July 15, 2020

"The president of the United States, ladies and gentlemen, was in full Mad King mode, rambling, confused, disjointed, parading his grievances..."

"... with barely a wave from afar at coherence. It was as if a hive of buzzwords exploded in his head: statues, boats, vandalism, socialism, suburbs. It is hard to write this display without using the word 'impaired.' Because it wasn’t just the disjointed word salad. It was the delivery. Trump was somnolent, as if he’d pulled an all-nighter watching Fox & Friends or maybe his VCR tapes of Shark Week. Imagine the covfefe tweet come to life. The Rose Garden event was ostensibly about China, but quickly disintegrated into something between one of his improvisational stump performances, a stream of broken consciousness, and a rambling oppo dump. Perhaps the president really misses campaign rallies. Or maybe he just got confused. Someone on his staff gave him a summary of horrible things that he might someday be able to craft into a campaign attack on Joe Biden . . . and so he just stood there and read the whole thing...."

Writes Charles Sykes at The Bulwark. The full video of Trump's press conference is embedded over there. I could embed it here, but instead, I'll link to the transcript — a much faster, easier way to check Sykes's characterizations. It seems to me Trump has a way of speaking, and it's idiosyncratic but enjoyably listenable if you get into its groove but weird and chaotic if you resist. That's nothing new.

Let me pick something out of the transcript for discussion. Well, the first thing he says may explain the somnolence — it was hot (over 90°): "Too hot, but it’s pretty warm." Right off, that's crazy, no? What's with "but"? It's hot, but it's warm! I get a "Walrus and the Carpenter" vibe, you know:
The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright--
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.
That's not word salad. That's genius!

I've got to pick out something else. That was too easy. Here's the part where he transitions from talking about China — the lead-off topic — to Joe Biden. That is, it becomes a campaign speech with a forced-to-be-polite captive audience, broiling in the hot-but-warm sun:
America lost nearly 10,000 factories while Joe Biden was Vice President, think of that. 10,000 factories. He wrote something today and he made a statement today that I wrote down. It’s pretty accurate. So Biden was here for 47 years. Eight years, the last eight years, not long ago as Vice President he said, “One in five miles of our highways are still in poor condition.” Well, we’re doing a good job on highways, but why didn’t he fix them three years ago? Why didn’t he fix them? Tens of thousands of bridges are in disrepair and on the verge of collapse. Well, that’s probably not a right number, but we have bridges that should have been fixed. Why didn’t he fix him? He was here for eight years with President Obama. Why didn’t they fix them? Tens of thousands of bridges. This is what he wrote. High speed broadband. We want high speed… well, why didn’t they get it? Three years ago is not a long time and he didn’t do any of the things, but now he says he’s going to be president and as president, he’s going to do all the things that he didn’t do. He never did anything except make very bad decisions, especially on foreign policy. So Joe Biden and President Obama freely allowed China to pillage our factories...
That links the discussion of factories back to the initial topic, China. If Sykes liked Trump, he could just as well marvel at the complexity and nuanced flow of interwoven topics.
... plunder our communities and steal our most precious secrets. And I’ve stopped it, largely, but I’ve stopped it and it wasn’t easy because you talk about a certain power of the telephone and the calls where they would call and say, “No, we don’t want to do that.” And other countries would call on behalf of China, but I did it. I did what has to be done. And you just take a look at what’s gone on and take a look at the numbers where they devalued their currency in order to pay the tariffs. Now, the Democrat party is calling for defunding of our military, think of that. Defunding, they want to defund our military when China is building a massive military. They’re building a massive military and Biden wants to defund our military and the world needs American strength right now, more than ever. And we’ve got it. We’ve got now, soon as all this equipment comes in, all made in the USA, we’ve got the newest, most incredible weapons anywhere in the world. We have the best tanks, the best ships, the best missiles, rockets. We have the best of everything. We have the best fighter jets, the F-35, the F-18. All of these assets are being built, tankers, incredible tankers, bombers. Hope we don’t have to use them, but we have the most incredible military. When I came in the military was totally depleted. It was at a level that was just absolutely incredible. You know the statements, I made the statements before. I told you what generals told me about our military and I’ll make them again.

If somebody needs them, we’ll give them to you. Very well documented. As Vice President Biden opposed tariffs, and he was standing up for China. He didn’t want to do anything to disrupt the relationship with China even though China was taking us to the cleaners.
He's still on the China topic, even as he's criticizing Biden and extolling himself.
He opposed my very strict travel ban on Chinese nationals to stop the spread of the China virus.
On to the coronavirus topic, still interwoven with criticism of Biden and amassing credit for himself:
He was totally against it. Xenophobic, he called me. Xenophobic. A month later, he admitted I was right. We would have had thousands of people additionally die if we let people come in from heavily infected China, but we stopped it. We did a travel ban in January. Nancy Pelosi was dancing in the streets of Chinatown in San Francisco a month later and even later than that and others too. They all thought what I did was a terrible mistake. We would have lost… in fact, Dr. Fauci said we would have lost thousands of additional people if President Trump had to do that. And I was a crowd of one, because even experts didn’t want to do it. They thought it was a mistake....

