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What does Trump mean for U.S. image?
CNN ^ | July 24, 2015 | Frida Ghitis

Posted on 07/24/2015 11:04:55 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

The American electoral circus has taken the stage and people around the world are watching in disbelief. To say they are not impressed would be an understatement. A Colombian columnist called Donald Trump a "lab rat," for testing the U.S. tolerance of toxic political debate. In India, a commentator writes dismissively that the "self-declared 'greatest' democracy is descending into a farce."

Sadly, the reality is that the early stages of the 2016 presidential race are providing the world -- and America -- with a lesson in the weaknesses of the system.

Trump, who currently leads polls for the Republican nomination, has built his campaign on attention-grabbing insults and a level of self-adulation so distasteful that it works better as parody than promotion. It's no wonder comedians (and Democrats) are having the time of their lives watching his show.

His quick rise demonstrates how a politician can manipulate the electorate, particularly when the field is so large and divided, how name recognition and shock value can so easily tip the scales, and how appealing to fear and prejudice under the guise of "plain talk" can fire up certain segments of the electorate.

In fact this carnivalesque approach is proving so successful that another candidate, Sen. Lindsay Graham, decided to give it a try. After Trump called him an idiot and gave out his cell phone number, Graham put on a show of his own, complete with a samurai sword slashing through his flaming phone.

What's the world to make of American democracy in light of all this?

Sure, some of it is funny. And it is electoral politics, so people expect a lot of empty talk. But Trump is not just a windbag. Yes, he can be that. But much of what he says is also really toxic....

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: trump
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To: sargon

So very well said and encouraging!

I personally think ‘they’ ( Europe) are watching this unfold and wishing they had a Donald Trump to fight for them!!!!!!


21 posted on 07/25/2015 3:21:18 AM PDT by Guenevere (If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do........Psalms 11:3..An Appeal to Heaven)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The weakness in the system is that we have a unqualified, incompetent, Muslim, Marxist, homo, as a current resident in the White House who hates everything American and is doing a hell of a job bringing it all down


22 posted on 07/25/2015 3:33:39 AM PDT by wetgundog ("Extremism in the Defense of Liberty is No Vice" -AuH2O)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The weakness in the system is that we have a unqualified, incompetent, Muslim, Marxist, homo, as a current resident in the White House who hates everything American and is doing a hell of a job bringing it all down


23 posted on 07/25/2015 3:33:49 AM PDT by wetgundog ("Extremism in the Defense of Liberty is No Vice" -AuH2O)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Trump and his skyrocketing polls means the American people are STARVING for TRUTH, mad as Hell, and are NOT going to take it anymore.1


24 posted on 07/25/2015 4:04:58 AM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Sadly, the reality is that the early stages of the 2016 presidential race are providing the world -- and America -- with a lesson in the weaknesses of the system.

Sadly, here is another hit piece against Donald Trump.

The first assertion that we have a "lesson in the weaknesses of the system," is unsupported.

With a diversity of sixteen or more candidates on the Republican side, and with little competition on the Democrat side, we are demonstrating the strength and depth of how we go about selecting our candidates for POTUS.

The ignorant selecting a few ignorant comments by foreigners might be entertaining to a few, but is shows little more than a continuation of the name calling and attempts at character assassination. The approach is typical of the Democrats, and boring.

25 posted on 07/25/2015 4:12:25 AM PDT by olezip
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

There is no image of anyone that can do more damage that Obama’s has done.


26 posted on 07/25/2015 4:14:14 AM PDT by Gaffer
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The Trump Triuth policy is spreading - loved what Cruz did about McConnell. It may be a tag-team turning point that actually helps the People....


27 posted on 07/25/2015 4:14:21 AM PDT by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

While they are so busy trashing the messenger, they ignore the message. The message is: We, the people, are PO.

This “government” is full of liars, thieves and perverts. Shame on us for electing them. Shame on them for destroying our country.


28 posted on 07/25/2015 4:16:17 AM PDT by NTHockey (Rules of engagement #1: Take no prisoners. And to the NSA trolls, FU)
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To: DoughtyOne

She has no comprehension of our system because she grew up in Columbia and her education here was at Emory University.


29 posted on 07/25/2015 4:17:33 AM PDT by Gaffer
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To: wetgundog

The weakness is not in the system.

It’s that passive conservatives, in spite of being well-warned, allowed the Marxists to take over the education system in toto, and then media - all as planned. That’s the root.

Thus giving us now 2 generations of brainwashed, dumbed-down, immature voters who live in their little worlds of texting, twittering, video games, etc. and who will vote blindly for whatever Marxist is running.

Until the root is dealt with, true conservatives will just be putting out fires while the left continues to feed our culture with Marxism......fueling the fire beyond putting out.

It’s going to take someone like Trump - or Cruz - to deal with the truth......but I don’t see either of them dealing with root causes - only symptoms.

The immigration issue is a symptom.........its origin is a Marxist world view pushed and promoted by our Marxist-in-Chief.........


30 posted on 07/25/2015 4:19:06 AM PDT by Arlis ( A "Sacred Cow" Tipping Christian)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Sadly, the reality is that the early stages of the 2016 presidential race are providing the world -- and America -- with a lesson in the weaknesses of the system.

That happened in 2008.

At least we know where Trump was born, his grades in school, etc. The current _resident? Nada.

The farce is in place now, removing that farce is a great step in the right direction.

31 posted on 07/25/2015 4:20:17 AM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Ah...CNN, the most trusted name in news...


32 posted on 07/25/2015 4:52:24 AM PDT by ThePatriotsFlag ( Anything FREELY-GIVEN by the government was TAKEN from someone else)
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To: hosepipe

33 posted on 07/25/2015 4:58:00 AM PDT by EEGator
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
It's been said so many times, I don't know who said it first.

Our Allies Don't Trust Us & Our Enemies Don't Fear Us!"

34 posted on 07/25/2015 5:28:10 AM PDT by TexasCajun (Hillary: Ethically Sleazy & Politically Stupid)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Anything beats a feral African criminal in the White House


35 posted on 07/25/2015 6:29:50 AM PDT by Neoliberalnot (Marxism works well only with the uneducated and the unarmed.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I don’t care what they think.

With Trump, they won’t believe that our nation’s leaders can be walked all over like they do right now.


36 posted on 07/25/2015 7:19:56 AM PDT by vmivol00 (I won't be reconstructed.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Yeh Trump is toxic if you are a Leftard. LOL!


37 posted on 07/25/2015 9:06:28 AM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose o f a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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To: Gaffer

Okay, that explains at least part of it. I appreciate the mention.


38 posted on 07/25/2015 9:26:16 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (Conservatism: Now home to liars too. And we'll support them. Yea... GOPe)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Like our image is so good now....not!


39 posted on 07/25/2015 9:27:25 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
This is an example of the silly --silly in the sense of being both naive and unanalytic--thought processes of CNN. CNN's quality of analysis has been seared into my memory, by the chance event of my being in Europe, when Obama went over to the Olympic Committee to argue for having the 2016 summer Olympics in Chicago.

Obama made a speech in which he told the Olympic Committee that South-side Chicago basically looked like the Olympic Committee. Obama was as oblivious to the fact that his remarks would be taken as an insult by many of the African Nations represented--as were the CNN comentators, who promptly posited that Chicago would now be the favorite of the four cities under-consideration.

Of course, as anyone more rational than the Marxist fanatic or his CNN admirers would have expected, Chicago was the first of the three losing cities to be eliminated.

When it comes to images, CNN is clueless.

40 posted on 07/25/2015 9:37:57 AM PDT by Ohioan
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