Michael Cohen today surpassed everyone’s expectations of what would happen when the New York lawyer who has been known to be a “loose cannon” took the stand.
Remember how big time embarrassment and shame feels? Face, neck goes beet red, adrenaline coursing so furiously the sound of it and the sound of your heart pounding fills your ears? Whatever her reactions or emotions, they are not even close to what regular mortals experience.
But thanks for confirming the meaning of “How long I’ll be on the market.” It’s one hundred percent in the category of: Even if you thought it, why would you ever actually say it?
Because Trump just can't shut up. Never could. He told republicans they are idiots and they still vote for him. He can say anything he wants to republicans. 🤷🏻
I'm waiting to see what Melaria chooses as her hush-money-trjal fashion shoot moment—like the safari drag in Egypt, bloody Christmas trees, and audience-of-one ballet performance. Barron is more valuable to her as her enigmatic boy, not just another RNC hapless trump brother. When Barron's moment comes she'll be dressed for it. She and his father rhyme. Her only reason to leave him would be monetary, not marital.
Perhaps surprisingly, she actually was/is a devoted mother. I know from friends that she dropped Barron off and picked him up herself from his school in NY. And she certainly protected him during DT's administration - he (and she) lived with her parents in Potomac MD.
"Cohen then described Trump’s attitude about the possibility that his wife would learn about his one night stand with Daniels. “Don’t worry. How long do you think I’ll be on the market for? Not long.” /
Not only is this a killing remark about his feelings about being married to Mylanta, but it reveals another delusion. If he thinks he was a catch at that time, well, just more proof that he is two sandwiches shy of a picnic.
But unfortunately he’s correct— there are still plenty of women attracted to men they perceive as wealthy and powerful, which is certainly how his female worshipers see him.
Gag. But you are quite correct--I vividly remember all the buzz about Henry Kissinger and how (some) women found him "sexy" (only because of his proximity to power).
A mutual friend offered to fix me up with him and all I could think of was "war criminal," and accepted the fix-up offer with Sam Brown, co-head of Vietnam Moratorium instead. (SuperKraut, as we used to call him, wound up marrying Rockefeller's former girlfriend.)
Michael Grant was an English classisist, numismatist, and author of numerous popular books on ancient history. His 1956 translation of Tacitus’s Annals of Imperial Rome remains a standard of the work. He once described himself as "one of the very few freelances in the field of ancient history: a rare phenomenon". As a popularizer, his hallmarks were his prolific output and his unwillingness to oversimplify or talk down to his readership.
LOL. Two sandwiches shy of a picnic? You must be talking packaged supermarket bologna sliding around on sliced white (think Wonder Bread) that's been slathered with mayo.
Wait, wait, wait, wait. Margo may have been born in I-o-way, but when she and I met at Brandeis, I swear to you there was not a hayseed (or corn kernel) on or around her, nor even the trace of Hellmann's mayo on her breath.
The pre-nup got revised. It must now have a clause of large incremental increases for every year beyond 20xx that she stays married to him. The question then is how greedy is she?
Oh, I suspect she's very greedy. Not to mention that the testimony at the NY trial must be chewing away at her. Trump essentially told Cohen that she was disposable.
Greedy, plus totally cynical and calculating. She apparently still feels she has more to gain by remaining married to him than she’d gain by divorcing him. She may also fear the wrath of t-Rump’s worshipers if she fails to “stand by her man” — or at least refrain from dumping him.
You gotta remember where she came from and what her life would have been had she not married a rich man. She was like a paid girl. She was a fairly tacky girlfriend. Once married, she dressed better, not like the tart she came to the country as.
Maybe its a matter of what the prenup says? Timing may be everything. Besides, she really doesn't want to drag Barron into this anymore than he already is?
It looks to me like she's the proverbial wild animal mama -- because in the wild mamas are pretty amazingly protective of their babies -- and she absolutely throws up every protection possible around Barron. He was selected to go as a something to the convention and she nixed that right off the bat. Has anyone ever heard him speak?
I dont' know that about her being chewed away. They are very much alike. She better get her money as soon as possible and her main value is if she leaves him, her choice, he will be a loser. And we all know that's all he's afraid of.
You're right. She'd be smart to bail out now while he still has any money at all, although I'm sure she has plenty of her own socked away where he can't get his hands on it. They really are alike. What a disgusting pair of grifters, along with the rest of the family.
