So on the old board, one thing I found fascinating was this specific kind of lie that Trump is fond of: make public statements; then, later make other public statements that contradict earlier ones, as though he never made them, or people don’t have memories, or any sort of recording devices. It’s become a cliche to use the term, but it’s gaslighting–and I like how he blames the media here for . . . what? . . . broadcasting or publishing things that he says. And I don’t recall other presidents doing this. It’s like Obama coming out and saying, Hey, I never said "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor! That’s a media lie!"
He [Rosenstein] made a recommendation, he’s highly respected, very good guy, very smart guy. The Democrats like him, the Republicans like him. He made a recommendation. But regardless of [the] recommendation, I was going to fire Comey. Knowing there was no good time to do it!
And in fact when I decided to just do it I said to myself, I said, “You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story, it’s an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should’ve won.”
“I just fired the head of the F.B.I. He was crazy, a real nut job. I faced great pressure because of Russia. That’s taken off.”
I realize my thread title question is rhetorical, as the answer is: because he can and his supporters don’t care. But how do you process this kind of jarring, dishonest insanity?
Pretty obvious why he is doing it. His lawyers advised him Mueller might fall back on saying that firing Comey because of the Russian investigation is obstruction of justice. He is trying to get alternative reasons out there to muddy that water in case it happens.
“All this was inspired by the principle—which is quite true within itself—that in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily; and thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods. It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Even though the facts which prove this to be so may be brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and waver and will continue to think that there may be some other explanation. For the grossly impudent lie always leaves traces behind it, even after it has been nailed down, a fact which is known to all expert liars in this world and to all who conspire together in the art of lying.”
Reality is what I say it is, at this moment. And I reserve the right to revise it into its opposite. And you all will believe it and accept it as “true” by virtue of me saying it.
Maybe one related question is: why does a certain segment of the population love being gaslighted so much? Just viscerally, how do you not recoil from this kind of stuff?
I really doubt that much foresight goes into it. I just think he’s sitting on the toilet or whatever and gets himself all worked up and just types stuff.
If this thread sticks around, I assume someone will argue that there’s no tension or problem with this tweet and his earlier statements. They’re perfectly congruent.
This is it, and it’s about the same amount of thought his followers put into it. Just another poop passing through, there will be another one tomorrow. Tomorrow’s poop doesn’t care about today’s poop. It gets wiped and flushed anyway.
Some people love belonging more than just about anything else.
And so, if being on the team, being in the know, being a True and Righteous Patriot means you have to ignore a little lying and suck on some gas…so be it.
Part of the transcript is in this realclearpolitics link
TRUMP: "Look – look, let me tell you. As far as I’m concerned, I want that thing to be absolutely done properly.
When I did this now, I said I probably maybe will confuse people. Maybe I’ll expand that – you know, I’ll lengthen the time because it should be over with. It should – in my opinion, should’ve been over with a long time ago because it – all it is an excuse.
But I said to myself I might even lengthen out the investigation. But I have to do the right thing for the American people.