But if we had listened to Joe Biden, hundreds of thousands of additional lives would have been lost. And if you look at the job he did on swine flu, I looked at a poll. They have polls on everything nowadays and they got very bad marks on the job they did on the swine flu. H1N1, he calls it N1H1. H1N1 got very poor marks from Gallup on the job they did on swine flu. And they stopped very early on, testing. They totally stopped it. They just said stop. And frankly, if we didn’t test, you wouldn’t have all the headlines because we’re showing cases. And we have just about the lowest mortality rate. But if we did… Think of this, if we didn’t do testing, instead of testing over 40 million people, if we did half the testing, we would have half the cases....
This is completely coherent. He's saying that Biden did a bad job with swine flu and it's hard to see because they stopped testing, meanwhile the numbers on coronavirus are as high as they are because of all the testing. Skipping ahead a little, past what looks like a coherent discussion of coronavirus, he weaves Biden back in — with plenty of China:
Joe Biden didn’t just side with China on the virus... He called me, again, xenophobic. That’s what he said. You all heard it many times. He described the rise of China as “a very positive development”. It’s not a positive development. Not for us it’s not. He said that the idea that China is our competition is really bizarre. He’s really bizarre. He said, “China is not a problem.” No, nobody’s ripped us off more than China over the last 25, 30 years, nobody close. And he says China is not a problem. Now he takes it all back. Now he wants to be Mr. Tough Guy.

But for years, 47 years, he never came out against China, never say anything bad. Just the opposite. His son walked out with $1.5 billion of money to invest where he’ll make hundreds of thousands of dollars, maybe millions of dollars a year, walked out with $1.5 billion. I asked one of the biggest people on Wall Street, maybe the biggest, “Is that possible?” He said, “No,” he’s never seen it. They don’t do that. But Hunter, where’s Hunter, where is Hunter by the way? Hunter Biden walked out with $1.5 billion. In Ukraine he got $83,000 a month and I guess an upfront payment of $3 million. So he went from not having job to getting $83,000 a month with a lot of money paid up front to work for Burisma. And you all know about Burisma, but nothing happens, nobody cares. And he was unemployed as you know, he was unfortunately forced to leave the military. He was forced to leave. Didn’t have a job and all of a sudden he’s making a fortune, but nobody talks about that. Indeed Biden expressed more fawning praise about China on an ordinary day than about America. On the 4th of July, the last Independence Day, Biden attacked the United States and said we had, “never lived up to the ideals of our fathers, our forefathers, or our founding fathers, those founding ideals.” And yet he enthusiastically stated that China is a great nation and we should hope for its continued expansion. Well, we all wish well to China, but what China has unleashed on the world, it’s hard to even fathom. I see people now, friends of mine, they walk up, they want to say hello, and they have to keep their distance and they’re all covered up like you’re all covered up with face masks. It’s a different world, but we’re coming out on top.

Biden sides with China over America time and time again. And he said on the 4th of July, “American history is no fairytale.” And yet blindly celebrates China saying few nations in history have come so far so fast. He’s so proud of them. He’s so proud of them. Now, Joe Biden is pushing a platform that would demolish the U.S. economy, totally demolish it. So we built the greatest economy in the history of our country, greatest in the history of the world....
This seems perfectly coherent to me. The main objection is that he's in the Rose Garden setting, and he's making the case against his political opponent. To present this as "disjointed word salad... the covfefe tweet come to life.... disintegrated... a stream of broken consciousness... a rambling oppo dump... confused" — come on. That's completely biased.

Imagine a transcript of Joe Biden speaking extemporaneously for over an hour — and don't even impose the difficulty of standing and wearing a suit and tie in 90+ degrees of hot warmth. What would that sound like? If it was anything like the transcript you see above, I guarantee you the press would laud him as a magnificent genius.

96 comments:

Michael W. Towns, Sr. said...

On the About page, this is how the Bulwark describes itself: "The Bulwark is a news network launched in 2018 dedicated to providing political analysis and reporting free from the constraints of partisan loyalties or tribal prejudices."

Free from partisan loyalties? Free from tribal prejudices. Please. That's pure bullshit.

Robert Cook said...

Trump is nothing if not consistently rambling, bullying, disjointed, and spiteful. (I don't think he's confused so much as digressive, a slave to his impulse to insult and boast over sticking to the key points of his speech.) Casting blame, parading his grievances, and making grandiose claims of his successes is the raison d'etre of his speeches.

One thing Trump proves beyond doubt: people are so eager to believe bullshit that one does not even have to try to tell convincing lies to have them be accepted as truth.

Dumb Plumber said...

After the last 3-1/2 years and a Biden nomination, I do not wonder why our leader has moments of word salad. On the other hand, if you can listen to Biden without shaking your head, it's no wonder you are confused.

