It is simply beyond me that the dumb fuck republicans are nominating goddamn trump

[morningfog]

He needs only 46% of the remaining delegates to clinch it. The other two dipshits are mathematically eliminated and can't even figure out how to run defense to block the first round vote.

They are a sack full of morons dead set on destroying our country on that side.

[virtualobserver]

1. He is the perfect candidate for the electorate that they created.....

with their misinformation.

Trump read the signs perfectly.

[certainot]

61. 30 years of a talk radio psyops, unchallenged and

ignored by the left/liberals/dems

at a cheap $1000/hr x 15hrs/day x 1200 stations, rw talk radio is worth 4.68 BIL$/ year or 390MIL$ /month FREE for coordinated pro republican wall st think tank propaganda, disinformation, hate, and swiftboating

that's what trump is riding, that's what's blowing in his sails

he is 'acceptable', like palin, because the liberals ignored talk radio for 30 years

[braddy]

74. A lot, if not most talk radio is against him, and no one ignored talk radio, they just couldn't

compete in it.

Liberals used to dominate talk radio, but once Limbaugh arrived, we learned that instead of 100s of thousands of listeners to a 'winner' host, that Limbaugh could attract 10s of millions, that was the shocker.

While many liberals still exist, they just don't attract the audiences, we tried giants like Jim Hightower and Mario Cuomo, Whoopie, Jerry Brown, Franken, etc. but none of them took.

Here is wiki on liberal talk radio, there is lot's of it, just not big audiences.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_talk_radio

[certainot]

100. you're wrong on both

trump is limbaugh with good hair.

limbaugh supports trump by making excuses for him. he seldom 'endorses' anyone- in case they lose. there are a lot of others who love him- locally and nationally - but they're probably being careful not to bite their establisment gop masters. beck and levin are insane cruz nutjobs but i think you'll find a lot more for than against trump

why is clear channel 20 bil$ in debt? you're playing into the rw bs - here's the question -

do 95% of americans who would listen to talk radio prefer to be lied to and insulted and used? do 95% prefer the hate and ignorance of limbaugh, hannity savage and levin over hartmann miller rhodes schultz - all of whom competed very well and sometimes beat the others in heads up competition? there are a lot of racists and authoritarians out there but not that many.

the fact is that in mpst parts of the country, even in heavy blue areas, there are NO free easy alternatives. limbaugh is on 600 stations because they created a psyops monopoly for him. most of those 100's of others are some of the most ignorant untalented jerks around - but they repeat the same shit.

afteer reagan killed the fairness doctrine in 87 the rw built subsidized and protected a talk raido monopoly and gave limbaugh away free - yeah he's a very talented liar and rationalizer but you're suggesting mom and pop can compete with wall mart. they made sure the big stations were all taken and not available.

see republiconradio.org

[That Guy 888]

107. Also most of the unfortunatly named Air America stations were very low power.

Clear Channel experimented with stomaching a liberal station in San Antonio to try to squeeze some cash out of liberals. I had more luck receiving the Air America station out of Austin (some 120+ miles away) on most days.

They (Clear Channel) flipped Stephanie Miller's home station and it tanked, ratings fell to below low powered college stations. If people had an alternative that they could hear, right-wingers wouldn't dominate. Of course, there's the problem that they wouldn't be sock-puppets for cash-cow conservatives. That keeps liberals off the air as well.

[certainot]

117. i'll bet if liberals had even just 20%, the rw stations

would not be able to handle the competition- their ability to repeatedly lie comes from being unchallenged, and hiding behind cal screeners

and in austin that station was up against the limbaugh station endorsed by the university of texas

a disturbing trend, with more than 90 major unis broadcasting sports on, and therefore endorsing, a least 268 limbaugh stations.

[braddy]

113. Wrong about what? Limbaugh is against Trump, so is Levin and Beck, and Medved, and

Bill(?) Bennet, and a bunch of others whose names I can't remember.

Talk radio is credited with beating Trump in Wisconsin.

As far as Limbaugh in 1988, Larry King was the King of talk radio with his tiny audience, and then once Limbaugh hit the nation, he shot to 22 million.

There is plenty of liberal talk radio, they just don't do well, I've been listening to them off and on since the mid 1960s.

[certainot]

116. limbaugh makes excuses for him. when gop establishment decides

to pay him off to dump/swiftboat trump it will be apparent.

the king of conservatism likes the guy that's channeling 25 years of limbaugh, and he may criticize him some, like he does all from his diminishing perch, but unless he's been doing it in the last week or two he is not 'against' trump.

yes, in wisconsin the main local blowhards like sykes are part of the walker/koch machine- the first batch of emails showed a close collaboration - andd many of the main local blowhards are growing balls after sniffing limbaugh's butt for 20 years - limbaugh's losing power and they're sensing it. it is also true that many wisconsinites blame limbaugh for dumping walker for trump.

like i said, it is a well protected monopoly. 95% - 5% got nothing to do with market demand - there are very blue places with no liberal talk and multiple overlapping rw radio. it was created to do what it has done and because the left let it happen it has been very successful. they bought up all the big stations and gave limbaugh away free and ended up with 1000 - 1500 of them.

like i said - mom and pop vs wallmart - they can't handle the competition /truth so they can't allow it and the left/dems have made the biggest political mistake in history ignoring it.

at a cheap $1000/hr x 15hrs/day x 1200 stations, rw talk radio is worth 4.68 BIL$/ year or 390MIL$ /month FREE for coordinated pro republican wall st think tank propaganda, hate, and swiftboating

here's some talk radio CIA history : http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-libmedia.htm

[certainot]

