"... during their historic 1972 visit to China: Mao joked with them, played with words and made them feel at ease — a deliberate mask concealing one of history’s most devastating authoritarian records. Private interactions, no matter how pleasant, should never influence how we weigh any leader’s record. Matthews softened his judgment of Castro after their personal encounter, helping shape American perceptions of the Cuban revolution — perceptions that soon collided with reality. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain trusted Adolf Hitler’s private assurances during their meetings, describing Hitler afterward as a man with whom he could 'do business' — just before Europe descended into war."
Writes León Krauze in
"Bill Maher went to Washington. He got played. Authoritarians always smile in private — especially to journalists" (WaPo).
"Matthews" = Herbert Matthews, who interviewed Castro in 1957, and wrote in the NYT: "The personality of the man is overpowering. It was easy to see that his men adored him."
Posts
83 comments:
Even an evil dictator slash mass-murderer can be nice sometimes.
What the f*ck is "authoritarian" about Trump, Biden was the one who simply ignored the SCOTUS when its rulings were inconvenient, Biden is the one who lined the streets of DC with troops to prevent demonstrations, Biden is the one who used the DoJ to go after his political rivals, and threw non violent demonstrators in prisons, without bail or trial, for extended periods where months stretched to years.
Please, anybody who believes this lie, give an example of Trump's "authoritarianism"
It's the fascist firs rule of propaganda to accuse your opposition of any foul tactics that you decide is necessary to seize or hold on to power, because normal people have a hard time unwinding a lie to the extent necessary to discover that not only is it not true about the target of the lie, but that it is true about the teller of the lie.
Also, the stench of authoritarianism is out there, put there by Joe Biden, and since people recognize this, it is necessary for the true authoritarians, the people running the Democratic Party, to pin this stink on the other side. The junior high rule of farts, "He who smelt it, dealt it," reveals a basic truth about human nature.
It's also interesting that it's not Trump accusing people of authoritarianism when accusing the other side of authoritarianism is basic authoritarian tactic.
Sociopaths are generally quite charming when they want to be.
It's not a "mask". People attain these levels of power because they are very charismatic. Mao was a tyrant, but he got there because he really was likeable to many people.
We have a similar situation in this country. Trump is funny and likeable, he seems like your kind of kooky rightwing grandfather. People feel a genuine connection to him. I think he genuinely returns those feelings. It was the same with Mao.
Trump is like Hitler! Trump is like Mao! Trump is like Castro! I guess they couldn't dig up an interview with someone who was charmed by Jim Jones or Genghis Khan.
Apparently, this is in contrast with liberals who are jerks all the time.
So only assholes and blocks of wood are genuinely good leaders. If people like you, you're Hitler Jr.
'Shut up,' he explained.
Stalin is another example. A large part of his ascendance over Trotsky was that Trotsky was an a$$hole while Stalin was sociable. Trotsky himself said as much, but regarded being sociable as a betrayal of the revolution.
This is fun. Trump connects with people. Jesus connected with people during his ministry. Trump is just like Jesus!
They’re running out of lefties to alienate…
The writer points to tyrants like Mao and Castro manipulating journalists, but readers will wonder why the Washington Post, New York Times and others *stayed* manipulated beyond personal meetings, up to and after the deaths of these men.
He can claim manipulation now, and the Matthews encounter generated a little negative response, but the media's generally sympathetic coverage of left-wing tyrants was not the result of personal manipulation because it didn't require it.
Ok, I see the logic...some murderous dictators were pleasant and charming in private conversations...Trump is pleasant and charming in private conversations...therefore Trump is a murderous dictator. Got it. Thanks.
Margaret Trudeau got played by Castro too.
Its not like Maher said he was on Team MAGA or something. These media leftist dorks are only complaining because Maher thinks Trump is a bad President, not Hitler. They NEED people to think he is Hitler, not just wrong about some or most things.