Dave Begley said...

Fuck Charles Sykes. He's a Never Trumper member of the GOPe.

Would he rather have Joe Biden as President? A senile old man that has been bribed by China via his cokehead son Hunter?

Biden's version of the Green New Deal would put this country in an economic depression for years. Biden puts China first; not America first.

Sebastian said...

"So we’ve had a big day in the stock market. Things are coming back and they’re coming back very rapidly. A lot sooner than people thought. People are feeling good about our country. People are feeling good about therapeutics and possible vaccines, but we’re going to go over quite a bit and maybe at the end, we’ll take some questions if we have time, it’s not too hot. Today, I signed legislation and an executive order to hold China accountable for its oppressive actions against the people of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Autonomy Act, which I signed this afternoon, passed unanimously through Congress."

People feeling good, vaccines possible, holding China accountable: insane!

Nonapod said...

"Too hot, but it’s pretty warm."

It's both too hot and pretty warm at the same time. Call it a Trumpadox, a paradox as defined by Trump.

rcocean said...

Sorry, But I saw the press conference and it was typical Trump, except he seemed more soft-spoken than usual. I didn't find it "Confused" or "Disjointed". It was "rambling" because that's how Trump ALWAYS talks. He never goes A-B-C; instead its A to K back to B then to X and finally back to C. That's because he's talking off the cuff, and without notes. Trump's attack on Biden was well done. Very cool and calm.

As for charlie 3-wives Sykes, he's a fraud who pretended for years to be a "Conservative" but has now outed himself as a liberal Democrat and Hillary/Biden supporter. He was *always* a liberal Democrat (look up his background) but he decided to play a "Conservative" on the Radio for fun and profit. IOW, he's a grifter like Jonah, Kristol, French, Erickson, Lowry, and Wilson.

wendybar said...

He obviously watched a different Press Conference than I and many others did. Now do Biden!!!

Nonapod said...

To me describing a person as being in "Mad King mode" seems evocative of someone in a manic state, not a "somnolent" state.

Darrell said...

The Bullshit is as trustworthy as the NYT or WaPo.

Francisco D said...

The DNC Media battlefield prep is about as predictable (and as boring) as our resident lefties.

The Left (and I do not mean liberals) has become strident, petty, uninformed and unimaginative.

Howard said...

The brilliant mind of the stable genius slays the naysayers. Biden hyperventilates in his basement.

Clyde said...

This is Biden's allies saying regarding claims of Biden's senescence, "I know he is, but so are you!" And yes, the Never-Trumpers at The Bulwark are Biden allies, just like the Russian-subsidized "Lincoln Project."

There's a good reason for holding events inside where it is air-conditioned during the heat of summer. Especially here in Florida, of course, but also in the swamp of Washington.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

"We hate Trump" butt-hurt party headline #2036

Odysseus said...

Cruel neutrality...I love it! This is why I read Althouse every morning.
Thank you!

Bob Boyd said...

The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done--
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"

narciso said...

Man grubbing for qatar takes your dignity away.

rehajm said...

Robert Cook said...
Trump is nothing if not consistently rambling, bullying, disjointed, and spiteful.


Funny coincidence- that's what we all think of you!

rehajm said...

You accuse your opponent of what you are guilty of...

narciso said...


A better read

https://thefederalist.com/2020/07/15/media-attacks-trump-for-a-factual-statement-about-law-enforcement-and-race/

Gk1 said...

I stop reading after I saw the word "Bulwark" just like I do when I see "AOC" or "Nancy Pelosi". You know when they are commenting on what Trump has said it is 100% horeshit.

They would be more effective if they flyspecked just 75% of what Trump says instead of 100%. It's boring and no one listens to them anymore. Zzzzzzz.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

First comment from Michael W T...

LOL - We can count on the tribal collective left to squirm and cast the very aspersions they themselves are guilty of. They are unaware of their ridiculousness.

Inga said...

“One thing Trump proves beyond doubt: people are so eager to believe bullshit that one does not even have to try to tell convincing lies to have them be accepted as truth.”

Ain’t THAT the truth?

JPS said...

Something tells me there will be a lot of pieces before the election alleging a Trump mental decline, so obvious that only the willfully oblivious can fail to see it. The idea will be to neutralize a big weakness of Biden's:

- Holy cow, Biden really seemed confused and out of it. It'd be funny, if it weren't kind of sad.
- Oh yeah?! What about Trump?

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

A heat wave as hot as a warm front.

John said...

Green New Deal would put this country in an economic depression for years.

Trump of course, through his epic mismanagement, has put us in a depression already.

Readering said...

More interested in comment on his makeup job. Photo of side of his head quite startling.

Mr Wibble said...

Trump's style is very deliberate. It keeps the listener slightly off balanced, so that they have to focus on what he's saying rather than drifting off and thinking about other things, trying to get ahead of him, or interrupting his train of thought. He means that he dominates the conversation.

madAsHell said...

was in full Mad King mode, rambling, confused, disjointed, parading his grievances...""