118. also, the larger fact is trump and his supporters ARE RW radio

25 unchallenged years of it - half of what he spews is acceptable because it's alredy been pounded into the earholes of 50 million people a week.

and this:
at a cheap $1000/hr x 15hrs/day x 1200 stations, rw talk radio is worth 4.68 BIL$/ year or 390MIL$ /month FREE for coordinated pro republican wall st think tank propaganda, hate, and swiftboating


is why the GOP PAC money can't beat him - it doesn't matter that much some talk radio gods are against him now - they've already done their work and he's the beneficiary. the risk for them is alienating their core audience. although they have an unparalleled capacity for hypocrisy and following the leader. if those trumpists don't get what they want at the convention there's a real possibility they'll dump their talk radio gods for treason

[Hortensis]

120. Sure. I remember. For those who haven't thought

Last edited Thu Apr 28, 2016, 08:58 AM - Edit history (1)

about the different audience types, one problem is that liberal talk radio listeners tend to want facts and information and don't need to connect to a group of people "like themselves" as much as conservatives do. Conservatives tend to want reassurance and a feeling of being part of a community that feels as they do. That's before issues themselves are even addressed.

Programming that works for left wing audiences just does not work for the right wing, and vice versa. Written material conveys more information, is more portable, and ican be rechecked. And, of course talk radio is better for a feeling of connection and companionship.

So no surprise that left wing talk radio has much smaller audiences and has never produced a Limbaugh, much less a crowd of them, and right wing talk radio draws far more people and does not do segments on the intersection of suburban spread and the bull moose of northern Maine.

[certainot]

122. liberals always get this wrong - it's rw propaganda

what you are saying does not explain why 95% of talk radio is so false and irrational.

it's a propaganda monopoly and they know they have to exclude liberal talk to be able to lie all day and sell it - it has to go unchallenged

it's mom and pop vs wall mart - wall mart wins because it big

liberal radio has regularly beaten the main rw blowhards in heads up competition - which is why the right has to protect its monopoly

clear channel is 20 $BIL in debt, but they maintain the rw radio monopoly because its worth trillions in war, deregulation, global warming denial, etc

the factors you're talking about might explain a 75 - 25 % ratio, but that would destroy rw radio because it couldn't handle the truth and competition. but 95 - 5% suggests americans all over the country with no other free easy alternatives for politics and current events while driving and working etc are total fucking teabagger nutjobs who like being lied to and made into fools..

[Hortensis]

123. First comes the audience. Without demand, there is no sale.

[certainot]

130. you wouldn't subsidize rw radio for billions to make trillions?

in war, global warming denial, deregulation, and tax breaks for billionaires?

it's a propaganda operation/monopoly worth at least $390MIL/MONTH FREE for republicans ($1000/hr for an infomercial is pretty cheap), paid for by idiot advertisers and now the main company is 20 bil in debt because of stoprush and flushrush

when given a choice, the demand would reduce limbaugh to 50 stations in the swamps somewhere

[Hortensis]

131. First comes the demand, and yes, megabucks were

invested in helping develop it to today's rabid pitch. But first comes demand, then comes the sale.

You remember that old thing about some people can be fooled all the time? It's not because they're cognitively deficient, it's because they insist on being lied to, being told what they want to hear.

Fox News was created as a mainly commercial venture because Roger Ailes knew a lot of conservatives were unhappy with fairly honest news and recognized a very large unmet demand for right-skewed news.

[certainot]

132. you don't need demand if you're just going to

repeat a lie to a captive audience until they believe it because no one refuted it in real time

if 1200 radio stations blast the country constantly about what a criminal mike brown is, well, guess what.

if 1200 radio stations blast the country for 15 years after bush rove cheney stole the 2000 election with blaming democrats for trying to steal elections with hanging chads and corrupt and expensive vote counting and voter fraud schemes and undocumented workers voting for dems etc, coupled with mexican criminals and terrorists coming across the border, which is what i heard, then it's a lot easier to pass voter suppression and id laws.

same for single payer with 25 years of lies and distortions about canadian and euro health nightmares

when they scream about men with penises in bathrooms, which is what i heard, with your daughter then NC is a lot easier.

when you blast the country with ebola scaremongering and benghazi and south american children bringing disease to our schools and blame obama for it just before an election you can bring out the vote, which is why all the ebola stories all ended right after the election.

with 1200 republican think tanks scripted radio stations they can coordinate the timing and location of all that for maximum effect

[Hortensis]

133. You are creating demand, but yes many

leaders have pointed out that if you repeat a lie often enough people will believe it. So terribly true. But let's not let "people" off the hook. Informing ourselves is OUR responsibility, no one else's. In the Information Age

* Being too lazy to check important info is shameful and no excuse.
* Wanting to believe lies is extremely immoral and worse than no excuse.

Our job is to be good citizens. If we fail to do that, others will always make decisions for us. That has been reality all the way back to when we spent most of our time picking bugs out of each others' fur.

IMO, for too many the bottom line is "they" did it. Always blaming others instead of our own failure of duty.

The real bottom line is that we are ultimately the "they" who failed and betrayed ourselves. It cannot be done to us without our help, whether the complete negligence of paying no attention, passive collusion, or active support. A prime example is willfully and deliberately choosing to tune the radio to "lies and the lying liars who tell them" as Al Franken put it in his book title.

