Trump's mantra: "It's all about ME!"

[°Leprechaun]

Actually, maybe not really a quote, but certainly a good way to describe the gist of his presidency.

I am sure that you all can think of many examples. Take for example, when he used hurricane Harvey to pardon Arapaio. Now, in PR it's all about him. It's always about him and the fact that he is doing such an incredible job. What has he accomplished, little to nothing, and that is actually a good thing in his case. Nothing pretty much sums up the progress that happens when Congress and The POTUS are controlled by opposing parties, but this is not the case now. Trump does speak about GOP leaders in Congress as one might expect were they Democrats, however.

If you think that he has "made America great again", think again.

[Blackacre]

He's right. It is all about Maine. (heh)

[°Leprechaun]

He's right. It is all about Maine. (heh)

Well, it might be if ME is the tipping point state in 2020.

[°Leprechaun]

He's right. It is all about Maine. (heh)

Well, it might be if ME is the tipping point state in 2020.

You could say that "ME" is part of "US", if you so chose.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Perhaps people like this.  They say they don't, but most "strong leaders" make it about "them", do they not?  

People disrespect people all day long.  I think that most Americans secretly like Trump telling folks off; they wish they could do it themselves in more situations than they do.  Trump doesn't meekly take people crapping on him.  He takes no excrement.  Folks like that more than they let on, and respect that quality more than they do graciousness.  

[ProudModerate2]

Perhaps people like this.  They say they don't, but most "strong leaders" make it about "them", do they not?  

People disrespect people all day long.  I think that most Americans secretly like Trump telling folks off; they wish they could do it themselves in more situations than they do.  Trump doesn't meekly take people crapping on him.  He takes no excrement.  Folks like that more than they let on, and respect that quality more than they do graciousness.  

Wrong.
Most people agree that trump is an assh**e.
No one wants their president to be an assh**e.

[Virginiá]

Perhaps people like this.  They say they don't, but most "strong leaders" make it about "them", do they not?  

People disrespect people all day long.  I think that most Americans secretly like Trump telling folks off; they wish they could do it themselves in more situations than they do.  Trump doesn't meekly take people crapping on him.  He takes no excrement.  Folks like that more than they let on, and respect that quality more than they do graciousness.  

Public leaders - the president especially, are supposed to be more dignified than this. Like it has been said many times before, Trump acts like that guy "at the end of the bar." He doesn't think about what he says, and he is just by nature a crude man. That is not the ideal personality for a president, by far. They need to be measured, calculating and respectful.

I really don't see how there is any justifying his behavior as president. It's embarrassing, and at least going by polls, America as a whole does not seem too thrilled by it either.

[Mr. Smith]

Perhaps people like this.  They say they don't, but most "strong leaders" make it about "them", do they not?  

People disrespect people all day long.  I think that most Americans secretly like Trump telling folks off; they wish they could do it themselves in more situations than they do.  Trump doesn't meekly take people crapping on him.  He takes no excrement.  Folks like that more than they let on, and respect that quality more than they do graciousness.  

Then why didn't Tricky Dick beat JFK? Why didn't Al Gore lock up Tennessee or NH or Florida then?

Let's face it, both JFK and Bush Jr were far less like that, and yet they won.

McCain also should've done much better in 2008, and whatever he lacked in that department could've been made up by Sarah Palin over Mr. Class Act Obama.

Sorry, but you're grasping at straws here.

[°Leprechaun]

One thing about comparing Trump to the other presidents (43 of them actually since Cleveland is counted twice), is that the final verdict can't be made until he is no longer POTUS. Sure, for those like I who have a negative opinion of him, that will probably never change, but still I could see history's view of him being changed however small, by the rest of his presidency, particularly if the Democrats were to win either (or both) Houses and he is forced to compromise more if he wants to get anything done, and if the thesis of this thread is correct he may care more about getting things done than any ideology since getting things done makes him look good.
I don't think that the big picture will change, but it is difficult to say; certainly based on the past his future behavior does seem predictable.

[Xing]

It may be the case that leaders often do make everything about them, but that doesn't make them good leaders. I think that the best leaders are also team players, and value the people they are serving as much as themselves. It's hard to ignore narcissists whose life goal is to draw attention to themselves by whatever means necessary, but that doesn't mean that we can't do better than choosing them as leaders.

[Beet]

Presidents are often better at public-facing PR than governance. Dubya was the folksy guy you wanted to "have a beer with," even when Cheney was actually running things. Obama represented change due to his identity, even when his chief of staff was Rahm Emanuel. Trump is a showman, who excels more at giving circuses than making policy, which falls to Ryan and McConnell. This is the result of the fact that in order to get to the presidency, you have to win an election. But it's also the reason Americans are so frequently disappointed in their presidents.

