President Trump: Making America Great Again...

[byu71]

I agree he won't be able to succeed in taking down freedom of the press. He would love to, but he won't be able to. That said, the president of the US doesn't have the right to pick and choose which outlets he allows to cover his press conference. As a CEO of a private company he can do that all he wants. As a public servant employed by the taxpayers he cannot.

Here is the mislead in my eyes. The other day when there was, I think it was called a gaggle, on a rotating basis certain outlets get a spot. It isn't a press conference.

They found they had more room, but didn't add to those who were already invited the ballbabies like CNN and the NYT. I saw a lot of credible people saying this was a big to do about nothing.

I think the press had very poor trust ratings long before Trump became President, so who caused it before Trump?

[BlueK]

They found they had more room, but didn't add to those who were already invited the ballbabies like CNN and the NYT. I saw a lot of credible people saying this was a big to do about nothing.

so I'm supposed to believe it was purely chance that the only ones allowed in were the outlets that are perceived to be more friendly to him? LOL

[Jeff Lebowski]

Bad speller sure, but a moron**?? I don't think I ever was a great speller. I guess I have done pretty well considering I am and have been a moron all these years.

One other bad thing. The older I get the less I worry about stuff I really don't give a shit about. I don't give a shit about spelling correctly on here for sure. If that is a punishable offense, I accept the terms.

Knock yourself out.

I am like Jesus. Even though you reject me, I will be waiting here for when you decide to accept my help.

**I need to rename that smiley. To me it represents exasperation.

[Jeff Lebowski]

so I'm supposed to believe it was purely chance that the only ones allowed in were the outlets that are perceived to be more friendly to him? LOL

Trumpologists are creative. And funny.

[byu71]

Knock yourself out.

I am like Jesus. Even though you reject me, I will be waiting here for when you decide to accept my help.

**I need to rename that smiley. To me it represents exasperation.

I just hope I am not walking on the beach with you some day and looking back I see only 1 set of footprints.

[BlueK]

I just hope I am not walking on the beach with you some day and looking back I see only 1 set of footprints.

It wouldn't be easy but it would be worth it.

[byu71]

so I'm supposed to believe it was purely chance that the only ones allowed in were the outlets that are perceived to be more friendly to him? LOL

You make my point. NBC/MSNBC, ABC, CBS, Time, the AP are considered friendly to him. Is it wrong for me to think anything the press says negative about Trump and others working for him, some of you buy without any time of skepticism.

How about Kelly didn't have any input on the first immigrant draft, or whatever it was called. Kelly himself said he did, but I kept hearing reports he didn't. So now General Kelly a very honorable man is labeled a liar in order for the press to have not gotten the story wrong.

Trump is a thin skinned egotistical boob. However, he is going up the press which is also full of thin skinned egotistical boobs.

[creekster]

"bias journalist" (WRONG)
"biased journalist" (CORRECT)

Maybe he is just talking about journalists who only write about bias.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Maybe he is just talking about journalists who only write about bias.

Hmm... Excellent point.

[byu71]

Maybe he is just talking about journalists who only write about bias.

Nope, he caught me. I don't proofread my posts. If there was money involved I would be more careful.

[Walter Sobchak]

Trump’s Use of Navy SEAL’s Wife Highlights All the Key Ingredients of U.S. War Propaganda
<https://theintercept.com/2017/03/01/...ar-propaganda/>

There are reasons presidents routinely use the suffering and deaths of U.S soldiers and their families as political props. The way in which these emotions are exploited powerfully highlights important aspects of war propaganda generally, and specifically how the endless, 15-year-old war on terror is sustained.

[...]

Senior Chief Ryan Owens is a household name, and his wife, Carryn, is the subject of national admiration and sympathy. But the overwhelming majority of Americans do not know, and will never learn, the name of even a single foreign victim out of the many hundreds of thousands that their country has killed over the last 15 years. This imbalance plays a massive role in how Americans understand themselves, the countries their government invades and bombs, and the Endless War that is being waged.

None of this is to say that the tribute to Owens and the sympathy for his wife are undeserved. Quite the contrary: When a country, decade after decade, keeps sending a small, largely disadvantaged portion of its citizenry to bear all the costs and risks of the wars it starts — while the nation’s elite and their families are largely immune — the least the immunized elites can do is pay symbolic tribute when they are killed.

[...]

The ritualistic tribute to dead or wounded U.S. soldiers has other purposes as well: It attempts — not using rational formulas but rather emotional impulses — to transfer the nobility of the slain soldier onto the war itself; after all, how unjust could a war be when such brave and admirable American soldiers are fighting in it?

And it is also intended that the soldier’s nobility will be transferred to his commander in chief who is so solemnly honoring him. As demonstrated by the skyrocketing post-9/11 approval ratings for George Bush and the endless political usage Obama obtained for killing Osama bin Laden, nothing makes us rally around a president like uplifting war sentiment.

[...]

The reaction to last night’s Owens moment was fascinating because the widespread media contempt for Trump clashed with the instinctive veneration of all matters relating to U.S. war; in most cases, the latter triumphed. But more interesting than that is what this ritual reveals about how Americans are taught to think about war and the reasons it is so easy for the political class — no matter the outcome of elections or what polling data tells us or how many people senselessly die — to continue and escalate endless wars. These propaganda rituals are well-tested and very potent.

President Trump is going to turn out just like President Obama before him (wrt to condemning our foolish foreign entanglements): All talk, no walk.

[wuapinmon]

[PaloAltoCougar]

I couldn't bring myself to watch Trump's speech live, but I've been watching and reading snippets. The bit with the grieving war widow was very touching. But Trump is incapable of genuine empathy or real class. After the very lengthy applause for her, Trump apparently said, "Ryan is looking down right now, you know that, and he's very happy, because I think he just broke a record." The ultimate sacrifice, a family left behind having suffered an unspeakable loss, and Trump's focus is still on ratings. Such a shallow human being.

[Topper]

I couldn't bring myself to watch Trump's speech live, but I've been watching and reading snippets. The bit with the grieving war widow was very touching. But Trump is incapable of genuine empathy or real class. After the very lengthy applause for her, Trump apparently said, "Ryan is looking down right now, you know that, and he's very happy, because I think he just broke a record." The ultimate sacrifice, a family left behind having suffered an unspeakable loss, and Trump's focus is still on ratings. Such a shallow human being.

True to form, I didn't watch and only read reviews. The one comment that stuck to me was "remarkably unremarkable." The reviewer stated for Trump to deliver standard fare is remarkable given his normal penchant.

But I find you naive to expect "empathy" from a politician. Some are better at faking it than others. Why would a worldly person such as yourself expect it or even value you it? Here's the underlying of my point. As an analyst it is important to distance oneself from emotion, empathy and other emotive related factors but to study systems, effects and efficiencies so as to make the best data driven decisions. One must be aware of social psychology in order to predict responses, but one should not be swayed by them. At the personal level for personal interaction it is important to have empathy in order to function within our immediate and intimate circles. But for our political leaders, empathy actually hampers good decision making. (I am not saying Trump is making good decisions). Rather, it is naive to expect empathy, real empathy not feigned as politicians are wont to do, and it is even counter-productive.

[BlueK]

The ultimate sacrifice, a family left behind having suffered an unspeakable loss, and Trump's focus is still on ratings. Such a shallow human being.

I don't know how anyone can notice these things and not believe Trump is a complete nutcase.