Posted on 03/14/2016 9:36:00 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
I like the idea of Ben Carson, man of integrity and plainspoken utterer of hard truths, being okay with Trump lying outlandishly to the public about what he thinks so long as he doesn’t really believe it.
“I needed to know that he could listen to other people, that he could change his opinions, and that some of the more outlandish things that he’s said, that he didn’t really believe those things,” Carson said.
When asked which statements Trump might back away from, Carson demurred.
“I’ll let him talk about that because I don’t think it’s fair for me to relay a private conversation,” he said.
When he said last week that “There are two different Donald Trumps,” he wasn’t kidding. The dark art of Trumpism lies in making the individual voter believe that he’s BSing everyone else, that “their” version of Trump is the true one and the “other” Trump is just working an angle to protect himself temporarily. If you’re a border hawk, Trump saying that he’s changing on H-1B visas isn’t disqualifying, it’s just a self-serving lie designed to make him seem more moderate on his way to the general election. If you’re more open to legalizing illegals, Trump’s mass deportation demand is just a self-serving lie he’s telling the right to protect his lead in the primaries. If you’re an alt-righter, Trump saying that he loves Israel is just his way of pandering to mainstream conservatives and centrist Democrats. If you’re pro-Israel, Trump dodging Jake Tapper’s questions on David Duke was, unfortunately, just something he had to do to keep his turnout up this month. He’s been doing this for months. That’s why most Trump controversies come with some sort of walkback: We’ll have mass deportation but we’ll also let the good ones back in, we’ll bar Muslims from entering the U.S. but it’ll be temporary and maybe short-lived. Believe whatever you want. Carson’s no exception.
The upshot of this, as Michael Brendan Dougherty notes, is that Trump has been able to retreat lately from all sorts of nationalist positions that his fans love with no dip in support. He’s lying to everyone else, see. Not to them.
But over the past few months, there has been a lot of evidence that Trump’s populist-nationalism is disintegrating. In September he released a tax-reform plan that is much beloved by the most anti-nationalist conservative thinkers around. In fact it is the very thing that Beltway creatures like Stephen Moore of the Club for Growth cite when they try to explain their sudden and perplexing support for Donald Trump.
Trump has also sounded completely out of his depth on immigration, much to the chagrin of his restrictionist fans. In a debate in Detroit, where Trump would supposedly have some of his most nationalist-minded fans, Trump said, “I’m changing. I’m changing. We need highly skilled people in this country, and if we can’t do it, we’ll get them in.” He described his position on immigration as “softening” and then long-windedly explained why Americans would not take seasonal jobs on some of Trump’s American properties. One of the reasons he offered was the weather. That’s right, the pro-American-worker Trump says that America is just too hot for American workers. Trump also pushed “touchback” amnesty, where illegal immigrants are granted legal status if they go home and obtain a guest-worker pass from an employer. Suddenly the “big beautiful door” in the Mexican border wall sounds a lot bigger. As Trump has begun to emphasize about immigration, “everything is negotiable.”
Trump’s non-interventionism also seems to be on the table. In the Detroit debate he talked about creating “safe zones” in Syria to stem the refugee flow. And in the Miami debate he said he would commit ground troops to Syria and Iraq: “We really have no choice, we have to knock out ISIS… I would listen to the generals, but I’m hearing numbers of 20,000-30,000.”
Is Trump against amnesty or secretly for it? Is he anti-interventionist or secretly in favor? Is he serious about a trade war with China or does he secretly think that’d be a bad idea? (And it would be.) With a garden-variety pol like Romney, this slipperiness would damage him badly, smoking-gun proof that he has no principles. Trump gets away with it for two reasons. One: Because he sounds like the opposite of a smooth-talking politician, unconcerned with policy and eager to brawl rhetorically with the competition, no amount of weaseliness on his positions can shake the perception that he’s “authentic.” The guy called out rapists from Mexico who’ve crossed the border illegally in his announcement speech last June; anyone willing to say that has gained an essentially irrebuttable presumption of honesty from his fans. And two: The whole point of electing Trump is that he’s going to be some sort of populist avenging angel against the entrenched establishment in D.C. In reality he’d be anything but that as president — read Dougherty’s piece — but that’s the image he’s built for himself.
He’s going to war with the people’s enemies, both foreign and domestic. Once your candidacy is successfully framed that way, your supporters will indulge you nearly anything. War is, after all, a dirty business. If you need to lie to the media and the establishmentarians in order to gain power then that’s what you’ve gotta do. The moment of truth for Trump will be what happens if, somehow, he pulls this off and wins in November. Come next January, when he needs to start signing bills, one side or the other will find out conclusively that it’s been lied to. Which side will it be?
