Posted on 01/30/2016 12:17:25 AM PST by drewh
LONDON — No doubt Donald Trump will be thrilled that the entire world is mesmerized as he steamrolls over his Republican rivals for the presidential nomination.
He probably doesn’t care that most of the international publicity is bad publicity—but even the master of ill-tempered putdowns and Twitter vitriol will struggle to keep up with the sheer number of attacks and jibes pouring in from every corner of the globe.
He does have a select band of fans—more on those later—but they are being drowned out by an incredulity that stretches from Europe’s capitals to post-conflict Afghanistan; from the African deltas to Asia’s tiger economies.
With the Iowa caucuses just days away, people simply cannot understand how a man like Donald Trump could run a successful presidential campaign in the world’s most powerful nation.
“People are in disbelief; they think he is borderline crazy,†Magnús Sveinn Helgason, an Icelandic historian who worked on the national inquiry into Iceland’s financial crash, told The Daily Beast. “People are kind of scared about what it would be like to live in a world where he is one of the most powerful leaders.â€
The interest and hostility toward Trump peaked after his remarks about banning Muslims from the country. A correspondent in Nigeria, a nation of more than 70 million Muslims, says: “Trump was trending on social media and believe me, he was the one man on earth Nigerians hated the most. He still is.â€
Leaders from France, Egypt, Canada, the United Nations, and Saudi Arabia were among those to publicly criticize Trump for his proposed ban on entry to America on religious grounds.
In London, politicians held an unprecedented debate in Parliament about whether to introduce a tit-for-tat ban that would prevent Trump from traveling to Britain. The debate was tabled by Labour’s Paul Flynn after more than half a million members of the public signed a petition backing a ban.
“He does seem to be reckless, arrogant, impulsive—and those are his best qualities,†Flynn told The Daily Beast. “He doesn’t fit the mold of anyone’s idea of a statesman because of his rash statements, his flying off the handle to abuse friend and foe. There are few politicians that have been so obviously reckless in modern times; there were people like that before the last war, of course.â€
Gawping at Trump has become a national pastime in Britain, a nation that usually pays little attention to international politics. The window in one barbershop in St. Paul’s, in central London, reads: “If Trump becomes President, there will be hell toupee.â€
Flynn said the public had turned against Trump not just over his harsh words toward Muslims but for a number of offensive statements. “His remarks about women, and against the disabled journalist came pretty high up on the levels of revulsion against politicians. There are very few countries in the world where mockery of women and the disabled is acceptable.â€
In Muslim Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered a stinging critique of Trump’s political acumen. “A successful politician would not make such statement,†he said. Erdogan, who has been either prime minister or president of Turkey since 2003, said Trump would face an embarrassing situation if he ever got to the White House. “I don’t know whether or not he’ll win, but let’s suppose he won. What will happen? Will he set aside all relationships with Muslim countries? A politician shouldn’t talk like this.â€
He hasn’t only got flak from the government but also his business partners, suggesting his fiery political rhetoric could have financial implications. Bulent Kural, manager of a shopping mall at the Istanbul Trump Towers, a twin high-rise commercial and residential building, condemned what he said. “Such statements bear no value and are products of a mind that does not understand Islam, a peace religion, at all,†Kural said. The Trump Tower complex in Istanbul was developed by Turkish billionaire Aydin Dogan, who pays Trump for the name. His global brand could clearly suffer.
In China, his business reputation is already compromised, despite repeated bragging that he “knows China.†Over there, he is compared to the nutty Chinese billionaire Chen Guangbiao, who once tried to buy The New York Times.
It is well-known that in the ’80s and ’90s, he went to Hong Kong to look for investors who could help bail him out of a tight spot. Some local tycoons invited him to play golf for $1 million a hole, Trump realized he was being outmuscled and declined. The investors did eventually buy up part of Trump’s mortgage, for $82 million. When they cashed out for $1.8 billion a decade later, Trump was so furious that he sued them.
The average Chinese man on the street may not be following the American election, but the Global Times, an uber-nationalistic state-run media outlet, warned readers Thursday: “If you plan to visit New York sometime this year, take my advice: Try to stay away from Fifth Avenue because Donald Trump may be lurking there with a gun.â€
Indeed, Gordon Chang, author of The Coming Collapse of China and Daily Beast contributor, said Beijing was paying close attention. “China is obsessed with Trump, just as Trump is obsessed with China,†he said. “State media takes his candidacy as proof that American democracy is flawed, comparing him to a ‘celebrity potato,’ for instance. Chinese netizens generally denigrate him as well, but in a country where Communist Party leaders are highly scripted, you can be sure they secretly admire someone who speaks his mind.â€
On the other side of China’s mountainous border with Afghanistan, government officials in Kabul were equally unimpressed.
Zardasht Shams, the deputy minister of information, said they were still waiting to hear a real policy on how Trump would deal with the U.S. drawdown and post-conflict resolution. “Sorry, I’m not well updated on this fool’s policy or stand on Afghanistan,†he told The Daily Beast. “In general, Afghanistan, being a conservative and radical Muslim society, would hate and extremely dislike [Trump becoming president] and feel uncomfortable because of his anti-Muslim statements.â€
The hostility toward Muslims has gone down better with some in Israel, where the statements have resonated with a growing far-right movement, which has called upon Israeli politicians to revoke Israeli Arabs’ citizenship and residency rights as a form of collective punishment.
