Journalists Whisper at Trump’s Crazy Press Conference: ‘This Is Insane’
108 replies, posted
[QUOTE=Chonch;51834190]I'm surprised anyone is surprised. Trump's given many signs already that he doesn't intend to change much from his attitude on the campaign. We got what we voted for.
My favorite part was when the subject of the Black Caucus and Rep. Cummings came up in a question and Trump just laid it out on that one reporter. A little cringey at times but I've since stopped expecting him to be presidentially cordial with the press.
[editline]16th February 2017[/editline]
Honestly, I was expecting it to be worse.[/QUOTE]
No, 27% of Americans got what they voted for. The rest got dragged into this mess.
[QUOTE=Chonch;51834190]A little cringey at times but I've since stopped expecting him to be presidentially cordial with the press.[/QUOTE]
Fuck cringey and cordial, I want a president who tells the truth. The one reporter from NBC nailed it: Why should people trust Trump as the arbiter of truth and disregard the fake news media when he tells such blatantly transparent lies like winning the biggest electoral victory since Reagan?
[QUOTE]It was like he had never left the campaign trail or all the old talking points, pugnacity, and vitriol that came with it. The only thing that was missing was a jab at “Crooked Hillary.”[/quote]
Is this supposed to be a surprise? Trump's election was an upset that marked the escalation in the ideological, information, and culture war between populists and the establishment (as cliche as it sounds, it's real). Do we really expect the media to just forgive trump and treat him like any other president? What about the the intelligence community? Obama era leftovers in the government? All the moneyed interests behind the clinton campaign?
Trump is not governing, he is fighting an internal battle. He is by all means on the wrong side of history. However, this isn't the 60s, nobody but the wealthy are really excited about the future. Honestly, unless you're working in Silicon Valley or something you're probably on the wrong side of history, it's not even an ideological thing. It's economic, populism of both the left and right is based on working people left behind by globalization, even Trudeau of all people had to concede that. The right side of history is not in the direction towards equality any longer, that's the reality since the end of the 20th century and the triumph of capitalism, the historical direction of which has directly provoked the rise of populist reactionaries in absence of a left wing alternative.
His entire administration thus far has been marked by clamor by his opponents over russian connections, pandering to a racist working class, struggling with elements of the government that don't like him like the intelligence community, taking a stricter line on terrorism. Instead of reforming after hillary's defeat, the left has dug in its heels. Suddenly, previously anti-war liberals are now hawks over alignment between nationalism and Russian conservatism, they're now all about being middle class tolerant global citizens that don't give a shit about the plight of labor or money in politics so long as they get to virtue signal on immigration from their 99% white communities or the nice part of a city, they suddenly love the intelligence community and corporate media, the list goes on.
This is why trump's failure will not be a victory for the left, as they have compromised on their principles and became just another set of entrenched interests trying to hold onto power. They haven't learned a fucking thing. We have long shit on the white working class for voting against its own interests, but here we have the left in lockstep with a system it otherwise pretends to hate because of trump derangement syndrome. If you want Trump to fail be careful for what you wish for, and you'd better hope progressives have taken over the democratic party long before then.
[QUOTE=Chonch;51834190]I'm surprised anyone is surprised. Trump's given many signs already that he doesn't intend to change much from his attitude on the campaign. We got what we voted for.
My favorite part was when the subject of the Black Caucus and Rep. Cummings came up in a question and Trump just laid it out on that one reporter. A little cringey at times but I've since stopped expecting him to be presidentially cordial with the press.
[editline]16th February 2017[/editline]
Honestly, I was expecting it to be worse.[/QUOTE]
That part was hilarious, especially since Rep Cummings came out and said he has no idea why Trump would make up a story about him, and the CBC sent a letter to Trump on the 19th asking to meet with him and got no response at all.
[QUOTE=WillerinV1.02;51834021]you've taken an ignorant, incompetent man who's slowly melting down over his (short) time as president, being unable to be taken seriously or perform basic duties
and you jump to the conclusion that he's somehow undermining american politics to become a dictator
like guys, at this point you sit back and laugh. he's bumbled his way into presidency and everyone is seeing how poorly he's doing. it's time to stop fearmongering.[/QUOTE]
And what about the "us verses them" rhetoric he uses with pretty much everything, not to mention in the very press conference quoted here? What about the various attempts at silencing those who speak out against him, his administration and / or their actions? What about the whole "Muslim ban" fiasco, in which legit US citizens were targeted based on arbitrary bans from certain countries, but not others that he stands to benefit from? How is any of that, or anything else he's already done in his short time as president, [I]not[/I] worrying? I don't know about actually being a dictator yet, but I have no doubt that given half an opportunity and a way to do it in a pseudo-legal manner they'd certainly attempt to make him one.
