Trump and that thing called character
I probably wouldn’t have said it quite the same way, but I think commenter “Bill” has put his finger on one of the many things wrong with candidate Trump:
…I think the biggest problem, or at least the root problem that Trump has that disqualifies him for President is this: He treats people like crap.
I may be in a minority, but in my assessment of another human being I generally like to get an idea of how they treat others. I think it’s an important trait in a leader ”“ are they ruthless or do they exhibit any form of grace or appropriate gentleness, especially when dealing with people who are not enemies of the country.
Trump treats everyone who comes against him like garbage, whether they are in the way of his real-estate plans, or in the way of his presidency. Just treats ’em like crap. Some people see this as strength. I see it as a really, really bad character flaw and disqualifier.
Note that Bill doesn’t say Trump treats everyone like crap. And of course Trump does not. I have little doubt that he treats his current wife, his children, and many employees and supporters very well indeed. But Bill is correct that Trump “treats everyone who comes against him” like crap, garbage, vermin, people worthy of destruction who can be lied about with impunity and without a moment’s hesitation.
And no, this isn’t just politics for Trump; Trump’s been doing this his whole adult life, long before he got into politics. Politics does indeed generally feature insults and lies, but Trump is more consistent, blatant, mendacious, vicious, and global in his condemnations. He and many of his supporters don’t just justify it, they glory in it—in their eyes it seems to be a feature, not a bug.
Many of the people who say they cannot and will not vote for Trump, no matter who opposes him and what’s wrong with that person, cite his (to them) repulsive character as the problem. Not to put too fine a point on it, he makes them sick, on a very visceral level. This is a big, big problem for a candidate, and it’s not going away.
And Cruz isn’t treating Trump ‘like crap’ with his constant lies about Trump’s positions? His claim that Trump was connected to the NE story when that has already been proven inaccurate? His reluctance to disavow the Melania ad and pretend he couldn’t insist the PAC take it down?
Come on. That’s a little rich.
K-E:
Did you really fail to understand the post?
Cruz did nothing even remotely outside the confines of politics as usual to Trump, and in fact has been rather restrained under the circumstances.
But the post is about the fact that this over-the-top lying, smearing, insulting, and threatening is a constant lifelong refrain with Trump, the leitmotif of his life, towards virtually everyone who dares to criticize him or cross him.
You are either reading-comprehension-challenged or in deep deep denial.
As for disavowing, see this.
You’re getting to be a Trump shill, and it’s not becoming.
True Neo.
And K-E weighs in on cue. Well, K-E the issue is how Trump treats people. You can try to make the case that so-in-so is no better, but that does not rehabilitate, nor excuse, Trump’s character flaws.
A bit off topic, but I do not understand the brouhaha about the Melania ad. She did put that picture of herself into the public domain, did she not?
Oldflyer:
The brouhaha is a fake brouhaha. Of course she did.
I see that the “Ted Cruz is a liar” meme, and it is a meme, regardless of whether it’s true or not, has taken deep root.
I was never comfortable with Trump even though I liked (and still like) some things about him, particularly that he plays the media like a violin. However, it soon became clear to me that Trump has way too much in common with Obama, particularly in his constant insults. I think a lot of people who like Trump, do so because he’s payback for the last 7 years of endless insults and mockery from the Left. Sure, the Left has been doing this forever, but now the President of United States is not above schoolyard taunts and disrespecting large portions of the country (but never, it seems, anyone outside the country), a lot of people want, consciously or not, to dish out what they’ve been taking for years.
Trump is just more of the coarsening of our culture that wasn’t invented by Obama, but which was given an imprimatur of “this is how leaders act” even more so than when Clinton was in office.
Good gravy on a biscuit, K-E…Neo’s right, that post is just …pure shrill.
Lies about Trumps position? No, but with all the speed jumping from position to opposing position that Trump does, I can see how trying to point out his non-Republican core beliefs could be framed as such. Don’t make it so, though.
NE connection to Trump proven false? Where? On just Trump’s word? So Trump’s credibility is good, but Cruz’s credibility is not? Because Trump has spent months trying to tar Cruz as a liar (without one piece of evidence that I am aware of)?