Once again, the Manichaeism of the Progressives outdoes any modern Christians. For a movement that supposedly eschews the spiritual in favor of the scientific, their material world is inhabited by many more demons in human form than have been seen since the Salem witchcraft trials.
Doesn’t the Left get tired of the Trump is Hitler narrative? I am. He’s not Hitler.
We are onto this Fake News. Another reason to hate the
Press.
Governor Gretchen Witmer also went to Washington.
Did she get played?
How come there's no article by this Mexican about her?
Why is the Washington Post printing Mexican propaganda in the first place?
Maher clearly did NOT get "played" because he remains opposed to Trump's policies and he managed to achieve his goal have having Trump take responsibility for all the insults he applied to Maher over the years. Him getting Trump's signature on the big list of insults is Maher's proof for my thesis. Krause's proof for his?
Well that's the game. Maher cannot prove a negative, so the lazy Time's writer can continue to make his claim and Maher can state his position and there is no reconciling them.
Leon knows better. Trust Leon. He can see into the President's heart.
He sees Trump when he's sleeping
He knows when Trump's awake
He knows when Trump's been bad or good
He's NYU for goodness sake
"Bill Maher went to Washington. He got played. Authoritarians always smile in private — especially to journalists"
He seems to be saying journalists are easy to fool.
Again - this wasn't a state visit. This guy is a comedian.
The left are real Stalinists - and Chris Matthews works for a corrupt and toxic news organization.
He can't use the word "Communist."
From Wikipedia:
"León Rodrigo Krauze Turrent is a Mexican journalist, author, and news anchor.
On November 15, 2023, Krauze announced his departure from Univision, apparently due to Univision carrying an interview with Donald Trump."
So yeah, he's open-minded and non-partisan.
So the corrupt press now says if a President is nice in private then they are Stalin.... so tell me how was Obama and Biden to the press in private?
MSNBC (Toxic lies) Matthews doesn't mention that all of the violent killers like Castro, Stalin, Mao, - are all admired by the left. Especially Communist Castro. The Castro family - to this very day - are billionaires and the people of Cuba mostly live in poverty.
This argument of Trump = Hitler is similar to yesterday's (?) contretemps about Churchill = bad guy. The discussions are always the same and have been going on for a decade in Trump's case and a century now for Winnie. The moment I hear or read of either I'm hitting the volume button. What more is there to say or not say? It's endless historical litigation on the same tired subjects. No one's mind is going to be changed at this point for either of them at this point. At least Margaret and Fidel made a night of it.
Pelosi groveled to Bashad
Traitor Jack Murtha bro hugged Amhadinijead.
Albright drank champagne and watched porn with Kim Jong.
Funny how the Washington comPost never mentions howich the left loves their dictators...
"Margaret Trudeau got played by Castro too."
No, she was just a whore.
"Bill Maher went to Washington. He got played. Authoritarians always smile in private — especially to journalists"
Bill Maher is not a journalist.
Maher's sin, the one responsible for drawing the ire of the DNC Media, is that on his show he told the audience that the Trump he met "is not the one you see on TV." In other words, the DNC Media is lying to you 24/7 about Trump to paint a picture of a tyrant because they are out of ideas. They threw everything in their lawfare arsenal at him from 2016 to last year and he came through it stronger and improved his share of every voting block.
THAT is what really has their panties in a wad.
Democrats in blue states are trying to FORCE workers and businesses to unionize.
FORCE. Force = totalitarian authoritarian fascism.
the corrupt and greedy power whores need your union dues... and control over everyone.
The writer points to tyrants like Mao and Castro manipulating journalists, but readers will wonder why the Washington Post, New York Times and others *stayed* manipulated beyond personal meetings, up to and after the deaths of these men.
Well put. Remember Obama's spokesman, who was married to a newscaster, and their home was a luxurious shrine to Mao?
I do. Now I wonder if they were played! (not)
He was an austere religious scholar, they said.
