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You are here: Home / Politics / Trumpery / Dolt 45 / Raw Venality Open Thread: When Your Only Instrument Is A Racist Dog Whistle…

Raw Venality Open Thread: When Your Only Instrument Is A Racist Dog Whistle…

by Anne Laurie|  November 2, 201812:00 am| 44 Comments

This post is in: Dolt 45, Election 2018, Immigration, Military, Open Threads, Post-racial America, Republican Venality, MONSTERS

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Trump tells @jonkarl in interview that migrant caravan is bigger than is being reported, “which he says he knows because of his own estimates.”https://t.co/lKiUEoQEac

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) November 1, 2018

Eventually, even the media stenographers start to lose patience:

the reason people question it is IT'S NOT AN INVASION https://t.co/uX23VPLgh6

— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) November 1, 2018

Children traveling in a migrant caravan toward the U.S. stopped at the Mexican town of Juchitan on Wednesday, where they got a rare opportunity for some play time. pic.twitter.com/tfyTaYr1HY

— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 1, 2018

This is not a policy. It is, as Moynihan would say, Boob Bait for the Bubbas. And it’ll work on a fair number of people who are suckers for this kind of thing. https://t.co/QMvPDn5gqF

— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) October 31, 2018


In the same convo in which Trump said he'd deploy up to 15K troops on the border, he said there were 25-30M unauthorized imms in the US.

I'm not saying that it WON'T happen–military has said it's gonna escalate by some amount–but Trump inflates numbers, it's what he does.

— Dara Lind (@DLind) October 31, 2018

And just think how the military professionals tasked with implementing this crass kabuki feel…

JK: Active duty military can’t arrest people crossing the border—

Trump: “It depends. National emergency, covers a lot. They cannot invade our country. If you look, it almost looks like an invasion. It literally looks like an invasion. Oh I think so.” https://t.co/XKglbcS8dS

— Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) November 1, 2018

"I think everything that America stands for is much more at risk than any short-term issue of who's getting across the border," says retired General @StanMcChrystal on Trump saying he'll send up to 15,000 troops to the US-Mexico border https://t.co/oIQVz1KUFY pic.twitter.com/0qEnsCt5S4

— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) October 31, 2018

We had rocks thrown at us all the time in Afghanistan. Responding with lethal force is a fucking war crime. https://t.co/CqKYWfy3so

— Joe Kassabian (@jkass99) November 1, 2018

and that’s right. And now lieutenants are forced to tell their troops, pay no attention to the commander in chief https://t.co/1ksOGt8abf

— Gen Michael Hayden (@GenMhayden) November 1, 2018

The accelerating pace of crazy statements from Trump makes me think he's panicking about what will happen on Tuesday. https://t.co/14m2GHf4Sz

— Francis Fukuyama (@FukuyamaFrancis) November 1, 2018

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Reader Interactions

44Comments

  1. 1.

    sigaba

    November 2, 2018 at 12:04 am

    Francis Fukuyama’s on twitter?

  2. 2.

    BruceFromOhio

    November 2, 2018 at 12:05 am

    The accelerating pace of crazy statements from Trump makes me think he’s panicking about what will happen on Tuesday.

    Gee, ya think?

  3. 3.

    lollipopguild

    November 2, 2018 at 12:06 am

    We have a president who has created his own alternate reality and then lives in it. Aided and abetted by Fox et al.

  4. 4.

    Bluehill

    November 2, 2018 at 12:14 am

    I keep thinking it can’t get crazier, but I should have learned not under estimate trump. This weekend should be a white knuckle thrill ride.

  5. 5.

    Mnemosyne

    November 2, 2018 at 12:15 am

    “Throwing rocks” is a dog whistle to equate these refugees with Palestinian protesters who throw rocks at Israeli soldiers and get gunned down for it.

    Central Americans=Palestinans=Islamist terrorists to Trump and Miller. The rest of the world ia all just one giant undifferentiated mass of scary brown people jibber-jabbering in an unknown language to them.

  6. 6.

    BruceFromOhio

    November 2, 2018 at 12:16 am

    …Trump saying he’ll send up to 15,000 troops to the US-Mexico border …

    Hey Texas! Better stock up on beer.

  7. 7.

    SFAW

    November 2, 2018 at 12:17 am

    I am consoled by the knowledge that Speaker Ryan and Leader McConnell will act as the “adults in the room,” and rein in the worst excesses of their President, because they are “taking the long view.”

    ETA: Forgot to mention: I dropped a shitload of acid, plus some pineal gland extract from adolescent iguana, a short time ago. I’m wondering if they’ve had any effect on my ability to reason.

  8. 8.

    jl

    November 2, 2018 at 12:18 am

    @sigaba: At least we don’t have any ‘History’ bothering us anymore. That stinking history has been a big pain in the ass for all sorts of people for a long time. People got killed.

    @Mnemosyne: Same thoughts went through my head when I first heard it. Absolutely vile. I have to hope this sick garbage backfires on them bigtime and we have House and Senate next January.

  9. 9.

    NotMax

    November 2, 2018 at 12:22 am

    Waiting for him to show up, dripping with gold braid, to “take command” astride Mare Horse One.