She's holding on to see if he wins. She had an exit plan, for certain, to take as much money as she can before she bolts. Why do I think she's got a fortune piling up in a Swiss bank?
Rich, correct. If my memory serves me correctly, when they got married, the prenup gave her $150K if she divorced him--that's it. I remember reading that in the papers. That whole "not coming to DC until Barron finishes school" was bullshit--she was renegotiating and certainly had much more leverage than she did originally. I did read that revised prenup took care of Barron
I think Rich's comments go to the heart of why Maligna is still married to the Dumpster -- straight up greed. The question is "how much is enough?" How much humiliation can she take? How much $$$ will she get when she finally pulls the trigger?
Because his base is so insane, there is, I think, only one person who can now kill his chance to become President again: Melania.
If Melania filed for divorce and revealed just a couple of true things about her sick marriage, it would all be over. I think the Pig knows this; she may already have her money in Luxembourg.
Incredible to think that the future of America may reside in the actions of a single woman of recent citizenship; all previous massive efforts to install and save our democracy just forestalled our downfall.
Plus she has her son Barron, who will like inherit something from tfg. And she got her parents into the US, and she's lived well financially for years. So don't worry about Melania - she'll land on her feet.
May 14·edited May 14Liked by Lucian K. Truscott IV
I read the reports of Melania's revised prenup as her knowing her husband. That is to say if Melania turns on him aka disparagement *although from Trump's POV it is more likely the French, desparagier,, meaning WTF was I think when marrying down) and/or divorces him then Trump is likely to take it out on HER son as well Melania.
Say that because there are reports and anecdotes of a clear hierarchy w/Ivana;s 3 kids on top, Marla Maples's daughter, under them, with Melania's son on the bottom.
Will add this is a Manhattan jury who have long been exposed to Trump and his exploits. Something cable hosts, commentators, and legal eagles/beagles can't seem to grasp. Manhattanites, not Ds and Rs, and Is. Worth reupping geography determines far more than most folk understand.
Note: My gut and brain tell me both Ivana and Maples marriage/divorce agreements contain a disparagement clause. The NDAs that have been publicly reported include language to that effect and penaltie$$$ for doing so. Trump may say surprising and shocking things yet when it comes to protecting his ass and his brand, he reverts to the same old-same old tactics.
IIfMelania does appear in court it is likely from negotiating a $$$$$ amount.
I'd be willing to place a large that that you are right on that disparagement clause. He absolutely hates being disparaged. That is probably attached to his whole psychological makeup with "loser" as the worst possible thing on this planet.
You hit upon the key element that's plain sight yet reimagined as something else by far too many people. Setting aside the formal -isms and -ists associated with a clinical psych evaluation, Trump is not that much different than any other "I, I, I, Me, Me, Me" man-child.
Whether as a lad, student, businessman, in his personal life, and in the political sphere he hasn't changed at all, hence man-child. Is the reason I reject reframing him as an autocrat or in other political terms. To do so MTP. There is Trump's World and nothing else in his life. Doesn't matter what, when or where.
Everything is about him and his view of self as being superior to everyone in every way. With it comes a sense of entitlement to do whatever he wants in all aspects of life. And challenges are met with what he has done throughout his life to, people and has actually preached just that in his books., in countless interviews, on the campaign trail,, on social media, from the Oval, and now outside of courtrooms. All to avoid humiliation ( being laid bare for all to see) and driven by the paranoia that comes with it.
It's all the above and more that makes Trump a clear and present danger, not some poli sci label. His tendencies haven't changed one iota from childhood to the present day. Doesn't matter what venue he happens to be in at the time it will always in all ways be I, I, I, Me, Me, Me.
I agree with so much of that. I've often thought every time they say "autocrat", no, that's not exactly it. He's always been like this. He's a mess of awfulness and probably the worst feature to go along with it is the unabashed cruelty. He actually loves to see someone else reduced, disparaged, thrown out. He's having a grand time with apply his loyalty test to every cretin who signs on with him in any capacity. You have to wonder abut their intelligence, etc. It never turns out that anyone that comes into his orbit, willingly or not, thrives in any way. And they all flock to him, a strange magnetism that collects up the awfuls. Hillary was right about the deplorables. It's too bad she used "big" words on them because that became the attention grabber and not the fact that it was true.
In his marriages, he never treated a wife as a co-equal partner, not even close. And has worsened with each one. Brought his first 3kids into the Trump Org to be in charge of them throughout their adult lives.
