Comrade Trump

[BlueK]

Steve Bannon of all people brings out the T word when talking about Trump's team. It's hard to "nothingburger" that. Regardless of whether that's what that Russian meeting was or not, this shows serious fissures in the Trump sphere.

[Eddie]

Steve Bannon of all people brings out the T word when talking about Trump's team. It's hard to "nothingburger" that. Regardless of whether that's what that Russian meeting was or not, this shows serious fissures in the Trump sphere.

Just out of curiosity - what suddenly turned Bannon into someone we should believe?

From what I recall - he's a horrid horrid angry little man who uses the media to inflame people and will say whatever it takes without conscience to get what he wants.

But now, all of a sudden, he's credible?

I'm as curious as everyone else is to see what comes of the Mueller investigation. But I'm not at all impressed with anything Bannon has to say. Not when he was at Breitbart, not when he was in the White House, not when he was campaigning for Roy Moore, certainly not now.

Maybe he knows something. Maybe he doesn't. But I don't trust a thing he says - never have.

[Walter Sobchak]

Just out of curiosity - what suddenly turned Bannon into someone we should believe?

From what I recall - he's a horrid horrid angry little man who uses the media to inflame people and will say whatever it takes without conscience to get what he wants.

But now, all of a sudden, he's credible?

I'm as curious as everyone else is to see what comes of the Mueller investigation. But I'm not at all impressed with anything Bannon has to say. Not when he was at Breitbart, not when he was in the White House, not when he was campaigning for Roy Moore, certainly not now.

Maybe he knows something. Maybe he doesn't. But I don't trust a thing he says - never have.

Ha. I said this same thing in the other thread. Suddenly the #resistance isn't taking what Bannon says with a huge grain of salt because they agree with the messaging. BlueK's hypocritical reaction is typical.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Ha. I said this same thing in the other thread. Suddenly the #resistance isn't taking what Bannon says with a huge grain of salt because they agree with the messaging. BlueK's hypocritical reaction is typical.

Whoa. Wait a minute. Are you telling me that people tend to agree with things that confirm their biases?

Mind. Blown.

[PaloAltoCougar]

For me, the greatest significance of Bannon's statements isn't their credibility, but simply the fascination of seeing former allies turn on each other like rabid dogs. It's also a little like watching a game of musical chairs in which the contestants (rabid dogs, to further mix the metaphors!) sense the music is about to stop so they're positioning themselves for a place to land when it does.

[BlueK]

For me, the greatest significance of Bannon's statements isn't their credibility, but simply the fascination of seeing former allies turn on each other like rabid dogs. It's also a little like watching a game of musical chairs in which the contestants (rabid dogs, to further mix the metaphors!) sense the music is about to stop so they're positioning themselves for a place to land when it does.

Exactly. Bannon is still a turd. But something crazy is going on as evidenced by them turning on each other. No point in trying to deny that even if you like Trump.

[Jeff Lebowski]

For me, the greatest significance of Bannon's statements isn't their credibility, but simply the fascination of seeing former allies turn on each other like rabid dogs. It's also a little like watching a game of musical chairs in which the contestants (rabid dogs, to further mix the metaphors!) sense the music is about to stop so they're positioning themselves for a place to land when it does.

Fascinating, indeed.

Also funny to see the usual suspects here try to deflect and downplay Bannon's statements.

[BlueK]

Just out of curiosity - what suddenly turned Bannon into someone we should believe?

From what I recall - he's a horrid horrid angry little man who uses the media to inflame people and will say whatever it takes without conscience to get what he wants.

But now, all of a sudden, he's credible?

I'm as curious as everyone else is to see what comes of the Mueller investigation. But I'm not at all impressed with anything Bannon has to say. Not when he was at Breitbart, not when he was in the White House, not when he was campaigning for Roy Moore, certainly not now.

Maybe he knows something. Maybe he doesn't. But I don't trust a thing he says - never have.

What have I actually said he's credible about? Fissures in the Trump sphere? That's kind of self evident by the fact that Bannon is now throwing him under the bus despite sticking with him through so much stuff before, including the infamous "locker room talk" tape. I've been commenting on the craziness of him suddenly going after Trump that hard. That, in and of itself is outside whether he's credible or not in the specifics of what he's saying. My fascination with this story is about what happened that made him suddenly turn on him. It's pretty obvious to me that Bannon only acts in what he thinks is his own self interest. So why does he think this is suddenly in his self interest?