[certainot]

121. BTW limbaugh just said trump speech was major

important, etc, and the most important line is the one where he rejects 'globalism'

[lunasun]

2. i dunno most i have run into are loud mouth haters of various sorts only concerned about themselves

Seems like they have a good rep for their party imo

Good for the rest of us sane folk?
hell no

[RKP5637]

3. Well said! I guess they want troops in the streets and a dystopia to live in. Much of America is

comprised of know-nothing fools. They want a full-fledged fascist country. FFS, our educational system sucks so badly. Welcome to Idiocracy, former home of the USA.

[Funtatlaguy]

5. Bingo

Exactly

[world wide wally]

69. key word: Idiocracy

Here is something I never hear about that really bothers me. The RW always talk about "liberty" and "freedom", but their solution to every problem is attacking someone or something else. You never hear them say, "I just want to be left alone to live my life".

[RKP5637]

71. Yep, the R's are always about discrimination and controlling other peoples lives and bodies. n/t

[smirkymonkey]

85. That's pretty much it in a nutshell.

Why is that I wonder? Why can't they just live and let live?

[LuckyLib]

109. You also never hear them say, "Let's discuss this, consider the issues, and come to

a compromise we can live with." That's democracy . . . thinking in terms of the commonwealth. Many in the current R party can' t get there. They've turned us into a banana republic.

[Agnosticsherbet]

4. I'm not surprised at all. Trump promises to return them to a time when only White Men were President

That makes them feel safe.

He promises to save them from non-white people with a wall. That makes them feel safe.

He promises to save them from Muslims. That makes them feel safe.

He promises to save them from foreigners who are stealing their money and jobs. That makes them feel safe.

He promises to save them from women who do not know their place. That makes them feel safe.

He promises to save them from LGBT citizens. That makes them feel safe.

He is a demagogue that plays on the basest fears of his voters and promises to be a strongman and make them feel safe again.


It has nothing to do with Republicans being dumb. For the most part, they are not dumb. The world has changed, and they are are terrified that it will never be what the fantasy they thought it was. He makes them feel safe.

[HughBeaumont]

6. So, essentially, Trump and his fan club think he's running for United States Dictator.

Because a totalitarian dictatorship . . . the kind that these mental midgets always accuse US of wanting . . . will be the only way he gets any of that accomplished.

For the most part, they ARE dumb. And yes, I will call grown adults who refute science, governmental constructs and civil rights to believe stories dumb as a bag of hammers. If the shoe fits, the shoe fits.

[Agnosticsherbet]

87. Yes, he is. I think when we resort to calling them dumb we underestimate them.

[HughBeaumont]

97. Seen this?

Not exactly an Algonquin Round table here.

There are no good or smart reasons to throw civil, human, labor and voting rights down the crapper. There just aren't.

[pampango]

8. A RW demagogue who plays on fears and promises to protect 'real' Americans (white men).

That about sums it up. The world was 'simpler' for a couple of decades after WWII when Europe and Asia were destroyed and white men got the best of everything in the US. Bring back the 'good ol' days - 'good' at least for American white men.

[hamsterjill]

24. A simply GREAT analysis!!!

These types of voters like to feel big and tough, talk tough, act tough, bravado, etc. Trump is their surrogate.

Being tough is an entirely different thing.

[elljay]

32. And that differs

from any other Republican exactly how? As far as I can tell, the only difference with Trump is that he has no filter. The others agree with most of his noxious positions (and disagree with the few good positions he has, like opposition to TPP) but have the common sense not to admit it in public.

[Agnosticsherbet]

88. Trump is the most open about it. Because he was open, he has won the most voters.

Republicans tend to talk in code. Trump does not speak code.

[sofa king]

47. You nailed that to the wall.

Here is Trump's operations manual, "Political Conservatism as Motivated Social Cognition," by Jost, Glaser and Sulloway:

http://www.sulloway.org/PoliticalConservatism(2003).pdf (sorry, the parentheses kill the link; you'll have to enter it manually or look up the title in quotes above)

Bottom line is that right-wing authoritarians are motivated by fear, and particularly fear of change. All of us are susceptible to manipulation by fear, but only RWAs double down on the lies when they are exposed. They rely upon stubbornness to cover for their stupidity, which of course makes them even easier to manipulate.

Hermann Goering summed Trump's plan succinctly:

The people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.

[hunter]

104. Link that works:

http://www.sulloway.org/PoliticalConservatism%282003%29.pdf

[sofa king]

106. Thank you!

Long ago I wrote an article about that paper and others, which I gave the gentle title, "Gun-toting Nazi Lemmings":

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5415300&mesg_id=5421432

[JustAnotherGen]

57. This is on point - very well said

[Amimnoch]

60. Brilliant and accurate assessment.

perfectly stated. Would make a great OP in and of itself.

[runaway hero]

103. Exactly.

The election is really white men vs women here.

[TeamPooka]

112. +1000

[lonestarnot]

7. At the same time mudd flap university and mudd flap are being sued for fraud. Very rich indeed.

[marmar]

9. He's a symptom of a larger problem and I think the point is being missed.....

..... economically, for most Americans, the country is falling apart. They see the future and it is bleak. So we have the establishments of both major parties advocating "free trade" deals that have cost the country millions of jobs, and pushing military interventions that have cost quadrillions of dollars. The Democratic Party's fatal failure is its embrace of these things, but the out-of-touch elite who run the party are beyond clueless.
So Trump comes along and rails against these things, and no matter how buffoonish and full-of-s*** we know he is, it's very attractive to a large segment of the population, along with all the racism and xenophobia. Third Reich Germany didn't happen by accident.

[JDPriestly]

17. A wishy-washy liberal government that can't stand up for the ordinary people preceded

the NAZIs in Germany and also in Austria. Much as I like Obama as a person, his administration has been exactly that: wishy-washy and unable to stand up for things like a good economy for good jobs, industrial strength, affordable healthcare, good schools, all the things that make a nation strong and prosperous -- not there. We can blame it and rightfully so on the the Republicans, but it is what it is.

