The Dangerous Case Of Donald Trump

[Z Buck McFate]

NPR: Extremism Experts Warn Of Dangers In Baseless Claims Of 'Stolen' Election

 

[Z Buck McFate]

Axios Scoop: Inside Trump's legal warfare

President Trump plans to brandish obituaries of people who supposedly voted but are dead — plus hold campaign-style rallies — in an effort to prolong his fight against apparent insurmountable election results, four Trump advisers told me during a conference call this afternoon.

What we're hearing: Obits for those who cast ballots are part of the "specific pieces of evidence" aimed at bolstering the Trump team's so-far unsupported claims of widespread voter fraud and corruption that they say led to Joe Biden’s victory.

Fueling the effort is the expected completion of vote counting this week, allowing Republicans to file for more recounts.

What's next: Team Trump is ready to announce specific recount teams in key states, and it plans to hold a series of Trump rallies focused on the litigation.

In Georgia: Doug Collins, the outgoing congressman who lost to Sen. Kelly Loeffler in a special election to fill former Sen. Johnny Isakson's seat, will be leading the campaign's recount efforts. The team has also redeployed 92 staffers from Florida to Georgia, doubling its group on the ground.

In Arizona: Kory Langhofer, former counsel for Trump's 2016 transition, will serve as lead attorney.

In Pennsylvania: Porter Wright's Ron Hicks is heading up the legal effort.

Nationwide: They're assembling additional surrogates and lawyers.

"We want to make sure we have an adequate supply of manpower on the ground for man-to-man combat," one adviser said.

The group is also staffing a campaign-style media operation.

The team led by Trump communications director Tim Murtaugh is now a surrogate messaging center. It will pump out "regular press briefings, releases on legal action and obviously things like talking points and booking people strategically on television," one adviser said.
They'll also make a big play to raise money for their legal defense fund.

Trump's formal legal team includes 2020 campaign manager Bill Stepien, lawyer Justin Clark, and senior advisers Jason Miller and David Bossie.

Reps. Jim Jordan and Scott Perry, as well as former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, are also advising.
Trump's team claims there is "no daylight" between them and the White House — chiefly senior adviser Jared Kushner and current Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

"We all have the same goal in mind, which is using the legal process over the next many days and weeks ahead to make sure that the president is re-elected," one adviser said.
​

 

[Hellena Handbasket]

Axios Scoop: Inside Trump's legal warfare

President Trump plans to brandish obituaries of people who supposedly voted but are dead — plus hold campaign-style rallies — in an effort to prolong his fight against apparent insurmountable election results, four Trump advisers told me during a conference call this afternoon.

What we're hearing: Obits for those who cast ballots are part of the "specific pieces of evidence" aimed at bolstering the Trump team's so-far unsupported claims of widespread voter fraud and corruption that they say led to Joe Biden’s victory.

Fueling the effort is the expected completion of vote counting this week, allowing Republicans to file for more recounts.

What's next: Team Trump is ready to announce specific recount teams in key states, and it plans to hold a series of Trump rallies focused on the litigation.

In Georgia: Doug Collins, the outgoing congressman who lost to Sen. Kelly Loeffler in a special election to fill former Sen. Johnny Isakson's seat, will be leading the campaign's recount efforts. The team has also redeployed 92 staffers from Florida to Georgia, doubling its group on the ground.

In Arizona: Kory Langhofer, former counsel for Trump's 2016 transition, will serve as lead attorney.

In Pennsylvania: Porter Wright's Ron Hicks is heading up the legal effort.

Nationwide: They're assembling additional surrogates and lawyers.

"We want to make sure we have an adequate supply of manpower on the ground for man-to-man combat," one adviser said.

The group is also staffing a campaign-style media operation.

The team led by Trump communications director Tim Murtaugh is now a surrogate messaging center. It will pump out "regular press briefings, releases on legal action and obviously things like talking points and booking people strategically on television," one adviser said.
They'll also make a big play to raise money for their legal defense fund.

Trump's formal legal team includes 2020 campaign manager Bill Stepien, lawyer Justin Clark, and senior advisers Jason Miller and David Bossie.

Reps. Jim Jordan and Scott Perry, as well as former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, are also advising.
Trump's team claims there is "no daylight" between them and the White House — chiefly senior adviser Jared Kushner and current Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

"We all have the same goal in mind, which is using the legal process over the next many days and weeks ahead to make sure that the president is re-elected," one adviser said.
​

I saw where over half the money donated to his “legal defense” will be used to pay Trumps campaign debt.

