Trump's Got The Pleurisy

[Siúil a Rúin]

This post addresses the question of character and whether it's about 'not liking' Trump as a person.
I can appreciate sympathies for Melania, however when visiting detainment camps where children are separated from their parents...

Friends and party buddies for over a decade. Yes, that's Melania and Donald with Kingpin no. 1 and no. 2. Filthy Rich

Who is Ghislaine Maxwell?
Ghislaine Maxwell, Associate of Jeffrey Epstein, Arrested

Wishing her well too.
Donald Trump wishes Ghislaine Maxwell '''well''' AGAIN despite backlash and suggests he doesn’t know why she was arrested

British socialite and former Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell has finally been found and arrested, according to multiple sources. Maxwel who has been accused of being Epstein’s longtime accomplice in trafficking and abusing dozens of young girls in a sophisticated sex ring over many years, was reportedly arrested by the FBI this morning in New Hampshire on Epstein-related charges, and will appear in a federal court later today. Investigators had been searching for her for almost a year, since Epstein hanged himself in prison in August of 2019 while awaiting trial for criminal charges.

Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump's friendship: a timeline

Edit: It's important to point out that everything in this post is part of public record. It isn't cryptic internet memes. It is about FBI arrests, locations of real estate properties, attendance at social events, confirmed relationships, and direct quotes from individuals.

 

[cascadeco]

This sums up how I am with most things/people/discussions, almost all of the time.

 

[ceecee]

I don't feel any pity for Melania. Early on, before she was in the news much, the ambiguity allowed people to layer in potential assumptions about her character; but frankly at this point, she's thrown in her lot with her husband by what she has (and more importantly has not) done. She chose to marry him, full well knowing what he was (she was his third wife, he'd cheated on past wives, etc -- she knew she was just another link in that chain), and she bartered whatever influence she had over his behavior to maintain her own money and power over the years, so... what else is there to say?

I would not view her as a prisoner. The more we find out, surprise -- she shares views similar to her husband's. She married him, after all, and viewed it as a way out of her own unimportance and lack of resources. He was a tool to her ends as much as she is a tool of his. And what has she accomplished in her role? Nothing. Again, not even a partisan thing -- look at first ladies of any party and see them actually promoting tangible causes. Meanwhile, the most we got out of her was "Be Best" or whatever the hell that means, considering the few social media splashes she makes are directly undermined by her husband's behavior, which she publicly won't comment on and seems to blame others for.

But it doesn't much matter anyway, in terms of resolving the country's ills. She's just a bystander. Whatever.

This.

In the end, the "fuck your feelings" crowd wants tears and pity and they're not getting it. It's a rather pleasant experience for the rest of us to deny them the human decency they deny anyone not like them or who does not do as they say.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

I would not view her as a prisoner. The more we find out, surprise -- she shares views similar to her husband's. She married him, after all, and viewed it as a way out of her own unimportance and lack of resources. He was a tool to her ends as much as she is a tool of his. And what has she accomplished in her role? Nothing. Again, not even a partisan thing -- look at first ladies of any party and see them actually promoting tangible causes. Meanwhile, the most we got out of her was "Be Best" or whatever the hell that means, considering the few social media splashes she makes are directly undermined by her husband's behavior, which she publicly won't comment on and seems to blame others for.

This is more or less my position as well. At first I thought she was just a vapid simpleton who wanted a comfortable life and married the wrong sugar daddy (because her "Be Best" anti-bullying campaign to basically dissuade others from following the example her 'leader' husband was setting in his every waking moment just isn't the stuff of geniuses, or even the stuff of average intelligence). But the more I read about her (e.g. she was also a birther, she feels entitled to some special relevance without feeling accountable, etc), she seems to be quite a bit like him. Not as bad certainly - and she's not as bad as Ivanka - but she's not a victim either.

