Paranoia and finger-pointing in Trumpworld as election approaches
President Donald Trump’s top advisers have plunged into a bitter round of finger-pointing and blame-shifting ahead of an increasingly likely defeat.
Accusations are flying in all directions and about all manner of topics — from allegedly questionable spending decisions by former campaign manager Brad Parscale, to how White House chief of staff Mark Meadows handled Trump's hospitalization for Covid-19, to skepticism that TV ads have broken through. Interviews with nearly a dozen Trump aides, campaign advisers and Republican officials also surfaced accusations that the president didn’t take fundraising seriously enough and that the campaign undermined its effort to win over seniors by
casting Democrat Joe Biden as senile.
Finger-pointing is a common feature of campaigns that think they’re losing, but it's happening at an uncommon level in this campaign. Shifting responsibility has been a staple of the Trump presidency — and his lieutenants are now following suit. . . .
Yet Trump himself is getting blame from his team.
Some people close to the president say he is partly at fault for the fundraising downturn. The president canceled some events during part of the pandemic and, unlike Biden, refused to hold virtual fundraisers.
Others expressed frustration over his decision to skip the second debate, which would have been an opportunity for him to gain on Biden, and over his erratic behavior in the closing days of the race. Meanwhile, reelection officials were taken by surprise when on the Monday call he delivered a 30-minute expletive-filled tirade against myriad targets, including Anthony Fauci.
If Trump goes down, people who know the president say, don’t expect him to take responsibility.
Michael Cohen, a former Trump fixer who has since broken with the president, said the culture of finger-pointing filtered down from a boss who never accepted blame. That, Cohen said, left lieutenants to fight it out among themselves.
“It can never, ever be Trump’s fault,” Cohen said. “That’s the rule.”
Stuff like this came out all the time in 2016.
It doesn't matter.
annabenedetti: I want to be able to murder babies.
Hilltrot: I think babies should have the right to live.
annabenedetti: Science is a tool to promote a leftist state. State-sponsored "scientists" should be followed blindly.
Hilltrot: Science has made mistakes before and we should be certain before destroying our lives based on something which could be false.
annabenedetti: Judges should be chosen based on whether they support the leftist ideology.
Hilltrot: Judges should be chosen based on whether they accurately apply written law.
annabenedetti: If I lose the election, I will attempt to overthrow the government, burn cities, and destroy my opposition.
Hilltrot: If I lose the election, I will attempt to convince people that they made a poor choice and support a candidate who may win the next election and support my views.
annabenedetti: Riots are free-speech. Talking about Jesus, opposing Islam, and things I disagree with are not free-speech and should be illegalized.
Hilltrot: Riots are not free-speech. Even the most hated speech should not be prohibited by the government.
annabenedetti: White people are evil.
Hilltrot: Evil people have many different colors.
annabenedetti: Men are evil.
Hilltrot: Men and women are equally evil.
annabenedetti: Fossil fuels need to be eliminated even if it causes poverty and misery.
Hilltrot: Petroleum needs to be conserved but there no reason to be concerned that they will either destroy the planet nor disappear.
annabenedetti: China is awesome and should not be inhibited in any way. China is better than the U.S. on civil rights.
Hilltrot: China is currently destroying civil rights while the U.S. is protecting them.
annabenedetti: Taxes should be higher.
Hilltrot: Taxes are ok at the levels they are right now.
annabenedetti: Israel should be destroyed and replaced by an Islamic state.
Hilltrot: Israel should be protected and peace should be supported in the Middle East.
annabenedetti: The Iranian government is good.
Hilltrot: The Iranian government is bad.
annabenedetti: The Green New Deal is awesome even though I won't admit it.
Hilltrot: The Green New Deal would destroy the U.S.
annabenedetti: Lock-downs are necessary for Covid.
Hilltrot: Lock-downs are not necessary for the China virus.
annabenedetti: Covid is Trump's fault.
Hilltrot: The China virus is the Chinese government's fault.
annabenedetti: Gender is determined by feelings an not sexual organs.
Hilltrot: Gender is determined by sexual organs.
and on
and on
Win or lose, I am right on all the issues. It would be sad if Trump lost, but I do have to realize that I am not of this world and the world rarely loves good.