Lets look at the left's list of American Hitlers:
Note! Not a single R ever rounded up and killed any Jews.
The hallmark of a true Hitler.
(please ignore the current crop of leftists who would like to do just that.)
List of Republican Hitlers:
Reagan
Bush
Bush II
McCain
Romney
Trump
Super Trump
Krauze's father, Enrique, is a big noise in Mexican intellectual circles. León Krauze, from what I could see of the article, doesn't mention any Mexican dictators. There were plenty of them. Were they all charming, or just boorish and unappealing? He could write about his father's encounter with Lopez Obrador, who he had attacked and then recognized that he had been a bit unfair about after a dinner together. Others could see a parallel between Enrique's professed support liberalism and democracy and opposition to reformers who tried to break up elite rule, and León's attitude toward Trump.
Bill Clinton charmed people who didn't expect to like him. FDR and JFK charmed people on a grand scale. Even Obama and Biden and Bush Jr. charmed people who wanted to be charmed. Politicians have charm, and it's natural that real people don't always correspond to the caricatures and cliches that represent them in our minds, but Mexican and Canadian media have gone into overdrive attacking Trump. One of the side-effects of MAGA's tariff conflicts has been the creation of MCGA and MMGA.
Maher's visit and positive report adds to the permission structure that started with Musk prior to the election and has been growing steadily since.
I give Maher credit. He had to know he was going to be attacked.
“Bill Maher is not a journalist.”
No, he is not. He is an alleged comedian/Democrat political strategist in the grand tradition of progressive politics.
I'll bet the comments are a hoot. Commenters at the WaPo are a very angry, unhappy, group of people.
Has anyone written a history of bipolarity or of the role of what used to be called manic depression in world history? Margaret Trudeau could be a chapter or sub-chapter.
So now the WaPoo is comparing Trump to Mao? What next--Pol Pot?
Leftists demand non-stop dedication to the corrupt cause.
You shall not deviate.
a deliberate mask concealing one of history’s most devastating authoritarian records.
A mask conceals the true face of the man, it doesn't conceal history. Krauze is performing quite a gyration to avoid criticizing Mao the man. Why not say a deliberate mask concealing the true nature of one of history's most brutal authoritarians and mass murderers? I can guess why not.
You don't often hear Trump likened to Mao or Castro. Give the writer some credit for trying an original angle.....In my lifetime, the politician most lacking in magnetism or charisma was Nixon. I think part of his downfall was because of that......The media keep trying to paint Trump with their broad brush strokes, but Trump paints himself with such broad brush strokes that he escapes their caricature. Whatever he is, he's not Hitler.
It's hard not to notice that every Leftie commentator out there goes out of their way to declare themselves an enemy of the Trump administration and seems to be convinced that they are one step away from being sent to a gulag. Unfortunately for them the absolute worst thing keeps happening; Trump largely dismisses them. He may call Kaitlan Collins dumb to her face, but that's about the worst thing he does. Bill Maher having dinner with Trump, coming out unscathed and saying that Trump isn't an ogre makes it hard for the Left to keep that shared delusion intact. That's the reason Josh Rogin got so freaked out on Maher's show, his Theater Kid drama world had its foundations shaken hard.
How many Americans has Trump murdered?
How many Americans have been murdered by illegal aliens that Joe Biden let into the country?
How many Americans have died of drugs that Joe Biden let into the country?
Joe Biden belongs in Super Max in El Salvador.
Few folks on the left can finger out how to respond to Trump in a constructive manner. They need to go all in on cooperation with the 80/20 issues. For the more divisive issues, they need to negotiate and agree to disagree. Trump is only strengthened by the Hitler fascist fear mongering.
I mean, look at the facts. The Democrats ran the least appealing candidate after Fielding a demented puppet president for 4 years and they still barely lost the election by a few million votes. By all accounts the Republicans should have won in a Nixon versus McGovern landslide.