I sense a "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" vibe. I'm guessing the demographic is women with cats.


Ice Nine said...

That was a 2020 election campaign speech, pure and simple. And he destroyed Biden and the Dems. And the MSM listened to it and broadcasted it.

It's pretty clear to me that he snookered the MSM with the China news and then made them endure and promulgate live the exposing and lambasting of Biden/Dems. He should give that speech every day till November.

But this is the only time the media audience will ever hear it because the MSM won't be fooled again. They will, of course, do their Democrat lackey job and snuff the Trump truth and the Biden/Dem failings and lies.

BamaBadgOR said...

Ann, you nailed it.

p.s. I heard Trump say, "It's NOT too hot, but it's warm."

Wince said...

Trump should start wearing a cape just to freak these people the fuck out.

Sam L. said...

BUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMER for Charlie.

Darrell, I call it the WaPoo. You can, too! There's no copyright on it. The WaPoo WaPoops.

stevew said...

I watched it live and found the speech easy to follow, clear, and professional. I'd say presidential except that he was pointing out the flaws of his, presumed, opponent. Many people don't like it when one politician bashes another. They say, "why doesn't he just talk about his accomplishments and what he wants to do in office", except when he does, and he is Trump, he is criticized for self-promotion. Lose - Lose.

The press and places like Bulwark never write or say anything even vaguely complimentary of Trump and his actions in office. So this sort of press conference is the only way to get that information out. Obama never had that problem, there were plenty of press and professional commenters around to tell us how magnificent he and his accomplishments were.

Lucien said...

The euphemism “Republican Strategist” as used on MSNBC & CNN to mean “Trump Hater” is pretty funny.

traditionalguy said...

The Mad King Trump did a thoughtful and super intelligent analysis of Biden’s American surrender Plan. He seemed almost amazed that such a plan could be real. He said earlier that he at first thought Green NewDeal was a joke. But there it is in all its stunning stupidity.

This election is Trump’s Intelligence versus Dem stupidity. The amazement is how educated Americans can be against Trump.

Mr Wibble said...

This election is Trump’s Intelligence versus Dem stupidity. The amazement is how educated Americans can be against Trump.

Not really. Most "educated Americans" aren't. They're credentialed. And more importantly, they are part of a socioeconomic class that is insecure, arrogant, and vicious towards those perceived to be heretics.

Amadeus 48 said...

WaPoop also works, because WaPoop is pooping out the poop, and the poop it poops out is really dog poop.

But some of you may prefer "poo" to "poop" as a euphemism for "shit".

mikee said...

Althouse, the end of the Lewis Carroll poem applies to the press conference, too.

"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?'
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.

Trump as Walrus, Pence as Carpenter, press as oysters. I can see that.

Francisco D said...

I am starting to think that Biden will actually be the Dem candidate and that the media will do all his campaigning for him rather than simply supporting the Dem candidate as they always do.

I cannot imagine that Biden will actually debate Trump. That would destroy the media's false narrative that Trump's mind is as addled as Biden's mind.

Focus group testing is now being used to determine the best way for Biden to back out of the debates.

Sebastian said...

I just read the transcript. Easy to follow even for eggheads like me.

Trump is on the ball, has his campaign themes mapped out, hitting Joe where it hurts--or ought to hurt.

"Biden sides with China over America time and time again."

He may not win, but he fights for the right reasons.

Drago said...

Cookie the Commie: "“One thing Trump proves beyond doubt: people are so eager to believe bullshit that one does not even have to try to tell convincing lies to have them be accepted as truth.”

Russian Collusion Truther Inga: "Ain’t THAT the truth?"

LOLOLOLOL

Inga the lefty Conspiracy Whackjob agrees with commie October Surprise Truther!

You know, I did not see that coming..........

MadisonMan said...

John Gill:Joe Biden::Melakon:??

I'm not sure who plays the role of Melakon when Joe Biden plays the role of drugged-up John Gill. So many choices.

I think Trump should Executive Order permanent WFH for many DC Govt workers. Think of the CO2 savings! They'd be largely Democrats, and could not help but support this planet-saving idea.

Kevin said...

And by the way, Trump's real and he's spectacular.

Gusty Winds said...

Who cares what Charlie Sykes thinks anymore? He’s part of the psychotic Never-Trump Lincoln Project crowd. Bill Kristol, Rick Wilson, etc…. Talk about selling your soul. Turns out Charlie Sykes never believed a thing he said on Milwaukee Radio. Claims he had some type of Paul of Tarsus revelation. These former “Republicans” are trying to get Joe Biden or his replacement elected, and hand the Senate to the Democrats. Sykes’ wife is a judge so I would imagine they have inside information on the sins committed by the connected, and are trying to provide shelter. I’d imagine all these people are scared shitless of a Trump second term, when the swamp not only gets drained, but hopefully punished. They are a lower form of political scum than Nancy Pelosi.

tcrosse said...

