Commentary
Trump Meets 'WaPo' Editors, Train Wreck Results
- by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, March 22, 2016
One of the reasons I can’t watch reality TV, or even fictional shows like “The Office” or “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” is that I am painfully sensitive to awkward situations, literally squirming in my seat until I just have to get up and leave the room.
So reading the transcript of the meeting between GOP front-runner Donald Trump and the editors of
The Washington Post was sort of a donkey ride through hell for me – the most cringe-inducing, talking-in-circles, bald-faced-lying, marching-band-getting-run-
Let’s start with the fact that the WaPo editorial board obviously does not like Trump, because, well, that’s what he does. Right off the bat, he notes, “I’ve been treated very, very badly by The Washington Post.” But he also points out that he is now a neighbor, as he has a new building opening up not far from the newspaper’s offices.
On that subject, since the editors didn’t ask, “it’s under budget, even though we’ve increased the quality of the finishes substantially, marble finishes, very high quality of marble, so we’re under budget and ahead of schedule.” But don’t go in there expecting a finished product: “It’s still a little bit rough – as an example, a lot of the marble surfaces all have sheet-rock covering, and plywood covering on them…”
Anyway, what were we talking about? Oh yeah, The Washington Post’s “incredible hatred” for him. But anyway, they’re neighbors, so here he is because he’s a nice guy, a good guy who really just wants good things for the country, and maybe they can work something out.
Foreign policy? He has five advisors who have names, and as for who was a good secretary of state, he liked George Schultz. But “I think your last secretary of state and your current secretary of state have not done much. I think John Kerry’s deal with Iran is one of the worst things that I’ve ever seen negotiated of any kind. It’s just a horrible giveaway.”
Anyway, foreign policy is kind of not his main focus.
“I do think it’s a different world today, and I don’t think we should be nation building anymore. I think it’s proven not to work. And we have a different country than we did then. You know, we have $19 trillion in debt. We’re sitting probably on a bubble and, you know, it’s a bubble that if it breaks is going to be very nasty.”
What kind of bubble? The big kind!
Police discrimination against African-Americans may be a problem – he read about it – but also maybe not, because he read about that, too. Absolutely there are riots, no question: “St. Louis, Ferguson, Oakland, it could have been much worse over the summer. And it will probably be worse this summer… So, you know, I know the outer world exists, and I’ll be very cognizant of that, but at the same time, our country is disintegrating, large sections of it, especially in the inner cities.”
What would he do for the inner cites? “I’d create economic zones. I’d create incentives for companies to move in. Jobs are so important. There are no jobs. There are none.”
Libel laws absolutely need to change, too, because people say a lot of unfair and wrong things about Trump, and there should be consequences.
“They should at least try to get it right. And if they don’t do a retraction, they should, they should you know have a form of a trial. I don’t want to impede free press, by the way. The last thing I would want to do is that.” Would he expand prior restraints against publications?
“No, I would just say this. All I want is fairness. So unfair. I have stories, and you have no recourse, you have no recourse whatsoever because the laws are really impotent.” Yes, but what would he do specifically? “I would just loosen them up.”
And what does that mean? “I’d have to get my lawyers in to tell you, but I would loosen them up. I would loosen them up.”
Erik Sass is editor of Publishers Daily. You can reach Erik at eriksass@gmail.com.
THANK YOU! I needed a good laugh. May be my last for the rest of the election cycle.
I think the biggest problem that many people have in understanding Donald Trump is that they have no real business or negotiating experience. Therefore they can'y relate to the significance of his achievements and they are confused by the negotiating tactics of not giving away 'what cards he's holding." Many people are too used to the crap normally spewed by politicans who then don't deliver on all the crap they promised. Why this is better, in their minds, is hard to understand except to say that they like fairytales and then excuse it if the results are different.
Now, having said the above it's important to point out that Trump leads all those who have provided loads of information. I think the reason for this is that we know that these others don't actually know what they're talking about, and will then renege on the promises if elected.