Where that recent tape is concerned, I don't fault her for resenting the Christmas stuff - or even venting about the kids, because she thought she was venting in private to a friend. I don't fault her for that, but there's nothing particularly magnanimous about her either. And she's in a position where some magnanimity would do the world some good, but it seems like caring about anyone outside of herself or her son just isn't her thing.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

This is more or less my position as well. At first I thought she was just a vapid simpleton who wanted a comfortable life and married the wrong sugar daddy (because her "Be Best" anti-bullying campaign to basically dissuade others from following the example her 'leader' husband was setting in his every waking moment just isn't the stuff of geniuses, or even the stuff of average intelligence). But the more I read about her (e.g. she was also a birther, she feels entitled to some special relevance without feeling accountable, etc), she seems to be quite a bit like him. Not as bad certainly - and she's not as bad as Ivanka - but she's not a victim either.

Where that recent tape is concerned, I don't fault her for resenting the Christmas stuff - or even venting about the kids, because she thought she was venting in private to a friend. I don't fault her for that, but there's nothing particularly magnanimous about her either. And she's in a position where some magnanimity would do the world some good, but it seems like caring about anyone outside of herself or her son just isn't her thing.

I just watched the tape of the recorded conversation, and I also don't have any issue with the Christmas comments, except that they are truly hilarious. That alone would make me like her. What I don't understand is the references to saying she tried to reunite mother(s) and children at the border and no one would run the story. Why did she wear an "I really don't care do you" jacket if she was trying to help? What message did she think she was sending? I think they like to say the "liberal media" won't share their good story, but why the jacket? That jacket was a rather extreme behavior to exhibit in the context, and was even odd that a woman who always dresses so carefully would wear something ugly, careless, smeared letter, etc. It was so overtly communicating disgust. Changing the story now saying she was fighting for mothers and children seems like a boldface lie. Also why wouldn't she want Fox to run the story if she cared about getting it out? It doesn't make any rational sense, and I'm getting quite sick of manipulative people doing that. They do it all.the.time.

Edit: A highly manipulative tactic I observed in various contexts is that a person will say two opposite things, so when they are confronted, they can use either in response. It's a weird game that I have seen many control freaks in difference scenarios use. It's not asking too much for people to make sense and be coherent and present a consistent view. Anything less should be dismissed as lying.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

I remember being surrounded by the QAnon "support Trump at all costs" crowd when she wore that jacket. I was confused by hearing people say it was an innocent mistake. How? What else could it mean? I remember explaining that I have a baseball cap that says "Sea You Later", and a person wearing something like that could be innocently inappropriate, but overtly saying you don't care is quite different.

I think what politicians do is rely on the fact that the public tends to filter reality and hear only what they want to hear. By presenting two opposites, you appease more people. Some will like her for being overtly dismissive, and then others can like her for making a claim she tried to help. She never led a movements like all the other First Ladies to help. It was news to me.

If I were a First Lady and accidentally wore that baseball cap by mistake (let alone an overtly inscribed jacket), and I knew a misunderstanding occurred where people thought I didn't care about children being separated from their parents, I would sure as hell let Fox or anyone run the story and would make overt amends so that no one could question where I stood. I'd put it in my Twitter, on my blog, on Facebook, on Youtube and all the ways I could communicate that are not beholden to the "Liberal Media".

What a farce.

 

[Totenkindly]

Edit: A highly manipulative tactic I observed in various contexts is that a person will say two opposite things, so when they are confronted, they can use either in response. It's a weird game that I have seen many control freaks in difference scenarios use. It's not asking too much for people to make sense and be coherent and present a consistent view. Anything less should be dismissed as lying.

Yup. Typical vague comments, so someone can claim to have been only "joking" or some similar excuse to slip away from responsibility for their comments and/or behavior.

I think if someone felt strongly about an issue, they would try to clear up a public misunderstanding... but no such thing here.

I don't care much about the Christmas thing either way, some people love the holiday, some people hate it, some just don't care much. Whatever. I mean, I hope the crazy decorations were supposed to be sardonic in some way rather than serious; then again, the rose garden was also stripped this year, I think personally I'd be more careful and try to preserve something from the past that was respected even if I was adding my own touch, if I gave a shit about considering others.

 

[Jaguar]

I don't feel any pity for Melania.

I just want her out of the WH, along with the other ne'er-do-wells.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

A "Tweet Storm"
Not sure what to think of that. Could he be hacked? Is the steroid dexamethasone affecting his mind, which is a side-effect? Is he actually feeling vulnerable?

