Trump watch (2)

Smashing! Let's see what his next approval rating is. Of the 13 polls taken by 13 different organisations (including CBS News) in January, his approval ratings ranged from 35% to 45%, his disapproval ratings from 53% to 59%.

I'd suggest the Democrat applauding Trump in your clip might be to the right of the party? Does happen you know. Not every Labour MP is a Corbynista.
I'm not suggesting he's the second coming of Obama (nor would I ever - 2 different sides of the political coin), but the speech clearly resonated with Republicans and Independents, and even a good portion of Democrats too. It does run contrary to the perception that his message and he, are out of touch with America. When his utterings are not filtered through the lens of the media, he comes across so much better - even if the lack of filter will always offend some people.

Not sure if that Dem is right of the party. Just made me laugh that Chuck Schumer told him to sit down when he tried to be spontaneous. Utterly fascinating to see the dynamics that are taking place.
 
I always felt sorry for Sean Spicer. He was the public face of Trump's early and significant dysfunction and didn't deserve all of the criticism he got. I think appointing Sarah Huckabee-Sanders was such a wise move on many levels. A tough and wise operator from what I can see. All the posturing and SNL stuff stopped the moment she got the job.

The Grammy's is a fascinating case in point. It got more political in the last couple of years and people turned off in their droves this year. Will the Oscars soon share the same fate? Then you have Taylor Swift getting significant grief because she won't talk about politics or condemn Trump - when clearly she understands that people don't always want to be preached at and by doing it, you can alienate half of your fan base. Just like Katy Perry is finding out.

I did think he would be one and done, but regardless, the various judicial appointments Trump has made that the media have ignored becoz of Russia, Russia, Russia obsessions will have a longer term impact on America than most people realise.

Re the press Less Twitter outrage, less "unnamed sources" lies and more clinical and deep journalism. It's a shame how far CNN has fallen in the past 2 years.
 
I'm not suggesting he's the second coming of Obama (nor would I ever - 2 different sides of the political coin), but the speech clearly resonated with Republicans and Independents, and even a good portion of Democrats too. It does run contrary to the perception that his message and he, are out of touch with America. When his utterings are not filtered through the lens of the media, he comes across so much better - even if the lack of filter will always offend some people.

Not sure if that Dem is right of the party. Just made me laugh that Chuck Schumer told him to sit down when he tried to be spontaneous. Utterly fascinating to see the dynamics that are taking place.
'His utterings not filtered through the lens of the media'

I think you've got this the wrong way around. Trump speaks to us WITHOUT even needing the media. I follow him on Twitter! I also watch him speak unscripted to his faithful at his rallies.

A speech however, is the one time when you're NOT listening to Trump, rather his team of speechwriters. Even Trump can't mess up a good speech. Does he really mean it though? I doubt it.
 
'His utterings not filtered through the lens of the media'

I think you've got this the wrong way around. Trump speaks to us WITHOUT even needing the media. I follow him on Twitter! I also watch him speak unscripted to his faithful at his rallies.

A speech however, is the one time when you're NOT listening to Trump, rather his team of speechwriters. Even Trump can't mess up a good speech. Does he really mean it though? I doubt it.
While he is on Twitter and at times excellent value, a lot of people are NOT on Twitter/Social Media, and thus the medias interpretation of what he says on there and on other places is what they see and think has been said. If see the WaPo write another story that contains "2 inside sources", I'll lose the will to live.

Did he really mean that speech? Yeah. He talked about jobs, immigration, USA USA USA (among other things), all recurrent themes of his oratory right from the very start. I'd say the one consistent thing is his focus on his ideals and wanting to deliver on them, even when he goes on tangents to get there. How often did he talk about tax reform in the past 2 years? A lot. The same about immigration and the deep state
 
So the Trump reckons he had 'tremendous success' in the mid-terms. Republicans consolidate control of the Senate, but lose control of the House of Representatives, which reliably churned out hard-line immigration legislation, Obamacare repeal and steep cuts to social programmes under Republican rule. Surely this means references to 'tremendous success' are fake news?

Trump is still an autocratic president though, and controls the judiciary, so I doubt he'll lose much sleep.

Trump can claim it is a 'tremendous success' as he now has an 'enemy' who he can blame when things go wrong or he doesn't get his policies through.

He can play to his core to try to get re-elected for a 2nd term which given his ego/narcissism is probably all he cares about. I can see it now with Trump claiming the Democrats are anti-US and anti-democratic (purely obviously because they aren't backing him) after blocking his policies*.

*Of course, ignoring the Republicans doing it to Obama.
 
Neither side really came out of that as a winner - the Blue Wave didn't happen as expected nor did the Trump growth translate to the ballot box in the areas he hoped. A mixed bag (and I suspect, a large waste of money that could be spent better elsewhere). I can only see the awful rhetoric from both sides getting worse now as it feels a more closer battle. But positives are a younger intake into the various houses - I cannot believe how staid their politics has become - and youth/minority engagement.

