That is indeed the question. What has happened to people’s BS detectors? Their common sense? I don’t understand it. Some folks just want to tear the system down, and I guess Trump is the guy to do just that. So I will likely never agree with that contingent. My experience as a reporter covering all levels of government makes me believe that there are societal issues government is best positioned to solve. That doesn’t mean government always gets it right. Effective government programs can help society, solve problems and lift up those who need help. It can tackle huge problems like climate change, clean air and water and disease prevention.
1. Those who want to “protect “ their money, assets and lifestyle.
2. Those who are racist, sexist or xenophobic.
3. Those who are very conservative Evangelicals or Catholics (anti-abortion, anti- LGBT, anti- no fault divorce, etc.
If you think of others, let me know. I guess there are those who would NEVER vote for a Dem but I think those people still fall into one of the categories outlined above. Sad.
Thanks for putting these red flags in sharp focus, Dave. Framing the quotes as resume red flags from those who worked with Donald Trump, and believed in him, is so effective.
It’s is good to finally see, the “media”, Finally looking at trump with an intelligent, critical eye. Present company excepted Dave. Seem for a long time most media sources have treated him as an acceptable human being without highlighting the glaring dangers. Public opinion has changed so has media scrutiny. Again Dave you could be an exception. The ideal of presenting a balanced coverage had gone a bit to far until now.
Thanks for sharing this ‘in your face’ information. Sadly, there are still too many who either don’t believe any of this, or who are so uninformed, they don’t know about this or other important details. I was watching a young / older group of union workers (mostly male) being interviewed in Michigan and was shocked to see how many had NEVER heard of the ‘Dobbs decision’ and other important historical events. Do they never look up from their phones? Thank goodness for the middle-age man who essentially lectured them on the infrastructure and chips acts that provided these guys/gals the higher-paid job they were currently enjoying.
I hope this NYT article gains some traction across the media landscape beyond its subscribers. I couldn't read it cuz I'd rather spend my subscription dollars on Substack :-) As others have pointed out, it's about time DJT gets recognized as the dangerous, vengeful and selfish person he is, who should not be hired as dog catcher, let alone the most important job in the country.
Mark, I was afraid the link wouldn’t work for non-subscribers (and we all appreciate your support of writers on Substack!)
I believe you can sign up for a free account that at least gives you limited access to some articles on the Times. Not sure if it’s limited by number or by content areas but it’s worth a shot.
The Times ought to make this one free for all, like they often do for disaster information or COVID stories. These quotes about Trump are every bit as vital info for Americans as are stories about the latest COVID vaccine.
Tony Schwartz, who shadowed Trump for four months while ghost writing Trump's best seller, The Art of the Deal, has, since 2016, been screaming: "This man cannot become our President--He is a psychopath!" In 2017, 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts came together at Yale to share their insights in the aptly named, "Duty to Warn" Conference and promptly assessed the then President in a 300+ page book entitled "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump." But America has not been listening.
The New York Times had an editorial today quoting dozens of former staffers and acquaintances that echo this column. For the life of me I can’t understand why Kamala Harris (or Elmer Fudd if need be) isn’t running far ahead in the polls. Trump is relying on low information voter, Fox News/talk radio listeners, greedy types interested in tax breaks and, unfortunately, bigots. I can understand one might not want to vote Democratic but this is a binary choice and curtain No. 2 is Donald Trump
This man is surrounded by flashing red flags for his entire life. I do hope people will pay attention to the comments from these people who served with him. This man had no business being anywhere near the Oval Office in 2017 and that has become even more true with the passage of time. However, after watching “From Russia With Lev” Bill Barr’s quote is definitely a pot/kettle thing.
That’s for sure - regarding Barr. His kettle carried a lot of water for Trump. He gets no free pass for his ultimate realization of how dangerous Trump is.
"We're voting for a president, not a priest. And they're coming for us anyway." The speaker, at a Republican precinct caucus, didn't say who "they" or "us" was....
In 1974 a friend read me a satirical article on excuses folks used for voting for President Nixon, One was, "I'd rather vote for a crook than an idiot." The folks above seem to suggest t's not an "either/or" proposition in the present day.
"Small men, seeking great wealth or power, have too often and too long turned even the highest levels of public service into mere personal opportunity." -- Barry Goldwater, "The Conscience of a Conservative."
Charlotte, you’re right and I would add one more category - folks who are honestly struggling financially and just want to blame the current administration. They have short memories, though, because the economy was MUCH worse under Trump. Sure, some of that can be blamed on Covid but Trump handed off an economic mess. Biden and Congress did one hell of a good job pulling us out without a recession.
People who are struggling to pay their bills - who see how expensive things are - will generally want political change. To them, any change is good.
A person's character can be evaluated not just by their current associations but also by the number and quality of people who have chosen to distance themselves (as Dave writes about). If numerous high-quality individuals decide to sever ties with someone, it is a sign that the person may have compromised their integrity, values, or behavior.
I agree with Dave that a pattern of broken relationships or lost respect from quality individuals indicates deeper issues in one's character or actions. Will undecided voters be influenced by these 'reverse' or 'inverted' character references?
That is indeed the question. What has happened to people’s BS detectors? Their common sense? I don’t understand it. Some folks just want to tear the system down, and I guess Trump is the guy to do just that. So I will likely never agree with that contingent. My experience as a reporter covering all levels of government makes me believe that there are societal issues government is best positioned to solve. That doesn’t mean government always gets it right. Effective government programs can help society, solve problems and lift up those who need help. It can tackle huge problems like climate change, clean air and water and disease prevention.