Coronavirus Updates: Trump, On Steroids, Starts Day Four In Hospital With All-Caps Tweetstorm - Gothamist

Trump goes on tweetstorm from Walter Reed Medical Center

 

[ceecee]

A "Tweet Storm"
Not sure what to think of that. Could he be hacked? Is the steroid dexamethasone affecting his mind, which is a side-effect? Is he actually feeling vulnerable?

Coronavirus Updates: Trump, On Steroids, Starts Day Four In Hospital With All-Caps Tweetstorm - Gothamist

Trump goes on tweetstorm from Walter Reed Medical Center

This is standard behavior for him, I can't see how anyone would believe his phone was hacked. Or that his brain is any more melty than usual.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

Why did she wear an "I really don't care do you" jacket if she was trying to help? What message did she think she was sending? I think they like to say the "liberal media" won't share their good story, but why the jacket? That jacket was a rather extreme behavior to exhibit in the context, and was even odd that a woman who always dresses so carefully would wear something ugly, careless, smeared letter, etc. It was so overtly communicating disgust.

I've read that it was about her clothing choices. She was sick and tired of the media focusing on what she wore everywhere she went, whether or not it was appropriate, etc. So she wrote "I don't care, do u?" on her jacket. It's a stupid mistake to think that's how it's be interpreted. Her husband was quickly becoming the most hated man in the country, and a lot of that rancor was merited - it was still new for us, but it was still clear that he was a remorseless pathological liar who abused power (he was writing executive orders right and left as soon as he was inaugurated, he was well into "the media is the enemy of the people territory, etc) and he was a senseless bully from the start. So, being married to that and being party to that, I mean, OF COURSE the media is going to interpret her jacket through that lens. But it's feasible to me - if she routinely can't be bothered to anticipate other's reactions - that maybe she didn't take into account that people are going to interpret her words as coming from "wife of sadistic narcissist" rather than someone not especially affiliated with him. In short: stupid, but feasible.

You can't be a celebrity - let alone, First Lady - without anticipating that you have to be careful about context and how your words will be interpreted. If you want to be the kind of person who says what they mean without the slightest care how others interpret it (like it's not your job to make sure the meaning arrives as intended, your work is to choose the correct words and if you did that then you can unapologetically move on), then you have to take the consequences of misunderstandings. I can *kinda* get that way sometimes. And unfortunately for her, it's not a good look on a First Lady. But for the most part, since I perceive communication as the task of effectively communicating (not simply expressing myself into a void), I can't help but follow whether my meaning was correctly gleaned by the other side. So the jacket mishap (if giving her the benefit of the doubt) can be hard for me to understand sometimes.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

I mean, I hope the crazy decorations were supposed to be sardonic in some way rather than serious; then again, the rose garden was also stripped this year, I think personally I'd be more careful and try to preserve something from the past that was respected even if I was adding my own touch, if I gave a shit about considering others.

That red theme was like Christmas at the Overlook Hotel - and it would be pretty funny if that were on purpose. I didn't see the Christmas decor as disrespectful per se (it's not permanent alteration), but stripping the rose garden was. That's the stuff that leads me to dislike her. It's not a property they bought, she's not entitled to that kind of liberty.

 

[Z Buck McFate]

Now Bubbles McNany the WH mascot press secretary has tested positive too.

I really, really hope Biden didn't catch it.

 

[Stigmata]

Now Bubbles McNany the WH mascot press secretary has tested positive too.

I really, really hope Biden didn't catch it.

He had a negative test on Friday and he says he'll be testing even more frequently than he was before. If there's no news of Biden getting it within today or tomorrow, he might be in the clear.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

I've read that it was about her clothing choices. She was sick and tired of the media focusing on what she wore everywhere she went, whether or not it was appropriate, etc. So she wrote "I don't care, do u?" on her jacket. It's a stupid mistake to think that's how it's be interpreted. Her husband was quickly becoming the most hated man in the country, and a lot of that rancor was merited - it was still new for us, but it was still clear that he was a remorseless pathological liar who abused power (he was writing executive orders right and left as soon as he was inaugurated, he was well into "the media is the enemy of the people territory, etc) and he was a senseless bully from the start. So, being married to that and being party to that, I mean, OF COURSE the media is going to interpret her jacket through that lens. But it's feasible to me - if she routinely can't be bothered to anticipate other's reactions - that maybe she didn't take into account that people are going to interpret her words as coming from "wife of sadistic narcissist" rather than someone not especially affiliated with him. In short: stupid, but feasible.