A warm day as hot as a hot day.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

I don’t know what “xenophobic” means, but it sounds foreign, and I don’t like it. It scares me.

henge2243 said...

President Trump writes his own tweets, that's not a statement that is considered to be 'up for discussion'. Does Joe Biden write his own tweets?

When my children were young, I gave them my old Blackberry devices to play with. They were not wifi compatible and could not send texts or make calls with them, they merely turned on and some of the apps were active. I assume that VP Biden has a similar device.

roesch/voltaire said...

Yep Trump spewed the BS like it is because we test for CoVid that we get the virus and other nonsense and flat out lies like Hunter Biden had no prior job before Ukraine.No wonder Obama's ratings were higher during the H1Ni pandemic than Trumps. But people who love the sound of his voice, like Althouse, and those who like the false tough guy stance will continue to over look how corrupt and inept this administration has become.

rehajm said...

...was in full Mad King mode...

With Hamilton now on Disney+ The Mad King is hot again. Lefties love Hamilton and it's Mad King and all his spittle. Seems like a bit of a propaganda backfire...

Nonapod said...

p.s. I heard Trump say, "It's NOT too hot, but it's warm."

It's likely that he either actually said that or meant to say that. Transcripts are often imperfect and Trump often speaks in shorthand. To me it's more fun to imagine that he said it's "hot but warm", not because I hate Trump but because I think it's amusing when people who do hate Trump constantly try to desconstruct everything he says in a desperate hope of trying to convince others that it's evidence of some sort of lack of mental accuity or whatever. It's this silly pattern of behavior that the haters have been falling into for at least 4 years now. And it's especially funny now because they're attempting these criticisms while their supposed candidate of choice has demonstrated questionable speaking patterns that seem far more indicative of lapses in mental accuity than anything Trump has ever said.

MeatPopscicle1234 said...

Bullshit... Bulwark... Shit / Fart (Shart) your shorts... The Bullshart!

Bilwick said...

That's "the State's Bulwark," no?

n.n said...

Trump, the civil leader. Trump, the business leader. Trump, the man, the husband, and the father. Trump, the poet laureate.

#HateTrumpsLove? #HateLovesAbortion

Skeptical Voter said...

I come at Trump's way of speaking from the viewpoint of someone who was born and has lived his entire life on the Pacific side of the continental divide. I grew up not trusting people who talk too fast. I was 30 years old before I could get comfortable with people in or from the mid Atlantic region. When Trump talks, I hear Donnie From The Bronx. In my mean spirited moments I might characterize his style of speech as just another New York City Jerkoff (and I met a few of those in my legal career).

That said you read the transcript and you get past the style (which is still not my favorite) and you get to the substance. And as Spencer Tracy said of his longtime inamorata Katharine Hepburn, "There's not much meat on the bone, but what there is is chersh". So you sort out the chaos and Bronx braggadocio and look at what Trump has done. He kept his promises.

And as for the transcript of his speech--there's a weird sort of flow and if you just relax and go with it, it's enjoyable enough.

TheOne Who Is Not Obeyed said...

“One thing Trump proves beyond doubt: people are so eager to believe bullshit that one does not even have to try to tell convincing lies to have them be accepted as truth.

Ain’t THAT the truth?"

Say our local Russia collusion, Kavanaughisarapist, whatevertodaysleftynarrativeis believers. I'll give it to Inga and Cookie and Howard, they are concrete evidence that lefties like themselves are so eager to believe bullshit that the media does not even have to try to tell convincing lies to have lefties accept them as truth.

Limited blogger said...

The 'take down' that the GOP money people demanded has begun.

The contrast between Trump and Biden could not be starker.

gilbar said...

Most "educated Americans" aren't. They're credentialed

i beg to differ. For Example; my sister both educated AND credentialed.
she was a working Mechanical Engineer (Diesel Engines) for more than 20 years
she was then, an Engineering Manager (then Engineering Director) for Almost 20 more years

Want to know about exhaust valve failures on Very Large two-stroke Diesels? she's your gal
Want to know about EPA Tier-4 locomotive emissions regulations? WOW! she is THE ONE to talk to

Want to know, ANYTHING, Anything at all; about politics or current events?
ALL she knows is what she hears on TV news (which, she sleeps through)
Is she a card carrying Democrat? You betcha. Would she EVER vote for a Republican No WAY

It's NOT that people aren't educated; it's that they're Totally Ignorant* about Politics


Totally Ignorant* My sister told me on fathers day, that Jim Crow laws were put in by Republicans

Butkus51 said...

When a liar calls one a liar, they kind of negate each other.

Mattman26 said...

At one point he was contrasting Biden on China very effectively; comparing Biden's Fourth-of-July BLM-approved "American has never lived up to its" yada yada, with his never-ending praise of China.