And if Hillary manages to get elected, this will get worse. Her plans for America are pretty more same old, same old, nothing new to get the economy going for working people and only mild changes to the social structure.

So, it's probably a matter of time until we get a Trump or worse. He says he is against the TPP. That is a big plus for him.

We shall see. But the fact that Hillary seems to be on her way to winning the nomination may be the worst thing in the long run for some of the very members of minorities that have supported her. That is my opinion.

[marmar]

20. Couldn't agree with you more.

[world wide wally]

78. Is there any thread you cannot turn into an anti-Hillary topic?

[90-percent]

83. Also agree

And thanks for the Germany pre-nazi history and it's analog to the record of the two Obama administrations. Something about: "tyrants win when good people do nothing"

The Oligarch's have learned through their incrementalism (2000 anti democracy supreme decision, lies to get us to invade iraq, cheney would torture again because it works, we came we saw we died <giggle&gt they can get anything they want no matter how preposterous or illegal or immoral.

That's what I think the TPP is; the ultimate multi-national corporation orgasmic wish list that benefits them by screwing all of us. not only is it an aggressive transfer of wealth from the bottom to the top, but its a full blown transfer of NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY, as the secret corporate courts trump your puny little local, state and especially national laws! It's like it started as a wet dream joke, and some rich bastard said; "People this is no joke. WE CAN DO THIS!

-90% Jimmy

[uponit7771]

21. Trump is screaming about economic security to the economically secure, none of that matters to

... the working poor or poor.

"they'll take your job" is only meant for the people who have one already...

He's mostly talking to white men, that's where most of his votes will come from and he'll lose big like they last guy did

[marmar]

30. Whatever. It's not like Democrats are paying attention to the working poor or poor either.

The party since the Clinton era has cast its lot with educated elites who are concerned with environmentalism and boutique issues, but could give a frog's fat a** about economic inequality.

[Angel Martin]

125. Yes !

Trump vs the "Metropolitan Opera Democrats" will be a massacre

Not only will Hillary have less cultural connection to the working poor than Repubs, she will be at a disadvantage on economic issues as well.

http://dailycaller.com/2016/04/27/democratic-strategist-trump-will-beat-hillary-like-a-baby-seal/

[840high]

128. +1

[hollowdweller]

90. What you said is 1000% correct

[sharp_stick]

10. The Republicans have been screwing their base for years

Every election they yammer endlessly about how trickle down economics will enrich their poor communities. They've told their fundie wacko base that they will end gay rights and stop abortion and save them from the evil illegal immigrants. They've never done any of this.

The Republican party has known that they would never do any of this but the morons wolfed it down because it made it sound like nothing was their fault, it was those lousy liberals and the blacks, the gays, the secular humanists and Mexicans that were keeping them down.

They believe that there is a war on Christmas and that they aren't allowed to be Christians because it's being fed to them like pablum. Now you've got another one in the form of Trump who calls the leadership out on it and then rebrands the same bullshit as a populist savior. Once again the base eats it up because it's easy. They can be mad at the Republican leadership because it's still the fault of the blacks, Mexicans, gays and secular humanists but it was only the leadership that conned them out of victory over these horrible people.

I love watching these idiots eat each other up and hope that it destroys that party of hateful fucks for at least a generation.

This is a fantastic example of a Repuke leader blaming everyone but himself.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/03/15/national_review_says_pro_trump_working_class_whites_are_lazy_and_selfish.html

[ChisolmTrailDem]

11. It's a reflection of how far we've fallen as a nation when people are so stupid and clueless...

...they can be take in by the first charlatan or someone who can manipulate them who comes along.

tRump watched as the tea party took the repubes by storm, he paid attention to what made them popular and he took the worst of all of it and figured out he could tap into that hate and stupidity and that decline in education and morality that's been taking place in the country since Raygun.

[Hortensis]

12. MOST conservatives really dislike him. Almost a third

say they will refuse to vote for him. He never drew a solid majority of those who share his professed ideology. I think 17?% of GOP voters said on a recent poll that they'll vote for Hillary Clinton. Although he has many supporters, a good number are also using him as a protest candidate to screw over the GOP leadership. They know he's dreadful.

These numbers will change as the GE develops, of course. But which way? Conservatives tend to be loyal followers and many will want to fall in line behind him. But The Donald is going to be on full display as never before. He is going to come under the intense scrutiny of the entire nation.

The GOP was afraid to anger him into going third party, so handled him with kid gloves. We emphatically are not and will not. He's been functioning quite well while the standard was how-low-can-you-go among his own. We're now going to see how someone with full-blown narcissism disorder handles the intense stress and criticism from all sides of a general election neither side can afford to lose.

Most experts, including on the right, feel Hillary will slice and dice him like a big orange squash.

[JDPriestly]

22. The Hillary v. Trump race would be one narcissist against the other narcissist.

Interesting. Two narcissists going against each other. It's probably not the first time, but we shall see what happens.

Hillary is always about "I," "I," "I," "I."

Unfortunately, maybe the fact that Trump and Hillary are likely the two candidates for November says something about the narcissism of our society. Now that's an interesting idea for a book.

[Hortensis]

26. Personality disorders are real, JDPriestly.

Why not educate yourself on what narcissism is? And in the meantime please stop doing the work of the GOP in DU. Ignorance, real or pretend, is no excuse in the Information Age.

[JDPriestly]

27. I know what a narcissist is.

Hillary and Trump both qualify.

