Bob Woodward’s new book reveals a ‘nervous breakdown’ of Trump’s presidency

[Chomsky]

There were a number of President of the United States films in the mid-to-late 1990s (My Fellow Americans, Dave, American President, Air Force One). Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay for American President, which starred Michael Douglas as the President and Martin Sheen as his Chief of Staff. Aaron Sorkin was at the helm of West Wing in 1999 and cast Martin Sheen as the President. Sorkin rants in his screen plays and likes to use the same bits frequently all throughout his work. One of them was "proportional response."

Thanks.

I must admit I do like the term (proportional response), though . It has good value, IMO.

 

[PLizzy]

That "remove the papers" strategy is sick!

But you know what's worse? The President giving a directive to the Sec'y of Defense, who then blows him off & ignores it!

Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot!

I'm beyond words, here.

They don't take Trump or his orders seriously, unless his objective helps further a reachable goal of congressional Republicans, like court appointments or tax reform.

Other than that they largely ignore his tantrums and demands for illegal power grabs, which is pretty much the only redeeming quality of those individuals.

 

[Verax]

The recording between Trump and Woodward really illustrates the kind of person Trump is. Lie, throw everyone under the bus, pathetic excuses. This is completely unacceptable for a president or really anyone in political office.

The excerpts... that was the craziest **** I've ever read. Our deepest fears are right there, if he had been allowed to do what we wants, what he ordered, the world would be in chaos and it could have been really, really bad. If Democrats win the house in November they need to impeach immediately and push with everything they have. If there ever was a time to take a chance and stand up for what is right, what needs to be done, this is it. This isn't about politics anymore, it's about preventing this nuclear bomb from detonating.

 

[Lursa]

I'm sure it's a good read, but I wonder how much of my life I really need to devote to thinking about the guy. When the OJ Simpson story came out on Netflix I thought, "Yeah. No. That period in history was nauseating enough the first time around." When the dust settles and the Trump Story comes out on Netflix, I'll probably give that a miss too.

You dont have to read it. IMO it may have societal impact anyway.

Readers will react. The Donald will read it and react. "Heads will roll" lol, etc etc etc. IMO it will have downstream effects.

 

[Fiddytree]

Have you considered "Everything Trump Touches Dies" from Rick Wilson?

My list has to backtrack first. In addition to Wolff's book, Comey's book, and a smattering of other books about the 2014-2016 universe (Mark Lilla, Garry Kasparov, E.J. Dionne, Henry Olson, Karl Rove, etc.) that I still have yet to read but purchased.....my Amazon wishlist for the Trump era includes

One Nation After Trump-E.J. Dionne, Norm Ornstein, Thomas Mann
Trumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic-David Frum
The Assault on Intelligence: American National Security in an Age of Lies-Michael Hayden
Facts and Fears: Hard Truths from a Life in Intelligence-James Clapper
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis-J.D. Vance
The Populist Explosion: How the Great Recession Transformed American and European Politics-John Judis

There were also a few books by historians about American right-wing populism published over the last 28 years that are going to be worth purchasing.

 

[Chomsky]

They don't take Trump or his orders seriously, unless his objective helps further a reachable goal of congressional Republicans, like court appointments or tax reform.

Other than that they largely ignore his tantrums and demands for illegal power grabs, which is pretty much the only redeeming quality of those individuals.

I think that's a fair assessment.

 

[jimbo]

Oh noes. Mycroft won't be able to share his insights on the article with us. However will we go on with our day?

You post a link we can't read? Go to great lengths to tell us why you won't cut and paste the pertinent parts? And now it's Mycroft's fault that he can't respond?

Do we have to pass this before we can read it?

 

[Fiddytree]

Thanks.

I must admit I do like the term (proportional response), though . It has good value, IMO.

It's a tremendously appropriate concept. Anyway, I was trying to say Trump was having his "proportional response!?" moment.

 

[Zyphlin]

I'd love to say any of this surprises me, but none of it surprises me.

 

[Fiddytree]

I'd love to say any of this surprises me, but none of it surprises me.

One thing does strike me, though.

We all know about the old liberal canard about how modern (i.e. post-progressive era) Republican Presidents are decidedly anti-intellectual, incompetent buffoons, right? Every Republican President after Roosevelt gets tagged with this, often very unfairly. Well...we finally have one that is true.

 

[Mycroft]

You're playing logic games here. Facts may also be rumours (unconfirmed). They are not exclusive to each other.

Regardless, based upon his track record most of Woodward's stuff will be factual. Do with it as you wish.

Until these rumors are confirmed as fact, that is all the are...rumors. The track record of the writer doesn't confirm a single rumor.

 

[bluesmoke]

I don't normally do this, but I'm not going to cut and past specific paragraphs from the article. The whole thing is so banana-pants that an isolated quote here and an isolated quote there wouldn't do it justice.

While we've known for well over a year now that the White House was defined by dysfunction, the pure extent of it still somehow managed to shock me.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...ory.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.a6bac0df952a

Generic trump supporter response: "I don't believe anything in this article."
My response: "Good for you. Nobody cares."

If you were to copy-paste selective lines that are representative of the dysfunctional WH/President, all you have to do is copy-paste the entire article.

 

[Chomsky]

I'm sure it's a good read, but I wonder how much of my life I really need to devote to thinking about the guy. When the OJ Simpson story came out on Netflix I thought, "Yeah. No. That period in history was nauseating enough the first time around." When the dust settles and the Trump Story comes out on Netflix, I'll probably give that a miss too.

I'll probably try to make a little time to speed read it.