Then he was reading a quote from Biden to the effect that the notion that China is our rival is "bizarre"--and then, barely pausing, Trump inserted: "He's bizarre." I thought it was hilarious.

Fandor said...


I noticed during the 2016 campaign that Trump may have adopted
the style of the rabbi’s of old. He speaks using the Marcan Sandwich
Method, used by St.Mark in his Gospel—beginning a lesson, then inserting
a digression, finally returning to the subject of the instruction. I also
see that he frequently gestures like the Early teachers of religion and
In Christian icons of Christ—index finger raised thumb and third making
A circle.

Michael said...

RV. “ e.No wonder Obama's ratings were higher during the H1Ni pandemic than Trumps”
Well I’ll say. Because we were not informed H1N1 was a pandemic until it was over the handling, read ignoring, of it was brilliant. Too bad conservatives didn’t think to splash The front pages with the number of people getting the virus daily and reporting on the surges and spikes and troubling rises of the H1N1 death rates. Oh, and forcing the closure of the economy.

Static Ping said...

Charles Sykes is not particularly useful writer. His conclusions are preordained by his biases. This is not immediately disqualifying as a very good writer with great insight into the issues of the day could pull this off and be worthy of attention, but Sykes is most certainly not either of those things. He is a partisan for hire and easily disposable. He's just noise.

For the record, I rarely watch Trump's speeches. I also rarely watched speeches by Obama, Bush, or Clinton. Actions speak louder than words. Obama, as long as he was in front of a teleprompter, could give quality speeches with zero substance. Clinton had fantastic charisma but it always felt like he was trying to sell you a used car and/or get laid, which he probably was. Bush was never comfortable in the role so even if he had something to say it rarely came across all that well. There have not been many really good political speeches since Reagan left office.

Fandor said...

I noticed during the 2016 campaign that Trump may have adopted
the style of the rabbi’s of old. He speaks using the Marcan Sandwich
Method, used by St.Mark in his Gospel—beginning a lesson, then inserting
a digression, finally returning to the subject of the instruction. I also
see that he frequently gestures like the Early teachers of religion and
In Christian icons of Christ—index finger raised thumb and third making
A circle.

Fandor said...

I noticed during the 2016 campaign that Trump may have adopted
the style of the rabbi’s of old. He speaks using the Marcan Sandwich
Method, used by St.Mark in his Gospel—beginning a lesson, then inserting
a digression, finally returning to the subject of the instruction. I also
see that he frequently gestures like the Early teachers of religion and
In Christian icons of Christ—index finger raised thumb and third making
A circle.

traditionalguy said...

I get the feeling that Trump has already won the re-election. Biden has been destroyed and it is too late to replace him. The silent majority is going to roar like the MGM lion roars when this movie is over.

Michael said...

I haven't watched it, but it's possible he intended to say "It's not too hot - but it's warm" (which would be kinda funny at 90+) and somehow the "not" got slurred or left out. You try talking extemporaneously for an hour on television.

Inga said...

“But people who love the sound of his voice, like Althouse, and those who like the false tough guy stance will continue to over look how corrupt and inept this administration has become.”

This phenomenon will be written up in psychology books one day, what will it be called? Trump Delusion Syndrome?

Tom T. said...

Who is the audience for the Bulwark?

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Speaking of the Bulwark, fossil Rick Wilson got his ass handed to him by a cartoon panel that shows the Left ain't gonna forget where these nevertrumpers made their bonafides before becoming facially "pro-Democrat" this year.

Follow the link to CBS's Youtube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNvuYPpX0C0

So whether its Wilson or Sykes or Kristol, really, who cares what they have to say. They are men without a country it seems. And rightly so. They were either lting neocons ten years ago or they are lying neolibs now. Just the kind of source Inga and Cookie can trust for their news.

Wilbur said...

Inga said...
“One thing Trump proves beyond doubt: people are so eager to believe bullshit that one does not even have to try to tell convincing lies to have them be accepted as truth.”

Ain’t THAT the truth?
___________________________________________________________________________

Finally, a little self-awareness appears.

Gk1 said...

China is a tough nut for democrats to crack isn't it? They are so focused on blaming Trump for covid they slip a gear when you remind them it all began in wuhan and was made 1000 times worse by lying, incompetent, communists.

They have no comeback other than "don't make excuses for Trump!" Try reminding a leftie you know and it's like a program bug where you input unexpected data into a form and automatically get a '404 FILE NOT FOUND' error.

I don't think Slow Joe can handle even a 5 minute debate with Trump as he is not mentally agile enough to understand what is being said and then come up with an extemporaneous re buttle. Anything having to do with China is DEATH to the democrats. Its hard to ignore now.

iowan2 said...

It's pretty clear to me that he snookered the MSM with the China news and then made them endure and promulgate live the exposing and lambasting of Biden/Dems. He should give that speech every day till November.