These extremists see Muslims and Arabs as a barbaric enemy that understand only power and with whom the enlightened “Western†world cannot negotiate, and some see parallels here in Trump’s own worldview.
Within that far-right movement, a lot of Israelis see Trump’s brash racism as a refreshing dose of truth. While Trump scares many in the Israeli left, he has won credit among even the mainstream right for saying that the world should recognize Jerusalem as the country’s capital and Israel’s need for a separation wall, both of which President Obama and the international community have criticized.
Another potential friend is lounging on the other side of the Mediterranean Sea. Silvio Berlusconi, now 79, has had a low profile in Italy since being banned from public office in 2013 for tax fraud. He recently said his party still needs him, so he is claiming that his ousting was unconstitutional, and friendly words from Trump have been warmly welcomed. “I love Italy,†Trump said. “Berlusconi? He’s a great guy. I like him.â€
Berlusconi seems to think this will help him back into power. He has always maintained close personal ties with Vladimir Putin and one might envision the three of them in a sort of club of global misfits if Trump is elected and Berlusconi is back in power.
In the rest of Western Europe, mainstream politicians and the media have been largely critical of the American property tycoon. In Germany, Der Spiegel published an article explaining “Trump’s World.†They concluded: “You can laugh about it, get angry about it—this man lives on his own planet.â€
The Dutch magazine Elsevier tried harder to explain Trumps’ popularity in the polls. “Trump chooses Fort America… he’s obsessed with national identity. It is a mistake to dismiss him as a clown without ideology. He certainly has a nationalist ideology, which is in tune with the international Zeitgeist.â€
Deeyah Khan, a filmmaker born in Norway, said there had been a real effect on Europe’s Muslim population, especially after Muslim and Sikh citizens were thrown out of Trump events.
“The Trump phenomenon shows us how much fear of Muslims there is out there, and how easily it can be exploited,†she told The Daily Beast. “The reaction of his followers to Rose Hamid and Arish Sing is deeply scary.â€
When he announced his presidential run last summer, Le Monde described him in its headline, flatly but correctly, as an “eccentric billionaire.â€
Since then, people in France and Belgium have learned that he casts his insults far and wide. At the beginning of the week, in an interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business, she asked Trump about his plans to stop Muslims from entering the United States. He cited Paris and Brussels as places where Muslims were out of control and unassimilated: “You go to Brussels —I was in Brussels a long time ago, 20 years ago, so beautiful, everything is so beautiful—it’s like living in a hellhole right now.â€
When the Belgian press translated hellhole idiomatically, it came out as “trou à rats,†or, literally, rat hole.
Brussels Alderman Philippe Close, responsible for the city’s tourism, called Trump “a totally vulgar clown.†And people started posting beautiful images of the city with the ironic hashtag #hellhole.
One showed a beautiful shot of La Grand Place, the square at the heart of Brussels, alongside Trump shouting: “WHERE is the #hellhole @realDonaldTrump? Brussels or your mouth???â€
Someone else proposed a novel way to shut Trump up—and blocked up his mouth on Photoshop with a huge Belgian waffle.
Oh Noes. The Globalists are hating the US again.
My suspicion is, the dirt bags of the world, want to see America become a third world country, so they don’t want to see someone who wants to restore our greatness in the world.
"People are in disbelief" "People are kind of scared"Only a few nitwits at Free Republic.
KFI AM 640 talk radio in Los Angeles held a debate “circus” yesterday in Anaheim that was attended by close to 1000 people according to reports. I didn’t go but while listening to it from home it was obvious to me that Donald Trump is by far the candidate favored by most of those in attendance.
That inspired me to write this email which I sent to the afternoon drive time guys, John and Ken.
I wasn’t able to attend the KFI circus event last night but I did listen. Being radio, I couldn’t see the crowd, but judging from the sound, they were overwhelmingly in favor of Donald Trump. That inspired me to write this email to express some of my thoughts on the candidacy of Mr. Trump and why I support him. I’ll try to make it as brief as possible.
Here’s a question I’d like to pose for all those who don’t believe Donald Trump is ideologically pure enough to be elected to the presidency, or that if elected, he’ll be as lawless as president Obama has been and rule by decree.
Must you be a conservative ideologue to enforce an immigration policy that’s already in place?
Must you be a conservative ideologue to build a wall on the southern border that’s already been voted on and approved by congress?
He’s promised to get rid of illegals and he can do it under laws already in place. You enforce e-verify and harshly punish businesses that employ them. Watch them leave on their own when they can’t get jobs or work under the table.
You tell the states they’ll receive no welfare or medicaid funding until they weed their enrollments of illegal immigrants, including their dependents. Again, the choice is protecting illegals in violation of existing federal laws, or money. What choice will they make?
By the same token, you tell the sanctuary cities that they’ll receive no more federal funding until they start complying with existing immigration laws. What will the cities do? Choose sanctuary policy or federal money?