Joan, I put Trump supporters into 3 categories:
1. Those who want to “protect “ their money, assets and lifestyle.
2. Those who are racist, sexist or xenophobic.
3. Those who are very conservative Evangelicals or Catholics (anti-abortion, anti- LGBT, anti- no fault divorce, etc.
If you think of others, let me know. I guess there are those who would NEVER vote for a Dem but I think those people still fall into one of the categories outlined above. Sad.
Thanks for highlighting the perspectives of those who worked with the former president. They provide critical information for voters.
Thanks for putting these red flags in sharp focus, Dave. Framing the quotes as resume red flags from those who worked with Donald Trump, and believed in him, is so effective.
It’s is good to finally see, the “media”, Finally looking at trump with an intelligent, critical eye. Present company excepted Dave. Seem for a long time most media sources have treated him as an acceptable human being without highlighting the glaring dangers. Public opinion has changed so has media scrutiny. Again Dave you could be an exception. The ideal of presenting a balanced coverage had gone a bit to far until now.
It has taken a while, Rodger, but I think the national media performance on Trump’s declining mental abilities has improved the past few weeks.
Right on! This is important information.
Thanks for sharing this ‘in your face’ information. Sadly, there are still too many who either don’t believe any of this, or who are so uninformed, they don’t know about this or other important details. I was watching a young / older group of union workers (mostly male) being interviewed in Michigan and was shocked to see how many had NEVER heard of the ‘Dobbs decision’ and other important historical events. Do they never look up from their phones? Thank goodness for the middle-age man who essentially lectured them on the infrastructure and chips acts that provided these guys/gals the higher-paid job they were currently enjoying.
I hope this NYT article gains some traction across the media landscape beyond its subscribers. I couldn't read it cuz I'd rather spend my subscription dollars on Substack :-) As others have pointed out, it's about time DJT gets recognized as the dangerous, vengeful and selfish person he is, who should not be hired as dog catcher, let alone the most important job in the country.
Mark, I was afraid the link wouldn’t work for non-subscribers (and we all appreciate your support of writers on Substack!)
I believe you can sign up for a free account that at least gives you limited access to some articles on the Times. Not sure if it’s limited by number or by content areas but it’s worth a shot.
The Times ought to make this one free for all, like they often do for disaster information or COVID stories. These quotes about Trump are every bit as vital info for Americans as are stories about the latest COVID vaccine.
I’m encouraged by the change in coverage, but still don’t understand how he has so much support.
Tony Schwartz, who shadowed Trump for four months while ghost writing Trump's best seller, The Art of the Deal, has, since 2016, been screaming: "This man cannot become our President--He is a psychopath!" In 2017, 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts came together at Yale to share their insights in the aptly named, "Duty to Warn" Conference and promptly assessed the then President in a 300+ page book entitled "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump." But America has not been listening.
The New York Times had an editorial today quoting dozens of former staffers and acquaintances that echo this column. For the life of me I can’t understand why Kamala Harris (or Elmer Fudd if need be) isn’t running far ahead in the polls. Trump is relying on low information voter, Fox News/talk radio listeners, greedy types interested in tax breaks and, unfortunately, bigots. I can understand one might not want to vote Democratic but this is a binary choice and curtain No. 2 is Donald Trump
This man is surrounded by flashing red flags for his entire life. I do hope people will pay attention to the comments from these people who served with him. This man had no business being anywhere near the Oval Office in 2017 and that has become even more true with the passage of time. However, after watching “From Russia With Lev” Bill Barr’s quote is definitely a pot/kettle thing.
That’s for sure - regarding Barr. His kettle carried a lot of water for Trump. He gets no free pass for his ultimate realization of how dangerous Trump is.
Here's some comments I've heard since 2017:
"We knew he was a playboy when we elected him."
"We're voting for a president, not a priest. And they're coming for us anyway." The speaker, at a Republican precinct caucus, didn't say who "they" or "us" was....
In 1974 a friend read me a satirical article on excuses folks used for voting for President Nixon, One was, "I'd rather vote for a crook than an idiot." The folks above seem to suggest t's not an "either/or" proposition in the present day.
"Small men, seeking great wealth or power, have too often and too long turned even the highest levels of public service into mere personal opportunity." -- Barry Goldwater, "The Conscience of a Conservative."
I wrote back to Joan but thought I would share what I wrote.
I put Trump supporters into 3 categories:
1. Those who want to “protect “ their money, assets and lifestyle.
2. Those who are racist, sexist or xenophobic.
3. Those who are ULTRA conservative on social issues (anti-abortion, anti- LGBT, anti-no fault divorce, etc.), mostly conservative religious folks.
I guess there are those who would NEVER vote for a Dem but I think those people still fall into one of the categories outlined above. Frustrating.
Charlotte, you’re right and I would add one more category - folks who are honestly struggling financially and just want to blame the current administration. They have short memories, though, because the economy was MUCH worse under Trump. Sure, some of that can be blamed on Covid but Trump handed off an economic mess. Biden and Congress did one hell of a good job pulling us out without a recession.
People who are struggling to pay their bills - who see how expensive things are - will generally want political change. To them, any change is good.
A person's character can be evaluated not just by their current associations but also by the number and quality of people who have chosen to distance themselves (as Dave writes about). If numerous high-quality individuals decide to sever ties with someone, it is a sign that the person may have compromised their integrity, values, or behavior.
I agree with Dave that a pattern of broken relationships or lost respect from quality individuals indicates deeper issues in one's character or actions. Will undecided voters be influenced by these 'reverse' or 'inverted' character references?
... and #4. Isolationists.