Pfft! It’s Trump who is earning a credibility problem with the electorate. And when you have Chuck Todd (no friend to any Republican) pointing out there is more evidence connecting Trump to the NE story than evidence connecting Cruz to the NE story…you’ve really got a credibility problem.
Pretend he couldn’t insist the PAC take down the ad? Leaving aside the MINOR fact that the ad was already down before Trump’s first tweet on the subject….(insert face palm here)…when is someone going to call out Trump on accusing Cruz of a felony?!
If Donald Trump has any evidence that Ted Cruz (against federal law) had any coordination, control, or connection to that PAC…let him put up or shut up!
Rich shrill gravy, indeed.
I think Mona Charen assesses the phenomenon well . . .
It’s the Character
Mona Charen | Mar 22, 2016
http://townhall.com/columnists/monacharen/2016/03/22/its-the-character-n2137523/page/full
It’s a given that Trump is a deeply flawed man. If not completely a sadistic bully, he certainly subscribes to the fictional character Conan’s view of what is best in life; “To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you and to hear the lamentations of their women!”
These are more than sufficient reasons to strongly prefer Cruz over Trump as the nominee.
All that said, choosing Hillary over Trump is logically, untenable. We know what Hillary will do and, that she will have the means to do it. We do NOT know what Trump will do but… we DO know that even as President, he won’t have the infrastructural support needed, to get too far off the reservation. As to suppose that he could threaten, bribe and intimidate, deeply and widely enough to nullify the broad range of those opposed, ignores the infrastructural barriers he will face.
Those of who will not vote for DJT, should he be the nominee, are not planning to vote for hrc or a stand in, be it feel the bern, Biden, or Warren. And, we do not see a vote for a third party or no vote for POTUS as a de facto vote for hrc. Anyone heading the dem ticket will defeat DJT by a wide margin. Bark at the moon until November about how current national polls are meaningless, but no one who has higher negatives (and those negatives will soar when the msm unloads on Trump) than hrc can win the general.
Trump is many things, a mix of ugly and perhaps on a personal basis admirable. But he is a deeply disturbed man, much like bho. A simple question: does a responsible parent want their daughter to get within 100 miles of a man with a character similar to DJT? That is the lense through which one should view DJT. Its the lense through which I viewed slick willy.
Trump is quick to insult people and to threaten them with lawsuits; I’m not sure that he actually treats them worse than most other politicians or businessmen do. For example, have there been a episodes where he got people fired from their jobs, or sabotaged their business deals? I’m not aware of such.
My problem (well, one of them) is that I consider Trump a blowhard. He says he will do many things, including fixing all sort of problems and destroying his enemies, but, in his business career, he has failed at some things and succeeded at some. So there’s no reason to believe that he would achieve overwhelming success as president. In politics and government, it’s usually better to speak softly and carry a big stick, but that is absolutely not Trump’s modus operandi.
GB….
Correct.
Trump would be swarmed.
A fair amount of Donald’s coarseness comes from New York City culture.
For those not aware, New Yorker’s routinely toss out over the top insults and crude speech ALL THE TIME.
Some idea of how outlandish this behavior is — watch “The Big Short.”
That script toned down the amount of cursing and defamation common on Wall Street.
&&&&&&&
I still put Trump as a 19:1 underdog.
West of the Hudson, no-one can perceive that Trump’s bombast is merely par for the course in New York City.
&&&&&&&
In contrast, HRCGS is vile to her soul.
KNOWN to treat ALL subordinates as furniture… or worse.
Holds a burning rage against Men.
She persecutes the gals that Bill raped… many are still terrified — of HER.
As a Watergate attorney — she was caught conjuring up evidence… and was kicked to the curb.
She’s indebted to countless foreign campaign contributors… via her and his foundation.
The Egyptian revolution was launched by her and Google — with 60 Minutes doing a full expose on it all. It has proven to be a fiasco… setting off anarchy and insurrection from Sinai to Libya.
She twisted Barry’s arm — to get us embroiled in Libya.
