Month: July 2020

Gaslighting on Fox News: Trump is a Leader on Wearing Masks?

Posted by on July 21, 2020 at 2:53 pm. 3 Comments :

You really have to wonder if Fox News viewers are stupid enough to believe the sheer nonsense that flows from the network’s agents of disinformation (aka hosts). And isn’t Donald Trump’s State TV network insulting them by presuming that they will swallow everything thing they say no matter how preposterous? Are there any limits to what the cult will consume without question?

Donald Trump, Mask, Fox News

On Tuesday morning the “Curvy Couch” potatoes of Fox and Friends led off with a segment that featured a tweet by Trump posing for a photo-op while wearing a face mask.

There is so much wrong with that tweet that it’s going to take some time to unwind all of it. First of all, Trump has been the most divisive president since the Civil War, so it’s ridiculous for him to assert that “We are united” in any context other than removing him from office. Secondly, even if we concede that the coronavirus originated in China, it’s success in infecting nearly four million Americans, and killing more than 140,000, is due primarily to Trump’s negligence and incompetence. Thirdly, if Trump regards wearing a mask as patriotic, then his patriotism has been woefully absent for the past six months. And finally, most polls show that Trump isn’t even in the top 44 of favorite presidents.

Despite the absurdity of Trump’s newfound advocacy of mask wearing, Fox and Friends co-host Steve Doocy latched onto it as launching pad for some syrupy sycophancy (video below):

“Trump encourages Americans to mask up. Look at this. […] It’s very telling that yesterday he posted that Twitter picture with him wearing the mask because, as we just opened this segment, certain localities may have to close things down again because the spread is going out there.

But you know, masks are not political. The science says that face coverings are the best way to slow the spread. And if you don’t want to close things down again, if you want to reopen the schools, if you want to keep businesses open, if you want to go to sports, you’ve got to wear the masks. And so I think the president is becoming a leader on this issue. Maybe now, once again, MAGA will stand for ‘Masks Are Great Again.'”

Seriously? Trump is a “leader” on this issue? Since when are people who, due to ignorance and vanity, refused to wear a mask – and even mocked those who did – regarded as leaders when they claw their way onto the bandwagon five months later, after unprecedented suffering and death?

Despite Doocy’s new position that “masks are not political,” Trump’s reversal on masks is nothing but pure politics. Trump’s flip-flop is obviously driven by the fact that his approval rating has fallen off the edge of the Earth, and he is losing to Joe Biden in most polls by double digits. This is a desperation play as Trump watches his world collapse around him. It’s the reason he’s returning to the daily Coronavirus Task Force briefings, which were always just thinly veiled reelection campaign events.

Trump’s aversion to masks is well documented – by Trump! As recently as this past weekend, Trump was asked by Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday if he regretted not wearing a mask and if he would consider a national mandate. He replied…

“No. I want people to have a certain freedom, and I don’t believe in that. No. And I don’t agree with the statement that if everybody wear a mask everything disappears. […] all of sudden everybody’s got to wear a mask, and as you know masks cause problems, too.”

Trump has been saying much the same thing since the earliest days of the pandemic. “I think wearing a face mask,” Trump said last April, “as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens, I don’t know. Somehow, I don’t see it for myself. I just don’t.”

However, Trump sees it now. Why? Perhaps because of his abysmal polling and reelection prospects. For Trump the primary concern has always been himself. and it is no longer possible for him to pretend that the American people are on his side. A new ABC Washington Post poll shows that 64% say that they do not trust Trump on the matters related to the coronavirus. And 79% are in favor of wearing masks.

Consequently, Trump is suddenly presenting himself as a patriotic advocate of mask wearing. And true to form, Fox News sees that late and exploitative transition as a demonstration of leadership. And both seem confidant that Trump’s cult disciples will adapt these mythologies to their warped version of reality. The good news for them is that they are likely right. The Trump cultists remain firmly in their comatose state. The bad news for them is that there aren’t enough of them to fill an Applebee’s.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Trump Is Reviving His Coronavirus Lies and Propaganda Show

Posted by on July 20, 2020 at 12:55 pm. 4 Comments :

The stench of desperation continues to waft through the halls of the White House, swirling like a noxious cloud around Donald Trump as he struggles to avoid a total electoral and psychological meltdown. Trump’s frantic attempts to maintain some superficial appearance of stability are failing miserably as he trips over every effort to right his sinking ship of state.

Donald Trump, Coronavirus

Trump is painfully aware of how poorly he is regarded by the American people. In fact, it is driving his temperament ever downward as his inability to cope results in increasingly bizarre behaviors. His approval ratings are in the gutter. He is getting crushed by Joe Biden nationally, as well as in every crucial swing state. And he clearly has no idea what to do to halt colliding with a massive iceberg.