You can't be a celebrity - let alone, First Lady - without anticipating that you have to be careful about context and how your words will be interpreted. If you want to be the kind of person who says what they mean without the slightest care how others interpret it (like it's not your job to make sure the meaning arrives as intended, your work is to choose the correct words and if you did that then you can unapologetically move on), then you have to take the consequences of misunderstandings. I can *kinda* get that way sometimes. And unfortunately for her, it's not a good look on a First Lady. But for the most part, since I perceive communication as the task of effectively communicating (not simply expressing myself into a void), I can't help but follow whether my meaning was correctly gleaned by the other side. So the jacket mishap (if giving her the benefit of the doubt) can be hard for me to understand sometimes.

That sounds like plausible deniability. If she was going to a social function, then it would make that statement. Going to visit a site of humanitarian crisis and having that be the one time you choose to make a statement about your wardrobe image doesn't make sense.

It also demonstrates a magnificently intense self-centeredness. I think that explanation that she was making a statement about people criticizing her style is bullshit.

 

[Jaguar]

“If you told me that somebody who was only testing, not wearing their mask, not distancing, and not taking every other precautionary measure tested positive,” said Saskia Popescu, a University of Arizona epidemiology professor and biodefense expert, “I would say: No shit, Sherlock.”

 

[Z Buck McFate]

That sounds like plausible deniability. If she was going to a social function, then it would make that statement. Going to visit a site of humanitarian crisis and having that be the one time you choose to make a statement about your wardrobe image doesn't make sense.

It also demonstrates a magnificently intense self-centeredness. I think that explanation that she was making a statement about people criticizing her style is bullshit.

It is extraordinarily self-centered. It does track with how she presents though: unapologetically extraordinarily self-centered. In contrast, Trump is always confabulating reasons for why he said something after the fact, and he's wildly inconsistent about it. She's pretty consistently unapologetically exceptionally self-centered though, so it's feasible to me. (Thank God she's not really important enough for it to matter either way).

 

[Jaguar]

I really, really hope Biden didn't catch it.

I don't know what he's going to do, but I would refuse to have any more in-person debates and switch to video. Since his crowd is behaving like reckless rodents, I wouldn't risk my life or the lives of anyone traveling with me.

 

[Lark]

“If you told me that somebody who was only testing, not wearing their mask, not distancing, and not taking every other precautionary measure tested positive,” said Saskia Popescu, a University of Arizona epidemiology professor and biodefense expert, “I would say: No shit, Sherlock.”

I was thinking about this, it was almost immediate when Trump got sick that his supporters came out with the old "my country, right or wrong" stance and the "whatever you think of him, President" lines but Trump actually has jeopardized US and world security with his attention whoring stunts.

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

It is extraordinarily self-centered. It does track with how she presents though: unapologetically extraordinarily self-centered. In contrast, Trump is always confabulating reasons for why he said something after the fact, and he's wildly inconsistent about it. She's pretty consistently unapologetically exceptionally self-centered though, so it's feasible to me. (Thank God she's not really important enough for it to matter either way).

I think it is generous to assume she is just self-centered. It won't resolve in my mind that way. I think it is overt. There have been so many times that public figures play stupid for strategic effect. That she knew it's public interpretation after the fact and didn't effectively fix it is equivalent to malevolent intent beforehand. I don't believe she is 'just' self-centered. I think it was strategically dismissive and a signal for the people who support the racial oppression and enable human rights violations at the border.

I respect people who can assume the best, which in this case is 'just arrogance'. I'm not able to settle into that assumption. It makes absolutely no sense to me.

Edit: This is the link
Melania Trump says 'don't care' jacket was a message - BBC News
Her team first says there is 'no hidden message"
Then she says it is about the liberal media criticizing her clothes. Okay then why not write "What I do, not what I wear" or "don't care what I wear". It's not that hard to find the words to convey that meaning. Even a first grader could do it.