EVERYTHING she touches turns to mud.
&&&&&&&
Trump’s mouth may need soap.
But his instincts are generally in the right direction.
&&&&&&&
More and more it’s looking like Trump will never attain the nomination on the first ballot.
If so, then the odds favor Ted Cruz — as the delegates can read polls, too.
The only fellows with enough delegates to throw Trump over the top — are entirely alienated.
&&&&&&
The Convention rules demand an eight state victory sweep for any nominee.
Only Trump and Cruz qualify.
‘Trump’s been doing this his whole adult life, long before he got into politics.’
See that’s the thing. Power corrupts. Politics is corrupting but Trump cannot be corrupted. He’s already corrupt!
‘As for disavowing, see this.’
Hey Neo. I don’t think that is the correct link.
“we do not see a vote for a third party or no vote for POTUS as a de facto vote for hrc. Anyone heading the dem ticket will defeat DJT by a wide margin.” parker
IF you are correct and whomever heads the dem ticket beats DJT by a wider margin than the number of republican/conservative/libertarian voters who do not vote for DJT, then those voters will be able to say that their refusal to vote for DJT was not a vote for the democrat.
BUT… if that margin is lower, then no amount of protest and denial will change the fact that they directly assisted in the election of the democrat.
And, NO ONE can know, prior to the election, which will be the case. Given what is at stake, logic dictates risk avoidance not cavalier dismissal.
Of course, if Trump is a dem plant and wins the nomination, then the charade doesn’t matter, since it will be a rigged game. Heads they win, tails we lose.
I’m just pointing out that your accusations also fit Ted Cruz. You may not like to hear it, but it is true.
Look, his Senate campaign financing lies are a problem – this has hit the news again. He refuses to answer FEC’s questions about the loans he took out for his senate campaign. His campaign lied about Carson dropping out. He lied about Trump’s stance on Obamacare. He lied about the Michelle Field’s kerfuffle, which disappeared into the ether. He lied about Trump’s rallies and who is responsible for the violence.
Trump has been in the public eye for decades. Of course you aren’t going to have much to pin on Ted at this point in his life…he is 30+ years younger than Trump. But what I’ve seen is slimey.
Once again, why did Dr. Carson support Trump? If Trump is such a heinous character, why would the good doctor stand up for him? My guess is Dr. Carson knows who was offering him money and positions to get out of the race…not Trump. He knows who tried to spread lies about him in Iowa…not Trump.
Cruz can hide behind PACs. Trump has no PACs.
I have yet to see any Trump actions that were hidden and secretive. Everything he has done has been in the public square…the bankruptcies, the lawsuits, his love life. All out there for everyone to see.
Cruz won’t admit what he does behind the scenes…he has psychologists on staff to analyze the right words to tell you…that isn’t manipulative???
blert,
I raise you 99:1 underdog. 😉
K-E,
When did Trump defend the 2nd at the SCOTUS? Was that after he stated his opposition to people like you and me owning ‘assault weapons’? Does DJT know how many times the Constitution has been amended? He certainly does not understand the concept of separation of powers or the Constitutional role of SCOTUS. He does not understand that PP is an abortion mill and does not do “wonderful things for women”. Can he even find Iraq or Indonesia on an unlabeled map? On what issue, other than eminent domain, has he not flip-flop-flipped over the past 9 monts?
The list of his ignorance is limitless. His flip-flops grow hour by hour. The list of his character flaws is not limitless, but stretches from NYC to Pyongyang at a minimum. Trump can not win, period.
“His campaign lied about Carson dropping out. He lied about the Michelle Field’s kerfuffle, which disappeared into the ether. He lied about Trump’s rallies and who is responsible for the violence.” K-E
Cruz did NOT lie about Carson dropping out. His people seized upon a CNN story, as manna from heaven. That is not “knowingly telling an untruth”.
Cruz couldn’t lie about Michelle Field, as he wasn’t there. Cruz did accept as true the most damaging interpretation of that event. Again, not a lie. Not even unethical, though hardly ethical either.
Cruz did NOT lie about Trump’s rallies and who is responsible for the violence. Trump does bear partial responsibility for the violence of his supporters. He’s encouraged it.