[Hortensis]

37. That slur about HRC is 100% false. And you posted it

about the Democratic Party's candidate for president for anyone googling Trump and narcissism to turn up. No one, except possibly people like you for reasons similar to yours, has ever made your claim about her.

For others, from Vanity Fair:

For mental-health professionals, Donald Trump is at once easily diagnosed but slightly confounding.

* “Remarkably narcissistic,” said developmental psychologist Howard Gardner, a professor at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
* “Textbook narcissistic personality disorder,” echoed clinical psychologist Ben Michaelis.
* “He’s so classic that I’m archiving video clips of him to use in workshops because there’s no better example of his characteristics,” said clinical psychologist George Simon, who conducts lectures and seminars on manipulative behavior. “Otherwise, I would have had to hire actors and write vignettes. He’s like a dream come true.”

That mental-health professionals are even willing to talk about Trump in the first place may attest to their deep concern about a Trump presidency. As Dr. Robert Klitzman, a professor of psychiatry and the director of the master’s of bioethics program at Columbia University, pointed out, the American Psychiatric Association declares it unethical for psychiatrists to comment on an individual’s mental state without examining him personally and having the patient’s consent to make such comments.

... the traits that have defined the disorder in the past—grandiosity; an expectation that others will recognize one’s superiority; a lack of empathy—are writ large in Mr. Trump’s behavior.

“He’s very easy to diagnose,” said psychotherapist Charlotte Prozan. “In the first debate, he talked over people and was domineering. He’ll do anything to demean others, like tell Carly Fiorina he doesn’t like her looks. ‘You’re fired!’ would certainly come under lack of empathy.”

Mr. Trump’s bullying nature—taunting Senator John McCain for being captured in Vietnam, or saying Jeb Bush has “low energy”—is in keeping with the narcissistic profile.

“In the field we use clusters of personality disorders,” Michaelis said. “Narcissism is in cluster B, which means it has similarities with histrionic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder. There are similarities between them. ... To degrade people is really part of a cluster-B personality disorder: it’s antisocial and shows a lack of remorse for other people. The way to make it O.K. to attack someone verbally, psychologically, or physically is to lower them. That’s what he’s doing.”

Actually, that's what you are doing too, JDPriestly. "The way to make it O.K. to attack someone verbally, psychologically, or physically is to lower them." Only it's very definitely not okay.

[JDPriestly]

44. Hillary is a narcissist. She fits the description quite clearly in my view.

If you are a Hillary supporter, you may not see her as others see her.


“Narcissism is in cluster B, which means it has similarities with histrionic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder. There are similarities between them. ... To degrade people is really part of a cluster-B personality disorder: it’s antisocial and shows a lack of remorse for other people. The way to make it O.K. to attack someone verbally, psychologically, or physically is to lower them. That’s what he’s doing.”

Remember Hillary's cackle laugh after talking about the death of Libya's Gaddhafi. I know he was a dictator and rather a crazy one, but still, Hillary showed utterly no human sympathy for his family and friends.

And that is who she is. A narcissist. And she is not yet the candidate for the Democratic Party. I am in California. My vote counts. We have not yet voted. There is no Democratic candidate until after the convention.

I grew up in the 1950s. I remember open conventions. You never know what will happen.

Hillary is not an effective speaker. She has very little sense of humor. She does not have the personality that got Bill into the White House. She is narcissistic. Talks mostly about I, I, I, I, I and has little sympathy for others. She is also very manipulative. There is a rumor that she keeps a list of enemies. I don't know whether that is literally true, but, to me, it appears to be true. She uses money to control people. So does Donald Trump.

As with all psychological conditions, narcissism is to be viewed on a scale of extreme to very little. Trump may be more extreme than Hillary, but they are both narcissists.

Bernie -- not. Read his book if you want to know why I say that Bernie is not a narcissist.

[Hortensis]

84. Your view is very much a consider-the-source view.

I produced quotes from prestigious professionals in the mental health field. The best you can do is "clearly in my view." Well, clearly in MY view this is an inexcusable slur. Do you also "believe" tobacco is not addictive?

[AlbertCat]

42. Hillary and Trump both qualify.

Indeed.

Both have been handed, not earned, their greatest moments, and were mediocre at best while touting how great they are.

More of that to come....

[Maedhros]

110. As do some of the posters to whom you respond...[n/t]

[Stuckinthebush]

46. All politicians say I

Everyone. Why is Hillary held to a different standard?

[JDPriestly]

67. Obama is not a narcissist. Neither was Jimmy Carter.

Gore fared better than Hillary in terms of compassion.

John Kerry is very, very, very compassionate.

Lots of politicians are not narcissistic. Hillary is narcissistic. Not as bad as Trump but very self-centered. And opportunistic and uses people. All the traits of narcissists. Keeps grudges. And she does not even hide her narcissism.

[Stuckinthebush]

76. Far from it

Trump is a classic narcissist. Hillary is not. Nowhere near diagnosable as one.

[braddy]

77. You are clearly watching him closely, good analysis, and accurate in my opinion.

[beachbum bob]

13. Reality TV politics now....

Can't wait for first hillary-trump debate....if he has the guts to contend with a powerful female in a setting he can't control

[freebrew]

14. It makes sense...

who else do they have???

Not a single repub I've seen interviewed, EVER, seems to have a 3 digit IQ.

And well, he's rich.

[treestar]

15. They are getting more and more

crazed and right wing as they see the world they want slipping away.

[GOLGO 13]

16. I'm looking forward to the Clinton- Trump debates

When Trump gets hysterically exposed for being immensely unqualified & having a 50 word vocabulary. She's going to mop the floor with him.