A fool and his money I guess.

 

[Tomb1]

As they sink more into their fantasy world, their goals and self-image become more expansive. They weave together new fantastic rationales for their circumstances in order to recast themselves as the star. They exaggerate their own powers and come up with intricate rationalizations to feed their self-worth. They put others on notice that they are a superior being and that admiration is their due, that others need to be rolling out the red carpet for them.

...At bottom, their positive outlook is a thin veneer for a despairing life. Threes have no true relation to others and their overconfidence is pierced by reminders of their failings and falseness at every turn. Now having suffered persecution from non-admirers, threes believe they have confirmation of their importance, of their greatness. They put themselves on the pedestal of a messianic figure. They have a sense that history begins and ends with them, as if the transition from b.c. to a.d. occurred at some benchmark in the three's life such as raking in the first million dollars.

...Their grandiosity is flagrant, maintained by disdain for reality, since reality is full of people who don’t share the threes' high sense of worth. Psychopathic revenge equates to a last ditch effort by threes to assert their superiority.

Stackemup Enneagram Description For Enneatype III

 

[Z Buck McFate]

LOL^. I thought Enneagram 3 types are workaholics though? That doesn't especially jive with all his golfing. He loves to talk about his alleged achievements, but actual work isn't really his thing. (The part about delusions of grandeur and attachment to fantasy totally tracks though).

I saw where over half the money donated to his “legal defense” will be used to pay Trumps campaign debt.

A fool and his money I guess.

Yeah, I guess it was in the fine print of recent campaign emails (that continue to get sent out, apparently). I've seen a couple tweets about it, but - since I don't get those emails - I've not seen it.

 

[Stigmata]

Axios Scoop: Inside Trump's legal warfare

President Trump plans to brandish obituaries of people who supposedly voted but are dead — plus hold campaign-style rallies — in an effort to prolong his fight against apparent insurmountable election results, four Trump advisers told me during a conference call this afternoon.

What we're hearing: Obits for those who cast ballots are part of the "specific pieces of evidence" aimed at bolstering the Trump team's so-far unsupported claims of widespread voter fraud and corruption that they say led to Joe Biden’s victory.

Fueling the effort is the expected completion of vote counting this week, allowing Republicans to file for more recounts.

What's next: Team Trump is ready to announce specific recount teams in key states, and it plans to hold a series of Trump rallies focused on the litigation.

In Georgia: Doug Collins, the outgoing congressman who lost to Sen. Kelly Loeffler in a special election to fill former Sen. Johnny Isakson's seat, will be leading the campaign's recount efforts. The team has also redeployed 92 staffers from Florida to Georgia, doubling its group on the ground.

In Arizona: Kory Langhofer, former counsel for Trump's 2016 transition, will serve as lead attorney.

In Pennsylvania: Porter Wright's Ron Hicks is heading up the legal effort.

Nationwide: They're assembling additional surrogates and lawyers.

"We want to make sure we have an adequate supply of manpower on the ground for man-to-man combat," one adviser said.

The group is also staffing a campaign-style media operation.

The team led by Trump communications director Tim Murtaugh is now a surrogate messaging center. It will pump out "regular press briefings, releases on legal action and obviously things like talking points and booking people strategically on television," one adviser said.
They'll also make a big play to raise money for their legal defense fund.

Trump's formal legal team includes 2020 campaign manager Bill Stepien, lawyer Justin Clark, and senior advisers Jason Miller and David Bossie.

Reps. Jim Jordan and Scott Perry, as well as former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, are also advising.
Trump's team claims there is "no daylight" between them and the White House — chiefly senior adviser Jared Kushner and current Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

"We all have the same goal in mind, which is using the legal process over the next many days and weeks ahead to make sure that the president is re-elected," one adviser said.
​

This is the type of shenanigans that occur when you surround yourself with "Yes" people that are too intimidated to be honest with you. It also doesn't help that he doesn't have a shred of self-awareness. Seriously, the longer he prolongs this, the worse he's making himself appear. History is going to absolutely bury him when it's all said and done.

 

[Jonny]

 

[Jaguar]

This is the type of shenanigans that occur when you surround yourself with "Yes" people that are too intimidated to be honest with you. It also doesn't help that he doesn't have a shred of self-awareness. Seriously, the longer he prolongs this, the worse he's making himself appear. History is going to absolutely bury him when it's all said and done.

Frankly, I think he's mentally ill and has been for years. It's what makes him dangerous - there's no line that stops him from doing X, Y, or Z as there would be for someone who is not ill.

