Fisk on Trump addiction
Despite the epic amount of Trump derangement syndrome expressed in this article (and the fact that it’s written by none other than Robert Fisk, the British journalist whose last name turned into a verb), Fisk actually has a point [in the following excerpt, I’ve edited out and substituted ellipses for all the Trump-bashing, and just left the parts I’m referring to]:
Eventually, when Donald Trump departs from us…I suspect we shall all feel the same as my landlord when the Lebanese war came to an end. For the really insidious nature of the Trump presidency, I fear, is not going to be the fury he engenders…but the enormous withdrawal symptoms that the world will suffer afterwards.
For Trump, let’s face it, is an addiction. Nothing will ever trump it. We all now need our evening fix ”“ a mad press conference, laws hurled out of court, a square-jawed general brought low by an inane conversation with a Russian spy ”“ just one more shot in the arm till the morning.
It’s much the same point I made back in December of 2015, albeit more briefly and less floridly. In contrast, Fisk goes on and on and on (and on and on and on…) about how batshit crazy Trump is—and how all his confederates are pretending he’s not, which Fisk finds bleakly amusing.
I am in agreement, though, that Trump is a sort of addiction—both for the MSM, his admirers, and his haters, in the US and in Europe and around the globe. Trump has always been a showman, so some of this is purposeful on his part. But not all.
Remember back at the beginning of the wild ride, when the media was considering Trump a joke and a flash in the pan? They still couldn’t stay away from him, because he was great copy. And now? For many on the right, whatever their quarrels with him, it’s satisfying to watch him do the things they’d long dreamed about and thought would never happen: appoint a conservative to the Supreme Court, for example, or tell off the press. Heady stuff.
For the left, it’s a kind of horrified fascination with someone so flamboyantly different, so beyond their wildest dreams in his combination of vulgarity and boldness, so initially improbable and even impossible as a president—a figure of fun and ridicule for them—and yet (at least for now) so firmly and horrifically ensconced in the Oval Office.
Or what comes next will just up the ante on hysteria. Sadly society never learns the right lessons. Just as the correct response to Obama and his overreach should have been a quest for restraint I fear the reaction to Trump will be more celebrities and outrageous comments. Only now it will be coming from the left so it will be magically OK.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out in time. I operate on a much lower scale than Trump does, but I do own a business, deal with all types of government agencies and have business worldwide. One thing I do know is that you have to be careful with words and rely on your staff. That doesn’t mean you are submissive, just you know what battles to fight. Trump has yet to do hard things like get legislation passed and seems to be no help to those in Congress who have to shape these things.
The left has hysterically but effectively made him look weak. What should have been a simple policy change on visa policy was turned into a huge issue because of a failure to take 48 hrs to review it in the White house! The border wall and tariffs will die the same way and the sharks will then circle closer. I’m reasonably sure that someone at the CIA could have warned the president that North Korea would fire an ICBM during his visit with the President of Japan. A pre-determined response that had some real impact was needed not the impromptu bluster from the restaurant at Mar a Lago!
Early days.
Anyone who did not expect a learning curve was misguided. I do believe that Trump is capable of learning; and quickly.
I don’t know, because neither he nor anyone in his circle consults me; but, I consider it possible that his immediate priority was to either beat the press into submission, or give them enough rope to make fools of themselves so as to cover his flanks. (Good Generalship) I think the latter is taking place. If my hopes are realized, he will turn from that chore (and the one of filling his team) to the serious business of getting a program in place.
We now know that the Deep State, and the former President, are going to join Congressional Democrats to make every step forward as difficult as possible. I believe that they will be satisfied to trample our governing traditions and tear the country apart to thwart him. I think that he needs, and deserves, the whole-hearted support of those who proclaim to share a conservative agenda. Are you listening McCain? Kristol?
People who were on this site during the campaign may recall that I–although not exactly “never Trump”–was pretty negative. Some of his demonstrated attributes still bother me; but, I have seen enough to embrace patience.
Trump is the real life Emmanuel Goldman.
Funny, I feel no addiction to Trump at all. But I will take issue with the assertion that Trump being more careful with words would effect his treatment by his enemies. Remember how being careful with his words worked out for George Bush?
Certainly Trumps EO on his Visa policy could have been more skillfully worded but the same reaction from the left would have occured, the dirge just would have consisted of fewer ‘notes’ but the volume would have been the same.
As for N. Korea, short of war, only China can rein in that rabid dog. China’s cutting off coal imports from N.K. is IMO a reaction to a ‘prematurely excessive’ confrontational attitude on dear leader”s part.