So on Monday morning Trump told reporters that he intends to revive the daily Coronavirus Task Force briefings that he held up until late April. You’ll recall that he canceled them because, the more of him that the public saw, the more his approval ratings cratered. It’s a ridiculous response that can only exacerbate his problems.

Ironically, he’s taking the advice of Kellyanne Conway who has tried to convince him that his “numbers were much higher when he was briefing everybody on a day by day basis.” That may be true, but the subsequent decline was not due to his having ditched the briefings. When Trump announced that he was discontinuing the daily Trump Show last April, News Corpse wrote that…

“Trump’s voracious ego compelled him to take center stage for these pseudo-informational events because he was convinced that his magnetic presence would be impossible to resist. Unfortunately for him, his impression of his own charisma was a figment of his acutely narcissistic imagination. As the briefings played on (and on and on and on), it became clear that Trump wasn’t doing himself any favors. […] Consequently, Trump’s advisors sought frantically to persuade him that he needs to fire himself as the COVID-19 spokesmodel.”

From the start, Trump used the briefings to replace his cult rallies that could no longer be held. He believed that the TV ratings were proof that he was universally beloved. When that turned out not to be the case, he tried to return to the rally circuit. But his recent rallies were poorly attended and incapable of pacifying his Olympic-grade egomania. So now, with no good options, he’s revisiting the losing strategies of the past. In his remarks to reporters (video below) he claimed that…

“We had very successful briefings. I was doing them and we had a lot of people watching. Record numbers watching. In the history of cable television there’s never been anything like it. And we were doing very well. And I thought it would be sort of automatic. And a lot of positive things were happening.”

As always, Trump believes that TV ratings are “the real polls” and are reflective of general popularity. They aren’t. Many people tuned in for the information provided by experts like Dr. Anthony Fauci. Many others watched because they didn’t want to miss the live television broadcast of Trump’s nervous breakdown. It was reality TV in its most morbid form.

When Trump resumes the daily briefings we can expect him to reprise his greatest flops of the past. He will lie about how fantastic everything is going, and due solely to his brilliance. He’s already started this by claiming in this announcement that “the country is doing well” but for a “flare up in Florida, Texas, a couple of other places.” By which he means more than half the states that are currently suffering through record cases and deaths. He’ll also shift blame to anyone who is handy (Dr. Fauci, China, Democrats, etc). He’ll downplay the severity of the pandemic as being comparable to the “the sniffles.” He may be confusing “sniff” with “snuff.”

Trump will once again cast himself as the star of the briefings despite the fact that, due to his ignorance and ego, he has nothing of value to contribute. Consequently, he wastes the time of the public and the press by upstaging the experts so that he can disgorge more lies, brag about imaginary accomplishments, and yell at reporters. He will once again turn what was intended to be a platform for disseminating life and death information into a petty, partisan, political charade.

We know that Trump considers these affairs to be exclusively for his benefit because, when he ceased to be the lead character last April, the briefings themselves came to an abrupt end with Trump tweeting “What is the purpose of having White House News Conferences when the Lamestream Media asks nothing but hostile questions?”

The real question going forward is: What is the purpose of having White House News Conferences when the President lies, lavishes undeserved praise on himself, and petulantly insults and argues with the press? If Trump wants to stage more of his phony, self-serving briefings, fine. But the media has no obligation to provide live coverage of these brazenly political sideshows. They can send cameras and junior reporters to record the events, and then broadcast whatever was newsworthy (if anything) afterwards. But they must not allow themselves to be exploited again for Trump’s obvious reelection campaign purposes.

UPDATE: Trump’s return to the Coronavirus briefing was solo – no doctors or other experts were present. And one of the resons he stopped doing them was his tendency to say stupid shit like “inject bleach.” So in this briefing he was asked about Jeffrey Epstein associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, who is is currently in jail on charges of sex trafficking. He wished her well.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Majority Say Trump Does Not Have the Mental Soundness to Serve: Fox News Poll

Posted by on July 19, 2020 at 1:38 pm. 5 Comments :

There is trouble in the Realm of the Stable Genius. And the more that reality contradicts the fantasy life of Donald Trump, the more bizarre and dangerous his delusional tales become. But Trump is, without a doubt, his biggest booster. He has to be. No one else with any scrap of credibility wants the job.

Donald Trump, coronavirus

Trump is constantly telling anyone who still bothers to listen that he is brilliant and infallible. He says he knows more than the generals about war; more than economists about the economy; more than doctors about healthcare. And always, Trump insists that he has a mind that is far superior to those of mere mortals.