Strictly speaking, Cruz did behave unethically in not assigning the largest share of the responsibility for the violence to the protesters.
I just found this article from a former pro-Trump PAC employee. It was a link on a Hot Air article.
http://www.xojane.com/issues/stephanie-cegielski-donald-trump-campaign-defector
K-E said:
He [Cruz] refuses to answer FEC’s questions about the loans he took out for his senate campaign.
And doesn’t that sound JUST like Cruz?
I imagine the exchange went something like this:
FEC agent: “Senator Cruz, there’s an irregularity on your…”
Cruz: “Shut up, you mutherf***er! I don’t have to give you sh*t!!! Get outta my office before I KILL YOU!!!!”
FEC agent: …
Yeah.
Neo – I’m not exactly disagreeing with you here, but how do you know the Donald treats the Melania well?
I haven’t followed their social life closely, but she doesn’t seem to spend a lot of time with him. I think that says something, just as the distance between Barack and Michelle tells us something about those two.
GB,
You are a very intelligent and informed person, but I fail to understand how you believe Trump can reach 50.01% of the popular vote or breach the electorial vote threshhold. He would not win NY. Not winning your home state did not work out well for Gore.
“…Cruz did NOT lie…”
In fact, I can’t name a single instance where Cruz knowing and obviously lied (is that redundant?) although he hasn’t always taken the highest possible road. For instance, his pretending to like Trump in the early parts of the campaign made me cringe.
‘My guess is Dr. Carson knows who was offering him money and positions to get out of the race’
My guess is that aliens from outer space made him do it and I have as much evidence for my claim as you have for yours. You guess is based on your obvious bias and so has value in this discussion.
‘why did Dr. Carson support Trump’
That’s an easy one. He jumped the gun accusing Cruz in Iowa and his ego was too big for him to later admit his mistake. That said it would have taken a mighty impressive man to change his tune at that point so that doesn’t make Dr. Carson bad, just unfortunately human.
Your guess is based only on your obvious bias and so has no value in this discussion.
People who will not vote against Hillary will watch the country be further destroyed by their negligent righteousness.
I agree, as always, with Geoffrey Britain.
Trump has many, many negatives. But being the very essence of corruption and, in my view, traitorous, are not among them.
How could anyone so dislike Trump that they will sit on the sidelines and allow Hillary to ascend? Dislike Trump more than Hillary? Distrust Trump more than Hillary?
Absurd.
K-E,
“Why did Dr. Carson support Trump? ” Why do you need to ask when all you need to do is look in a mirror?
BTW, do you have grandchildern?
Frog,
And how do you imagine Trump defeating hrc/any dem in the general? Please explain! I am tired of people telling me I must vote for DJT or else hrc/any dem wins. Trump vs, any dem, if that comes to past, is a win-win for dems. Sorry to be so offemsive, but you and GB and others are delusional. Seek help now.
There is a whole stream of very solid evidence as to how badly Hillary Clinton treats people…even people who aren’t in her way…so I’m not sure that this attribute of Trump’s character is much of a differentiator in Clinton-vs-Trump race.
All, regarding “a non-vote for Trump is a vote for Hillary”.
First, I’m impervious to Trump blackmail. Which is all that is. I’m going to vote my conscience. It’s not my fault he got in the race, it’s certainly not my fault that he’s amassed as big of a following as he has, and if he gets the nomination – not my fault.
I have to sleep at night and face my kids. Voting for him will be my fault. And don’t worry – I live in a deep red state so even without my vote he’ll probably win, and if he doesn’t win my state there’s no way he was going to win the election anyway.
But let’s not jump the gun. He hasn’t got the nom yet, and hopefully he won’t, and a better candidate with a better chance of winning will. I can hope, at least.
I watched an interview with Carson (can’t recall where) right after he endorsed Trump. The interviewer asked him point blank whether he had been promised anything in exchange for his endorsement and Carson said yes. So there’s really no mystery here. It just proves that Carson, for all of his genuine personal character, can apparently be bought. Which is disappointing, to say the least.