I'm a fast and voracious reader - no idea why - but at times it can be an asset. I was born with a thirst for knowledge, that I just can't satisfy.

 

[Kal'Stang]

I don't normally do this, but I'm not going to cut and past specific paragraphs from the article. The whole thing is so banana-pants that an isolated quote here and an isolated quote there wouldn't do it justice.

While we've known for well over a year now that the White House was defined by dysfunction, the pure extent of it still somehow managed to shock me.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...ory.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.a6bac0df952a

Generic trump supporter response: "I don't believe anything in this article."
My response: "Good for you. Nobody cares."

Who's Woodward again?

 

[Chomsky]

Until these rumors are confirmed as fact, that is all the are...rumors. The track record of the writer doesn't confirm a single rumor.

You're still playing logic games. I hope you've heard every tree that's ever fallen ...

 

[Chomsky]

My list has to backtrack first. In addition to Wolff's book, Comey's book, and a smattering of other books about the 2014-2016 universe (Mark Lilla, Garry Kasparov, E.J. Dionne, Henry Olson, Karl Rove, etc.) that I still have yet to read but purchased.....my Amazon wishlist for the Trump era includes

One Nation After Trump-E.J. Dionne, Norm Ornstein, Thomas Mann
Trumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic-David Frum
The Assault on Intelligence: American National Security in an Age of Lies-Michael Hayden
Facts and Fears: Hard Truths from a Life in Intelligence-James Clapper
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis-J.D. Vance
The Populist Explosion: How the Great Recession Transformed American and European Politics-John Judis

There were also a few books by historians about American right-wing populism published over the last 28 years that are going to be worth purchasing.

It may be a darling of the moment, but I really want to read Hillbilly Elegy!

 

[JANFU]

It's pretty frightening to read the President of the country needs to be controlled to such an extent. It's baffling anyone can in any way defend that.

They have since he ran for Office. Now consider this will be a book of bombshells, Trump Devotee Suckers, also known as TDS will continue to deny, deflect, obfuscate, and continue their long slide down the rails of Party over Country.
Next- consider this is just one book of many to be published in the next year or 2. And they will also have significant details, and shocking accounts of Trumps behavior. And the TDS will do as outlined above.

 

[Xelor]

They remove the papers from his desk and he forgets what he wanted to do. That's how they prevent disaster 85% of the time.

As I was reading the article I couldn't help but wonder if publishing it would eliminate that as a viable strategy. Or is trump just so far gone that it simply doesn't matter?

Red:
I wonder how many things simply never make it into the briefing documents Trump receives....Some quantity of things likely don't get to his desk because the USIC is equally aware that Trump is unhinged and likely compromised/compromising.

 

[Cardinal]

I'll probably try to make a little time to speed read it.

I'm a fast and voracious reader - no idea why - but at times it can be an asset. I was born with a thirst for knowledge, that I just can't satisfy.

And that's admirable. But I also know that thinking too much about this is unhealthy, and I have to take mini-vacations from the news to recharge. That doesn't mean I disconnect from my role in the Democratic process -- far from it. But this period in our history is very toxic and I think we all have to plug in and out at times to handle it better.

 

[Fiddytree]

It may be a darling of the moment, but I really want to read Hillbilly Elegy!

And for that, there's a companion piece or two that ought to be pursued.

https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Apart-State-America-1960-2010/dp/030745343X

 

[SoCal]

His book illustrates the dangers of what happens when the electorate elects an incompetent, lying man-child like Trump.

This the crux of the problem, everyone keeps pissing and moaning about the lech in the WH, but can we blame a 72 year old paranoid set in his ways? He can't help who he is. Do we blame someone who suffers from paranoia to the extent that he needs to be committed?

It would be like blaming your 12 year old dog for biting the Postman or your senile father who forgets about the stove and sets the kitchen on fire. We're always go on and on about Trump when it's Americans who're directly responsible. It's about time the focus is put the paranoids who find him acceptable and buy into the most bizarre conspiracy theories.

Thank God there're some in his administration who're based in reality, trying to educate and keep him from doing more damage than he's already done...

 

[Cardinal]

You post a link we can't read? Go to great lengths to tell us why you won't cut and paste the pertinent parts? And now it's Mycroft's fault that he can't respond?

Do we have to pass this before we can read it?

It's truly remarkable how one's political orientation will determine whether or not a news link opens for the reader. Did the Washington Post do this on purpose?

 

[jimbo]

It's truly remarkable how one's political orientation will determine whether or not a news link opens for the reader. Did the Washington Post do this on purpose?

You'll have to ask them. I can't get in to find out.

 

[Chomsky]

And that's admirable. But I also know that thinking too much about this is unhealthy, and I have to take mini-vacations from the news to recharge. That doesn't mean I disconnect from my role in the Democratic process -- far from it. But this period in our history is very toxic, and I think we all have to plug in and out at times to handle it better.

I can believe that, though as individuals we all have our own tolerances and individual responses.

I'm very happy to report I'm fresh off a "no internet - no cable" three day weekend. And I must admit it was pretty good. A little boring, but refreshing of sorts. I did find myself jonesing a bit late last night, though! So I checked in here!

 

[Lethargic Aptitude]

"more likely facts" does not equal "are facts". That means they are rumors.



It doesn't mean there is any truth to the rumors, either.



This isn't a contest between Woodward and Trump. Woodward needs to verify the factual accuracy of his contentions. If he can't...or won't...then his entire book is nothing more than a collection of rumors.

More than likely Mueller will do that verifying legally and undeniably.