Sadly for Trump, he has failed miserably at persuading the American people that any of that is true. A poll by his State TV Propaganda Network (aka Fox News), was just published that asked voters “Do you think Donald Trump has the mental soundness to serve effectively as president?” A majority of the people (51% to 43%) responded that he does not.

Of course, anyone paying attention to the steady stream of Trump’s incoherent babbling, whining, and flagrant lying, already arrived at this conclusion long ago. But the fact that Fox News is validating it with their poll has some significance and provides a stinging rebuke to Trump’s laughable self-appraisals.

What’s worse for Trump is that when Fox asked the same question about Joe Biden, a plurality of voters (47% to 39%) responded saying that he is mentally fit to serve. And that is after Trump has spent months trying to malign Biden, particularly with regard to his mental competence. That effort on Trump’s part has actually backfired.

Another poll published last week by Monmouth University had similar results. Only 35% said they are “very” or “somewhat” confident of Trump’s mental stability. A majority of 54% said they are “not to” or “not at all” confident. Biden’s numbers are the complete opposite with 52% saying they are “very” or “somewhat” confident, and only 35% saying they are “not to” or “not at all” confident.

Following the release of the Fox News poll, Trump was interviewed by Chris Wallace, who actually brought up this question. Which led to one of the most peculiar exchanges between a president and the press ever recorded:

Notice that Trump didn’t actually respond to the fact that a majority of the American people think he’s too demented to be president. Setting that aside, Trump’s “challenge” to both Biden and Wallace to take the test and compare results is a typical Trumpian dodge. That’s because he has not – and will not – release his own results. Nevertheless, this isn’t the first time that Trump has issued this challenge. He is apparently exceptionally proud of the fact that he can identify an elephant and count backwards from 100. Well, allegedly. Without seeing his results we really don’t know if he “aced it” or even passed it.

In addition to the Fox News poll’s findings on Trump’s mental infirmities, it also showed Trump…

  • Losing to Biden by eight points
  • Losing women by 19 points
  • Losing Blacks by 64 points
  • Losing Hispanics by 30 points
  • Losing millennials by 22 points
  • Behind on favorability (Trump 43% / Biden 54%)
  • Negative on compassion (Trump 36% / Biden 56%)
  • Negative on intelligence (Trump 42% / Biden 51%)
  • Negative on judgment (Trump 40% / Biden 52%)
  • Less trusted on race relations (-21 points)
  • Less trusted on the coronavirus (-17 points)

And as if that weren’t enough, only 26% percent say they are better off than four years ago. A national mask-wearing order for indoor spaces is favored by 71%. Voting by mail is favored by 63%. Continuing the extra $600/week unemployment benefit is favored by 62%. There is almost nothing positive for Trump to cling to in this survey.

The Trump interview featured some nuggets of nonsense as well. Trump repeated his ludicrous assertion that testing for the coronavirus causes cases; he callously stated that the death toll “is what it is”; he claimed that he’s not losing because all the polls are fake; and he floated the crackpot conspiracy theory that “children are taught in school to hate our country.” These are the same schools that he is now recklessly pushing to reopen, which is also unpopular according to the Fox poll.

What’s more, Trump refused to say that he would accept the results of election if he lost. He railed some more about mail-in voting being rigged. And when asked “How will you regard your years as president” after your term ends, he replied “I think I was very unfairly treated […] I’ve been very unfairly treated. And I don’t say that as paranoid. Everybody says it.” Then he he repeated his oft-stated lie that Obama and Biden spied on his campaign.

Finally, Trump made a point of telling Wallace that “I’m not a big fan of Fox, I’ll be honest with you. They’ve changed a lot since Roger Ailes.” Actually, Trump isn’t a fan of any inference of negativity, regardless of where it comes from. And Trump missing former Fox CEO Roger Ailes isn’t surprising since they both have shared being dishonest, right-wing, sexual predators. But Trump still favors Fox News as his network of choice. It is almost the only network that he grants interviews. And his favorite media personalities (Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Jeanine Pirro, Lou Dobbs, etc.) are all on Fox.

However, Trump isn’t shy about “working the refs” in an attempt to get Fox to be even more fawning and servile. So no matter how many times Trump says that it’s “So Hard to Watch Fox News Anymore,” he keeps coming back for more fluffing and ego-stroking.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Fearful Trump’s Extremist Attacks Are Escalating and It’s Only Going to Get Worse

Posted by on July 18, 2020 at 11:23 am. 1 Comments :

There is an unmistakable stench of desperation in the White House that is spreading like a virus. Donald Trump may be as delusionally confident as ever on the surface, but his behavior is more reflective of someone consumed by fear and a grossly misperceived sense of victimization. This has lead to a new “scorched earth” reelection approach to attacking Joe Biden and a nastier, more toxic campaign strategy.