Even more disappointing was Carson’s contention that “there are two Donald Trumps,” the public Trump who will say and do practically anything, no matter how revolting or outrageous, to advance his candidacy, and the private Trump who is the complete opposite. Even if this were true, I fail to see how this is a selling point for Trump. It just reinforces his utter lack of character and makes him unfit for the office he is seeking.
By the way, neo – thanks for the shout out. I love your blog!
“I fail to understand how you believe Trump can reach 50.01% of the popular vote or breach the electoral vote threshold.” parker
To the best of my recollection, I’ve never said that I thought Trump can win, either the nomination or the election. I have said that I think that Trump has a good chance to win the nomination. I hope that Cruz wins and wins fairly, so that there will be no basis for Trump’s supporters to cry foul.
I don’t place a lot of faith in the polls showing that Trump loses to any democrat because of Islamic terrorism. It’s escalating and every attack incrementally raises subconscious support for Trump’s position on Muslim migration and concurrently lowers confidence in the democrats.
There’s a tipping point, which if reached before the election, will see ‘sudden’ massive support flow to Trump, if of course he is the nominee.
Already 75% of Americans agree with Trump’s call to temporarily stop Muslim migration. So rather than Trump’s appeal which is decidedly limited, I see the possibility that circumstance might, despite all his negatives, still elevate him to the Presidency. Which given the reasons I’ve previously stated, I would much prefer to a democrat Presidency.
I assure you parker that I have not become delusional, I’m just as crazy as ever! 😉
Bill,
I share your hope that Cruz wins the nomination but if Trump takes the nomination and you, along with millions of other voters, ‘vote your conscience’ Hillary may well win.
If her victory is the result of too many voters on the right refusing to vote for Trump, you will have assisted in her victory and, from that point forward I suspect you won’t be getting much sleep because you’ll know that your kids no longer have much of a future…
“From each according to their ability, to each according to their need” will become the new national motto. We’re already half way there, Hillary will complete the transition. I base that assertion upon the fact that, in the Senate, Hillary and Sanders voted together 96% of the time.
I don’t want Trump as the nominee.
Too many negatives for the Fall campaign.
BUT, it’s a no-brainer that Trump deserves my vote over HRCGS.
She’s Stalin in a pantsuit.
I’m with GB on Islamic atrocities and ISIS.
That’s why I place Trump as only a 19:1 underdog at this time.
ISIS is CERTAIN to have moles inside the USA at this time.
Getting them from Europe to America — on European documents — is a snap.
Further, SOME Americans have gone to Syria — and back — multiple times — and must figure to be spearheads for jihad in America.
One of the reasons that Putin did not attack ISIS intensely — is that Putin is waiting for the INEVITABLE ISIS attack on America.
Think of the geopolitical consequences of an ISIS super atrocity in America.
Steve D:
Thanks. I fixed it.
“If her victory is the result of too many voters on the right refusing to vote for Trump, you will have assisted in her victory and, from that point forward I suspect you won’t be getting much sleep because you’ll know that your kids no longer have much of a future…”
We had a ton of good candidates, any one of whom could have a great chance to beat Hillary this year. We had it!
And we’re throwing it all away because too many GOP voters, people posing as GOP voters, etc would rather flip off “the establishment” by picking a guy as erratic and despicable as Trump than vote responsibly. They’d rather pick a guy who is obviously and transparently out of his depth and in it just for himself and for the sale. That’s not my fault – I did my part voting for another candidate who won my state’s primary over him. I can’t support the guy. He can win without me. In the meantime, there’s still time for sanity to rule. Otherwise get used to a miserable seven more months and possibly four more years of absolute tabloid gutter politics, stupid pique and everything of the Donald, by the Donald, and for the Donald.
This may be the dumbest thing the GOP has ever done, and that is saying something.
If I was a newly freed delegate on the convention’s 3rd ballot, the first thing I’d be considering is not the horrid stuff Trump said about Ted and his wife. It would be his pointless assaults against the outstanding records of Scott Walker and Rick Perry. Maybe they are not presidential material, but they are/were outstanding governors, and they would normally be allies. I don’t think that is possible now. Then the Trump trademark infantile vulgarity would come to mind. The exact thoughts the above generate can not be shared with polite company.