[JDPriestly]

25. But people with 25-word vocabularies -- all hate words and profanity -- will love Trump

all the more.

I want to see Bernie taking on Trump because Bernie will focus on the issues, and Trump's lack of substance will show more.

Hillary talks over people's heads. I know she has a lot of Democratic votes, but she will not do well against Trump. Bernie is the one who does well against Trump.

Hate to break it to you but we aren't seeing many videos of Hillary's speeches on DU for a reason. She has a monotone voice and is not appealing compared to Bernie.

There is a lot of wishful thinking about Hillary on this website. But there is a reason that we don't see many videos posted of Hillary speaking.

She will not do well against Trump in the debates. And her supporters won't understand why. It was the same with Gore and Bush II. Gore is a wonderful man, but he is not a good speaker. It's just a talent. Hillary is maybe more effective on stage than Gore, but still speaking is not her strength.

Trump is full of it, but cocky and makes a good impression on stage.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

35. Bernie would wipe the floor with tRump... Hillary not so much.

[MynameisBlarney]

38. I prefer Bernie, but I think Hillary would do very well against trump

She can actually debate. All trump can do is insult and use superlatives to excess.

[JDPriestly]

45. Unfortunately, a lot of the people who are voting for Trump love the insults and

superlatives. They've been nurtured on TV news that only affords a few seconds, at most maybe 5-15 minutes for a topic. They want a debate with quick insults and no substance -- like on the TV shows. That's why Trump has done so well with them.

We Democrats love substance and discussion. But we must remember that not all people do.

Bernie knows how to appeal to people who are not Democrats as well as to Democrats. He also knows how to appeal to people in spite of negative ads against him.

Read Bernie's book because that is how you can find out who he really is and how he has managed to get elected and re-elected so many times without a national party backing him, often running against well funded opponents.

[MynameisBlarney]

105. Yup

Pretty much.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

135. YOU SAID IT!...people have to realize, elections are often NOT decided on the merits, but rather, based on perceptions.

I stand by my assessment... Bernie would crush asshat tRump far more easily than Hillary, with all her baggage.

[Equinox Moon]

18. News Flash - They have already destroyed this country

AND many others!

[Johonny]

19. I fear the entire Republican party. They do so much damage in a short time when in power

and Democrats don't seem to be able to erase their bad ideas when in power. This country is heading down and its *holes like Trump leading it. F him. I will never ever vote for Trump.

[2pooped2pop]

23. dems nominating Hillary blows my fucking mind too

what a path to impeachment.

[zalinda]

28. I feel the same way about Hillary.

While Republicans are out front about what they want to do, the third way Democrats are just sneakier.

Z

[PatrynXX]

29. have no idea. they easily believe anything he says

even those he's against them on almost every point

[DetlefK]

31. They aren't FOR Trump. They are AGAINST the GOP-establishment.

I bet, many of them are only voting for Trump to piss off Boehner/McConnell/Ryan for their broken promises.

EDIT: Kasich is the only GOP-establishment-candidate left in the race. Trump, Cruz, Carson they were all anti-GOP-establishment.

[dembotoz]

33. he WON the elections...us dems have ways to avoid that unpleasant thing

[spanone]

34. and they will love and embrace him....a win is a win....sack of morons is correct

[MynameisBlarney]

36. Why are you so surprised?

They're dumbfuck republicans after all.
They ain't exactly renowned for their critical thinking skills, are they?

[modestybl]

39. The Democrats have not helped this situation...

... by moving to the right, and becoming an acceptable party for corporations who want to increase their wealth and power, the Repub party has moved to the far right, Dems for years have been at war with progressives, and this is where it has gotten us.

Furthermore, if you get past the outrageous Trump statements about women, Mexicans, etc., he talks about the tax laws and the trade laws that have resulted in millions of jobs moved overseas. He will easily pivot to HRC's left on a host of issues, she may not be prepared to counter.

[PDittie]

40. Imagine how you'll feel if the nation elects him

I'm not adding any descriptors or qualifiers to that statement.

[packman]

41. It follows one after another

One, two - Listen to Glen, Rush and Hannity too
Three, four - Frighten them to the core
Five, six - Get out the hicks
Seven , eight - Realize too late
nine, ten - Trump's in the Republican den

Made and shaped by the Republican mind-set, all too natural, all too scary.

[Hoppy]

43. That ain't nuthin. We're nominating Hillary.

[bigwillq]

48. The people have spoken. I dislike Trump, but I respect democracy.

Trump has energized folks, and they have come out to vote. That's how the game works.

[yeoman6987]

70. Trumps shift towards center has started.

I think he will be what democrats used to be or at least the republicans of the 70's. Basically I think he will be moderate politically.

[Chakaconcarne]

49. Here's my theory....

The powers that be want a Hillary victory because she is fiscally conservative (all they care about) and it will cause the continued right wing extremism and do nothing Republican Congress for which she will have to cave to get anything done and that caving will always benefit the 1%.. She will dole out token social reforms...but that's about it... Effectively over her presidency she will have moved this country further right and the Bernies of the world will look more and more extreme and the cruz's more mainstream.

The only way you can make these shifts is by keeping a Democrat in office and an active opposition to which the Democrat caves and msm applauses.

If trump is elected, were screwed. If hillary is elected were slightly less screwed.

[Paladin]

50. The right wing worked long and hard for a voting base this powerful and stupid.

Fox "news," Limbaugh and hundreds of Limbaugh wannabes from coast to coast, the Kochs, etc. etc. etc. It's all accumulated in the form of the Trump presidential run. This country's future is on the line this time around, make no mistake.