In business, never entered an actual partnership. He treats the people who work for him as necessary evils and\/or the hired help including attorneys. The exceptions are more rounding errors than anything else. If that wasn't the case he wouldn't have made each and everyone sign a NDA. The point is that he trusts no one. Having favs it not same-same w/trust or respect. Now that includes Ivanka and Jared.
He doesn't subscribe to the co-equal branches of the USG. He does embrace the Presidency because others claim it makes the person the most powerful in the world which is his license to make it so. FTR: The most powerful understand true power is having it and never having to apply it.
HRC was right. Will ~never forget~ how today's #nevertrumpers spent decades demonizing her. And sadly, not a single one has ever owned up to it, not even Stuart Stevens. Same group tried and failed with O and Michelle and met more success with a litany of others including swiftboating John Kerry. Yet they dare to claim they have changed. To your point on meanness and cruelty, am not buying their BS until they acknowledge, apologize, and atone for their wrongdoing.
That's how my ~indigenous~ culture rolls (perhaps that is a reason Jefferson labeled us as merciless savages) . It is how so-called American culture claims to yet yet to demonstrate it. And that is one of many reasons Trump supporters love Trump and project themselves onto him.
Keep shaking me-noggin at how Gov. Noem rationalized killing Crickets yet the same rationale can be applied to Trump.
I'm certainly in favor of her going away. What did she ever give as First Lady? What would she do in a restoration of a Drumpf dynasty? A few photo ops and some posturing, with a surly look on her face the whole time? She despises us peasants and having to waste her precious time putting on a fake reality show for us.
An even better post-nup. People thought when he left the WH she would set the divorce in motion. She didn't. My guess is he couldn't come up with the cash promised, so she just charges whatever she wants -- and doesn't have to spend time with him.
Or that they are very very much alike. Never has there been a better other side of a pre-nup than Melania. Now all she has to worry about is whether the money all gets sucked up by lawsuits and the IRS and other stuff.
I'm sure she has lawyers who negotiate and re-negotiate her contract with Trump, and it wouldn't surprise me that she has funds of various types in separate places that Trump and governments cannot touch. A lot of what she does is for her son, who I think may have mental health issues. Have you ever heard her? She's as much of a racist as her husband is. This is now a purely transactional marriage, if you even want to call it that. Hell, she certainly didn't want to relocate to DC and lose her NY social whirl when he became President. It wouldn't surprise me if Trump had to pay her more money to relocate.
He is on the spectrum, and the family doesn't acknowledge it. He is the reason Trump said, in a speech, that kiddie vaccines could cause autism, and then he mentioned "a beautiful little baby." They could have done for autism what Betty Ford did for breast cancer, but no child of HIS could be less than perfect. His tuition in NYC (lower school) was $150K each year so he could partially be with his class. I trust the source.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if it eventually came out that Barron was somewhere on the autism spectrum. It's very sad and I feel terribly sorry for any child stuck between two such parents.
Copy me on everything you said, including Barron, His affect is so strange. He may be something underneath that strange countenance but he appears to be not all there. We've never heard him utter one word.. At 18, that is truly strange.
If she has even a smidge of a brain, she surely does. She's shown she is very savvy at getting from him. And that toss-off Trump made revealed by Cohen yesterday about not being on the market long, he does not act that way about her. If he felt secure about all that, there wouldn't be all these negotiations over the pre-nup every time another round of sensational accusations, trials and hate-rant demented rallies occurs. He's been married to her the longest which says not great things about either of them.
He is decompensating in front of our eyes. The incomprehensible rant rally at Wildwood showed his inability to marshal his thoughts and verbally express them. He praised the late, great Hannibal Lecter, stated other countries were emptying their mental institutions to send the patients here while his train of thoughts swerved wildly from one subject to another with no segues. Unusually vulgar, he insulted prosecutors and Biden, lied about the crowd size and Stone posted a photo of a 20 year old Rod Stewart concert in Rio claiming it was Trump's rally. You can't make this stuff up...
It all made perfect sense to his worshipers. He said, in essence: “if Biden wins, everything you value about the country will be destroyed” This is exactly what I and many others say about him, in different words, but with the same meaning: If t-Rump wins, everything we value about this country will be destroyed.
Everything on this planet is transactional for this repulsive bastard. He is the most disgusting human in this country and fits with the other disgustings from other countries. I know he's suffering some, because the only horrible to him is being called a loser, but he is ahead in polls and the danger is still grave he will be president again. I cannot believe any of this is actually happening.