Trump should not be written off just because he's a laughable asshat. That's the attitude that contributed to getting him where he is now, as the person in command of arguably the most powerful nation on the planet.
I hope Trump continues to make a complete joke of the whole government, while taking the media and all the other idiots with him. At this rate he will be fired, I just hope he makes more social ridiculousness come to the forefront.
[QUOTE=Raidyr;51834086]They have no incentive to unless his approval rating drops drastically to the point where propping him up could damage the Republican brand in the long term. Having someone who can be coached by Pence and senior leadership while rubber stamping every domestic issue they push through the House and Senate is too great a boon to bother throwing away over mere breaches of etiquette/law, especially when they don't have the support of the people.[/QUOTE]
I don't think the republican brand can be damaged any further to be quite honest
This entire administration reminds me of that Golden Dawn party from Greece
[QUOTE=Chonch;51834190]Honestly, I was expecting it to be worse.[/QUOTE]
I have to wonder how it could be worse
[QUOTE=TheTalon;51834232]I don't think the republican brand can be damaged any further to be quite honest[/QUOTE]
There seeing what something we're not seeing and that is fucking scary.
[QUOTE=Raidyr;51834200]Fuck cringey and cordial, I want a president who tells the truth. The one reporter from NBC nailed it: Why should people trust Trump as the arbiter of truth and disregard the fake news media when he tells such blatantly transparent lies like winning the biggest electoral victory since Reagan?[/QUOTE]
When it comes to items like the size of his crowds or the details of his win, it doesn't matter much. These things don't have an effect on his policy. I agree that this administration has given itself a record for "enhancing" the truth as of late, and you do make a good point. I don't have an answer for you.
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;51834197]I wish I could understand how you can be so complacent about this
I don't have an option, I literally just have to sit back and deal with this, but you have options as to how to react, to really just be "Oh well, we got what we voted for, time to pray that he doesn't really fuck it up" seems...
well purely irresponsible[/QUOTE]
I suppose it is a good thing I did not say that, then. I find it difficult to take seriously posts like these.
[QUOTE=Conscript;51834214]Is this supposed to be a surprise? Trump's election was an upset that marked the escalation in the ideological, information, and culture war between populists and the establishment (as cliche as it sounds, it's real). Do we really expect the media to just forgive trump and treat him like any other president? What about the the intelligence community? Obama era leftovers in the government? All the moneyed interests behind the clinton campaign?
Trump is not governing, he is fighting an internal battle. He is by all means on the wrong side of history. However, this isn't the 60s, nobody but the wealthy are really excited about the future. Honestly, unless you're working in Silicon Valley or something you're probably on the wrong side of history, it's not even an ideological thing. It's economic, populism of both the left and right is based on working people left behind by globalization, even Trudeau of all people had to concede that. The right side of history is not in the direction towards equality any longer, that's the reality since the end of the 20th century and the triumph of capitalism, the historical direction of which has directly provoked the rise of populist reactionaries in absence of a left wing alternative.
His entire administration thus far has been marked by clamor by his opponents over russian connections, pandering to a racist working class, struggling with elements of the government that don't like him like the intelligence community, taking a stricter line on terrorism. Instead of reforming after hillary's defeat, the left has dug in its heels. Suddenly, previously anti-war liberals are now hawks over alignment between nationalism and Russian conservatism, they're now all about being middle class tolerant global citizens that don't give a shit about the plight of labor or money in politics so long as they get to virtue signal on immigration from their 99% white communities or the nice part of a city, they suddenly love the intelligence community and corporate media, the list goes on.
This is why trump's failure will not be a victory for the left, as they have compromised on their principles and became just another set of entrenched interests trying to hold onto power. They haven't learned a fucking thing. We have long shit on the white working class for voting against its own interests, but here we have the left in lockstep with a system it otherwise pretends to hate because of trump derangement syndrome. If you want Trump to fail be careful for what you wish for, and you'd better hope progressives have taken over the democratic party long before then.[/QUOTE]
You're not wrong about most of this, but right now, intellectualism and populism are mutually exclusive in this context. Yes, the left, myself included, appear to have reneged on our anti-nationalist principles, but there's a damn good reason for that.
The man in office is one who declares that any negative poll against him is fake - whose cronies in congress insist that the only way to get the pure, unvarnished truth is from the President himself. He denies any fact, no matter how easily verifiable, that is politically inconvenient, and being ignorant about most affairs of state, often makes things up as he goes. He lies pathologically, and seems incapable of understanding he may be wrong about anything - a dangerous trait in anyone who has power.
He is clearly, by any reasonable measure, incompetent and unfit to lead a country as powerful and influential as the United States - he is taking steps, and has taken steps, that will do or have already done incredible damage to the country and the lives of Americans. However, incompetency doesn't get someone impeached. Treason does.