[lunasun]

68. +1 !! exactly ^

[LibDemAlways]

51. Why would anyone be surprised? The US is home

to the most willfully ignorant, proudly uneducated and racist people on the planet.

Trump is the embodiment of everything his supporters love. He's rich -- which they admire and wish they were. He has a hot babe of a wife -- which they wish they had. He talks trash -- like they do. He's anti Muslim and Mexican -- just like them. He's not a politician -- which suits them just fine.

After years of Fox "News" and unrelenting right wing radio, the chickens have finally come home to roost this year and real Republican values are finally out in the open. Trump will do well in the general, too -- especially up against the ultimate insider.

[bkkyosemite]

52. I think we are being played by the elite. They all belong to the same club and we see pics of them

all the time together. Those moderate repubs will vote for Hillary cuz even Koch will. This is such a dishonest control of the masses it's sickening.

[asiliveandbreathe]

53. If there is a Clinton-Trump presidential debate Trump will

NOT be able to filter his rhetoric - as he has demonstrated on the stump - his attacks will (have been) disenfranchise women, African-Americans, Muslims, Catholics, Asians, Mexicans, only talks to scareded white men...shld he choose to use Bernies platform (as he has stated he will) we will see a pathetic know nothing who doesn't have a creative thought other than "I will sue you"! He can't pander to the educated ....

Sure, he knows how to file for bankruptcy, - four businesses - he takes out his money, then companies declare bankruptcy - to hell with anyone else who might get caught in his wake...and this fellow Americans - is who only racists and bigots want - He could do more without being President...(unless he is working for the Democrats..by taking down the Republican party)- which is in a muddy landslide as we speak...

I will vote a full Democratic down ticket no matter who wins the Democratic Presidential nomination....our country depends on it..

[hollowdweller]

92. I hope you are right

However I'm not sure. Clinton thought Sanders was attacking her? I can see a really effective strategy for Trump. Plus I don't know any independends or republicans who will vote for Clinton.

[LittleGirl]

54. The only trump

supporters I know of are racists assholes which I don't associate with anyway, even family members. Clueless assholes too.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

55. better him, than Cruz.

honestly, as much as trump sucks, he will still make a better president than ted cruz. I think he will get shellacked by Hillary in November, but let's just say the republican wins. in that case, i would rather that republican be trump

[AtheistCrusader]

56. I imagine the right wing feels the same about Bernie/Hillary.

They're apoplectic about the idea of another Clinton in the White House, but that's probably preferable to them, over a democratic socialist, which, they don't even understand.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

59. i dunno about that, maybe the social liberal type of ny conservatives

but i've been hearing that some Trump supporters would have preferred Bernie over hillary (Couple of people here who support Bernie, have said trump would be preferable to hillary, heard an interview on BBC where the guy said he is a trump supporter but Bernie looks good too.)



IN NO WAY AM I SAYING THAT MOST BERNIE SUPPORTERS SUPPORT TRUMP.[/b

[AtheistCrusader]

81. I get you. No worries.

I've heard some of that sort of rumbling too, but only in the context that they felt Bernie is more beatable than Hillary. Otherwise, he terrifies them.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

91. the all caps and underlined stuff wasn't specifically for you

i just dont want someone to take what i said and misconstrue it, then get super mad about it. this has been my experience on du.

[E-Z-B]

65. Yup, absolutely. Trump doesn't NEED to sell himself out

[La Lioness Priyanka]

66. trump is also not intransigent on social issues and does not have

much power in the actual GOP. both things that Cruz does have.

The GOP are less likely to align by all his crazy ideas, and he isn't as crazy about social issues.

[salinsky]

58. Can't quibble with anything you've written here ....

.... which is why this makes my blood boil ....

Sanders was asked what he would do to mobilize his supporters to continue his policy proposals, assuming he lost at the Democratic convention.

Sanders said that “If we end up losing,” it would be “incumbent upon [Clinton] to tell millions of people who right now do not believe in establishment politics and establishment economics” that she supported Sanders’ Medicare-for-all plan.

“I think Secretary Clinton is going to have to explain to millions of young people and a lot of other people that climate change is a real crisis and incrementalism is just not going to solve it,” he added.

The correct answer to that question is, "Well, we're going run hard and take this to the convention, but if Secretary Clinton does secure the nomination, I would certainly urge my supporters to vote for the Democratic ticket.".

Anything less is unacceptable.

[rocktivity]

62. He's the piss poor pick of a piss poor litter

like Romney and McCain before him. Jon Huntsman and Rick Perry were the "right" GOP candidates -- and I don't mean right wing.

It's not that Trump is superior to the other GOP candidates, it's just that he's -- well, superior to the other GOP candidates!


rocktivity

[braddy]

63. You can put this on the power of the media's 2 billion dollars worth of publicity and coverage.

Not only does Trump dominate all media, but they don't cover the others.

The media hangs on every word and gesture of Trump and a TV public comes to see him as an inevitable force, the celebrity of this media time, so if he is running for president, then he is winning this new reality TV series that the public is being shown.

[Visionary]

64. Well who is better?

Can anyone say with a straight face that Cruz would be better than trump?

[sus453]

72. I agree about Trump, but

the day after the East Cost primaries, I can't help but think of our own party and all the people who mind-numbingly cast their ballot for a person whose only real set of principles is the "will to power" ("der Wille zur Macht" - Friedrich Nietzsche) and who along with her husband and the DNC has played a major role in changing the Democratic party from liberal into neoliberal - a Republican Party with a capital D.