Since i was old enough to vote i have been a registered republican.
I registered to vote not be against democrats. At 83 I'm not going to register as something else. Note: there are many politicians and others who say they are Republicans. But frankly
many are deranged folks. Many are white Supremacists, and religious kooks.
It took me a minute to figure out what the orange turd meant by “Don’t worry. How long do you think I’ll be on the market for? Not long.” Am I right that he meant that Melania would divorce him, but some other woman would grab him quickly because he is so appealing with his svelt figure and full head of hair?
I am so out of it on this way of thinking about marriage that for a while I couldn't figure out what market he was talking about. I almost went to Facebook to quote the passage and ask what it meant. Just in time, the meaning hit me. On the whole, I'm pleased that it took me a good 20 minutes to decipher Mr. Orange Tawdry Man's thinking about the marital bond.
Your column is the equivalent of social/legal umami. I particularly loved Cohen quoting Trump boasting "How long do you think I'll be on the market?" What kind of market would that be? Flea? Swap meet?
We don't need to feel any pity for Melanie, she managed to immigrate based on a "special talent" as a model, then chain-immigrate her entire family. She parlayed her questionable talents as an aging model to marry money. No question that's she's smarter than her husband, and came up with the "grab 'em by the pussy" gaffe as "locker room talk." Who can even imagine this self-centered man as hanging out in a locker room, let alone talking to anyone beyond bragging about himself. She'll be fine, him not so much.
Recalling that tasteful bit of wardrobe she sported once with the phrase "I really don't care, do U?" Probably an appropriate time to 'don' it again. Guaranteed to go over better this time.
'Are we Rome?" 'This book looks at the rise and fall of the Roman Empire and draws parallels to the United States and the political issues and situations we are dealing with today. This book is an extensive comparison and contrast between the United States and imperial Rome.'
I studied and loved the empire period of Rome, and the similarities to our political elite today are haunting, scary. Political corruption and moral decay of the elite did Rome in. And the moral turpitude of our political class today is nearly identical, or worse than, the moral failures that brought down Rome. We actually tried to corrupt and overthrow our government. Roman elites at least had the notion of "virtu" though often violated it in practice. Our elites have no such compunction. Exhibit #1 : Donald Trump.
So how much time do we have left? Probably less than we think. The end when to came, came faster than anyone at the time expected.
She never expected fidelity. He probably didn’t either. This wasn’t a love match.
She didn't expect fidelity but she didn't expect to be shamed, either.
Remember how big time embarrassment and shame feels? Face, neck goes beet red, adrenaline coursing so furiously the sound of it and the sound of your heart pounding fills your ears? Whatever her reactions or emotions, they are not even close to what regular mortals experience.
But thanks for confirming the meaning of “How long I’ll be on the market.” It’s one hundred percent in the category of: Even if you thought it, why would you ever actually say it?
Because Trump just can't shut up. Never could. He told republicans they are idiots and they still vote for him. He can say anything he wants to republicans. 🤷🏻
If her "modeling" career didn't shame her, nothing will. Her pride is another matter. She stayed for the money though, apparently.
She married a pig for gain...both win and both lose!
I don't think she expected to be First Lady either. And she sure didn't know what to do when she got there.
I'm waiting to see what Melaria chooses as her hush-money-trjal fashion shoot moment—like the safari drag in Egypt, bloody Christmas trees, and audience-of-one ballet performance. Barron is more valuable to her as her enigmatic boy, not just another RNC hapless trump brother. When Barron's moment comes she'll be dressed for it. She and his father rhyme. Her only reason to leave him would be monetary, not marital.
Perhaps surprisingly, she actually was/is a devoted mother. I know from friends that she dropped Barron off and picked him up herself from his school in NY. And she certainly protected him during DT's administration - he (and she) lived with her parents in Potomac MD.
Reports I've read also confirm that she has been consistently protective of the boy.
I think she was horrified
The world wasn't...another day in Trump's world.
"Cohen then described Trump’s attitude about the possibility that his wife would learn about his one night stand with Daniels. “Don’t worry. How long do you think I’ll be on the market for? Not long.” /
Not only is this a killing remark about his feelings about being married to Mylanta, but it reveals another delusion. If he thinks he was a catch at that time, well, just more proof that he is two sandwiches shy of a picnic.
But unfortunately he’s correct— there are still plenty of women attracted to men they perceive as wealthy and powerful, which is certainly how his female worshipers see him.