I wonder if Feinstein would trade the House of Representative majority for control of the Senate? The Supreme Court composition could become a battleground and with a firmer Republican grip in the Senate, it could swing it further to Trump and future Republicans. The fact McConnell has been pushing through judicial appointments before the mid terms will only strengthen their slant on the court system.

Now the Dems need to find a candidate for 2020 that isn't a Clinton or Sanders or too "left". So far, the cupboard looks bare for them.
 
Interesting Wall Street likes the result. Hopefully it will keep his excesses in check.
Before the markets reacted to his rantings in an unpredictable manner. He’s playing with peoples lives.Has he finished that wall with Mexico yet? Thought that was supposed to start two years ago
 
Trump misjudged just how much the suburban middle classes - particularly women - do not support his policies. He has now got something else (a Democratically controlled HoR) to blame for resisting the introduction of some of his policies, along with the whole of (it seems) the US media.

What a disgraceful display at yesterday's press conference, with the attempted neutering by Trump of the free press - in this case CNN's Acosta - for asking questions he didn't like. Trump told Acosta he was a disgrace and shouldn't be working at CNN. His press pass was later rescinded. Democracy in action. Policy via unopposed twitter.

I accept that not every Trump supporter can be a moronic hick, but some clearly adore Trump as an America-loving dictator who should be beyond criticism and is doing great things to make America great again and keep invading off-white people out of the country. The American economy has been on an upward cycle since well before Trump came to power, but he is, of course, taking the credit. Any politician would do the same, but personally I think it's a shame that the positives seem to stick to him while the negatives do not.
The voting demographics out there are interesting. Less white women votes, but increased minority votes. Cynically, the minority vote is the growing demographic in the USA, not middle class women metropolitan women.

Acosta is a moron. I watched it live yesterday and the guy is a preening activist, not a journalist. He acts in the provocative manner of a political activist, not as the top of the tree journalist that I assume he is. - he's not some blogger from Gawker or the Drudge Report so must be a good journalist. Stunts like that justifies the "fake news" tag to Trump and his supporters - Trump called on him and answered 3 questions but Acosta was determined to make it about himself and pull another stunt. And it shows why CNNs ratings are in the toilet. Sadly, I believe there is a top class journalist in there, but Acosta has lost the plot.

I don't think the Don is a Don or a Dictator. He's an extreme version of a sales person in the world's biggest job. While he is unpalatable to people (like most leaders are), their system makes it hard to be a dictator. Their economy has been helped by his tax reform without question, but the debt is eye watering as a consequence. Quite a house of cards they sit on!
 
Indeed. Interesting how the US is making no attempt to introduce austerity measures to bring the debt down, unlike our own government's desire to 'balance the books' to the cost of public services.

It certainly won't be as easy for Trump to influence what everyone in America should think and do given the mid-term results. No particular opinions about Acosta, but, however objectionable his approach to questioning might be to some, the fact is the free press has been silenced on the whim of the president. Trump may not actually be a dictator, but his supporters seem to enjoy such work.
It doesn't look it now - much to the consternation of traditional conservatives. They are debt fuelled and reliant on the coming recession not hitting them so hard.

The thing with Acosta is there were plenty of other pushy journos at that presser asking awkward questions of the Donald, but they didn't step over the line and act like a dick. He's made himself into this bizarre martyr with Trump with his seeming constant desire to be put down in public - I suppose it shows how far CNN has fallen that they think its acceptable. Leave it Fox News (or Breitbart) right? My gut feel is this one of those football bookings for persistent offending, rather than an attempt to remove free speech.

And Acosta can still report, but the privilege of being the White House has been removed.
 
Indeed. Interesting how the US is making no attempt to introduce austerity measures to bring the debt down, unlike our own government's desire to 'balance the books' to the cost of public services.

It certainly won't be as easy for Trump to influence what everyone in America should think and do given the mid-term results. No particular opinions about Acosta, but, however objectionable his approach to questioning might be to some, the fact is the free press has been silenced on the whim of the president. Trump may not actually be a dictator, but his supporters seem to enjoy such work.

Also, Acosta was actually calling out Trump on a bullshit claim and Trump lost it when he knew he had been called out on the lie so a reasonable point of challenge.

I like this Republican Senator's response to Trump and his hissy fit:

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics...0430279&id=50430279&__twitter_impression=true

I can see a potential legal challenge over the "fraudulent claims" by Trump's regime (he has used that term):

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...crats-trump-republicans-house-latest-livemade by Trump's regime:
 
It doesn't look it now - much to the consternation of traditional conservatives. They are debt fuelled and reliant on the coming recession not hitting them so hard.

The thing with Acosta is there were plenty of other pushy journos at that presser asking awkward questions of the Donald, but they didn't step over the line and act like a dick. He's made himself into this bizarre martyr with Trump with his seeming constant desire to be put down in public - I suppose it shows how far CNN has fallen that they think its acceptable. Leave it Fox News (or Breitbart) right? My gut feel is this one of those football bookings for persistent offending, rather than an attempt to remove free speech.