[Santander]

Perhaps people like this.  They say they don't, but most "strong leaders" make it about "them", do they not?  

People disrespect people all day long.  I think that most Americans secretly like Trump telling folks off; they wish they could do it themselves in more situations than they do.  Trump doesn't meekly take people crapping on him.  He takes no excrement.  Folks like that more than they let on, and respect that quality more than they do graciousness.  

Leaders also need to give people a reason to follow them. If they don't, they're just tyrants. Tyranny is comfortable, though, and I agree that people do like it to an extent.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Perhaps people like this.  They say they don't, but most "strong leaders" make it about "them", do they not?  

People disrespect people all day long.  I think that most Americans secretly like Trump telling folks off; they wish they could do it themselves in more situations than they do.  Trump doesn't meekly take people crapping on him.  He takes no excrement.  Folks like that more than they let on, and respect that quality more than they do graciousness.  

Leaders also need to give people a reason to follow them. If they don't, they're just tyrants. Tyranny is comfortable, though, and I agree that people do like it to an extent.

Trump's base approves of Trump and follows him for the reasons below:

1.  He shares their views about nationalism vs. globalism.

2.  He approves of them and judges the folks who judge them, and he does it conspicuously.

3.  He takes an assertive, proactive posture versus our foreign enemies.

On an ego level, these folks are sick of being viewed as "white trash", and Trump affirms that they aren't.  Hillary's "Deplorables" comment was the gift that kept on giving; it bound Trump to his base and it cemented Trump's campaign as a movement.  And these folks honestly believed that the US was getting pushed around in foreign affairs and was engaging in foreign involvements that sent their kids to war, but didn't do anything for the USA.  Here again, Trump gave them a reason for them to follow him.

Trump's judgment in foreign affairs is, in actuality, surprisingly good.  People gasped at his rhetoric on North Korea, but the facts are that (A) this is a can that got kicked down the road for too long, and (B) Trump appears to be speaking in the only language Rocket Man understands.   It's not Trump's fault that the Bird Brained Lunatic has the H-bomb (possibly), and he's not done anything to botch a solution to what is an awful problem for the US.

Yes, Trump is a narcissist.  Most politicians are. 

[TheSaint250]

His narcissism is the single-greatest thing prohibiting a successful term in office. He should be working WITH Congress on health care and taxes, not leaving them to do it so he can sign them and pretend like he did something. He’s probably made his presidency much more of a figurehead position where his advisers are the main ones running the show.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Perhaps people like this.  They say they don't, but most "strong leaders" make it about "them", do they not?  

People disrespect people all day long.  I think that most Americans secretly like Trump telling folks off; they wish they could do it themselves in more situations than they do.  Trump doesn't meekly take people crapping on him.  He takes no excrement.  

Trump wallows in filth, self-created and rightfully heaped upon him. He just pretends it's gold.

[Fuzzy Bear]

His narcissism is the single-greatest thing prohibiting a successful term in office. He should be working WITH Congress on health care and taxes, not leaving them to do it so he can sign them and pretend like he did something. He’s probably made his presidency much more of a figurehead position where his advisers are the main ones running the show.

I believe Trump's actual agenda and the agenda of the GOP Congress are somewhat different. 

I believe that Trump's goal on healthcare is to "fix Obamacare", something much of the GOP wants to do, but no part of the GOP wants to admit is their goal.  He's got them to the point where it's clear Obamacare won't be repealed. 

[Tartarus Sauce]

It may be the case that leaders often do make everything about them, but that doesn't make them good leaders. I think that the best leaders are also team players, and value the people they are serving as much as themselves. It's hard to ignore narcissists whose life goal is to draw attention to themselves by whatever means necessary, but that doesn't mean that we can't do better than choosing them as leaders.

^This

Donald Trump makes solving issues exponentially more difficult by inserting himself into every debate and politicizing everything.

[TheSaint250]

His narcissism is the single-greatest thing prohibiting a successful term in office. He should be working WITH Congress on health care and taxes, not leaving them to do it so he can sign them and pretend like he did something. He’s probably made his presidency much more of a figurehead position where his advisers are the main ones running the show.

I believe Trump's actual agenda and the agenda of the GOP Congress are somewhat different. 

I believe that Trump's goal on healthcare is to "fix Obamacare", something much of the GOP wants to do, but no part of the GOP wants to admit is their goal.  He's got them to the point where it's clear Obamacare won't be repealed. 

But if it is his goal, then he needs to force them to do so.

[AtorBoltox]

His narcissism is the single-greatest thing prohibiting a successful term in office. He should be working WITH Congress on health care and taxes, not leaving them to do it so he can sign them and pretend like he did something. He’s probably made his presidency much more of a figurehead position where his advisers are the main ones running the show.

I believe Trump's actual agenda and the agenda of the GOP Congress are somewhat different. 