That's the [I]only[/I] reason that left-wingers and his Republican opponents suddenly appear to care so much about national identity, Russian collusion, and the whole scandal surrounding it. Because it's the best and only way to get rid of this idiot before he does more damage than he already has - If the incompetent, emotionally unstable buffoon happens also to be guilty of treason, that's a very convenient tool to get rid of him.
The left hasn't let go of its principles in the least - they're merely using whatever tool they can find to expedite his fall from grace and power.
Enemy of my enemy...
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;51834197]I wish I could understand how you can be so complacent about this
[/QUOTE]
It's fucking bizarre. RIPBILLYMAYS is going to school to be some sort of nuclear engineer or technician (sorry I can't remember) and Chonch works in finance. These are quite clearly educated people who just seem totally content with someone, the President of the United States no less, just being a neverending spigot of falsehoods. Is it because the ends justify the means? Do you just get a personal thrill out of watching someone in a position of power attack the press? Is it just schadenfreude and you really don't care about the longterm consequences?
I feel like even if you agree with everything Trump wants to do there has to come a breaking point where you denounce his dishonesty, particularly when you have repeatedly railed against the dishonesty of Trump's opponents in the past. I just want to see one person say "Yeah I agree with the travel ban and the wall and the keystone pipeline but I also think Trump's statements about fake news are worrying and he has a habit of lying a lot".
[QUOTE=Chonch;51834251]When it comes to items like the size of his crowds or the details of his win, it doesn't matter much. These things don't have an effect on his policy. I agree that this administration has given itself a record for "enhancing" the truth as of late, and you do make a good point. I don't have an answer for you.
I suppose it is a good thing I did not say that, then. I find it difficult to take seriously posts like these.[/QUOTE]
"We got what we voted for"
"A little cringey at times but I've since stopped expecting him to be presidentially cordial with the press."
These are statements of complacency
[QUOTE=Raidyr;51834256]It's fucking bizarre. RIPBILLYMAYS is going to school to be some sort of nuclear engineer or technician (sorry I can't remember) and Chonch works in finance. These are quite clearly educated people who just seem totally content with someone, the President of the United States no less, just being a neverending spigot of falsehoods. Is it because the ends justify the means? Do you just get a personal thrill out of watching someone in a position of power attack the press? Is it just schadenfreude and you really don't care about the longterm consequences?
I feel like even if you agree with everything Trump wants to do there has to come a breaking point where you denounce his dishonesty, particularly when you have repeatedly railed against the dishonesty of Trump's opponents in the past. I just want to see one person say "Yeah I agree with the travel ban and the wall and the keystone pipeline but I also think Trump's statements about fake news are worrying and he has a habit of lying a lot".[/QUOTE]
Maybe it's not that they like Trump but they hate who he's attacking far more
This guy is awesome. Please let him stay. While I'm getting tired of the news reporting on him constantly this is like a reality TV sitcom.
[QUOTE=Raidyr;51834200]Fuck cringey and cordial, I want a president who tells the truth. The one reporter from NBC nailed it: Why should people trust Trump as the arbiter of truth and disregard the fake news media when he tells such blatantly transparent lies like winning the biggest electoral victory since Reagan?[/QUOTE]
The trouble is that his supporters DO take his word as gospel. We learned from the campaign that facts don't matter anymore, just feelings and slogans. Just look at his 80% approval rating among Republicans -- they think he's doing great, they disregard NBC, Reuters, BBC, etc as "fake news," and they're completely disconnected from reality.
Politics has sunk to the level of 9/11 truthers and moon landing conspiracy theorists -- you can [b]repeatedly demonstrate[/b] that everything they believe is blatantly false, and if they can't deflect your evidence as "fake news" or "crooked Hillary" or somehow twist them into a positive (he speaks his MIND!!!), they'll simply refuse to hear the words coming out of your mouth.
Not sure what can be done about it at this point.
[QUOTE=Lambeth;51834262]Maybe it's not that they like Trump but they hate who he's attacking far more[/QUOTE]
Which would seem almost hypocritical considering a liar calling other liars out is as useful as a turd blossom
[editline]16th February 2017[/editline]
[QUOTE=pentium;51834269]This guy is awesome. Please let him stay. While I'm getting tired of the news reporting on him constantly this is like a reality TV sitcom.[/QUOTE]
Why is that awesome?
[QUOTE=pentium;51834269]This guy is awesome. Please let him stay. While I'm getting tired of the news reporting on him constantly this is like a reality TV sitcom.[/QUOTE]
Yeah except he's now in charge of what is, by many measures, the most powerful country on earth.
It's not funny. It's fucking terrifying.