It's nearly impossible for an elitist to understand Trump's appeal. Not saying he's right, or even that he's able to solve real problems, but he's the only major candidate whose semi-blind followers are eager to ignore his many flaws, just to watch the ever-present ruling class removed from power. Revolutions are emotional, not logical. I don't get it either, but it seems very real. Laughing at him is what gave rise to his support. So far he seems the antidote to hegemony.
Very, very funny and well-written article. And as an added bonus, a couple of the comments kept me laughing.
A term that's fallen out of common use lately is "gadfly", which I would use to describe His Trumpness, but for the fact that actual political gadflies sometimes make valid points amidst all their arm-flailing and bombast. Trump wouldn't recognize a valid point even if he sat on one.
While it's possible that Trump may become the only GOP candidate left standing, I'm sure he'll lose the Presidential election, and he'll lose huuuuge. But what worries me is the path that he may have cleared, or at least made more simple to navigate, for the next slightly less crazy, slightly more acceptable, but equally or even more evil-hearted Presidential hopeful that may be waiting to pop out of the clown car.
Hell, for all I know the safest place to be in the next few years could be on the other side of The Great Wall of Donald.
There's value in dog whistles; they keep the people in your crowd from going for the one-upsmanship of saying something even more "provocative" than what the person on stage said.
Trump is doing real damage, not only to the future of political discourse, but the present of US standing in the world. If we're very lucky, it will just be seen as an embarrassing fad, fed by irresponsible media profiteers, and the last gasps of an aging and insecure demographic group. If we're not... hoo boy.
I agree with Mr Freeman.
The mainstream media seem unable to comprehend that Trump is spokesperson for a sizable portion of the US population. Fellow citizens. People who are angry and upset.
That message might not be relevant to you, so try to listen a little harder and suspend your disbelief. His mandate grows with each insensitive report that misunderstands his message.
All underserved or underrepresented groups face this challenge. We ignor the voice until it becomes a problem. The later 1960s were all about similar disruptive change.
We need to listen and understand. He is reporting insight. Regardless who becomes the next POTUS, they will need to address this under represented constituency and bring them back into the larger community.
Great piece, Erik! I really don't get the idea that "elites" don't understand his message to the under represented.
There is no there there, except to exalt that single syllable, TRUMP. There is no leadership for the underrepresented, only measuring points for the Trump ego.
All so sad.
Thank you Erik/MP for more fodder for my "Read what Trump says and see the Truth" file.
It's a file I keep handy, so when I'm embroiled in conversations with the understandably angry but unfortunately bambozzled and delusional, who really believe he will bring back factory jobs or that his wall building - allegorical or not- is appropriate or even possible with a global economy- I like to have things in writing to help them see he is a con artist, nothing more and we deserve a STATESMAN to run our country.
and @ ChuckLantz- truly appreciate your well written commentary- Gadfly, yes.
I aree with Marc.
Bottom line, government experience, rife with its ineptitude, inefficiency, and total unaccountability due to the fact that our elected officials are playing with an endless supply of Monopoly money known as "our hard earned tax dollars" is not only worthless, it's become a negative.
We the people are sick and tired of lying politicians that attempt to curry favor, and garner votes with their fingers in the air testing the winds by campaigning on promises they have no intention of keeping should they be elected. See Dubya's campaigning on smaller government, and reduced deficits while increasing the size of government, and spending like a drunken Democrat sailor throughout his eight years. See also Obama's cool Cumbaya campaigning on bringing both sides of the aisle together, and "uniting everyone" in direct juxtaposition with his nearly eight years of being the most imperial, and divisive president in US history.
We're fed up with it. So much so that, yes, an insolent buffoon like Trump can win, simply because he can't possibly do any worse than our lying career politicians, and just might get something done worthwhile. Worth a try, anyway, even as we hold our noses.