Many illegals run afoul of the law. When someone has a police contact via arrest and they can’t prove legal resident status, you deport them, or hold them for trial then decide whether to imprison or deport them. Do you think the police and/or courts will hesitate to get rid of a problem the easiest way possible, knowing their federal funding will be cut off if they don’t enforce existing federal immigration laws? Again, not one additional law is needed to do this.
How many people have been “rounded up” so far? None. They’re leaving on their own because it will no longer be easy to stay. We’ll need that big beautiful door on that big beautiful wall just to handle all the traffic headed SOUTH if he implements just the things I’ve outlined above and he hasn’t had to do a thing except insist that EXISTING federal immigration laws be enforced.
No one ever questions the sincerity of democrat politicians or the Leftist’s that support them. I’ll bet they’d change their tune if suddenly there was no more “other people’s money” to finance their future democrat voter importation scheme. Just imagine what those idiots in Sacramento would do if President Trump told them we’re not funding your welfare state anymore. Let Tom Steyer and Mark Zuckerberg fund the welfare state and maybe they’ll stop funding all these insane referendums. Or maybe they’ll just live quietly and leave the rest of us alone.
Are any of the items I’ve listed above unconstitutional or dictatorial? How much money have we saved so far? John and Ken, you guys know every one of these things I’ve addressed so far could be done under EXISTING laws. It’s just that we’ve never had a president willing to enforce them before.
Would Trump really break the cornerstone promise he’s based his entire campaign on? I don’t think so.
Trump has stated on numerous occasions that he wants clean air and water but that the EPA is running amok with strangling regulations. How much money will we save if he reigns in the EPA, which immediately makes for a more attractive business environment. Doesn’t the president pick the heads of these federal agencies for his cabinet positions? Do you think Trump’s going to pick an enviro-nut to head the EPA?
I’m not going to go into every cabinet position and what he’d do, but he’s already stated on numerous occasions that if he’s elected, common core is dead and he’s going to return control of schools back to the local level.
He states at every one of his rallies that there will be no infringements on the 2nd amendment and he wants federal recognition of CCW laws and reciprocity with all the states honoring out of state concealed carry permits.
I’ve been listening to you guys for years and I know you’re not “gun guys”, but I’ve also noticed you’re becoming a lot more open to the idea of responsible citizens carrying firearms. I don’t know if you’re aware of this or not, but Arizona is “constitutional carry”, meaning if you’re allowed to own a gun, you can carry it in public either concealed or openly with no permit required. It’s true. Lawful gun owners, not even sanctioned by a state agency carrying loaded guns every day, yet blood isn’t running in the streets after every fender bender or cut in line at the market. Google it if you don’t believe me.
Exactly what parts of the constitution are people so fearful of that he’ll destroy? I submit that they fear a President Trump will actually keep his campaign promises and by so doing, derail their gravy train. Or in the case of the talking heads and brilliant thinkers, rendering them irrelevant. Just like he’s doing to FOX and the geniuses at National Review.
You can’t say it on the radio, but I think you see that Trump’s appeal is, he’s an alpha male, he’s got huge balls, F U money and he doesn’t take crap from any of these weasels in the media. If you think he’s got the losers at GOPe headquarters scared, imagine how the democrats are trembling. They’re learning that they can’t shut him down and they don’t know how to react.
One case in point. How quickly did he shut Hillary down when she accused him of being sexist?
I see people at Breitbart and American Thinker spouting the same FUD about tyranny and doom but no one ever offers a single bit of evidence or any policy proposals that indicates Trump intends to become a dictator.
What I see in Trump is an executive with more than 40 years of experience in management. If ever there was an entity in need of effective management, it’s the Federal government.
Just think of how much better life would be if America had someone that was willing to kill the beast of bureaucracy and run this thing like a business that needs to live within a reasonable budget.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope it helps.
Does that include Cologne, Ron?
People are scared? Man, maybe they should just go to Germany where they’ll feel more welcome.
Very nice dissertation on what everyone from Lisbon to London thinks of the USA’s presidential choices. Pardon me for being “nationalistic” but we can elect our own president according to our own values. When we want the USA to look like Britain or Sweden, I guess we will have joined the Sorosian Open Society. In the meantime I will continue to cling to my old-fashioned patriotism and vote according to what is best for my country, not Old Europe.
I know, I know.
I thought Obama was going to make everyone our friend, after that mad man Bush left.
Absolutely.
Are they having sexual abuse problems also?
What a mess over there.
It’s hard to imagine nations doing that to themselves, but our’s is headed that way too.
Good grief.
If this didn’t address your point, let me know.
Oh, so some foreigners don’t like Donald Trump? But they did swoon over Obama, didn’t they? Who cares what they want, they don’t have to live with the consequences of it all.
Yes, Europe, The Donald is as threatening as a JunkYard Dog, but he’s our JunkYard Dog, ready to protect, serve and call out all threats.
That’s a cool picture. Who’s the artist?
Yes, he hadn’t done a darned thing, and it went steadily downhill from there. LOL
Good one.
They thought Ronald Reagan was an insane cowboy who would start WWIII. All the more reason to love Trump.
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