    (Goes without saying a white, white, white horse. And a filly, as there can be only one First Stallion, don’tcha know.)

  10. 10.

    FlipYrWhig

    November 2, 2018 at 12:22 am

    @Mnemosyne: With a dash of Mariel Boatlift in there too. That’s where he gets the idea that someone has seeded the crowd of refugees with hardened criminals.

  11. 11.

    Ruckus

    November 2, 2018 at 12:24 am

    @SFAW:
    The “long view?”
    Have their noses grown that much?

    BTW I just got an email from Capital Weekly, and a bit of investigation shows that it’s a fake survey. From what I could see this is a “newspaper” in Sacramento, but I’d bet it’s a scam from every thing I could see in a short time. All my antennae are up and alert, just by what I’ve read so far about this.
    Anyone have any other info?

  12. 12.

    jl

    November 2, 2018 at 12:30 am

    @SFAW: ” shitload of acid, plus some pineal gland extract from adolescent iguana, a short time ago. ”

    These days that could be just usual affect of the latest news out of the GOP on the average normal adult. So, regardless of your current state, need to double check. Did you listen to evening news, look at internet or read a a paper earlier today?

    Edit: how much do you weigh? Minutes of GOP news per pound of bodyweight can have a big effect.

  13. 13.

    Platonailedit

    November 2, 2018 at 12:32 am

    George Lakoff

    Trump counts on reporters to chase his lies and distractions like dogs chase balls. Too often, they meet his expectations.
    Trump’s “big lie” strategy is designed to exploit journalistic convention by providing rapid-fire “news” events for reporters to chase. Trump spews falsehoods in a blitzkrieg fashion, but the lies are only part of the game. What reporters continue to miss is the strategy behind the big lies: to divert attention from big truths. The technique is simple: create controversy and confusion around politically-charged topics to stoke his conservative base and distract from stories that harm Trump.

  14. 14.

    NotMax

    November 2, 2018 at 12:32 am

    @Ruckus

    Might think seriously about reporting it to your state Attorney General’s office. Also to whatever state and/or county entity deals with internet regulation.

  15. 15.

    dmsilev

    November 2, 2018 at 12:32 am

    @NotMax: He hates animals, so it’d be a Trumpian version of the Popemobile rather than a horse. But yes, lots of gold-colored ornamentation would be involved.

  16. 16.

    Corner Stone

    November 2, 2018 at 12:33 am

    @BruceFromOhio:

    Hey Texas! Better stock up on beer.

    We’re not worried.

  17. 17.

    NotMax

    November 2, 2018 at 12:34 am

    @dmsilev

    Jared and Ivanka in a horse costume. First steed in history with two horse’s asses.

  18. 18.

    Barb 2

    November 2, 2018 at 12:35 am

    When the time comes – how about dumping Trump in a dog cage until his trial?

    We the people need to have an ending – as in he does not live happily ever after. Do the crime you go to jail. Follow the money trail – oh wait – that has been done. Contacts and links to the Russians and to Putin – the long history and business records – that has and is being researched.

    Trump in a dog cage – picture it. Children endured the dog cages.

    Shall we take bets? Will Trump walk away from his latest bankruptcy?

  19. 19.

    SFAW

    November 2, 2018 at 12:40 am

    @jl:

    Did you listen to evening news, look at internet or read a a paper earlier today?

    Only Fox, because everything else is Fake.

    I hope I live long enough to see Fox shut down, Rupert Murdoch and his spawn imprisoned for life, and Mitch McConnell executed for Treason. And Roger Ailes resurrected via zombification, and then immediately killed in the most gruesome way possible.

    And that is NOT the drugs/booze talking.

  20. 20.

    SFAW

    November 2, 2018 at 12:43 am

    @Barb 2:

    When the time comes – how about dumping Trump in a dog cage until his trial?

    Only if Mittens gets to put the cage on the roof of the station wagon when he takes Tagg, Grift, Schmuck, and Ronna on a cross-country trip. Maybe have Rafalca pull the station wagon.

  21. 21.

    Platonailedit

    November 2, 2018 at 12:44 am

    @Barb 2:

    The traitorous thug’s election, his abuse of presidential powers, and the 24×7 corruption at all levels has exposed how hollowed out the checks & balances myth is.

  22. 22.

    Ruckus

    November 2, 2018 at 12:52 am

    @NotMax:
    Already contacted the county registrar of voters but of course they are closed. But it’s on record and I’ll call tomorrow if I haven’t received any info. If necessary I will take it farther.
    But it smells like a ratfuck.

  23. 23.

    trollhattan

    November 2, 2018 at 12:52 am

    The Daily Show investigates Florida Man.

  24. 24.

    NotMax

    November 2, 2018 at 12:57 am

    @Platonailedit

    Checks and balances, though imperfect, works when all place stock in the oath of office. When one party – unilaterally – absolves itself of and effectively renounces any and all duty and responsibility thereunder, without immediate and dogged consequence, then things fall apart, the center cannot hold.

  25. 25.