And Acosta can still report, but the privilege of being the White House has been removed.

And yet Trump has praised another in a tweet for standing up to Obama in a similar way. Considering Trump was being called out on spouting bullshit again and has constantly attacked any media that isn't pro him, I would suggest it is an attack on free speech. It has been sufficient for the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission to remind Trump of the rules so they clearly are thinking along those lines.
 
Also, Acosta was actually calling out Trump on a bullshit claim and Trump lost it when he knew he had been called out on the lie so a reasonable point of challenge.

I like this Republican Senator's response to Trump and his hissy fit:

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics...0430279&id=50430279&__twitter_impression=true

I can see a potential legal challenge over the "fraudulent claims" by Trump's regime (he has used that term):

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...crats-trump-republicans-house-latest-livemade by Trump's regime:
And other journos did it too from various organisations, so it was not unique to him - but Acosta being a spotlight hog made an a**e of himself again - the format of a pooled press conferences is set, but he persists with his grand standing stupidity and at times, not asking a question! Acosta had had 3 questions after all, so if he'd been less of a dick, he'd have worked with other journos to keep ramming the point home or got to the point quicker. He did neither.

https://nypost.com/2018/11/07/jim-acosta-violated-one-of-the-oldest-rules-of-journalism
 
And BTW. I dislike the tone of the media and Trump equally. This sort of BS does no one any good, and I wish it would stop. Asking supporters to go to people's homes, to harangue them in public is just not on at all. This election has been a complete disgrace in that regard.
 
And other journos did it too from various organisations, so it was not unique to him - but Acosta being a spotlight hog made an a**e of himself again - the format of a pooled press conferences is set, but he persists with his grand standing stupidity and at times, not asking a question! Acosta had had 3 questions after all, so if he'd been less of a dick, he'd have worked with other journos to keep ramming the point home or got to the point quicker. He did neither.

https://nypost.com/2018/11/07/jim-acosta-violated-one-of-the-oldest-rules-of-journalism

Trump had a go at 3 reporters in that Press Conference and his regime has potentially made up a 'fraudulent claim' to justify his hissy fit against what was a valid claim by Acosta still stands. That the Chair of the FCC has decided to make comment suggests there is a serious concern over free speech.

I hope Acosta takes legal action against Trump's regime over this. The
 
Trump had a go at 3 reporters in that Press Conference and his regime has potentially made up a 'fraudulent claim' to justify his hissy fit against what was a valid claim by Acosta still stands. That the Chair of the FCC has decided to make comment suggests there is a serious concern over free speech.

I hope Acosta takes legal action against Trump's regime over this. The
Acosta can still report on the WH, can still speak on TV, can still Tweet - where has his freedom of speech been removed? Access to the WH is a privilege for an exclusive minority, not a right for the majority. I can't go there and demand to be let in. to a press conference

CNN can still report from there, as it's only Acosta that been suspended, - it's not a permanent exclusion either. They even had other reporters in the room yesterday. Acosta finally pushed it too far with the aggression/anger/petulance towards the young female intern, and has been called for it. A proper journalist would not act in that matter. Plenty of others managed to act professionally after all.
 
Acosta can still report on the WH, can still speak on TV, can still Tweet - where has his freedom of speech been removed? Access to the WH is a privilege for an exclusive minority, not a right for the majority. I can't go there and demand to be let in. to a press conference

CNN can still report from there, as it's only Acosta that been suspended, - it's not a permanent exclusion either. They even had other reporters in the room yesterday. Acosta finally pushed it too far with the aggression/anger/petulance towards the young female intern, and has been called for it. A proper journalist would not act in that matter. Plenty of others managed to act professionally after all.

Ask the FCC about freedom of Speech as I would suggest this is the straw that broke the Camel's back situation with Trump's actions and comments about the media as far as they are concerned. Considering the videos, apparently making up spurious claims to ban journalists might have pushed it that way.
 
Ask the FCC about freedom of Speech as I would suggest this is the straw that broke the Camel's back situation with Trump's actions and comments about the media as far as they are concerned. Considering the videos, apparently making up spurious claims to ban journalists might have pushed it that way.
The video is a classic example of confirmation bias. If you believe she was assaulted, you'll see it. Etc. It's little different to what Corey Lewandowski did, if you are slanted as such, you say assault.

I'm sure the FCC can waste time on a law suit, but CNN are still able to report from the WH and it is a suspension, so I struggle to see how they will do anything but enrich a bunch of lawyers and divide an already divided political bases even further. It's not like the Trump Administration has wiretapped media opponents or such things.

I might suggest that the FCC have bigger fish to fry as well. If CNN were blanket banned, the case would be stronger.

Perhaps Acosta saying I was out of line would put a line under this mess. I've become the story, rather than reporting on it. Would take the wind from Trumps sails wouldn't it?
 
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