Donald Trump Zombie

Trump has plenty to be worried about. His negligent and incompetent mismanagement of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has resulted in a tragic surge that exceeds anything seen throughout the world. The economy is in recession and more than 40 million Americans have faced unemployment. There is civil unrest in the streets of America protesting systemic racism, while Trump is advocating for Confederate traitors who fought to preserve slavery. And his reelection campaign is coming apart at the seams amidst historically low polling and abysmal approval ratings.

As Trump’s mental state deteriorates, his paranoia increases. He has begun administering “loyalty tests” to staffers in the White House and virtually every cabinet agency, including the Pentagon. He and his Ministry of Propaganda (aka Fox News) are entertaining bizarre election theories aimed more at soothing his fragile ego than winning in November. And he sees himself as tormented by everyone from former advisors like John Bolton (see his book here) to family members like his niece Mary Trump (see her book here).

Consequently, Trump is resorting to ever more drastic methods of extraction from the electoral Mariana Trench he has dug himself into. He is ramping up his attacks on Joe Biden with allusions to his mental health. That’s a treacherous slope considering that the American people regard Trump as more mentally unfit than Biden. He sat for what he probably thought would be a softball Fox News interview, but ended up getting fact-checked live by Chris Wallace. Trump was called out for his lies about Biden’s position on defunding the police.

However, Trump’s primary concerns are never about the issues that are most important to the American people. He is endlessly and exclusively obsessed with his own welfare and image. Which explains much of his recent outrage over the media’s coverage of his floundering campaign. following his disastrous cult rally in Tulsa, Trump tweeted…

Trump’s uniquely deranged notion that TV ratings are “the real polls” is a perspective that can only come from someone whose otherwise pitifully thin resume is dominated by having hosted a reality TV game show for fourteen years. However, even by his own measure, Trump is a pathetic loser. The ratings for his tongue bath – er, interview – with Sean Hannity don’t look so good when compared to the ratings for Rachel Maddow’s interview of Mary Trump. Hannity pulled in 5.11 million viewers, while Maddow drew 5.23 million.

“Maddow’s sit-down with President Donald Trump’s niece drew a record 5.23 million viewers to the show, leading every show on cable and broadcast in primetime Thursday. […] Thursday’s edition also claimed the largest viewership for a regularly scheduled show in MSNBC’s history.”

So does Trump still believe that these are the real polls? Or will this just incite even more outrageous tweets that defy coherent explanation? It’s most likely going to spur more intense “hyperbollocks,” which is my word combining “hyperbole” and “bollocks” to describe rhetoric that is both exaggerated and unfathomable rubbish.

Regardless, Trump’s warped sociopathy is bound to get worse as the honest depictions of his failures continue to batter him mercilessly. so prepare yourselves for his his attacks on Biden that will grow ever more unhinged in the coming weeks. He simply cannot handle reality, and thus reacts by inventing psychotic fantasies wherein he is infallible and omnipotent. Unfortunately, he also reacts with greater hostility and viciousness. And where that might lead between now and January 20, 2021, is both a mystery and a troubling concern for this nation and the world.

UPDATE: The Washington Post published an editorial that reveals that the “scorched earth” strategy described above has actually been documented and circulated in the White House:

“President Trump has launched a slash-and-burn campaign against an exaggerated caricature of his Democratic opponent, casting former vice president Joe Biden as a destroyer of basic freedoms and a threat to voter’s safety who would ‘let terrorists roam free’ and ‘abolish the American way of life.’ […] In new advertising, tweets and public statements that began to appear earlier this month, Trump has argued that the presumptive Democratic nominee is a harbinger of chaos and destruction, depicting a fantastical scarecrow largely divorced from reality.”

Hold on, folks. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride. And Biden, his surrogates, and Democrats everywhere need to be vigilant and ready to respond.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Fox News Insiders: They Created a White Supremacist Cell Inside the Network

Posted by on July 17, 2020 at 1:04 pm. 2 Comments :

The flamingly racist rhetoric of Donald Trump is somehow managing to heat up even further. His remarks supporting the Confederate flag, and the statues of the slavery proponents it represents, cut deeply into the concept of equality for all Americans. And his latest public statements have included thinly veiled bigotry such as his assertion that Joe Biden, if elected, will pursue policies that will bring an end to the white exclusivity of suburbia by prohibiting discrimination in the housing market.

Fox News, KKK

Trump’s reinvigorated boldness in advancing such blatant prejudice is attributable to two primary factors. First, there is his desperation resulting from how poorly he is doing in presidential polling. Biden is steamrolling him in every national poll, as well as in every crucial swing state. and his job approval rating is in the gutter.