 

[Stigmata]

Frankly, I think he's mentally ill and has been for years. It's what makes him dangerous - there's no line that stops him from doing X, Y, or Z as there would be for someone who is not ill.

I'm with you on that 100%. I think he's always been a bit of a sleazeball and a crooked businessman, but in the last several years he just comes across particularly inarticulate and unhinged. Nowadays he has no ability to stop himself from saying the quiet parts loud, which is partially why he's always finding himself in hot water. Even in this interview it seems his view of the US standing in the world and sense of nationalism has always remained consistent, yet he expresses his opinions back then from of analytical point of view and without the violent rhetoric. He just seems so less able to keep himself composed currently. You could actually see back then how some people could possibly find him likable.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

This is the type of shenanigans that occur when you surround yourself with "Yes" people that are too intimidated to be honest with you. It also doesn't help that he doesn't have a shred of self-awareness. Seriously, the longer he prolongs this, the worse he's making himself appear. History is going to absolutely bury him when it's all said and done.

I agree with all of this, and for the life of me don't understand how he still got so many votes. The joy and relief I've been seeing all over the country - people dancing in the streets all over the place - is validating though, and vindicates the absolute confusion over how anyone could fall for his con.

 

[Jaguar]

I agree with all of this, and for the life of me don't understand how he still got so many votes.

He brings out the best in people:

 

[Totenkindly]

I agree with all of this, and for the life of me don't understand how he still got so many votes.

It kind of eats at me that some of the polls were dead on the money (apparently fixed from mistakes in 2016) and yet there were these states where the polls were inexplicably off by even more than they were originally -- these battleground states. I wonder if they will ever figure out what happened or if the polling problems would persist without Trump in the race.

Just the fact that he invariably accuses others of doing what he is doing (so consistently!), it has to cross one's mind that somehow he has been gaming the votes... but of course I don't know how that would be done in those states nor do I have evidence of that, so I can't say. But it's just weird. And he has the fury of a man who not just lost but someone got out-gamed. Can you imagine if he did cheat in some way (besides the obvious ways being used, like undermining mail voting during a pandemic, slowing down the USPS, disenfranchising certain groups of voters) ... and still lost?

But anyhoo.

The joy and relief I've been seeing all over the country - people dancing in the streets all over the place - is validating though, and vindicates the absolute confusion over how anyone could fall for his con.

It still amazes me.

Elsewhere I mentioned to Aerix I thought he was charismatic. He IS charismatic, esp when younger -- but he's reached a stage where you either are won over by him somehow or you despise him. Those who don't see through the game thinks he's wonderful and worship him like he's some kind of god; those who do see through it find him repulsive. It's that kind of charisma. And he'd have to have it, because he's just not competent at least by this point in time. He's been operating in some kind of solipsistic fog for years. While he was still using his reasoning skills to justify his whims in early seasons of "The Apprentice," he seemed more sane at that point in time, and could be talked to. Not now.

I think Bill Clinton had charisma too, and it worked in reverse. the GOP hated him (and hated Hillary) beyond passion, whereas his supporters thought he was wonderful. (However, Clinton was actually extremely intelligent by any standard, even if not wise at times, and he had a remarkable recall of facts. Maybe he wasn't honest in his personal life, but he didn't throwing out fuzzy comments all the times that had no content.)

I am kind of amazed at how the entire world seems ecstatic (aside from a few countries, we all know which ones) over this turn of events. It's like a "welcome back" party. The church bells were ringing.

This is the type of shenanigans that occur when you surround yourself with "Yes" people that are too intimidated to be honest with you. It also doesn't help that he doesn't have a shred of self-awareness. Seriously, the longer he prolongs this, the worse he's making himself appear. History is going to absolutely bury him when it's all said and done.

None of this shit is going to work, is it?

I haven't seen anything in Yahoo News feed -- although they've been stoking all other kinds of fears. (e.g., ,"What happens if the president elect dies before inauguration?" and other stupid shit.)

I can't understand where they are getting this money from and/or investing it, without any substance to their complaints. Or are they SO dull-witted that they think they have things that really are no more than tinfoil hat explanations of how cheating occurred?

I mean, from a philosophical perspective, if I was gonna just look at how things unfolded -- the outcome has seemed pretty sensible so far in terms of why Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania did not work out for him and/or how the tallies came in. Same thing with Arizona. Georgia, the whole Abrams and Kemp thing set this up two years later, and we know they've been working their ass off there.

if people were going to cheat, things would not be this close, and the dems would have taken a Senate majority... The outcome seems believable based on circumstance, and the actual outcome does not seem to fit what would have happened if someone cheated. (Wouldn't have lost Florida either.)

