NY Times editorial bombshell

[trustbutverify]

Trump wrote it. He did it because he wants to scare the crap out of any real staffers who might think about doing the same thing.

One of the personalities living inside Dump's pickled brain wrote it. A female named Bernice, I believe.

 

[kellyb]

I'm not sure what that means. ?????

Super-genius level liars will basically never get caught in their lies. They can be overall just as dishonest as Trump, but so slick about it hardly anyone ever catches them.

 

[Elagabalus]

I'm not sure what that means. ?????

That Trump is incompetent even at lying.

 

[Elagabalus]

So, what was the bombshell part?


That he's erratic? Amoral? That lots of people, including his staff, don't like him?

I don't see any bombshells there. It's nothing we didn't already know.


If it really did turn out to be Nikki Haley or Mike Pence or someone we've heard of who wrote the letter, that might be sort of a bombshell. (Pence would definitely be a bombshell.) However, as far as the content of the editorial goes, it's pretty old news.


It's kind of sad that it's old news, but it's old news.

The NY Times described it as "causing a stir". Would you agree with that?

 

[trustbutverify]

And maybe he is. But we don't know that, an implication isn't a claim, and the NYT doesn't say he is either.

Are there any Trump appointees who don't at least suspect he's a ridiculous, unhinged narcissistic imbecile?

"I think the biggest issue they’re going to have is figuring out who wouldn’t have written a letter like that," Corker said.

 

[Distracted1]

Super-genius level liars will basically never get caught in their lies. They can be overall just as dishonest as Trump, but so slick about it hardly anyone ever catches them.

Thank you.
Not even "super genius" level though. Just good ones. I have worked in sales long enough to have met some truly great ones.

 

[kellyb]

Thank you.
Not even "super genius" level though. Just good ones. I have worked in sales long enough to have met some truly great ones.

Yeah, when they're super-genius level, they're able to not merely never get caught, but also use their lies to amass great wealth and power.

 

[Trebuchet]

You know what I find offensive about the Op-Ed?

This:

Although he was elected as a Republican, the president shows little affinity for ideals long espoused by conservatives: free minds, free markets and free people. At best, he has invoked these ideals in scripted settings. At worst, he has attacked them outright.

Those haven't been Republican ideals in a long time. Free minds? Free to believe in a certain brand of Xianity, is what they mean. Free markets? The right has been screaming about NAFTA for years. Free people? Sure, as long as they aren't black, or speak Spanish, or are Muslim, or are gay or trans.

And this:

Don’t get me wrong. There are bright spots that the near-ceaseless negative coverage of the administration fails to capture: effective deregulation, historic tax reform, a more robust military and more.

Pretty much speaks for itself. Let the banks rob the public; and the coal companies pollute the air and water. Give tax breaks to gazillionaires. Pump money into the M-I complex
I kind of hope the loser gets outed.

 

[acbytesla]

Thank you.
Not even "super genius" level though. Just good ones. I have worked in sales long enough to have met some truly great ones.

I too have spent a lifetime in sales and known many a liar in the field. But liars are only good for the hit and run, the one time sell, the con. NOBODY buys a second time from that guy. That is Trump.

 

[Distracted1]

Yeah, when they're super-genius level, they're able to not merely never get caught, but also use their lies to amass great wealth and power.

A quibble, admittedly. But "dishonest" and "liar" are not always exactly the same thing.

 

[acbytesla]

A quibble, admittedly. But "dishonest" and "liar" are not always exactly the same thing.

Yes they are.

 

[kellyb]

Yes they are.

I think they are, too.

 

[theprestige]

The Bonbshell is that somebody in the Trump White House wrote it.

Somebody in the Trump administration, which technically covers the entire executive branch. Depending on how loose the NYT is with their definition of "senior official", it could be any agency director, assistant director, or even department head. Which makes more sense than it being one of Trump's cabinet picks.

Anyway, in terms of the impact it is having on Trump, it IS a Bombshell.

People around here like to make a big deal about the effect things have on Trump. But I think it's mostly just a comforting fantasy.

 

[kellyb]

I too have spent a lifetime in sales and known many a liar in the field. But liars are only good for the hit and run, the one time sell, the con. NOBODY buys a second time from that guy. That is Trump.

The smarter ones are working what's known as "the long con".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confidence_trick#Short_and_long_cons

The smartest ones have an entire life that's a series of very long cons which are largely never detected or proven.

 

[theprestige]

The smarter ones are working what's known as "the long con".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confidence_trick#Short_and_long_cons

The smartest ones have an entire life that's a series of very long cons which are largely never detected or proven.

This describes exactly how I feel about most politicians.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

That Trump is incompetent even at lying.

The primary cause is pathologic narcissism. The man lives within a world of lies as a result of his mental illness.

It's not complicated. Once you apply the diagnosis to your observations, it makes more sense.

 

[Minoosh]

Store Lad? Maybe it's a Walmart employee.

Lard toes.

 

[Distracted1]

This describes exactly how I feel about most politicians.

It seems axiomatic that conservatives feel that way about politicians, while progressives find that a character trait more prevelant amongst businessmen and executives.
I label myself a progressive (or liberal) perhaps because I have had more contact with businessmen than with politicians.
Seems possible that we are both correct, and they are all out to screw us over

 

[Norman Alexander]

Interesting commentary in The Grauniad - "The madness is pouring out of the White House now, for all to see"

“If the GUTLESS anonymous person does indeed exist,” tweeted the madman in the attic, “the Times must, for National Security purposes, turn him/her over to government at once!”

Donald, we feel your pain, albeit briefly. Your internal enemies are indeed gutless, and if you feel better putting that in ALL CAPS, that’s fine. Let it out.

But that bit about turning people over to you for national security reasons is kind of the point here. If you’ll allow us to summarize the GUTLESS person’s arguments: you are fundamentally a threat to democracy and national security yourself. You are indeed, as your lawyers have pointed out repeatedly, your own worst witness.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/06/white-house-anonymous-nyt-op-ed-woodward

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Yeah, when they're super-genius level, they're able to not merely never get caught, but also use their lies to amass great wealth and power.

I don't know what the data shows, but I would bet that intellect and personality disorder are independent variables. A narcissist might actually be a genius, or might have a low intellect.

Trump's always been involved in corruption, conning people, various mob characters that I imagine go beyond the Russian oligarch mob. He has people around him that take care of the details like Cohen and other lawyers.

Was he ever an intelligent narcissist, or always simply a narcissist with real estate connections that actually intelligent mobsters et al manipulated to their benefit? Trump was born into that real estate enterprise.

If he ever was intelligent, then he's lost a lot of his skills as his brain aged. Putin and other people in the crime enterprises surrounding Trump are probably giddy over the gem they got elected.

I don't see any evidence Trump is currently super-intelligent. Other people are carrying the water for him.