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Monday, May 28, 2018

Countering Trump’s “Media Brigade” Untruths


You know, it’s kind of sad that given the enormity of the personal issues and legal issues lodged against Donald Trump, he seems to be winning the “media game” by convincing a significant number of people that Mueller, the DOJ, and the FBI are “out to get him”.  As I mentioned in previous articles, if Trump is nothing else, he is a pro at manipulating public opinion through the media. The journalists that he castigates and calls bearers of “fake” news are employed by the very institutions that deliver his oftentimes untruthful and outrageous messages to the public. This is always at no expense to Trump, who continues to be the “grand recipient” of these gratuitous grants of free air time that he cherishes and exploits daily.

On the other hand, the Mueller team has been praised for their quiet, “no leaks” handling of the so-called Russia Investigation. However, in the media/public relations marathon, the “good quiet guys” at the special counsel’s office, backed-up by the FBI and DOJ, have been losing the media battle to the outspoken Trump media savvy brigade.

So, what has to happen in order to counter the Trump brigade?  First, if the authorities uncover and make public irrefutable and verifiable evidence of Trump’s complicity or guilt of some major infraction, that evidence would be something that the public would find hard to deny.  In fact, the public would have to accept these verified findings and Trump’s unfair, lie-based, media assault on the intelligence community would grind to a halt. However, that would require verified evidence that the investigators either, may not have, or is unwilling to make public at this time. These types of investigations are complex and oftentimes long.

Trump and his people are still insisting that Mueller’s probe be terminated because Mueller “hasn’t found anything” and the investigation is a “witch-hunt” and a “waste of time and resources”. Such statements are obviously untrue because Mueller has obtained several indictments and admissions of guilt by folks under oath. More findings and indictments may well be “on-the-way”.

Secondly, it is “high-time” that someone representing the Mueller side, blitzes the media with “true” information to counter the false and misleading daily Trump talking points and lies. This could be a key congressperson (or group of congresspersons) acting in capacities like Nunes, Sanders, and Giuliani act for Trump and the Republicans.

The conniving Mr. Trump knows full well that the traditional leaders on Capitol Hill are generally more gentlemanly (or more genteel) than he is. They are image conscious and are always careful about how they act and what they say publicly. Trump constantly exploits this difference in personal style and apparently sees this as their deficit, and his opportunity to ride “roughshod” over them, like he successfully rode roughshod over his Republican debate opponents during the 2016 Republican Campaign.

I would caution the Democrats to not “wallow in the dirt” with Trump and his people. That would be a mistake. You will recall that this tactic did not work out well for Marco Rubio. It just made him look like he was “sinking" to the level of Mr. Trump. However, by carefully using this tactic delivered by well-informed Mueller proponents, with discipline and decorum, strategy has a good chance of successfully countering the usually lie-based strategy of the Trumpians.   

Thirdly, it is past time that we embarrass Trump’s fellow Republicans into “pulling-him-back” when he makes outrageous statements and  accusations that are patently misleading or untrue. I know this would be hard task, because Trump acts more like a dictatorial emperor, than a democratic president, so this would be a “long shot” strategy. However, if the Republicans believe that their seats may be in jeopardy by continuing to give Trump a pass, this strategy might work. In fact, I was just informed that Senator Flake has just proposed this very “push-back” strategy. He may be a little late, but I say, “Go for it”!

Trump has always used his staff, like Sean Spicer and Sarah Sanders to peddle his lies to the public. He also uses congresspersons, like Devin Nunes, to shamelessly do the same. Without a doubt, Trump’s goal is to creatively sway public opinion in his favor, or at least, to “plant doubt” in people’s minds as to the validity or fairness of the Mueller investigation. Many journalists and others feel that this strategy is actually working for Trump. I fear that many citizens are beginning to believe that when Trump says outrageous things against the FBI, DOJ, or Mueller, that these things may ring true to them, because no Democrats regularly come out to refute the claims of Trump and his people.  Retired intelligence officials like Brennan and Clapper denounce Trump and his questionable practices whenever they get the opportunity. However, these men are now private citizens and they don’t have regular access to the media like the Trump brigade, and when they do speak out, Trump calls them liars, and remnants of the nefarious intelligence community that seeks to “frame” him.

Trump has a history replete with unsubstantiated accusations, deceit, and bullying. He has become successful using these methods. When Priebus and Kelley reined him in for a bit, he became very uncomfortable and eventually reverted to his old behavior. Their attempts to mold him into a president that all Americans can be proud of has failed. We are not united as a nation and Trump continues to fan the flames of division.