But how would that be done anyway, with some of these states controlled by the GOP? And widescale fraud is difficult, because voting is happening in precincts and counties which all do things differently. Can you imagine all the people who would have to be involved? it's kind of like I'm not sure how Trump would have cheated per se either, which is why so much effort was put into the indirect ways to influence the vote.

 

[Stigmata]

I agree with all of this, and for the life of me don't understand how he still got so many votes. The joy and relief I've been seeing all over the country - people dancing in the streets all over the place - is validating though, and vindicates the absolute confusion over how anyone could fall for his con.

In my opinion, the amount of votes he received and the amount seats Democrats lost in the House is an absolute indictment on just how profoundly inept the upper brass of the party is at leading effectively. Most of the country supports progressive policies, yet the Democrats seem totally unable to gain ground with the constituency with this in mind. They have to find some way to shed their identity as the party of college-educated, city folks who snub their noses on rural voters and issues they care about -- Rural voters vote overwhelmingly Republican in most of the nation, yet would stand to benefit the most and often say they agree with progressive policy when asked about the issues separate from either political party. Until they can find someone to change their messaging to draw rural voters in, they're going to continue to get crushed, and that's if the right-wing political machine hasn't indoctrinated these people too heavily into believing Democrats are coming for their guns and are OK with abortions until the age of 35. It is a shame that the most aggressive you'll ever see a moderate Democrat get is when a progressive candidate is running against them. Also, moderate Democrats spend too much time singing the praises of Republican talking points and idealizing how they can reach across the aisle and work hand-in-hand with Republicans, not realizing that Republicans have absolutely no interest in working with them. Republicans, for better or worse, give the perception of being united as opposed to divide. The most effective campaign messaging this election cycle came from The Lincoln Project, which is a group of Never Trump Republicans. With everything that happened in the last 4 years, the Democrats let Republicans set the national narrative almost the entirety of the way. Being the party of not Trump simply isn't good enough -- It worked this time as far as the executive goes, but little headway was made with regards to Congress which was equally as necessary to be flipped. Until the leadership of the Democratic party begins to embrace the progressive movement as opposed to trying to contain it with the party, these races will continue to be close. Nobody is inspired by and interested in Democrats being Diet Republicans.

The idea of Trump was very attractive to a lot of the country who felt they were tired of big city Democrats paying lip service to the issues yet never actually doing anything about it -- They felt an outsider, primarily running a populist campaign, may be able to deliver upon the change that people so desperately want, as opposed to another lifelong politician with a boring suit and a insincere smile. Trump inspired people on the right who felt left out and disenchanted with the other offerings, providing that same jolt to the system Obama did for Democrats in 2008 but with an entirely different set of messaging points that catered to the right.

 

[Stigmata]

None of this shit is going to work, is it?

I haven't seen anything in Yahoo News feed -- although they've been stoking all other kinds of fears. (e.g., ,"What happens if the president elect dies before inauguration?" and other stupid shit.)

I can't understand where they are getting this money from and/or investing it, without any substance to their complaints. Or are they SO dull-witted that they think they have things that really are no more than tinfoil hat explanations of how cheating occurred?

I mean, from a philosophical perspective, if I was gonna just look at how things unfolded -- the outcome has seemed pretty sensible so far in terms of why Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania did not work out for him and/or how the tallies came in. Same thing with Arizona. Georgia, the whole Abrams and Kemp thing set this up two years later, and we know they've been working their ass off there.

if people were going to cheat, things would not be this close, and the dems would have taken a Senate majority... The outcome seems believable based on circumstance, and the actual outcome does not seem to fit what would have happened if someone cheated. (Wouldn't have lost Florida either.)

But how would that be done anyway, with some of these states controlled by the GOP? And widescale fraud is difficult, because voting is happening in precincts and counties which all do things differently. Can you imagine all the people who would have to be involved? it's kind of like I'm not sure how Trump would have cheated per se either, which is why so much effort was put into the indirect ways to influence the vote.

That was my thoughts as well. How do Democrats who only control one branch of Congress manage to rig an election? Most instances of election fraud committed by one party is usually when the incumbent is trying to maintain power. Also, does anyone actually believe Democrats manage to rig elections in two traditionally Republican strongholds in Georgia and Arizona, both with Republican governors and mostly republican state legislature, steal their state? Also, as you said, why leave the Senate then? The fact that it appears the Republicans will still control the Senate should invalidate most of the conspiracy theory nonsense. Biden's effectiveness is going to be severely hamstrung with McTurtle still at the helm of the Senate.