Instead of changing up their game they are insisting that there plan of attack to gain the trust of the American people that has failed over and over and over again against a republican who is extremely unpopular with their base and extremely unpopular with many moderates is perfectly wonderful.
The WP keeps looking for what was where it used to be
Mr. T. said...
.
Albright drank champagne and watched
4/15/25, 8:38 AM
Ugh. Yeesh! How repulsive and ugly... Kim Jong could definitely do better. I suppose it could be worse, they could have made the films together.
I don't believe he got played. Let's see how he covers Trump the rest of this season. He attacks Dems because he wants Dems to win.
I need a Venn diagram to sort this out.
Trump's policies are extraordinarily popular. It is very odd that the signature policies of any administration would get 70% plus approval. But that is the case for the border, the deportations and Doge. Even reciprocal taxes clock in at close to 60% approval.
An authoritarian would not be this responsive to public opinion.
Trump can't possibly win given the rules of this game. If Maher had been browbeaten over some of the very unfair treatment Trump had suffered during one of many snide and untruthful monologues he delivered during the Russia-Russia-Russia character assassination attempt, Krauze would have reached into his bottomless bag of Historical Parallels for Simpletons and produced and yet another excoriating comparison. "See? See? This is just like Hitler's treatment of Edvard Beneš! All authoritarians are like this."
All of history's poster-boy villains could be charming when their ambitions called for charm, and all of history's storybook heroes could be beastly. Lincoln suspended habeas corpus for his detractors; and Jesus withered a fig tree in retaliation for its barrenness, as if a plant has a mind and a will.
President Trump is like Caesar when he tried to calm Roman's seething political violence by publicly forgiving the Optimates who declared war on him. Clemency was Caesar's postwar policy, but he committed the unforgivable sin of humbling people who believed power and privilege were theirs alone by divine decree. And again like Caesar, Trump's enemies plan to murder him for his sin of seeking the presidency.
"He attacks Dems because he wants Dems to win."
Just like he has consistently attacked Trump. Maher wants him to win.
Readering holds Bill Maher's psyche in the palm of her hand. Nothing he does or thinks is hidden to her.
Refreshing. Trump is now Mao instead of Hitler. Nice change of pace.
Quaestor- that's a hallmark of a dedicated democratic leftist. They are all miracle mind readers.
Will Maher defend himself from his friends by saying Trump can pretend to be normal, but is still Hitleresque, or will Maher defend himself by saying his critical "friends" are lying?
Will it be a platonic divorce?
That said, Maher is the only dedicated dem who calls out Bs on his own side.
I think his audience is often confused or not really equipped with the ability to think for themselves. They will clap on diametrically opposing viewpoints with the same gusto. It's very strange.
The Nixon presidency generally is the most instructive for today’s Trump administration. But where Nixon was a very intelligent man crippled by insecurity Trump is an ignoramus powered by it.
I suspect the impact of Trump will be deeper and longer lasting than Nixon's craziness. Nixon had brakes on him in the form of Kissinger and the GOP in Congress. Trump is surrounded by sycophants and a subservient GOP. The world will take the view once bitten, twice shy and begin to separate economies from US. This will outlive Trump.
If manufacturing comes to the US it won't bring jobs. It'll bring automation and it'll be extremely tariffed Chinese robots they use to build the first factories.
Now that Trump has already lost his best card (tech carve out) everybody knows how poor his hand is. But than again, he is not playing the people on the table, he is pretending for the audience, because this is a reality TV show.
Trump has dealt himself a losing hand. Sooner or later he is going to have to fold. Textbook Art of the Deal!
Remember that it's not authoritarian to put your citizens in prison for posting opinions disfavored by the party in power on X, Story on Russel Brand's YouTube
Opposition to the globalist agenda is "authoritarian," not throwing people in the klink for speech violations.
