Thoughts on Trump

My guess is that Donald Trump is pulling a Ted Kennedy.  Ted Kennedy knew it was expected of him to run for President.  He did just enough to make an appearance, feign interest, campaign a little.   I think he was relieved when he lost the nomination.   He knew he would lose anyway, too many scandals.

Now likewise Trump seems to be doing and saying everything to insure he loses in November.  Or, he might even pull a Lyndon Johnson..."I shall not accept the nomination..." to avoid going on record as being defeated.  The virus and George Floyd have come along just in time for him to pull this off either way.  As a past President he will have the glory, the yearly salary (pocket change for him), Secret Service protection, huge speaking fees, a presidential library.  Once around will be enough to satisfy his ego. 

As always, JMHO.

But there's one thing you haven't taken into account.

Unlike Ted Kennedy (or any other past President), he'll be targeted with multiple criminal prosecutions as well as civil lawsuits the moment he leaves office. The crimes he's committed while in office won't magically disappear. His eleven felony counts of obstruction of justice, his refusal to comply with House subpeonas, his disdainful disregard of the emoluments clause of the Constitution---all those are serious crimes, and he'll be held accountable.

Also, don't forget, whatever shield he has, obstructing examination of his tax returns, will fall away. He's certain to face prosecution for tax evasion. Also, examination of his returns may very well disclose his Russian ties and obligations.

So I think that he truly wants to win a second term, to keep all of the above from happening. Yes, he's going about that in spectacularly inept fashion. But he's always been spectacularly inept, lacking the intellect to form a cohesive strategy to campaign or to govern, and lacking the human empathy and common decency to understand what people want. His hate-focused "appeal to the yahoos" strategy in 2016 just happened to work. I doubt that even he expected it to.

Also, I doubt that his ego would allow him to "lose," and we all know that his ego drives him with a bullwhip. I think that what he's doing is setting up a whine, whine, whine strategy where he can blame his November defeat on the Deep State or Fake News or a Democratic hoax or something, anything, to enable him to tell himself that he didn't really lose.

And one final thing--he's acting like a fourteen-carat jerk. But that isn't any kind of grand strategy--it's just "Trump being Trump." He literally knows no other way to behave.

'Nuff said.

I agree with Kevin. I don't think he is trying to lose. His rabid supporters love the confederate flag and racism so Trump can't see past how that is actually a small number of people. Trump couldn't act and talk truthfully about the pandemic when it mattered because of his underlying paranoia that it would make him look bad.  Now he really looks bad. He has painted himself into the corner.

I think part of the play now is to rile up his base with "white power" and conspircy theories so he can go boogaloo once he gets defeated.  Do you think he will really concede he lost fair and square?  Do you think his supporters like David will?

Oh, of course not, once he gets pounded into the dust in November, he'll immediately start screaming about how the election was rigged blah blah blah. You might notice, he's already warming up that rhetoric now. Preparing to lose ungracefully. Scorched earth.

This will be a very ugly campaign season, because hate and division is all that's left in Trump's toolbox. He'll haul out the childish nicknames, lie through his teeth at every opportunity, and try to foment class and racial warfare. The issues won't get discussed--it'll all be about Trump, Trump, Trump and the latest horrid thing he said.

We're the world's pariah and laughingstock because of this man. We absolutely, positively have to get rid of him if we're going to regain our dignity and honor.

Once again Kevin mouths off about his take of forthcoming events - much like he did about the fire at Mount Rushmore. His hatred is obvious, his "facts' are nothing but made up lies.

Stalker has a sexual obsession with me, and it's frankly kind of creepy.

"Now he really looks bad.  He has painted himself into a corner."  (Comment from Mark.)

Exactly, my point, Mark.  He must find a 'winning' way out of the mess and go on his merry way. 

Who in their right mind wants the aggravation of President anyway, the way things are right now?  I bet even Biden is wondering if he could get out gracefully?  

Actually Mark and Kevin, you are making my arguments for me.

Edited to add:  Oops, I forgot about Kanye West.   Didn't he recently announce his candidacy?

I agree that is what smart, logical and sane person would do but Trump isn't smart, logical or sane.

??? Candy, I said that he wants to stay in the White House to avoid criminal prosecution. Therefore, there is no "graceful exit" for him--even a self-delusional one. He MUST stay where he is or he'll find himself in prison.

I also disagree that his gross ineptitude and self-destructive behavior are a sign that he's giving up. I believe that he's just being himself and responding to crises in the horribly incompetent way he always has.

And to answer your rhetorical question, somebody who is seeing the horror of Trump might want the "aggravation" of the Presidency in order to repair all the damage the Orange Asshole has done.