 

[The Cat]

Charismatic doesn't have to be anywhere near charming. And Winter is still coming.

 

[ceecee]

A first-hand look at ballot counting in Pennsylvania: "It is not cheating, it is democracy" - CBS News

Republican Philadelphia City Commissioner Al Schmidt says his office, which runs the vote count, has received death threats.

Man do I hate being right all the time. This is what a autocratic regime like the Trump administration, encourages and promotes - eating their own.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

Axios: Fox News cuts away from McEnany press conference after baseless claims of voter fraud

Fox News cut away from a Trump campaign press conference by White House press secretary Bubbles McEnany on Monday after she baselessly accused Democrats of "welcoming fraud" and "welcoming illegal voting" in the 2020 election.

Why it matters: The Trump campaign is pursuing a likely doomed legal fight to contest the results of the 2020 election based on the president's unfounded claims that widespread voter fraud and mail-in ballots stole the election from him.

The big picture: Georgia's Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R) told CNN on Monday that no "credible incidents" of systemic fraud or voter disenfranchisement had been reported to his office by the state's attorney general or secretary of state. A number of the Trump campaign's lawsuits have already been thrown out of court in several states.

What they're saying: "There is only one party in America trying to keep observers out of the count room. And that party, my friends, is the Democrat Party," McEnany claimed.

"You take these positions because you are welcoming fraud and you are welcoming illegal voting."

Fox News' Neil Cavuto interrupted the broadcast and said: "Whoa, whoa, whoa ... Unless she has more details to back that up, I can't in good countenance continue showing this."

He added: "I want to make sure that maybe they do have something back that up. But that's an explosive charge to make, that the other side is effectively rigging and cheating. If she does bring proof of that, we will take you back."

"So far, she started saying right at the outset, welcoming fraud, welcoming illegal voting. Not so fast."
​

Even Fox is cutting away.

 

[ceecee]

Axios: Fox News cuts away from McEnany press conference after baseless claims of voter fraud

Fox News cut away from a Trump campaign press conference by White House press secretary Bubbles McEnany on Monday after she baselessly accused Democrats of "welcoming fraud" and "welcoming illegal voting" in the 2020 election.

Why it matters: The Trump campaign is pursuing a likely doomed legal fight to contest the results of the 2020 election based on the president's unfounded claims that widespread voter fraud and mail-in ballots stole the election from him.

The big picture: Georgia's Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R) told CNN on Monday that no "credible incidents" of systemic fraud or voter disenfranchisement had been reported to his office by the state's attorney general or secretary of state. A number of the Trump campaign's lawsuits have already been thrown out of court in several states.

What they're saying: "There is only one party in America trying to keep observers out of the count room. And that party, my friends, is the Democrat Party," McEnany claimed.

"You take these positions because you are welcoming fraud and you are welcoming illegal voting."

Fox News' Neil Cavuto interrupted the broadcast and said: "Whoa, whoa, whoa ... Unless she has more details to back that up, I can't in good countenance continue showing this."

He added: "I want to make sure that maybe they do have something back that up. But that's an explosive charge to make, that the other side is effectively rigging and cheating. If she does bring proof of that, we will take you back."

"So far, she started saying right at the outset, welcoming fraud, welcoming illegal voting. Not so fast."
​

Even Fox is cutting away.

They (the GOP) don't need him anymore. They got Amy Kobe Bryant, they got the federal judges, they have the senate. They already hate their voters/supporters so why bother with Trump or the rest of his sideshow?

 

[Z Buck McFate]

They (the GOP) don't need him anymore. They got Amy Kobe Bryant, they got the federal judges, they have the senate. They already hate their voters/supporters so why bother with Trump or the rest of his sideshow?

Vogon Diarrhea-Face McConnell isn't conceding yet either. Makes me kinda wonder if he's scared they're going to lose both Arizona seats in the run-off (and Dems will expand the court, undoing all the packing he's accomplished). Either that or attempting to enable this coup is a "Why not?" type thing - if these past four years have taught him anything, it's that there are no unwanted consequences for anything he does, no matter how shitty.

 

[xenaprincess]

They (the GOP) don't need him anymore. They got Amy Kobe Bryant, they got the federal judges, they have the senate. They already hate their voters/supporters so why bother with Trump or the rest of his sideshow?

hahaha.