Ok, yes, I did say his opinions about how Trump didn't expect to win and likely didn't even really want to win, sounds plausible. It kind of does sound like it could be true. But who cares because it's the most benign thing Bannon said.

[BlueK]

I'm actually starting to think there are scenarios where the country might be even worse off if Trump had lost. The Bannon thing about him not really wanting to win and using the campaign as a jumping off point to play the martyr to the tinfoil hat contingent might actually be more damaging to the country over the long term than enduring a terrible presidency for a few years and in the process thankfully discrediting much of the nutjob extremist crowd that has embraced Trumpism/Bannonism.

[frank ryan]

I'm actually starting to think there are scenarios where the country might be even worse off if Trump had lost. The Bannon thing about him not really wanting to win and using the campaign as a jumping off point to play the martyr to the tinfoil hat contingent might actually be more damaging to the country over the long term than enduring a terrible presidency for a few years and in the process thankfully discrediting much of the nutjob extremist crowd that has embraced Trumpism/Bannonism.

Howard Stern, who has known the Donald for a long time has always maintain that Trump wanted to win but not really be president. Interesting.

[Moliere]

Howard Stern, who has known the Donald for a long time has always maintain that Trump wanted to win but not really be president. Interesting.

That's been the take of 75% of America since he entered the race.

[Walter Sobchak]

I'm actually starting to think there are scenarios where the country might be even worse off if Trump had lost. The Bannon thing about him not really wanting to win and using the campaign as a jumping off point to play the martyr to the tinfoil hat contingent might actually be more damaging to the country over the long term than enduring a terrible presidency for a few years and in the process thankfully discrediting much of the nutjob extremist crowd that has embraced Trumpism/Bannonism.

One thing I love about Mormons in particular (and Christians in general) is that they are always so positive and forward thinking and never offer conjecture and supposition about how things could be worse than they already are.

Maybe read some Stephen Pinker? JFC.

[Eddie]

Having watched a season of the apprentice, it isn't surprising at all that the Trump folks are tearing each other apart. That's basically every episode - with the final "you're fired" in the boardroom. No idea why, but Trump loves not just the competition and seeing certain people succeed and even excel - more than that he seems to enjoy the blaming and finger pointing and ultimately sending the scape goat out into the cold.

I never made it past a season because it got old. But it was certainly entertaining to watch...for a while.

If you're saying that it's interesting to see them implode on each other - OK, I get that.

It's just that I'm used to nearly every post you throw up in the Trump threads focusing on how this evidence or that evidence points to Trump breaking some law somewhere or being guilty of something. So when you point out that now Bannon is calling it treason - you'll have to forgive me if I assumed that this was another example of you providing I evidence that Trump did something.

I know ya'll are sure I'm a Trump supporter - simply because I don't jump on everything he does as hard as others and at times seem to defend some of what he has said or done. I've said all along that I don't like the guy, didn't vote for him, won't vote for him if he runs again, but believe he's actually done enough stupid (and potentially illegal) things to focus on, that the hyperbole is unnecessary and actually hurts the credibility of his detractors at times.

[Pelado]

Having watched a season of the apprentice, it isn't surprising at all that the Trump folks are tearing each other apart. That's basically every episode - with the final "you're fired" in the boardroom. No idea why, but Trump loves not just the competition and seeing certain people succeed and even excel - more than that he seems to enjoy the blaming and finger pointing and ultimately sending the scape goat out into the cold.

I never made it past a season because it got old. But it was certainly entertaining to watch...for a while.

I much preferred "The Apprentice" to "Celebrity Apprentice". The boardroom was the worst part of the show. I enjoyed seeing the actual competitions, which usually related to selling something. It was cool to see the different approaches and which strategy turned out to be more successful. The funniest parts were usually watching Donald try to read the cue cards in some outside venue with the wind trying to whisk his hair away.

[Eddie]

Howard Stern, who has known the Donald for a long time has always maintain that Trump wanted to win but not really be president. Interesting.

That doesn't surprise me at all.

Donald wants to win because he's a winner and he's bigger, faster, smarter, and more important than everyone else. All he does is win. ("So much winning!")

But he doesn't want any of the actual responsibility that comes with being president. He just wants people to adore him and tell him how great he is - but bring president is a TON of work! (or at least it should be)

That comes across in everything he does. Right down to wanting to "win" the popular vote and explain he got more votes than Hillary because so many of hers were illegal - without actually having to do the work to back up whether or not what he is saying is true. (And which is unlikely to be true - but he can't admit that, because that isn't winning!)