Secondly, Trump is buoyed by his State TV Propaganda Network, Fox News, that remains devoted to him and his Republican cult despite his frequent attacks on the network. And Fox has particularly embraced the racist themes that have long been an integral part of Trump’s persona (as recently affirmed by his niece, Mary Trump).

The allegations of racism by Fox News are nothing new. The network was birthed in the bigotry of its founders Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes. But now there are increasing numbers of voices from within that are beginning to leak out to the world. The Daily Beast interviewed some of Fox’s Black staffers who took part in an internal company conference call discussing racial issues in the workplace. And as the Daily Beast described it, “It wasn’t pretty.” According to the Daily Beast, “participants on the call expressed anger and distress about rampant racism at Fox, both on- and off-air.”

“The Daily Beast spoke to more than a dozen Fox News insiders, who all suggested that behind the scenes there is a growing despair among employees about the network’s role in demonizing and spreading fear about Black Americans in particular. One employee was especially angry, saying, ‘They created a cell—they created a white supremacist cell inside the top cable network in America, the one that directly influences the president… This is rank racism excused by Murdoch.'”

And what’s more…

“The network frequently deploys right-leaning Black contributors and guests to give cover to racially insensitive content. ‘That’s something they routinely do—they turn out these people, like Candace Owens, to support these things, and use Black apologists to denigrate other Black men and women and victimize them.'”

The article features examples of overt racism from Fox’s most watched hosts, Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham. A senior writer for Carlson’s program just got axed after his virulently racist comments on the Internet were revealed. Carlson issued a typically Foxian non-apology apology wherein he never even mentioned what the writer had done wrong. But he did attack anyone who took pleasure from the bigot’s departure from the show.

The outrage expressed by these Black Fox Newsers was met generally with either disingenuous platitudes or outright indifference by Fox brass. But the fact that they remain at the network and are able to continue disclosing what they see from inside the bubble is promising. It may even expose more of Trump’s rancid hatred as he continues to appear almost exclusively on the network that serves as his Ministry of Propaganda.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Aspiring Tyrant Trump Seeks Loyalty Oaths in Pre-Election Purge

Posted by on July 16, 2020 at 2:18 pm. 2 Comments :

The increasingly aberrant behavior of Donald Trump more closely resembles the frantic desperation of a cornered rat with each new revelation seeping from his leaky White House. And despite relentless ranting about alleged traitors in his midst, he still believes that he is besieged by closeted foes lurking in every shadow. That’s a symptom of an acutely paranoid sociopath who represents a profound danger to the public welfare.

Donald Trump Circling the Drain

Now there are new reports that Trump is taking even more radical steps to eradicate the enemies that he perceives as surrounding him on all sides. After expelling dozens of suspected turncoats from his administration, including at least four departmental inspectors general, Trump is escalating the war on his own staff. As reported by Politico…

“In the middle of a devastating pandemic and a searing economic crisis, the White House has an urgent question for its colleagues across the administration: Are you loyal enough to President Donald Trump?

The White House’s presidential personnel office is conducting one-on-one interviews with health officials and hundreds of other political appointees across federal agencies, an exercise some of the subjects have called “loyalty tests” to root out threats of leaks and other potentially subversive acts just months before the presidential election, according to interviews with 15 current and former senior administration officials.”

The inquisition deployed by the Trump Brigades is forcing political appointees, as well as career professionals, to swear allegiance to Trump and Trump alone. Never mind that most of them have already pledged oaths to uphold the Constitution, Trump is thrusting his superseding demands down their throats with the threat of termination should they not be sufficiently compliant.

RELATED: Trump’s Paranoia Unleashed as He Shrieks ‘I View Everybody as a Threat’

This focus on insuring blind devotion to Dear Leader obviously interrupts other governmental responsibilities like managing a deadly pandemic, restoring an economy in recession, mitigating climate change, preparing a safe environment for children to return to school, historic unemployment, and diplomatic duties with adversarial nations who are placing bounties on the heads of American troops or hacking efforts to produce a coronavirus vaccine.

And if that weren’t enough, Trump is also preoccupied with his floundering reelection campaign. He just fired his incompetent and corrupt campaign chairman, Brad Parscale, and replaced him with the hack responsible for Chris Christie’s Bridgegate scandal, bill Stepien. Trump seems to think that his abysmal approval ratings and the polls showing him getting crushed by Joe Biden are the fault of someone other than himself. So he’s entertaining bizarre theories to explain to himself why he’s losing so badly.

RELATED: The Virus that Infects Donald Trump: ‘All I See is Hatred of Me’

Like everything else in Trump World, none of his tribulations can possibly be attributed to him. There must always be a nemesis plotting against him with the aid of “Deep State” conspirators, the “radical” Democrats, or those “enemies of the state,” the free press.

