves and take their goals and aspirations seriously poses an inherent threat to the sadomasochistic libs and their religion, the Cult of the State.
Trump was superb today. Especially in response to Acosta and his “happy talk” BS statement.
“This is sad talk”. Death
I do get the sense that Fauci is enjoying his newfound celebrity just a tad too much. Birx doesn’t give off that air.
At the time, I thought, well, that must be the most damaging thing they've got against him today — that he's on camera talking too much — or it's the other way around and Trump's appearances are helping him and they want him to stop.
Unless narcissism is the only game around, as is the case of egocentric Donald, normal people don't think in terms of today's reason to dislike asparagus. It is difficult for me to understand how Trump supporters have already put yesterday's offenses out of mind and now look to support whatever dumb ass thing that he did today - unless there is a worry that tomorrow may never come.
We NeverTrumpers never listen to (nor do we watch) Trump Reality TV, so what reason would we have to believe that Trump could ever be capable of helping himself?
The simple fact that the networks want to stop showing his briefings undercuts this argument. They would show the front and center if they thought it was really hurting trump.
I find it simply astonishing that people ostensibly in an industry entirely supported by advertising have no idea how advertising/marketing actually works.
Turmp does.
“So tell me this, have you ever used the phrase "Happy Good Friday!" in your life? Have you ever heard anyone use that phrase in your life, as if it is equivalent to Merry Christmas?”
Not uncommon at all among the hardcore Holy Week crowd of Papists. Granted Trump probably isn’t a regular.
When Trump reads the perared remarks, he is not too good. Kinda poor in my opinion. Taking on the press is interesting. He has a lot of info about many subjects. And when he insults the reporters questions, it is great. Sometimes he insults the reporter, then turns to one of the experts to actually answer the question with facts and fugures, diverting potential criticism from himself.
Watched the Apprentice and was not impressed. Now, I am.
Not uncommon at all among the hardcore Holy Week crowd of Papists. Granted Trump probably isn’t a regular.
I'll take your word for it that that has been your experience. None of the Catholics I know have ever used that phrase. Just for shits and giggles, I stuck the phrase in Google Ngram and got exactly zero results.
President v. White House Paparazzi Corps
But seriously, the left only listens to Birx and Fauci and the right to Trump. They have one message so the country has stayed together. There's flu-nazis * around the country like Gov. Evers (cancel the election, close the parks) or Gov. Whitmir (No one may visit anyone or go anywhere, or even go nowhere, as in go to the upper peninsula Michigan). They show what might be happening. But overall that's not the message.
* see Seinfeld, soup Nazi episode.
You know what else is indefatigable? J. Farmer's sanctimony.
You know what else is indefatigable? J. Farmer's sanctimony.
What the fuck do morals have to do with anything I've said? It's pretty elementary logic: you don't win an argument by calling the person making the argument a name. Two plus two equals four even if a sanctimonious person says it equals four. The problem demonstrated on this thread is not sanctimony but people melting down in the face of someone (gasp!) disagreeing with them. The cocooning and wagon-circling that has come to dominate these threads is so fucking lame.
p.s. I'll gladly accept any personal insult anyone here wishes to hurl my way. I'm everything you say I am. That said, now tell me where I'm wrong. Thanks.
p.s. I'll gladly accept any personal insult anyone here wishes to hurl my way.
Booger head.
Mr. Booger head, please.
Farmer
“p.s. I'll gladly accept any personal insult anyone here wishes to hurl my way. I'm everything you say I am. That said, now tell me where I'm wrong. Thanks.”
I'll take you up on that. Your problem is certainty. This is an unprecedented situation, yet you are judging Trump almost entirely by your priors about him. Well, my priors about Trump are close to yours. But I am trying to judge him now by what he is doing in this crisis, and only on that. Because I don’t think that what I believe about him in other situations is a not really good guide to this one. I think he screwed the pornstar, and was dodgy in real estate, and boasts too much, and screwed up in Syria, and did little on the wall. My opinion of him based on all that is a poor basis to decide he cannot be handling this wildly different situation well.
You seem certain you know. I think that is where you are wrong.
Farmer,
Let me add you aren’t remotely the worst for certainty. We have a lot of Covidiot Trumpkins. I single you out because you are one of the rational few we have left here.
@Ken B:
You seem certain you know. I think that is where you are wrong.
Fair enough, but read what I wrote: "I still think the most likely answer is that Trump is a cultural Christian who is not particularly well versed in Christian theology or liturgy." I concluded the same paragraph with: "But of course, as Birkel helpfully reminded us, it's all purely speculative since we can't know the content of someone's mind. Deepak Chopra could be totally sincere, too. I just don't think so."
That's hardly a claim to certainly know something.
p.s. It is not an unfamiliar criticism. But allow me to suggest an alternative C to certainty. Confidence. Perhaps a lot of people here are used to shooting off at the mouth on subjects they know little to nothing about. I am not one of those people. I am prepared to defend the beliefs I have. And I welcome the most stringent critiques possible. Being called a name is not a critique. It's a dodge.
“I'll take your word for it that that has been your experience. None of the Catholics I know have ever used that phrase. Just for shits and giggles, I stuck the phrase in Google Ngram and got exactly zero results.”
Been to Mass much? Such expressions are common among the elderly faithful during Holy Week. Probably not big Ngram users. I know what you mean, though. “Happy Halloween” has always struck me as odd. Like the wisher has spent too much time browsing through greeting cards.
Trump is a very interesting and entertaining speaker, for those with eyes to see and ears to hear. Maybe he views this as a substitute for the giant rallies he cannot do right now?
Somehow, I trust the guy who got the ice rink built.
Been to Mass much?
No, but my mother's family is Catholic, and most of them are still practicing and regularly attend services. I've heard "Happy Easter" a lot in my life but never "Happy Good Friday."
Such expressions are common among the elderly faithful during Holy Week.
As I said, I'm more than willing to take your word for it.
Probably not big Ngram users.
Users? Google Ngram is the search engine for the 5 million plus books Google has digitized.
Mr. Booger head, please.
"That's Mr. Mister to you, Mister!"
Just in case anyone was wondering how the band, "Mr. Mister" came up with their name. It was one-upmanship. #80smusictrivia
Ann, may I suggest you occasionally create themed music threads?
Althouse: “[Trump] is seeing what they are doing in real time and taking them on. It's an amazing performance... And he's also expressing optimism and looking indefatigable.”
It’s not new. He’s been doing this for 5 years now
He shows courage every day. In the face of a phalanx of vitriol and nonsense. People say he has a huge ego. Have you checked out the press pool?
And you will never vote for him.
Sad.
My wife today: "It's good Friday. You killed Jesus.
Me: "Yeah, well so did you.
Now that's Catholic.
He shortened his Q&A Thursday and Friday which I think was a good thing.
Wednesday and Thursday.
"Trump Keeps Talking. Some Republicans Don’t Like What They’re Hearing/Aides and allies increasingly believe the president’s daily briefings are hurting him more than helping, and are urging him to let his medical experts take center stage."
A NYT headline for an article by Jonathan Martin and Maggie Haberman. I don't believe they're at all interested in helping Trump politically.
No. You don't say. You DON'T say. You don't SAY.
“Users? Google Ngram is the search engine for the 5 million plus books Google has digitized”
See? This aging Catholic had no idea.
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