President Trump is still getting free media. The media was going to be alot smarter than 4 years ago. But...they still get played by a man they refuse to understand. The media is buying the swill they feed the masses. It's all wrong. Trump is not very complicated, but you have to start with the simple truth President Trump loves the United States of America. Is working 40 hours a day to watch out for the interests of his Nation, and its citizens.
Every decision he has made falls into that metric. No politics, no self interests, everything for the betterment of the nation and its people.

Daddy Binx said...

Actual future transcript from the first Trump/Biden televised debate:

Totally Impartial Male Moderator: President Trump, why do you hate black and brown people so much?

Trump: <Typical rambling, stream-of-consciousness, Trump-ish answer.>

Totally Impartial Female Moderator: President Trump, what you have just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Totally Impartial Male Moderator: Vice President Biden, do you care to respond?

Biden: What she said!

PubliusFlavius said...

Howard actually articulated something I found funny...yet it lacks.

'Round these parts we never neglect the

"Great and Unmatched Wisdom"

element to the epithet.

https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1181232249821388801?lang=en

Known Unknown said...

"how corrupt and inept this administration has become.”

I'd love a linked detailing of the rampant corruption that's not outside the usual political norm (it's inevitable in any administration, really.)

Clyde said...

henge2243 said...
Does Joe Biden write his own tweets?


Doubtful, but he does hide his own Easter eggs.

DavidUW said...

How's DNC convention coming along in Milwaukee.

Wait, wasn't that supposed to be happening today?

Clyde said...

Bilwick said...
That's "the State's Bulwark," no?


Actually, it's "Bulwark of peoples in brotherhood strong." Or at least, that's the translation there.

bagoh20 said...

Trump never once mentioned his leg hair. That's criminal.

bagoh20 said...

Dos this kind of criticism work on anyone who doesn't already hate Trump? We have gotten a non-stop stream of this stuff for four years now. He's terrible. He's the end of the Republic. He's Hitler. He's out of control. He's stupid, and on and on. Yet the nation quickly saw that his policies outperformed any other President's, and far outperformed the expectation of his critics and the "experts". He's made billions, successfully negotiated with the world's the biggest players for decades, runs huge organizations with thousands of employees, beds the hottest women, raised successful competent children, became President of the United States against all odds, and weathered a nonstop attack by the media, Democrats, and many Republicans.

I know punching up is a thing, but do you knee-jerk critics think you could do any of that, let alone all of it. What have you done that qualifies you to critique anyone, let alone this man? What is it about you that makes your opinion better than his?

It's fine to critique a particular policy or action, with specifics, but this kind of criticism is just unfocused hatred and dismissal by tiny tiny people of little if any accomplishment. Go play in your sandbox, Barney Fifes of the world. You have a keyboard in there, well good for you.

Robert Cook said...

"Yet the nation quickly saw that his policies outperformed any other President's, and far outperformed the expectation of his critics and the "experts". He's made billions, successfully negotiated with the world's the biggest players for decades, runs huge organizations with thousands of employees, beds the hottest women, raised successful competent children, became President of the United States against all odds, and weathered a nonstop attack by the media, Democrats, and many Republicans."

Somebody has a crush on Don-Don!

Krumhorn said...

Trump is nothing if not consistently rambling, bullying, disjointed, and spiteful. (I don't think he's confused so much as digressive, a slave to his impulse to insult and boast over sticking to the key points of his speech.) Casting blame, parading his grievances, and making grandiose claims of his successes is the raison d'etre of his speeches.

I know how Cookie feels. I completely sympathize. I felt the very same way when Obummer did it, and he did it in spades(there is no racist subtext there). What the lefties cannot abide is that they have been singularly free of pushback from previous Republican presidents. The lefties wailed on W continuously and hatefully throughout his entire two terms, but he just turned the other cheek as the patrician he was raised to be. Reagan dismissed his critics with, wit, elegance, and humor, but never with the same brutality that he received from the lefties. For example:

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so."

or this:

"Republicans believe every day is the 4th of July. Democrats believe every day is April 15th"

Of course, I would much prefer Reagan's style, but Trump will do just fine. He gives as good (or better) as he gets and the lefties.... not being accustomed to it...don't like it. For that reason, I have yet to meet a former Trump voter.

- Krumhorn

gilbar said...

Wilbur said...
Inga said...
“One thing Trump proves beyond doubt: people are so eager to believe bullshit that one does not even have to try to tell convincing lies to have them be accepted as truth.”
Ain’t THAT the truth?

Finally, a little self-awareness appears.

Actually, NO; Igna is Completely unaware that being "so eager to believe bullshit" that one accepts unconvincing lies as truth, is NOT something to be proud of

Igna Actually Believes that Cook's statement is somehow derogatory to President Trump
She is Actually SO STUPID, that she goes out of her way, to Make Sure; that people know

doctrev said...

Krumhorn said...

Of course, I would much prefer Reagan's style, but Trump will do just fine. He gives as good (or better) as he gets and the lefties.... not being accustomed to it...don't like it. For that reason, I have yet to meet a former Trump voter.