You know things are devolving into chaos when the legions of anti-Trumpists include Dr. Anthony Fauci, America’s foremost expert on infectious diseases, and even Trump’s State TV network, Fox News, which has fallen into disrepute by the mentally crumbling Commander-in-Grief. And the most troubling part of all of this is that it’s likely to get worse as his misfortunes continue to decline.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Fox News Furiously Spins Poll of Imaginary ‘Secret’ Trump Voters

Posted by on July 15, 2020 at 3:21 pm. 3 Comments :

The electoral landscape just seems to get worse for Donald Trump with each passing day. Every credible poll shows Joe Biden beating Trump nationally, as well as in every crucial swing state. Noted analyst Larry Sabato’s “Crystal Ball” map of 2020 vote projections shows that Trump would have to win every toss-up state in order to be reelected. Biden needs only one to prevail in November.

Donald Trump, Fox News, White House

As Trump’s prospects for reelection snowball into an avalanche of defeat, he is exhibiting ever more severe signs of mental distress. His appeals to potential donors have devolved into threats. And he is lashing out at any and all perceived critics, even those who are devoted supporters, like his State TV propaganda network, about which he whines that it is “so hard to watch Fox News anymore.”

Despite Trump’s assertion of reluctance to watch Fox News (which is a lie since he still quotes it many times a day), the network continues to butter him up with bootlicking flattery and transparent bias intended to juice his floundering campaign. On Wednesday morning Fox News reported on a poll by Monmouth University. The poll’s headline result was that Joe Biden is crushing Trump in the swing state of Pennsylvania 53% to 40%. That 13 point lead is especially significant because it also puts Biden comfortably above the 50% mark. And it’s in line with most other recent polls.

However, on Fox’s website they ran with a curiously twisted headline that said “Silent Majority To Roar? New poll signals swing-state voters suspect ‘secret Trump’ backers could tilt November result.” The basis for that whirling spin was a poll question that asked respondents if they “think there are so-called secret voters in your community who support Donald Trump but won’t tell anyone about it.” Apparently there are about 57% who say yes in varying degrees.

It’s important to note that this is not a survey of actual “secret” voters who plan to clandestinely cast their ballots for Trump. It’s merely the opinions of people who believe that other people might be withholding their true voting intentions. It’s pure conjecture by laypersons with no substantive data to support their opinions. However, it conveniently buttresses Trump’s new assertion that there is a “silent majority” lurking in the shadows, lying to pollsters, and preparing to spring out on election day.

Trump himself has been pushing the “silent majority” theme and whining about what he calls “suppression” polls. These are a myth that, according to Trump, are polls designed by the media to suppress voter turnout of Trump’s supporters. But Fox’s view would refute that because the polls are actually correct and the secretive respondents are the ones responsible for Trump’s poor showing.

Trump’s delusional embrace of imaginary support is not Trump’s only problem. The Monmouth poll holds much more bad news for Trump. It reveals that Biden has greater support among Democrats (93-1) than Trump has among Republicans (84-12). Also, Biden leads Trump by 21 points with Independents, by 10 points among voters over 65, by 13 points among those 50-64, by 31 points among those under 50, and by a whopping 60 points among minorities (Black, Latino, Asian, etc).

With all of the evidence in this survey of how poorly Trump is doing, Fox News managed to cherry-pick one statistic that doesn’t even reflect a real data point, just an opinion that some people have of what other people might be thinking. And that becomes the headline at the top of the Fox News website. And then Fox wonders why people don’t regard the network as a credible source of news. Well, except for their cult followers and all those “secret” Fox News supporters who are too embarrassed to admit it.

UPDATE: Right on cue, Thursday morning Fox and Friends leapt to Trump’s defense with a ludicrous and fact-free rant affirming the nonsense about secret Trump voters.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

More Americans Say Trump is Mentally Unfit than Biden (Duh)

Posted by on July 14, 2020 at 3:28 pm. 2 Comments :

For several months Donald Trump and his Confederacy of Buttmunchers have attempted to paint an unflattering portrait of Joe Biden as suffering from cognitive decline. In the process they have produced deceptive messages, images, and videos intended to give a false impression of Biden. And Trump has repeatedly made disparaging remarks during his press harangues, and even in his TV ads.

Donald Trump, Mocking Disability

It’s an ironic line of attack considering Biden’s prolific and articulate oratory, contrasted by the abundant evidence of Trump’s own failing mental acuity. After all, it’s Trump who has advised people to inject bleach; who thinks he coined the phrase “Buy American”; who believes that testing for the coronavirus creates new cases; who asserts that doctors were amazed at how he “aced” a cognitive assessment test; who is hyper-focused on his TV ratings during a deadly pandemic and economic recession; and who struggles to answer questions coherently and can barely construct a sentence that is halfway intelligible.