Into the FR memory hole:
*******
Carson actually believes his poll numbers so he thinks he can take down Trump. He’s thrown the first punch. Let’s get ready to rumble. Let’s see his numbers are Magnus Trumpus get done with him. Let’s get ready to rumble!
1 posted on 9/9/2015, 9:04:00 PM by NKP_Vet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies | Report Abuse]
And how is this different than every other politician on Earth? That’s how you get elected to office, dummies. The majority of people don’t even come close to agreeing on anything, so the farther you go down any policy wormhole, the more support you lose. The art of politics is to find ways to avoid doing that. Trump’s found some pretty good ones. But for me, it’s obvious that he loves this country, and he’s willing to risk everything to protect it. That’s good enough . . .
“For one thing, he’s not German...”
Huh? Yes he is.
“I’ll let him talk about that because I don’t think it’s fair for me to relay a private conversation,” he said.
Oh, sure. Why in the world would silly voters want such useless information during primary season?
It doesn’t matter what Trump says. His followers love him regardless because after all Trump is going to save us don’t you know.
Dunno where this St Ted attack stuff came from.
We all loves Donald because he shoots dirty pool
Maybe Linda should see this?
Thank you!!! I was/am a Carson supporter. I see a Christian man who walks the walk, not some puritan caricature.
I like Ben Carson for his intelligence, accomplishments, and thoughtful consideration. To me, Ben Carson is simply saying the the upside of a Trump presidency is much greater than the downside of Trump.
I agree with Ben that Trump would actually be able to make America great again!
Before Ben endorsed Trump, he had to be assured of financial gain.
It is the height of Hypocracy to suggest Carson Endorsed him because of his type of Cristianity while out of the other side of your mouth cast aspersions at Cruz. In case you missed it CARSON admits that he wanted to make sure Trump didn't belive THE LIES he tells while campaigning.
And you attack Cruz for being dishonest? WOW. The Idolatry on this site is something special this election cycle.
You are so wrong, you call Trump Jesus while he plots to build casinos in Havana
I thought Teddy Cruz would make a good candidate but he unraveled maybe because of Beck or the pressure and has failed to settle the nbc question. I am surprised MSM hasn't attacked him for being a guest of a preacher who wants gays killed.
Santorum, Christie, and Huckabee dropped out. Certainly not Robot Rubio who is a comical figure unable to handle his Senate job and part of Gang of 8 and now coming against freedom of speech.
Kasich is another joke and not very bright. He is for amnesty, lacks imagination and ability to get things done, and has no respect for our laws and the constitution, at least not freedom of peech..
Another lie. Post Cruz’s WHOLE Comments Friday night at the his Presser.
YOu won’t because It proves you are Intentionally LYING! He clearly blamed the actions of the PROTESTERS on the PROTESTORS. Then he said Trump bears responsibility for the tone.
Show me anywhere in any press report of Cruz stating he is siding with the protestors. You and the rest of the Trump followers can’t.
It shows the honesty you all bring to the debate.
“Just the sort of thing that Hitler did. He even had Jews eating out of his hand before the whole thing was over. Of course, now, Trump is not Hitler. For one thing, he’s not German, and for another, he hasn’t got a mustache.”
That is simply unhinged! Go vote for Hillary and get it over with.
# 42
Oh there will be tons of that kind of thing being played back over the next two years. Bank on it!
While he was still in the game He could have spoken out on this but did not.
What gets me about Carson is he has never spoken out about Obama’s abuse of the Bully Pulpit and the resultant conflicts plus assults and murders that came from it. Begining with revenge for Treyvon Martin attacks on non blacks by black gangbangers which resulted in about a score (20) of deaths and serious injuries.
One who has spoken out about it is Miilwaukee county Sheriff Clarke (D) who by the way is ran for re election this month. and won Primary Feb 16th .
Trump could have used that issue when Carson held a brief lead in the Iowa polls. Instead Trump set out and accused him of being everything from a pedophile, crazy, and questionable surgeon involved in abortions. Trump was unrelenting and cost Carson his polling lead during the November run up continung to drag this campaign into the mud.
Since he signed up with Trump they could have used this and showed some depth to that shallow confrontation campaign devoid of the discussion of issues and approaches to solutions.
True :-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.