[QUOTE=Raidyr;51834256]"Yeah I agree with the travel ban and the wall and the keystone pipeline but I also think Trump's statements about fake news are worrying and he has a habit of lying a lot".[/QUOTE]
I'm teetering on the edge of making this exact post, but I've just yet to see the lie have any effect on Trump's policy. I tend not to worry about things like Trump's relationship with the media because it doesn't affect me; I don't get my news from the MSM; I don't use Twitter or social media. To me this all just looks like mindless hysteria.
However, if something comes of this Michael Flynn debacle that might be my tipping point. Time will tell.
I still don't understand how anyone sees Trump as this anti-establishment figure.
He's a rich sleazy old man, with a cabinet full of nepotistic yes-men, leading a conservative party with all the same corporate sympathies we have seen countless times before, who is also a habitual liar.
Everything about him screams politician, everything except possession of any actual aptitude for politics.
The only ~established~ thing he runs counter to; is the idea that you should be vaguely fucking fit for a job before being given it.
[QUOTE=fulgrim;51834314]I still don't understand how anyone sees Trump as this anti-establishment figure.
He's a rich sleazy old man, with a cabinet full of nepotistic yes-men, leading a conservative party with all the same corporate sympathies we have seen countless times before, who is also a habitual liar.
Everything about him screams politician, everything [B]except any actual aptitude for politics.[/B][/QUOTE]
There's your explanation. Trump is the "anti-politician" - as in, he appeals to people who are sick and tired of politicans. That's literally all there is to it.
[QUOTE=mcharest;51834331]There's your explanation. Trump is the "anti-politician" - as in, he appeals to people who are sick and tired of politicans. That's literally all there is to it.[/QUOTE]
But everything else about him fits the profile of a shifty politician.
there are a lot of things to hate politicians for, why start backing someone who exhibits most of them with the added bonus of being totally shit at the job?
The way I see it, now they are just getting fucked in all of the established ways, followed by an additional fucking on top due to simple incompetence.
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;51834271]Which would seem almost hypocritical considering a liar calling other liars out is as useful as a turd blossom
[editline]16th February 2017[/editline]
Why is that awesome?[/QUOTE]
Its awesome when one realizes everything is a sadistic joke.
[QUOTE=Guriosity;51834362]Its awesome when one realizes everything is a sadistic joke.[/QUOTE]
Life being a joke doesn't change that I don't want horrible things to happen during my life.
If you've ever gone through serious suffering before, you wouldn't wish for it to return. You're just ignorant.
[QUOTE=Guriosity;51834362]Its awesome when one realizes everything is a sadistic joke.[/QUOTE]
I lived in the Middle East, remember; I know just how wrong a 'sadistic joke' can go.
I'm willing to bet you've been sheltered by comparison, it's the only reason I can imagine the idea of burning it all down would appeal to you.
[QUOTE]...but its peace through strength...[/QUOTE]
So Trump represents the Brotherhood of Nod?
(Not gonna clutter the thread with an embedded video)
[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFUfF3Ws39E[/url]
But seriously, reading the BBC transcript, though I imagine there are some errors here and there, Trump on the whole not only sounds like an idiot. But I notice he tends to refer to himself and what [I]he[/I] has done. He tends to dodge questions with long nonsense about things that aren't even related. Sometimes it seems he has to start a sentence over, multiple times even, to get his thought together.
I did like the question one reporter asked, on how whether or not he was undermining freedom of the press (or something like that)
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;51834366]Life being a joke doesn't change that I don't want horrible things to happen during my life.
If you've ever gone through serious suffering before, you wouldn't wish for it to return. You're just ignorant.[/QUOTE]
You have no idea how much suffering Im going through right now. The thing is there are too many factors, forces, angle and agents in the mix to affect real change beyond yourself. I predict some real harsh times for humanity ahead and I got my tit in the ringer trying to fix it. Its not worth and far I am concerned it seems people WANT these bad things to happen. Otherwise why are they not changing accordingly?
If however you are sincere in not suffering like I did and preventing other from suffering, I can give ya a hint where to start.
[QUOTE=Guriosity;51834405]You have no idea how much suffering Im going through right now. The thing is there are too many factors, forces, angle and agents in the mix to affect real change beyond yourself. I predict some real harsh times for humanity ahead and I got my tit in the ringer trying to fix it. Its not worth and far I am concerned it seems people WANT these bad things to happen. Otherwise why are they not changing accordingly?[/QUOTE]
Probably because people aren't a hivemind?
There's no use debating with people that are set for Trump when it comes to things like this. If they weren't already put off by his inability to even try and be honest or professional(along with a list of other shit), they won't be swayed now. You got people like Billy saying they can't wait for the next conference. It's just a little game for them.
[QUOTE=archangel125;51834416]Probably because people aren't a hivemind?[/QUOTE]
No because they are suffering from toxic erasure.
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