    Wapiti

    November 2, 2018 at 1:10 am

    Looking at that list of units – lot of engineers, including horizontal construction (dozers/graders/scrapers). A lot of that could be used for constructing tent cities.* Some of that seems to be rear echelon stuff that might not have deployed recently and so might be available without impacting other missions too badly.

    I’m not sure how much the organizations have changed, but a couple of units I recognize from nation-building missions out of Panama 20 years ago.

    * Tent cities aren’t free. The tents come from somewhere. I wonder who’s paying or if they’ve even figured that out.

  26. 26.

    Another Scott

    November 2, 2018 at 1:17 am

    A good report from the trenches in Virginia:

    http://bluevirginia.us/2018/11/my-canvassing-day-in-the-heart-of-virginia

    ‘night all.

    3 days to go!!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  27. 27.

    Redshift

    November 2, 2018 at 1:33 am

    @lollipopguild:

    We have a president who has created his own alternate reality and then lives in it. Aided and abetted by Fox et al.

    I’d reverse that. I don’t think he’s creative enough to come up with this stuff; Fox creates it, Trump mostly amplifies it and closes the loop. Here’s been happy to live in that reality and apply his own horrible talents to it.

  28. 28.

    Geoduck

    November 2, 2018 at 1:44 am

    @Platonailedit: I really wonder if that’s giving Trump too much credit, thinking that there’s some conscious strategy behind all the lying.

  29. 29.

    Major Major Major Major

    November 2, 2018 at 1:56 am

    @Geoduck: I agree, but OTOH it’s fairly obvious and also the sort of thing he’d find in that Nazi propaganda he’s been said to read.

  30. 30.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    November 2, 2018 at 2:00 am

    @Ruckus:

    Have their noses grown that much?

    The report on the news last night from WestHo had a guy in a Trump costume with a Pinocchio style nose.

  31. 31.

    Dan B

    November 2, 2018 at 2:17 am

    @NotMax: The filly had better be a good reader for the pre-nup and the NDA.

  32. 32.

    sukabi

    November 2, 2018 at 2:23 am

    @Wapiti: that many troops with those skill sets…might be trumps way to get his fuckin wall built.

  33. 33.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    November 2, 2018 at 2:32 am

    @sukabi: I was thinking the same thing.

  34. 34.

    Shantanu Saha

    November 2, 2018 at 3:11 am

    @sigaba: If he’s on Twitter, it must be the end of History.

  35. 35.

    opiejeanne

    November 2, 2018 at 3:33 am

    @Mnemosyne: I heard this rock-throwing stupidity earlier today and the first thing I thought of was Beirut and Belfast, but I’m old.

  36. 36.

    Woodrow/Asim

    November 2, 2018 at 6:30 am

    @sukabi: You’d need more that raw troops; at a bare minimum the Army Core of Engineers would have to be involved, and I’ve not heard they’re moving south en masse.

    And even with their talents, building his Dream Wall would be a massive undertaking.

  37. 37.

    dimmsdale

    November 2, 2018 at 8:21 am

    So was Jonathan Karl the dutiful, worshipful stenographer who asked our favorite bag of dung the leading questions about Soros backing the ‘caravan’? Just trying to update my list of ‘top ten media figures aka ‘reporters’ who helped kill American democracy.’

  38. 38.

    FlipYrWhig

    November 2, 2018 at 8:41 am

    @dimmsdale: No that was Jonathan Swan. But Jonathan Kahrl is in his own right very bad.

  39. 39.

    sherparick1

    November 2, 2018 at 9:30 am

    @Bluehill: Peak Trump = Peak Wingnut = ~ + ~ (infinity + infinity)

  40. 40.

    BroD

    November 2, 2018 at 10:04 am

    Odd that Trump hasn’t taken Whitey Bulger’s death as an opportunity to point out what a HUUUGE mistake we made in allowing the immigration of Irish and Italians.

  41. 41.

    Cathie from Canada

    November 2, 2018 at 11:15 am

    Right after the election, the Pentagon will announce that the troops aren’t needed after all because the caravan has turned around/gone home/collapsed or something, because of Trumps strong leadership blah blah blah…And I will remember Emily Litella “Never Mind”!

  42. 42.

    sukabi

    November 2, 2018 at 12:10 pm

    @Woodrow/Asim: yeah, but this is trump we’re talking about. Planning things that actually work isn’t in his dna. He probably thinks that if you send the military down there he can have them start on the wall as “busy work” while they’re just waiting.

  43. 43.

    Hob

    November 2, 2018 at 12:46 pm

    @Platonailedit:

    The technique is simple: create controversy and confusion around politically-charged topics to stoke his conservative base and distract from stories that harm Trump.

    Here’s my problem with statements like Lakoff’s. They presume that if a topic is “politically charged,” then when people react to it, that’s just a distraction. So, leaving aside the question of what “politics” is supposed to consist of if it doesn’t include discussing “politically charged” things… what on earth would a “story that harms Trump” be, that wouldn’t also be “politically charged”? Trump is supposed to be harmed by something uncontroversial?

  44. 44.

    momus

    November 2, 2018 at 10:16 pm

    Just Remember, trump’s self-estimate of his inaugural crowd was “largest EVER.”

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