Over and over, Trump has demonstrated that he does not have the same moral compass as the average American citizen. However, many still flock to him, while others believe that if he has to throw American institutions or American values “under the bus” to save his hide, he will. They believe Trump is for Trump-period! However, he has always had this powerful Svengali-like effect on many lower, middle income, and rural supporters. This Fifth Avenue billionaire has managed to convince these people that he is like them, for them, and is the spokesperson and savior that they’ve been dreaming of. They really believe that he will deliver them from the evil “swamp creatures” on Capitol Hill. They don’t see the “con-man” that others like former NYC Mayor Bloomberg sees. They see him as the missing “political link” that they have been waiting a long time for.

Besides, bringing Trump to justice through indictment or impeachment, the best anti-Trump strategy at present would be to counter his lies with truth.  Trump and his emissaries must be regularly challenged.  Challenge the Trump lies and misstatements at the WH daily press briefings with Sanders. Challenge Trump when he parades foreign dignitaries before us almost daily. Challenge Giuliani.

The concerned citizen can easily observe that Trump is continually “playing all Americans all of the time”. He purposely uses his “supporter-Americans”, as a buffer and a security blanket to shelter him against those who would dare challenge him or rebuke him. His supporters are part of his group of enablers. If they feel Trump is wronged, they will likely “raise hell”, and it appears that’s what he wants! He stokes their flames at his rallies. They restore his vigor. They confirm his self-worth. In front of them, he is definitely somebody. He is a rich man with status and power that will do what is necessary to maintain his riches, status, and power.

In the alternate universe, in which many have suggested Trump lives, he is determined that no government “losers”, like Mueller or Rosenstein, will ever bring him down. He is determined to outsmart them as he has outsmarted others all of his life. He has no choice but to outsmart them because he knows he can never prove his innocence in a court of law! However, he also knows that he is darn good at muddying the waters, throwing shade, and manipulating public opinion. What he cannot win in the courthouse, he feels he can win in the “court of public opinion”. Is winning in the court of public opinion true justice if you know you cannot win in a courtroom? For him, yes! Because, for DJ Trump,” justice is winning”, period!

The critical point that needs to be made at this time is that the Trump issue has reached very serious proportions. Trump is trying to win a case in the media that he cannot win in the courts. He is pulverizing our brains with so many untruths that many folks are throwing up their hands and giving up in frustration, saying “I don’t know what to believe. Let politics be damned, I’m tired of it all!”

Why are we in such a delicate position here? First because Trump’s enabler-Republican’s have, up to now, been too afraid to try to rein him in. They are not standing up for civility, common sense, and truth. By enabling Trump to trample over traditional American ideals and values they are not only failing their constituents, they’re failing America! They are doing this for a man who is so egotistical and narcissistic that he’s willing to destroy the very fabric of our nation in an effort to obscure facts and recreate them to fit his own selfish agenda. He desperately wants to shield himself from the probable results of a valid serious investigation.

America, we’re basically allowing one grossly flawed man to hijack the entire country as he has hijacked the Republican Party, and he and Nunes have hijacked the House Intelligence Committee. This is not fantasy. The hijackings occurred right before our eyes, and we had better wake up! 

This nation is divided and hurting because of Mr. Trump’s destructive actions and his egotistical self-serving behavior. Enough is enough! And enough of us see him for who he really is to intervene and demand change-through the ballot box or the courtroom!

America can’t afford to have a silver-tongued man of questionable character, purpose, and values subvert and destroy America under the guise of saving it from the “swamp people” on Capitol Hill.

Mr. Trump, why do you propose to make an already great country, great again?  What are you really saying?  Will building a wall on the southern border make your America great again? Will denying NFL players their right to free speech and expression make your America great again? Will silencing wronged women make your America great again? Will hiding your tax returns make your America great again? Will resisting full and appropriate sanctions against Russia make your America great again? Does hijacking the House Intelligence Committee make your America great again? Does ducking and dodging an interview with Mr. Mueller make your America great again? Does prevarication and lack of information at the WH daily press briefings make your America great again? Will …oh forget it!

To many, Trump appears to be destroying America from the “inside”, while Vladimir Putin is hell-bent on destroying America from the “outside”. We cannot continue to let Trump have the last misleading word. We must effectively counter his constant Trumpian falsehoods, or risk his lies eventually morphing into truth in the minds of unsuspecting Americans. This may well be the result that he is striving for!

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