I so hope not to see The Donald on a general election ballot, but if I do I am quite certain that my vote for him will be cancelled thousands of times over by conservatives defecting or not voting because they cannot stomach him. Again, I have significantly toned down my comments – something Trump hasn’t done even when he desperately needed to.
Bill,
So you’d choose “Stalin in a pantsuit” over “four more years of absolute tabloid gutter politics, stupid pique and everything of the Donald, by the Donald, and for the Donald”?
How can that be justified?
Nothing in that post matters in the big picture. LBJ treated people even worse than trump… want to go back in history? of course not, its better to argue form ignorance and an imagined past that dont exist.
Who said this?
“hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman.”
Who said this?
“a mean-spirited, low-lived fellow, the son of a half-breed Indian squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto father.”
Who said this?
“one of the most detestable of mankind.”
Who said this in opposition?
[if he is elected] – “we would see our wives and daughters the victims of legal prostitution.”
and
[if he is elected he would make a nation] – “murder, robbery, rape, adultery and incest will openly be taught and practiced.”
Who said this during an election?
“ruin more liquor than all the boys in town together.”
-=-=-=-
Negative politics have always been a part of American elections and it is difficult to imagine a time when it will be any different
Get off your fantasy high horse and promoting the lefts line that our past is nicer than today and how far the progressives have us fallen from grace.
you guys have no idea of past elections and what was said!!!!!!!!!!! if you did, then you would know that the above article is tripe bs… maybe the people know more than the academics, politicos, and so on in positions to comment while the others are voting as their comments?
‘LBJ treated people even worse than trump… want to go back in history?’
Who cares? In what universe do two wrongs equal a right? What sort of argument is that?
Why not just vote for the person who would make the best president?
The issue with Trump is not isolated comments or actions, many of which could be forgivable but a constant pattern of behavior over his entire life.
Bad policies, bad character.
‘How can that be justified?’
OTOH, the best of two evils gets worse and worse each election. Perhaps a huge movement to a third party would shake them up for 2020?
“LBJ treated people even worse than trump” Artfldgr
Since Trump hasn’t been elected, you cannot know that he would not surpass LBJ in how he would treat people. And, during his national campaigns, LBJ did NOT demean his opponents nearly to the degree that Trump has.
Stick to the facts. If logic and reason are insufficient, then we are bound to reexamine OUR position, rather than invent assertions that cannot withstand scrutiny.
I won’t mind voting for Trump even with all this – though I’d rather vote for Kasich or Cruz.
The reason I won’t mind Trump: Trump treats people like crap in Public and treats them respect in Private. Its part of his act.
Obama treats people respectfully in public, but then is vicious and disrespectful in private. Its part of his ideology.
I’d much rather have the former than the latter.
Of course Lewandowski lied, and Fields was smeared. But big deal, because Trump only surrounds himself with the best liars.
Steve D,
Choosing Trump over Cruz cannot IMO be justified.
But that is NOT the choice to which I was speaking.
IF Trump wins the nomination, then for the reasons I’ve repeatedly stated, a refusal to vote for Trump cannot, IMO be justified IF it results in the election of another democrat President.
And, we cannot know before the election whether a refusal to vote for Trump could result in a democrat victory. Because only after the election can we know whether our vote was needed to keep the democrat out of the Presidency.
That is my reasoning and, I welcome being shown where I err in my thinking because truth is far more important than ‘being right’.
James:
Trump treats people like crap in public, but president is a public office and the president’s acts are public acts.
The power of a president is both private and public, and it is a huge power that Trump will abuse. What’s more, we don’t know what Trump does to people behind the scenes, in private, if he considers them enemies. I was merely speculating that he probably treats his family, friends, and supporters well. He treats everyone else like crap, and that is probably above the table AND below it.
Imagine, Neo, King Baby Trumpy pounding on his Global Sized Highchair in the White House!! The World His Stage for sucking ions by the trillions outta the air. Pass.