Gag. But you are quite correct--I vividly remember all the buzz about Henry Kissinger and how (some) women found him "sexy" (only because of his proximity to power).
Jill St. John !!!
A mutual friend offered to fix me up with him and all I could think of was "war criminal," and accepted the fix-up offer with Sam Brown, co-head of Vietnam Moratorium instead. (SuperKraut, as we used to call him, wound up marrying Rockefeller's former girlfriend.)
And it is natural enough, attraction to wealth and power. But "worship," that's already back to
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/235462.The_Twelve_Caesars
And this is available at many libraries on CD and cassette tapes ....
The Twelve Caesars
Michael Grant
3.71
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History of Ancient Rome's first twelve Emperors.
GenresHistoryNonfictionBiographyAncient HistoryRomanClassicsHistorical
282 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
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About the author
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Michael Grant
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Michael Grant was an English classisist, numismatist, and author of numerous popular books on ancient history. His 1956 translation of Tacitus’s Annals of Imperial Rome remains a standard of the work. He once described himself as "one of the very few freelances in the field of ancient history: a rare phenomenon". As a popularizer, his hallmarks were his prolific output and his unwillingness to oversimplify or talk down to his readership.
I've read Suetonius on the Twelve Caesars, but not Michael Grant. Sounds like a worthwhile read.
LOL. Two sandwiches shy of a picnic? You must be talking packaged supermarket bologna sliding around on sliced white (think Wonder Bread) that's been slathered with mayo.
Excuse me sir! That is my favorite sandwich.
Margo is from Iowa and so am I, it's a kind of existential talent once you think about it!
Wait, wait, wait, wait. Margo may have been born in I-o-way, but when she and I met at Brandeis, I swear to you there was not a hayseed (or corn kernel) on or around her, nor even the trace of Hellmann's mayo on her breath.
Yeah sure, that's how provincial Easterners stereotype Iowans, anyway. By the time she'd been to Brandeis...Never mind.
You are right on the money. That is my mother's saying, and she, like I, was born in Sioux City.
No supermarket, no mayo. I know this because that phrase is my mother's!
SOL (Smile Out Loud)
Yes but the kind of women he likes will always go for money and fame.
I dont know you. You don’t know me. We both think alike about these two creepy people!
theoldcat7@gmail.com
Melania also has what is probably a very expensive pre-nuptial agreement.
The pre-nup got revised. It must now have a clause of large incremental increases for every year beyond 20xx that she stays married to him. The question then is how greedy is she?
Oh, I suspect she's very greedy. Not to mention that the testimony at the NY trial must be chewing away at her. Trump essentially told Cohen that she was disposable.
Everyone and everything are disposable with him.
Greedy, plus totally cynical and calculating. She apparently still feels she has more to gain by remaining married to him than she’d gain by divorcing him. She may also fear the wrath of t-Rump’s worshipers if she fails to “stand by her man” — or at least refrain from dumping him.
You gotta remember where she came from and what her life would have been had she not married a rich man. She was like a paid girl. She was a fairly tacky girlfriend. Once married, she dressed better, not like the tart she came to the country as.
“A paid girl” — that is, a whore.
And not a whore with a heart of gold.
Bingo. LOL. Just a less pointed way of calling someone what she is.
Maybe its a matter of what the prenup says? Timing may be everything. Besides, she really doesn't want to drag Barron into this anymore than he already is?
It looks to me like she's the proverbial wild animal mama -- because in the wild mamas are pretty amazingly protective of their babies -- and she absolutely throws up every protection possible around Barron. He was selected to go as a something to the convention and she nixed that right off the bat. Has anyone ever heard him speak?
Agreed.....and no. Some day I suppose we'll hear but currently Melania is keeping him close.
I dont' know that about her being chewed away. They are very much alike. She better get her money as soon as possible and her main value is if she leaves him, her choice, he will be a loser. And we all know that's all he's afraid of.
You're right. She'd be smart to bail out now while he still has any money at all, although I'm sure she has plenty of her own socked away where he can't get his hands on it. They really are alike. What a disgusting pair of grifters, along with the rest of the family.
If there's anything left at the end. He also has a potentially huge double dip tax set of deductions he took. Pay up, Dotard.
She's holding on to see if he wins. She had an exit plan, for certain, to take as much money as she can before she bolts. Why do I think she's got a fortune piling up in a Swiss bank?
Because she seems as devious and clever as he is. And the woman ain't dumb and there's no way she crafted the pre-nups by herself.