- Krumhorn

I would NOT prefer Reagan's style, to put it mildly. At the time he was relentlessly pushed around by the Democrats in the House, to the point he actually signed the 1986 amnesty. Partly because the media was monolithically left, partly because he had to appeal to the fully owned Buckleyite crowd of "conservative" gays in sheep's clothing, and partly because America's partisan toxicity hadn't reached its peak.

Unlike Reagan, Donald Trump is getting his message out as alternatives to the media develop. Even with Big Tech furiously cracking down on that, it's far too late. Tens of millions of Americans know there are people like them, and have long since started supporting platforms like thedonald.win, unauthorized.tv, and RSBN/ OANN. That genie is out of the bottle and it's never going back in.

Bilwick said...

People like Inga the State's Handmaid will continue to overlook how swollen government has become, and how dangerous to life, liberty and property it is. We will call his "Inga Stupidity Syndrome."

Jim at said...

Remember, Charlie Sykes going full-throat at the NeverTrumper Bulwark is proof we conservatives wield the weapon of cancel culture just like the left.

Jim at said...

“One thing Trump proves beyond doubt: people are so eager to believe bullshit that one does not even have to try to tell convincing lies to have them be accepted as truth.” - Inga

Funny how you think that's just the stone-cold truth ... and fail to realize it applies directly to you.

rcocean said...

"Who is the audience for the Bulwark?"

The left-wing Billionaire who funds it. The same is true of The Dispatch.

Phil 314 said...

“Trump is nothing if not consistently rambling, bullying, disjointed, and spiteful. (I don't think he's confused so much as digressive, a slave to his impulse to insult and boast over sticking to the key points of his speech.) ”

I think Cookie is fairly spot on with this comment. But I think that’s what a lot of folks like about him. Honestly in my experience it’s seen as a bad thing for many.

I do wonder if Trump is losing his mojo and I see that more on the right are getting a little tired of his schtick.

OTOH written like Sykes confirm what one suspects will be said within in the first two sentences. And its tiresome AND no one is listening. Too many Never trumpets are stuck in the perspective that everything revolves around Trump. And with that perspective it would just be smart for Sykes not to write about a Trump presser because you’ll piss off your now loyal Never-Trumper audience if you deviate at all and the pro-Trumpers and sometimes OK with Trumpers have stopped reading after the first two sentences.

Drago said...

Jim at: "Remember, Charlie Sykes going full-throat at the NeverTrumper Bulwark is proof we conservatives wield the weapon of cancel culture just like the left."

It is quite correct that Inga the Mindreading Svengali of Althouseblog told us exactly that....and she was serious!

bagoh20 said...

"Somebody has a crush on Don-Don!"

Cookie, you are welcome to dispute any of my points. They are numerous and specific. Pick a few and go at it. Of course you knew that already, and chose to surrender. Wise move, but wiser would have been to just pretend you didn't see it.

bagoh20 said...

I like the loose approach he takes to speaking. It certainly seems more authentic than just reading prepared bullshit that's been carefully vetted, group tested, and practiced in front of a Vaselined mirror . I wish most other politicians had the confidence of their thinking to do that.

I remember the days with Obama not being able to talk without a teleprompter, and when he tried, it ended up with a lot of ummmms, and endless pauses of mindless place holders. They called him a great speaker. What a load of emperor's laundry that was.

The Gipper Lives said...

Jonathan Karl: "This is not a press briefing."

This is not a Press, Jonny.

gadfly said...

From 1993 to 2016, Charlie Sykes hosted a conservative talk show on WTMJ in Milwaukee and he was editor of Right Wisconsin. Althouse quoted the Journal-Sentinel report (appropriately on April Fools Day) in 2016 that "Donald Trump didn't bother to understand Wisconsin and Wisconsin seems to mind." Four years later we know that Trump is incapable of understanding much of anything.

Wisconsin’s recent political battles also resulted in a dramatic shift in the state’s communications culture.... Four “talkers” in particular— Charlie Sykes, Vicki McKenna, Jerry Bader and Mark Belling—exercise enormous influence, and cover nearly every inch of the state media market....

Mr. Trump stumbled onto three of the four biggest shows on Monday, seemingly unaware that all the hosts are part of the “Never Trump” movement. Mr. Sykes likened Mr. Trump to a “12-year-old bully” and insisted he was no conservative. Ms. McKenna was similarly rough, though Mr. Trump did himself no favors by hanging up on her.

Trump sounded perplexed by the talk radio buzz saw he ran into Monday.

“I’m a little surprised that talk show hosts would be supporting somebody. You’d think there’d be a certain impartiality,” he told Green Bay radio host Jerry Bader, a supporter of Trump rival Ted Cruz, as is Sykes.

vanderleun said...

Thank you Gadflyh. Meanwhile the dog pound called and said you were late for your morning class of teaching autofellatio to puppies. Get crackin'!