Trump's Tragic Victory Lap

[Keith Maitland]

Velocity, Vapidity and Sheer Ugliness


In the rhetoric of Donald Trump, mendacity and cynicism compete for equal time. It is hard to say which prevailed today as the Republican Party standard-bearer, a man who pretends to the most powerful political office in the land, tweeted this at his followers: "Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism.”

This came in the wake of the most horrific mass shooting in the history of the United States—a slaughter of fifty men and women in an L.G.B.T. night club called Pulse, in Orlando, early Sunday morning. Trump allowed that he didn’t want “congrats” so much as he wanted “toughness & vigilance.” Just as profoundly, he announced, “We must be smart!”

Trump also told his followers—and hence the world—that President Obama should “immediately resign in disgrace” for failing to “mention the words radical Islam” in his remarks on the shooting. And, he suggested, Hillary Clinton might want to get out of the Presidential race for making the same sin of omission in her statement.

With every month, it has become clearer that Trump is a makeshift politician, whose rancid wit resides in his willingness to say whatever it takes to arouse the fears of a political base. He might have started his campaign with the idea of winning some votes and publicity, increasing his profile as a marketing whiz, and then dropping out. Good for business! But now that he has stunned the political world—and, likely, himself—he has shown little inclination (or, perhaps, capacity) to grow into his role, to modify his language, be it for the sake of the Republican establishment or of simple decency. He’ll have none of that. Whatever inflates his sense of self and prods the anxieties of the country—that’s what works for him.

It feels indecent on such a day to engage these comments of Trump’s at all. But their velocity, vapidity, and sheer ugliness reflect his character, his emptiness, and, most of all, the shape of the election campaign to come. Since Trump has ascended, it’s been clear that his demagogic instincts could be tested precisely by the sort of tragedy suffered in Orlando. And, when faced with the path of modesty and the path of dark opportunism, he has chosen the latter. That’s what he is about. It’s who he is.

http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/donald-trumps-exploitation-of-orlando

[Owlswing]

I am sorry, but did anyone really expect anything else from Trump.

His attitudes and statements and the support that they and he are receiving show, to me, quite clearly, why America is growing a majority, note A majority not THE majority, in the population who are making America's position as the "Leader of the Western World" more and more questionable.

Trump's attitude to the use of nuclear weapons in the Middle East indicate his attitude to ALL those that he considers to be against his version of "American attitudes and values". Just where would he draw the line beyond which nuclear action would or would no be suggested or used and against whom?

To what extent would he use American business domination worldwide as a weapon of American world domination?

Making the assumption of his becoming U S President and these possible actions becoming reality, just what is going to be able to be done to reverse the damage.

The most likely outcome will be a world divided into three parts, America, Russia and China - and I am not even sure that the latter will survive.

 

[Bubbles]

I think Donald Trump as a president is a bigger threat than what happens with the EU.

 

[floo]

I think Donald Trump as a president is a bigger threat than what happens with the EU.

 

Trump would be a threat to the whole planet if he became president, he doesn't appear to be sane.

[Owlswing]

Trump would be a threat to the whole planet is he became president, he doesn't appear to be sane.

Not an "appearance", but a fact. Meglomania IS a form of insanity!

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Had to laugh when Jon Stewart called him a ''man-baby''.

[Jack Knave]

You may slag him off but if this type of thing keeps occurring in the US more people may be moved to vote for him and the unthinkable may then be a reality.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

You may slag him off but if this type of thing keeps occurring in the US more people may be moved to vote for him and the unthinkable may then be a reality.

That assumes everyone else wanted it to happen or that there is no such thing as a homegrown terrorist and that Trump D is more equipped than other politicians to handle it.

[Hope]

Trump would be a threat to the whole planet if he became president, he doesn't appear to be sane.

Oh, I think that he is completely sane, and contrary to the New Yorker writer's analysis, he knows exactly what he is doing.  I would also suggest that Owl's comment about 'A' majority, rather than 'The' majoritymisses the point that most Americans are on the right of centre, politically, and so both Trump and Clinton are feeding from the same basic pool.

I am aware that the shooter claims to have been acting 'in support' of ISIS, but is there any evidence that it was a planned act?  After all, I believe that the guy had only bought the weapons 4 or 5 days ago.

[Owlswing]

Oh, I think that he is completely sane, and contrary to the New Yorker writer's analysis, he knows exactly what he is doing.  I would also suggest that Owl's comment about 'A' majority, rather than 'The' majoritymisses the point that most Americans are on the right of centre, politically, and so both Trump and Clinton are feeding from the same basic pool.

I am aware that the shooter claims to have been acting 'in support' of ISIS, but is there any evidence that it was a planned act?  After all, I believe that the guy had only bought the weapons 4 or 5 days ago.

And it needed any more planning than getting the required clearance for the purchase of the guns and ammunition? He can hardly have known about the set up of how to get into the club past the security without even the most basic recce. And according to his father the incident that (supposedly) triggered this was several weeks ago

What other planning was needed?

[floo]

Oh, I think that he is completely sane, and contrary to the New Yorker writer's analysis, he knows exactly what he is doing.  I would also suggest that Owl's comment about 'A' majority, rather than 'The' majoritymisses the point that most Americans are on the right of centre, politically, and so both Trump and Clinton are feeding from the same basic pool.

I am aware that the shooter claims to have been acting 'in support' of ISIS, but is there any evidence that it was a planned act?  After all, I believe that the guy had only bought the weapons 4 or 5 days ago.

If he is sane he is a good actor as he certainly doesn't come over as such!