Les Paul and Mary Ford answered that, long ago. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/8V0jWeGKioQ?si=HZdu6YgKG4UpbXbH
Rich, correct. If my memory serves me correctly, when they got married, the prenup gave her $150K if she divorced him--that's it. I remember reading that in the papers. That whole "not coming to DC until Barron finishes school" was bullshit--she was renegotiating and certainly had much more leverage than she did originally. I did read that revised prenup took care of Barron
I think Rich's comments go to the heart of why Maligna is still married to the Dumpster -- straight up greed. The question is "how much is enough?" How much humiliation can she take? How much $$$ will she get when she finally pulls the trigger?
These people are incapable of feeling humiliation. Anthropomorphism on our part.
Because his base is so insane, there is, I think, only one person who can now kill his chance to become President again: Melania.
If Melania filed for divorce and revealed just a couple of true things about her sick marriage, it would all be over. I think the Pig knows this; she may already have her money in Luxembourg.
Incredible to think that the future of America may reside in the actions of a single woman of recent citizenship; all previous massive efforts to install and save our democracy just forestalled our downfall.
Plus she has her son Barron, who will like inherit something from tfg. And she got her parents into the US, and she's lived well financially for years. So don't worry about Melania - she'll land on her feet.
I read the reports of Melania's revised prenup as her knowing her husband. That is to say if Melania turns on him aka disparagement *although from Trump's POV it is more likely the French, desparagier,, meaning WTF was I think when marrying down) and/or divorces him then Trump is likely to take it out on HER son as well Melania.
Say that because there are reports and anecdotes of a clear hierarchy w/Ivana;s 3 kids on top, Marla Maples's daughter, under them, with Melania's son on the bottom.
Will add this is a Manhattan jury who have long been exposed to Trump and his exploits. Something cable hosts, commentators, and legal eagles/beagles can't seem to grasp. Manhattanites, not Ds and Rs, and Is. Worth reupping geography determines far more than most folk understand.
Note: My gut and brain tell me both Ivana and Maples marriage/divorce agreements contain a disparagement clause. The NDAs that have been publicly reported include language to that effect and penaltie$$$ for doing so. Trump may say surprising and shocking things yet when it comes to protecting his ass and his brand, he reverts to the same old-same old tactics.
IIfMelania does appear in court it is likely from negotiating a $$$$$ amount.
I'd be willing to place a large that that you are right on that disparagement clause. He absolutely hates being disparaged. That is probably attached to his whole psychological makeup with "loser" as the worst possible thing on this planet.
"...psychological makeup..."
You hit upon the key element that's plain sight yet reimagined as something else by far too many people. Setting aside the formal -isms and -ists associated with a clinical psych evaluation, Trump is not that much different than any other "I, I, I, Me, Me, Me" man-child.
Whether as a lad, student, businessman, in his personal life, and in the political sphere he hasn't changed at all, hence man-child. Is the reason I reject reframing him as an autocrat or in other political terms. To do so MTP. There is Trump's World and nothing else in his life. Doesn't matter what, when or where.
Everything is about him and his view of self as being superior to everyone in every way. With it comes a sense of entitlement to do whatever he wants in all aspects of life. And challenges are met with what he has done throughout his life to, people and has actually preached just that in his books., in countless interviews, on the campaign trail,, on social media, from the Oval, and now outside of courtrooms. All to avoid humiliation ( being laid bare for all to see) and driven by the paranoia that comes with it.
It's all the above and more that makes Trump a clear and present danger, not some poli sci label. His tendencies haven't changed one iota from childhood to the present day. Doesn't matter what venue he happens to be in at the time it will always in all ways be I, I, I, Me, Me, Me.
I agree with so much of that. I've often thought every time they say "autocrat", no, that's not exactly it. He's always been like this. He's a mess of awfulness and probably the worst feature to go along with it is the unabashed cruelty. He actually loves to see someone else reduced, disparaged, thrown out. He's having a grand time with apply his loyalty test to every cretin who signs on with him in any capacity. You have to wonder abut their intelligence, etc. It never turns out that anyone that comes into his orbit, willingly or not, thrives in any way. And they all flock to him, a strange magnetism that collects up the awfuls. Hillary was right about the deplorables. It's too bad she used "big" words on them because that became the attention grabber and not the fact that it was true.
Agree.
In his marriages, he never treated a wife as a co-equal partner, not even close. And has worsened with each one. Brought his first 3kids into the Trump Org to be in charge of them throughout their adult lives.