Like Oldfyer, I was extremely skeptical about djt in the primaries. Now the dnc-msm-soros-bho axis of evil has succeeded in making me a supporter. Not a blind supporter, but a supporter nonetheless.
Addiction?
The Left is addicted to power. Like any addict in need of a fix, the Left will lie, cheat,steal, mug, rob its grandmother, prostitute its sister, just for a mainline shot of power. And then the Ahhh, we goood.
Well, they are overdosing, maybe on Chinese fentanyl, and there is no Narcan for them.
I thought the whole Sweden flap was a perfect illustration of how the derangement and estrangement from mainstream America play out (along with Trump’s clear difficulties with articulation). He was addressing a friendly crowd of supporters, and assumed (rightly or wrongly) that a number of them watch Fox News, and saw the Tucker Carlson interview. Then he says “did you see what happened last night”? Of course, the mainstream news folks, who don’t watch Fox, assumed Trump was referring to some imaginary terrorist attack, didn’t bother to try to figure out what he was talking about, and ran with their conclusion that this was more “fake news” on Trump’s part. We really are living in two separate realities.
Long time Lefty lurker here.
Yeah Trump is addicting because he arouses emotion.
But I find I don’t keep the TV tuned to my usual news feed like I used to because it is so repetitive and mindless, and I realize that I bought into the 24 hour news junkie syndrome, looking for tiny clues that the Trump presidency is about to fail.
It’s only been 30 days and I find I can’t watch for more than a half hour, then I turn the channel usually to local news, especially since here in California the constant rains and flooding are more important to keep track right now.
Anyway I am wary of outrage fatigue. The antidote is getting away from the internet and TV and doing more real life stuff.
Here’s Machiavelli writing 500 years ago:
“NOTHING makes a prince so much esteemed as great enterprises and setting a fine example. We have in our time Ferdinand of Aragon, the present King of Spain. He can almost be called a new prince, because he has risen, by fame and glory, from being an insignificant king to be the foremost king in Christendom; and if you will consider his deeds you will find them all great and some of them extraordinary. In the beginning of his reign he attacked Granada, and this enterprise was the foundation of his dominions. He did this quietly at first and without any fear of hindrance, for he held the minds of the barons of Castile occupied in thinking of the war and not anticipating any innovations; thus they did not perceive that by these means he was acquiring power and authority over them. He was able with the money of the Church and of the people to sustain his armies, and by that long war to lay the foundation for the military skill which has since distinguished him. Further, always using religion as a plea, so as to undertake greater schemes, he devoted himself with a pious cruelty to driving out and clearing his kingdom of the Moors; nor could there be a more admirable example, nor one more rare. Under this same cloak he assailed Africa, he came down on Italy, he has finally attacked France; and thus his achievements and designs have always been great, and have kept the minds of his people in suspense and admiration and occupied with the issue of them. And his actions have arisen in such a way, one out of the other, that men have never been given time to work steadily against him.”
Now, it’s way too early to tell . . . but I’m wondering if what we’re seeing in Trump are the seeds of greatness.
The left’s horrified fascination is sheer delight – especially when exhibited by the MSM. The New York Times building has become an insane asylum. Little did we know Trump would be so effective at hijacking the minds of our adversaries and orchestrating their worst nightmares. Little do they realize or admit that not only did they bring this on themselves, their hysterics further empower him. How fragile the Obamite world to be so easily capsized, his followers so quickly rendered psychotic.
It’s only been 30 days and I find I can’t watch for more than a half hour, then I turn the channel usually to local news, especially since here in California the constant rains and flooding are more important to keep track right now.
——————
You have to look away in order to stay sane. That’s what I learned four years ago.
And yeah, the media’s focus on Trump is frustrating given some of the other things going on like the Oroville mess, and the Congressional IT staffers that got caught in the intelligence files.
Trimegistus:
…I’m wondering if what we’re seeing in Trump are the seeds of greatness.
VDH beat you to this thought:
https://pjmedia.com/victordavishanson/is-trump-our-napoleon/
The leftists know that only crazy or stupid people would vote for trump and Trump is obviously stupid or crazy.
Robert Fisk – now that is a fellow whom when I saw his name I wondered “He’s still alive?”
Now, it’s way too early to tell . . . but I’m wondering if what we’re seeing in Trump are the seeds of greatness.
That’s the great thing about faith, Trim, you can believe and act, without knowing for certain. Even though it is too early to tell, you already know Trum has the seeds of greatness.
That is loyalty to the Supreme King, of a kind.