The American people have observed Trump’s bizarre and aberrant behavior for three and half years now. And despite his furious efforts to malign Biden, they recognize a nutcase when they see one.

This is affirmed in a recent poll by Monmouth University. The survey asked “How confident are you that [Donald Trump or Joe Biden] has the mental and physical stamina necessary to carry out the job of president?”

The results reveal that the American people overwhelmingly regard Trump as unfit for the duties of his office. Only 35% said they are “very” or “somewhat” confident of Trump’s mental stability. A majority of 54% said they are “not to” or “not at all” confident. Biden’s numbers are the complete opposite with 52% saying they are “very” or “somewhat” confident, and only 35% saying they are “not to” or “not at all” confident.

These survey results are all the more striking considering the lengths that Trump has gone to mischaracterize Biden. He has posted numerous tweets alleging that Biden is “not all there.” In a recent ad Trump asserted that Biden’s agenda would make America “diminished and weak, just like Biden.” Never mind that it’s pure projection on Trump’s part. Whether consciously or otherwise, some part of Trump knows that he’s the one drifting in and out of lucidity. and he’s not the only one who’s noticed (see video below).

Where once these sort of attacks were considered out of bounds, Trump doesn’t even try to conceal his malicious intent. It must be frustrating for him that after all of his noxious and denigrating slander, it’s Trump who wears the mantle of mental infirmity according to a nation of worried citizens. And it isn’t likely to get any better for him if he persists in attacking Biden. The people get that his attacks are offensive and reflect more on him than on his rival. Which would turn whatever further efforts he directs at Biden into a downward spiral of self-destruction. The problem for Trump is that he is already too psychologically impaired to understand that.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Poor Crybaby Trump Whines that it’s ‘So Hard to Watch Fox News Anymore’

Posted by on July 13, 2020 at 2:15 pm. 2 Comments :

If there is one thing that Donald Trump reliably produces (other than flagrant lies, infantile insults, and delusional boasts), it’s a constant cacophony of complaining. From his privileged yet twisted perspective, he is the most aggrieved victim of circumstances that unfairly subject him to the torments and misfortunes of a cruel world. And he isn’t shy about displaying this emotionally stunted personality flaw. After all, Trump once bragged that “I am the most fabulous whiner,” as if that were something to be proud of.

Donald Trump, Fox News

High on the list of his most frequent grievances are the relentless assaults on his own State TV network, Fox News. Never mind that it is practically the only network to which he grants interviews, and that it is the home of his closest “Shadow Cabinet” advisors (Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, Lou Dobbs, etc). Trump continues to find fault with the network. and his disappointment is so great that it has motivated him to embark on a desperate search for another more worshipful propaganda outlet like One America News (OANN).

On Monday morning, despite the unflinching sycophancy of Fox News, Trump has once again taken them to task for some unspecified wrong inflicted upon him:

Most Americans would agree that Fox News is “hard to watch.” Which is why the network only pulls in about one percent of the nation’s population on a good night. Trump’s focus on Fox’s contributors is a clue to what triggered him this morning. He likely saw an interview of a Democratic surrogate who told the truth about Trump’s innumerable failures. In Trump’s mind that is sacrilege. He really believes that Fox News should never host any Democrat or liberal.

It’s also possible that Trump may be reacting to reporting on recent polls that show Joe Biden crushing Trump nationally, as well as in every crucial swing state. In the most recent polling from Fox News Biden beats Trump by twelve points (50-38). And Trump’s approval rating is deeply underwater (44-55).

A couple of months ago Trump threw a Twitter tantrum because “FoxNews is doing nothing to help Republicans, and me, get re-elected on November 3rd.” First of all, that’s a totally unfair criticism. Anyone who isn’t comatose can see that Fox News is working extremely hard to get him and other Republicans elected. Secondly, by whining about it, Trump is admitting that he regards Fox News as an arm of his reelection campaign committee. And Fox doesn’t deny it.

Finally, the notion that “the Radical Left has scared Fox into submission” could only have hatched in a severely diseased brain. Does Trump think that Hannity’s glassy-eyed adoration is submission? Or Carlson’s unvarnished white nationalism? Or the shameless bootlicking by the “Curvy Couch” potatoes of Fox and Friends? The only evidence of submission is that which is demanded by the Fox News Ministers of Propaganda who peddle their doctrine of cult worship 24/7. But that is apparently not enough for the Narcissist-in-Chief who requires 110% blind devotion and unquestioning loyalty. After all, it is a cult!

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.