In business, never entered an actual partnership. He treats the people who work for him as necessary evils and\/or the hired help including attorneys. The exceptions are more rounding errors than anything else. If that wasn't the case he wouldn't have made each and everyone sign a NDA. The point is that he trusts no one. Having favs it not same-same w/trust or respect. Now that includes Ivanka and Jared.
He doesn't subscribe to the co-equal branches of the USG. He does embrace the Presidency because others claim it makes the person the most powerful in the world which is his license to make it so. FTR: The most powerful understand true power is having it and never having to apply it.
HRC was right. Will ~never forget~ how today's #nevertrumpers spent decades demonizing her. And sadly, not a single one has ever owned up to it, not even Stuart Stevens. Same group tried and failed with O and Michelle and met more success with a litany of others including swiftboating John Kerry. Yet they dare to claim they have changed. To your point on meanness and cruelty, am not buying their BS until they acknowledge, apologize, and atone for their wrongdoing.
That's how my ~indigenous~ culture rolls (perhaps that is a reason Jefferson labeled us as merciless savages) . It is how so-called American culture claims to yet yet to demonstrate it. And that is one of many reasons Trump supporters love Trump and project themselves onto him.
Keep shaking me-noggin at how Gov. Noem rationalized killing Crickets yet the same rationale can be applied to Trump.
LOL
Somewhere the ghost of Lenny Bruce (or Richard Pryor) is saying, "Land on her feet? Don't you mean 'on her knees'?"
You cut to the chase, it really is that sordid and pathetic.
Her purely transactional lifestyle pays off for her in this world (so far). The next world? Maybe not so golden.
They are both transactional. I dare say Melania has always known what she was after and how to get it and she did. She should cash in now and go away.
I'm certainly in favor of her going away. What did she ever give as First Lady? What would she do in a restoration of a Drumpf dynasty? A few photo ops and some posturing, with a surly look on her face the whole time? She despises us peasants and having to waste her precious time putting on a fake reality show for us.
No way in hell I would worry about that hag.
An even better post-nup. People thought when he left the WH she would set the divorce in motion. She didn't. My guess is he couldn't come up with the cash promised, so she just charges whatever she wants -- and doesn't have to spend time with him.
Or that they are very very much alike. Never has there been a better other side of a pre-nup than Melania. Now all she has to worry about is whether the money all gets sucked up by lawsuits and the IRS and other stuff.
I'm sure she has lawyers who negotiate and re-negotiate her contract with Trump, and it wouldn't surprise me that she has funds of various types in separate places that Trump and governments cannot touch. A lot of what she does is for her son, who I think may have mental health issues. Have you ever heard her? She's as much of a racist as her husband is. This is now a purely transactional marriage, if you even want to call it that. Hell, she certainly didn't want to relocate to DC and lose her NY social whirl when he became President. It wouldn't surprise me if Trump had to pay her more money to relocate.
I've always wondered about Barron. He always seems to be in a haze of some kind.
He is on the spectrum, and the family doesn't acknowledge it. He is the reason Trump said, in a speech, that kiddie vaccines could cause autism, and then he mentioned "a beautiful little baby." They could have done for autism what Betty Ford did for breast cancer, but no child of HIS could be less than perfect. His tuition in NYC (lower school) was $150K each year so he could partially be with his class. I trust the source.
Yup!
It wouldn't surprise me at all if it eventually came out that Barron was somewhere on the autism spectrum. It's very sad and I feel terribly sorry for any child stuck between two such parents.
Copy me on everything you said, including Barron, His affect is so strange. He may be something underneath that strange countenance but he appears to be not all there. We've never heard him utter one word.. At 18, that is truly strange.
She's got plenty of cash socked away somewhere, no doubt.
If she has even a smidge of a brain, she surely does. She's shown she is very savvy at getting from him. And that toss-off Trump made revealed by Cohen yesterday about not being on the market long, he does not act that way about her. If he felt secure about all that, there wouldn't be all these negotiations over the pre-nup every time another round of sensational accusations, trials and hate-rant demented rallies occurs. He's been married to her the longest which says not great things about either of them.
You have to look at her beginnings. She was a nude model, including blue photos with lesbians, and likely an escort.
There are many clips of her signaling her loathing of Trump.
Screw the whole lot of them.