I believe that Trump's goal on healthcare is to "fix Obamacare", something much of the GOP wants to do, but no part of the GOP wants to admit is their goal.  He's got them to the point where it's clear Obamacare won't be repealed. 

I can't believe you still think Trump is playing 4d chess when all evidence ovwhelmingly suggests he's just a moron

[PragmaticPopulist]

Maybe I'm being a hack, but I have a feeling that even if Democrats take back both the house and senate, Trump will continue to double down on his base, because he sees them as his base, not the Republican base. This would further alienate the non-base, and therefore congressional Democrats wouldn't take any blame. Any bipartisan deal that gets passed might just be a temporary bump in Trump's approval, like we saw in the DACA deal.

[Celebi]

His narcissism is the single-greatest thing prohibiting a successful term in office. He should be working WITH Congress on health care and taxes, not leaving them to do it so he can sign them and pretend like he did something. He’s probably made his presidency much more of a figurehead position where his advisers are the main ones running the show.

I believe Trump's actual agenda and the agenda of the GOP Congress are somewhat different. 

I believe that Trump's goal on healthcare is to "fix Obamacare", something much of the GOP wants to do, but no part of the GOP wants to admit is their goal.  He's got them to the point where it's clear Obamacare won't be repealed. 

I can't believe you still think Trump is playing 4d chess when all evidence ovwhelmingly suggests he's just a moron

He ran billion dollar business and won primary and presidential elections against all odds. It's time to admit he's not stupid.

[Virginiá]

He ran billion dollar business and won primary and presidential elections against all odds. It's time to admit he's not stupid.

It depends on what you classify as stupid. Trump undeniably knows how to work a room, which is fantastic for a politician, but business-wise, Trump made a lot of very costly mistakes decades ago (as one put it, "how do you lose a billion dollars in the 90s?"), and he has run up a lot of debt. Nonetheless it's still something that he recovered and retooled his business around his personal brand, but I think it would be a mistake to call Trump a well-rounded man. By all accounts, he is not a good businessman. He is a good promoter, which was enough to win a primary and get elected against the 2nd most unpopular candidate in modern history.

As we can see now, he's really an awful politician. He can't control himself, is not strategic and doesn't listen to people. Most of Trump's big issues to date have been self-inflicted wounds, such as firing Comey and then basically stating it was due to the Russia investigation on live TV. That got Mueller instated and the rest we all know.

So no, while I'd say he has smarts in some areas, he is overall probably an idiot of sorts.

[Yank2133]

His narcissism is the single-greatest thing prohibiting a successful term in office. He should be working WITH Congress on health care and taxes, not leaving them to do it so he can sign them and pretend like he did something. He’s probably made his presidency much more of a figurehead position where his advisers are the main ones running the show.

I believe Trump's actual agenda and the agenda of the GOP Congress are somewhat different.  

I believe that Trump's goal on healthcare is to "fix Obamacare", something much of the GOP wants to do, but no part of the GOP wants to admit is their goal.  He's got them to the point where it's clear Obamacare won't be repealed.  

I can't believe you still think Trump is playing 4d chess when all evidence ovwhelmingly suggests he's just a moron

This.

Granted, Fuzzy isn't the only one doing this. You still see people on the right, left, and in the beltway media making this same mistake.

There is a normalcy bias with Trump. People are having a hard time coming to terms that the President of the United States is an incredibly stupid person.

He isn't some master strategist. He is your dumb racist uncle who watches Fox News all day and reacts to whatever they tell him. 

[Celebi]

He ran billion dollar business and won primary and presidential elections against all odds. It's time to admit he's not stupid.

It depends on what you classify as stupid. Trump undeniably knows how to work a room, which is fantastic for a politician, but business-wise, Trump made a lot of very costly mistakes decades ago (as one put it, "how do you lose a billion dollars in the 90s?"), and he has run up a lot of debt. Nonetheless it's still something that he recovered and retooled his business around his personal brand, but I think it would be a mistake to call Trump a well-rounded man. By all accounts, he is not a good businessman. He is a good promoter, which was enough to win a primary and get elected against the 2nd most unpopular candidate in modern history.

As we can see now, he's really an awful politician. He can't control himself, is not strategic and doesn't listen to people. Most of Trump's big issues to date have been self-inflicted wounds, such as firing Comey and then basically stating it was due to the Russia investigation on live TV. That got Mueller instated and the rest we all know.

So no, while I'd say he has smarts in some areas, he is overall probably an idiot of sorts.

Democrats really need to stop underestimating Trump if they want to win in 2020. Don't get fooled by his offensive and primitive style that is just a theater for public. He's without any doubt at least in top 10% most intelligent people in the US. Just because you're not his target audience doesn't mean he's stupid.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

No President in history said I, me, my, mine in speeches more than Obama. But memories are short.