Yes. I will vote for Trump. Six months ago, I thought "no can do." But it's become painfully clear that I don't want somebody with "experience in government" so statistically commensurate with failure has that type of experience become. Trump will win, will undress Hillary as the failed loser that she is, and has always been (including by standing by her misogynist, sexually abusive, deviant and devious liar of a husband), and I can see Hillary's brightly, and multicolored pantsuits strewn across debate stages near and far already.
Yes, I will hold my nose, but take consolation in the fact that Trump cannot be much worse than our recent cast of inept clowns, and if he is, we can vote him out in four short years. Not sure that that's going to be necessary, though. He's got that lack of "governmental experience" going for him, which means he's always had to get good things done because nobody else was going to do them for him. That could be good for us...
If Trump's "underrepresented" target audience consisted of racists, misogynists, dopes, cut-purses and the morally and ethically corrupt, should we cut him, and them, some slack because he "speaks their language"?
...oh, wait. That IS his target audience.
Brian Kelly, well said. But it is not only the mainstream media that can't comprehend the Trump appeal across the country and among those genuinely feel like the system is broken. Like Pauline Kael 40 years ago, the editors of the Washington Post and the flippant commentators who can't fathom this populist rise will be amazed. Trump will be President, and they won't know anyone who voted for him.
Rarely agree w/ Mr. Ferguson, but he nailed it here.
Aarona...
I'm not bamboozled, or "bambozzled" as you purport. Nor am I delusional.
In the face of an endless line of career politicians that have preceded Trump, and have superseded him in the "statesmanship" department (I've voted for many of them in my 56 years, from both sides of the aisle) but have been UTTER FAILURES at delivering what THEY said they would (vote garnering promises that they had no intention, or capability of delivering)... I don't care whether Trump is ultimately able to deliver any of what he suggests he will.
I mean, really. The bar is set pretty low in this area, anyway.
What I do care about is having the wool pulled over my eyes by yet another career charlatan (errrr, politician) that lies to my face in a "stately" manner.
Trump deserves a shot. He's a "doer" in a world of inept, inefficient, and unaccountable politicians that have never had to do anything. I will hold my nose, and give the guy a shot. If he delivers, great. If he doesn't, no big whoop... he'll get voted out in four years.
When a situation is created in which mid-double digit IQ people can vote for high-double-digit IQ politicans, Donald Trump results. In the land of the blind ...
Chuck H: Your mention of low digits brings up a point I haven't seen discussed much, if at all, in the media; ... just how many supporters does Trump actually have? So far, the only head-counts taken involve the relatively small numbers of GOP caucus and primary voters, which is only a very tiny, and not very representative slice of the total general electorate.
While the same can validly be said about the Democratic side of the pre-election circus, Hillary Clinton's victories aren't being touted anywhere near as loudly as Trump's in the media, even though Clinton's actual ballot puncher numbers are higher.
To put it another way, if only three people vote in a caucus, and two vote for Trump, how loudly should "Trump wins with over 66% of the tally" be shouted? With that in mind, and if I were in any way involved in TV ad buys, I'd be grabbing GOP convention ads by the bushel. That piece of reality TV drama could out-draw the Super Bowl.
...oops, so sorry. I meant to type The Big Game.
Donald Trump is a sociopath. He has narcissistic personality disorder, pathological liar, unable to feel empathy for anyone, and may in fact be suffering from syphillis of the brain. He won't win the general election, even if he gets nominated. His story is getting old, and his lack of knowledge about anything, other than himself, is frightening for someone who thinks he is smart. He changes his mind mid-paragraph, if not mid-sentence.
The fact that people don't realise he is a SOCIOPATH is disturbing to me, in and of itself.
I think most people do understand that Trump exhibits at least half of the common symptoms of narcissism, some symptoms of sociopathology, and has been caught in some lies.
Considering that the same has been true of virtually every president, and presidential candidate over the past 100 years, why should that matter?
Especially when he tells more truth than most. Refreshing, in a stinky sort of way...