I can't fathom it. Every single one of the people I know who voted for Hillary have no appreciation for the issues. They agree with me on a lot of the things, but they voted for Hillary anyways because Bernie's too old, he's a single issue candidate (which is not true), his suit looks bad and his wife looks dowdy, it's time for a woman to be president, and Bernie can't win. Idiocracy. I feel sad for the future of this country and for the future of the Earth. Hillary is Trump Lite, and both will eventually bring us to the same place.

[840high]

129. +1

[Vinca]

73. I think Cruz is more dangerous. There are no good options.

[FighttheFuture]

96. Cruz / Fiorina! Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha,.... Cripes!!

Carly Fiorina for Cruz VP?

[Scootaloo]

75. I mean really!

What sort of serious political party would nominate a character whose only "accomplishments" are being rich, white, non-Jewish, and having a famous name?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

79. .

I see what you did there.






.

[Vogon_Glory]

80. Credit the Success Of the Radical Right

Credit the success of the Rafical Right. The Religious Right, the Koch brothers, and other outfits successfully ran moderates, moderate-conservatives, and even sane conservatives out of party caucuses and sane Republicans out of office.

The only people with levers on power in the GOP are their extremists; they control the Republican Party. The only reason that more people don't realize it is that the Right runs superb propaganda, most people don't think for themselves, and the lame-stream corporate media isn't brave enough to say that the Republicans have gone nuts.

I left the Republican Party decades ago because I knew the moderates had already been sidelined and because I had no desire to be a "useful idiot" for the likes of Newt Gingrich and Grover Norquist.

[Act_of_Reparation]

82. Frankly, I'm surprised this surprises you.

For the past thirty years, each successive GOP campaign has been crazier than the one before it. While it worked well for them for a while, changing demographics and an alienated middle have pitted a party establishment that really just wants to win elections and against an increasingly reactionary base that doesn't understand how far off the reservation it has managed to walk.

Romney's performance in the last presidential primary was a pretty solid indicator of the widening rift between the Republican Party and constituents. Trump was a long time coming.

[Tikki]

86. Shiny, shiny...he's on the TeeVee and maybe a bit of what he spouts might apply to me....

He's got money and a bunch of honey's and just might yell at someone I don't like
or fire my mean boss.

repugs have been on a decline to the lowest common for quite a while.
They don't care if they drag us down with them because there is always total drama with them
around the corner. That is what they feed on in their miserable, sterile and close-minded worlds.

Religion isn't doing it for them any more. Oh, they will pay lip service to their chosen.
What they really want is to be the bully, to control someones life and stand tall with their gun
at their side.

Years ago there was post here that told of two women who left a dog in their parked vehicle with
the windows closed on a very hot day.
When someone in the parking lot called them on the situation one woman's reply was
"Don't judge me".

To me that says it all about therump supporters.


Tikki

[hollowdweller]

89. People are hungry for some economic fairness. The dems have certainly not brought it.

IMO Trump is the most liberal republican candidate in years.

Also he's a TV personality. Reagan was a star. Arnold was a star. That gives him a leg up.

The dems ignore what's happening at their own peril. They can't just be cultural liberals and win.

[lumberjack_jeff]

93. I was thinking along the same lines, but... a different party. n/t

[RedCappedBandit]

94. As opposed to the alternatives? The entire line up is sickening

[FighttheFuture]

95. Why? Trump is sublime for the role. He has tapped into the disgust the RW electorate feels

towards their party and its constant manipulations of their fears, ignorance and lack of nuance coupled with them not accomplishing what they promised, except destroying government... which may not be as popular with the masses as they think. It's a perfect end for the Republicans and their society destroying programs.

Sometimes people have to experience the reality of the old adage, "be careful what you wish for, lest you actually get it!".

[nadinbrzezinski]

98. I called this months ago

and none believed me



I am just amused at this point.

[lagomorph777]

99. They're doing Dems a huge favor by nominating their weakest GE candidate.

Especially since we are doing the same.

Hopefully Trump's negative coattails will improve Congress enough to enable the Dem president to get some productive work done.

[Maedhros]

114. The whole thing is elaborate kabuki theater. [n/t]

[MFM008]

101. you and everyone I know.

My mom shakes her head to.

[runaway hero]

102. Because that's what they wanted

He is the creation of the movement class whiners and talk radio dolts. They deserve this.

[B Calm]

108. I said the same thing when they nominated Reagan and again with W.

[Rex]

111. Not me, I've known for decades that they've wanted to destroy America.

Trump is their means to that end. Cruz would do the same thing. What gets me is how stupid the GOP is, they are truly the party of idiots.

If it wasn't for a totally pandering media, the GOP wouldn't have a pot to piss in.

[GOPblows431]

115. The GOP nominated Bush TWICE

This is par for the course for that idiotic party. I will be so happy when Trump is defeated hard this November. He truly deserves it.

[Scuba]

119. Mirror image.

[rbrnmw]

124. One of those dipshits is my Governor

dead set on running Ohio as far into the ground as he can. There are no sane Republicans anymore. Kasich is dangerous because people think he is a moderate, there isn't a moderate bone in that man's body. The whole thing makes me ill just thinking about it. I need antidepressants to get through this election cycle.

[BillZBubb]

126. And which one of them other than trump would you accept as a decent nominee?

cruz? kasich? rubio? jeb?? trump actually is better than a few of them, though that's not saying much.

[abelenkpe]

127. Trump is an ignorant, bigoted moron

But the other two republican candidates are equally despicable. Crazy thing is, republicans could win.

[Katashi_itto]

134. Trump will be a unique president.

Interesting four years ahead.