Every Rich/Kaki post: 🥱
Trump is a formidable force that has intimidated the Democrats and the Never Trumpers(BIRM) like no one before him; they have now compared him to Mussolini, Hitler, Putin, and Mao. Unfortunately, these reckless allegations can lead to violence - Tesla torching's, beatings, assassinations, or the possibility of mob violence. Is that what they desire? The majority of the people they tempt have emotional and impulse issues. They are being called to a higher purpose; to stop a "Tyrant." Facts be damned.
Mexican bill kristol or john podhoretz, yes the Post is nearly as bad as the Times, on all these figures,
I’m thinking of how charming Obama is. How disarming- as he puts journalists in jail, and spies on an opponent’s political campaign, literally tapping into his calls and creating false FISA warrants.
Mean girls in junior high think they can control who talks to who.
I frankly don't think much of Maher, I have a decade of receipts to prove it 'we have to drag them' to Obamacare, 'we need a depression to recover our democracy,' some other foolishness he said about the rioters,
browbeating cops, excusing rioters, and white washing terrorist, that the fellow,
"If manufacturing comes to the US it won't bring jobs. It'll bring automation and it'll be extremely tariffed Chinese robots they use to build the first factories."
Good thing there's wheels on Kaka's goalposts....
Stop teh chortling, readering!
My gut feeling is that Maher saw the real Trump at the White House. That loud, mean Trump that constantly throws insults out is the character that Trump plays in public.
But I do agree with the advice that you should judge people by their actions instead of their words. By that metric, Trump is a qualified administrator who hasn't done anything racist, evil or fascist.
Castro had a strong personality, and his men adored him.
When you're right, you're right, even if you write for the NYT.
It's the pants crease that is the truly important metric.
So t would be much better if Trump was an asshole in private. Is that the message here, because we all know what the story would be if that's what Maher reported. There is no way anything positive can be attributed to Trump. Nope. Never. Not on my watch.
"It's the pants crease that is the truly important metric."
Can you delete that, so I can pretend I posted it?
By all accounts the Republicans should have won in a Nixon versus McGovern landslide.
That would have certainly occurred if this country had the same demographics as it did in the Nixon years, or even the Reagan years for that matter.
Maher really held Trump's feet to the fire and the two of them still had fun. Watch his description of the dinner. Diplomatic visits are different.
"Currently, Trump’s job approval rating sits at 54 percent, with only 46 percent disapproving. This ties his all-time high this year (in this poll) and is a five-point boost in approval since late March.
J.L. Partners poll also found that 64 percent of those aged 18 to 29 approve of the job Trump is doing. Those over 65 approve at 54 percent. The 30-49 and 50 to 64 age groups approve at 52 percent and 51 percent, respectively.
Hispanics approve of the Deporter-in-Chief with a margin of 46 percent to 43 percent.
Independents approve of Trump at 48 percent."
Not as good as Mao, but better than Hitler.
Whenever one discusses Nixon and China, I like to recall the anecdote of Kissinger's first meal with his Chinese hosts. He was served pork. The Chinese did this knowing he is Jewish and that pork is not on the kosher list of banquet items. Kissinger and his hosts overcame the problem by Kissinger ignoring this Chinese insult to his religion, and declaring that the pork was chicken, for once. And thus the Chinese knew they could do damn well anything they wanted to the stupid Americans who had no concept of dignity and self respect, or at least no limits to their desire to achieve a deal, no matter how much it was in China's interest rather than that of the US.
Obama was charismatic in public, some would say, Biden was creepy, and so was Clinton in private.
mindnumbrobot said...
I'll bet the comments are a hoot. Commenters at the WaPo are a very angry, unhappy, group of people
I see they turned off the comments WaPoo on the page about the conviction of the illegal alien who raped and murdered Rachel Morin...
Wonder why....
So if Trump acted like a monster, he's a monster. If he didn't act like a monster, he's a monster.
Obviously.
Authoritarians are always nice to the press? I guess that makes every politician since the dawn of time an authoritarian.
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