He is decompensating in front of our eyes. The incomprehensible rant rally at Wildwood showed his inability to marshal his thoughts and verbally express them. He praised the late, great Hannibal Lecter, stated other countries were emptying their mental institutions to send the patients here while his train of thoughts swerved wildly from one subject to another with no segues. Unusually vulgar, he insulted prosecutors and Biden, lied about the crowd size and Stone posted a photo of a 20 year old Rod Stewart concert in Rio claiming it was Trump's rally. You can't make this stuff up...
It all made perfect sense to his worshipers. He said, in essence: “if Biden wins, everything you value about the country will be destroyed” This is exactly what I and many others say about him, in different words, but with the same meaning: If t-Rump wins, everything we value about this country will be destroyed.
Everything on this planet is transactional for this repulsive bastard. He is the most disgusting human in this country and fits with the other disgustings from other countries. I know he's suffering some, because the only horrible to him is being called a loser, but he is ahead in polls and the danger is still grave he will be president again. I cannot believe any of this is actually happening.
We are in slightly uncharted territory.
Richard, for the first time I think you are understating, not that you ever overstate.
Melania just made her self heard when she informed the world her son Baron would NOT be a member attending the GOP convention.
Still, he's just another Trump. Nothing good can come of that.
Im not quick to judge.
But Barons lives in a toxic environment.
Marcia, keep in mind.
Since i was old enough to vote i have been a registered republican.
I registered to vote not be against democrats. At 83 I'm not going to register as something else. Note: there are many politicians and others who say they are Republicans. But frankly
many are deranged folks. Many are white Supremacists, and religious kooks.
That I'm against!
She's in it for the money and U.S. citizenship for her anchor baby.
And citizanship for her parents, admitted under a law her husband opposes.
Oh, the irony.
Btw I know we fervently disagree about the I/P struggles, but I do respect your righteous moral outrage.
Looks like about now would be a good time to cash out and get out.
Florrible is the perfect perfect state for her.
Like E, Jean Carrol, I hope the svelte, botoxed Melania grabs von Schitzenpantz by the pursey.
It took me a minute to figure out what the orange turd meant by “Don’t worry. How long do you think I’ll be on the market for? Not long.” Am I right that he meant that Melania would divorce him, but some other woman would grab him quickly because he is so appealing with his svelt figure and full head of hair?
It's always been about his Scrooge McDuck-like money bin (or illusion of same).
That is exactly what he meant. "on the market." What an absolutely boarish way to describe the most meaningful bond in life.
Yes, those old overweight hags with their saggy boobs hanging out of their wife-beaters and arrows pointing to their crotches would be lining up....
Correct.
I am so out of it on this way of thinking about marriage that for a while I couldn't figure out what market he was talking about. I almost went to Facebook to quote the passage and ask what it meant. Just in time, the meaning hit me. On the whole, I'm pleased that it took me a good 20 minutes to decipher Mr. Orange Tawdry Man's thinking about the marital bond.
Your column is the equivalent of social/legal umami. I particularly loved Cohen quoting Trump boasting "How long do you think I'll be on the market?" What kind of market would that be? Flea? Swap meet?
We don't need to feel any pity for Melanie, she managed to immigrate based on a "special talent" as a model, then chain-immigrate her entire family. She parlayed her questionable talents as an aging model to marry money. No question that's she's smarter than her husband, and came up with the "grab 'em by the pussy" gaffe as "locker room talk." Who can even imagine this self-centered man as hanging out in a locker room, let alone talking to anyone beyond bragging about himself. She'll be fine, him not so much.
Recalling that tasteful bit of wardrobe she sported once with the phrase "I really don't care, do U?" Probably an appropriate time to 'don' it again. Guaranteed to go over better this time.
Trump is long overdue for a Felony conviction. So any ones is a good thing. However i would like Trump convicted of felonious Insurrection.
'Are we Rome?" 'This book looks at the rise and fall of the Roman Empire and draws parallels to the United States and the political issues and situations we are dealing with today. This book is an extensive comparison and contrast between the United States and imperial Rome.'
I studied and loved the empire period of Rome, and the similarities to our political elite today are haunting, scary. Political corruption and moral decay of the elite did Rome in. And the moral turpitude of our political class today is nearly identical, or worse than, the moral failures that brought down Rome. We actually tried to corrupt and overthrow our government. Roman elites at least had the notion of "virtu" though often violated it in practice. Our elites have no such compunction. Exhibit #1 : Donald Trump.
So how much time do we have left? Probably less than we think. The end when to came, came faster than anyone at the time expected.
We're very much like Weimar Germany as well.