Trump’s Desperate and Floundering Campaign Resorts to Threatening Donors

Posted by on July 12, 2020 at 12:59 pm. 11 Comments :

The prospects for Donald Trump’s reelection seem to be sinking into ever deeper trenches of their own flop sweat. He is getting crushed by Joe Biden in every national poll, as well as every crucial swing state. He’s even behind in the traditionally blood-red state of Texas. And these woeful circumstances are taking a toll on his mental balance (or lack thereof).

Donald Trump Sweating

As evidence of just how pitifully desperate Trump and his team of cultists have become, News Corpse has compiled some of the recent emails we received from the campaign. We have been receiving seven or eight annoyingly whiny emails from Team Trump every single day. We have no idea how we got on their mailing list, but that just speaks to how useless it is if it’s filled with recipients who not only aren’t interested in supporting his candidacy, but who are steadfastly opposed to it.

Trump’s email pleas are usually misaddressed to “Friend,” which News Corpse certainly is not. They repeatedly thank us for our devoted support and uncommon loyalty to Trump. Perhaps their secret purpose is to disable Trump opponents by causing them to collapse in uncontrollable fits laughter at the absurdity of these sappy solicitations. If so, it’s working. And at the risk of disabling even more Trump opponents, we now present some of the email appeals in sequence, showing how their fear escalates with each mailing (Sender’s name in CAPS).

DONALD TRUMP: Since you’ve been such an important part of our movement, I wanted to give you this exclusive opportunity to become an Official 2020 Trump Platinum Member. When you become a member, you’ll even get your very own PERSONALIZED Membership Card.

This is the FIRST time I’ve ever opened this exclusive membership group to my online supporters. Normally, this group is reserved for just my top 500 supporters. This could be your one and only chance to join.

TRUMP PLATINUM CARD: Did you see the President’s email? He invited you to become an Official 2020 Trump Platinum Member.

We’re only reaching out to the President’s most loyal supporters, like YOU, to join this exclusive program. Remember, when you activate your membership, we’ll even send you your very own PERSONALIZED Membership Card.

Your offer is ONLY available until 11:59 PM TONIGHT. After that, your invitation will expire and you may never get another chance to join.

ERIC TRUMP: How do you want to be remembered?

As a Patriot who fought to Keep America Great? Or as an un-American Liberal who stood idly by as Radical Democrats ripped our Nation apart?

Team Trump just informed me that you haven’t accepted my father’s offer to join the Trump 100 Club, and I have to admit, I’m pretty disappointed.

MEET PRESIDENT TRUMP: Is everything OK?

President Trump asked us if you were available to meet him at an upcoming event but we told him we hadn’t heard from you yet.

LARA TRUMP: Why didn’t you use your 500%-MATCH?

President Trump specifically selected YOU for this exclusive opportunity, and he was disappointed that you failed to use your offer.

DONALD TRUMP JR: Should I tell my father that you aren’t interested?

He asked me to review the most recent list of Patriots who have entered to win a trip to meet him at an upcoming event, and I noticed that you STILL haven’t entered.

ERIC TRUMP: Where have you been?

Each day my father sees an updated donor list and EACH DAY he notices that you STILL haven’t contributed.

DONALD TRUMP JR: I hate to be the one to tell you, but according to our records, your Trump 100 Club offer has been RESCINDED.

You’ve received multiple emails from Team Trump, including my father, inviting you to join this BRAND NEW, prestigious club, and you’ve ignored every single one of them.

President Trump knows that you’ve always been such a strong supporter in the past, so he agreed to let me REACTIVATE your offer for ONE MORE DAY.

ERIC TRUMP: This is your FINAL NOTICE.

So far, we’ve emailed you 4 times inviting you to join the Trump Presidential Honor Roll. Team Trump emailed you, my wife Lara emailed you, my brother Don Jr. emailed you, AND President Trump emailed you.

We’ve done everything we can to get you to join this prestigious group, and now I’m reaching out to let you know that this is your LAST CHANCE.

I’m holding your spot for the NEXT 3 hours. After that, your offer will permanently EXPIRE and you will no longer be considered for a spot on the Honor Roll.

It’s awfully flattering to know that during these turbulent times (a deadly pandemic, an economic recession, more than 20 million people unemployed, Russia paying bounties to kill American soldiers, Supreme Court rulings giving prosecutors access to Trump’s financial records, etc), the President of the United States is taking time away from his golf game, tweeting, and Fox News watching, to look for my name on his list of donors.

Suffice to say that each time we received notice that we would no longer be eligible for whatever blatantly phony benefit they were serving up, our eligibility was magically restored due to how important we are to the campaign and our unparalleled contributions to its success.

However, if they have to beg this shamelessly, lie this flagrantly, and even resort to threats, in order to coerce donations out of their cult disciples, then they are in big, big trouble. Which, of course, is good news for America.

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.