[nathanbedford]

Of course there is no 3-D chess at play here and there never was any 3-D chess at play anywhere. The proposition that Trump was brilliantly playing 3-D chess every time he committed a gaffe was utterly preposterous-even absurd.

[fr_freak]

The proposition that Trump was brilliantly playing 3-D chess every time he committed a gaffe was utterly preposterous-even absurd.

The 3D chess thing was always a little much. I think Trump cutting the Gordian knot would be a better analogy. People are so used to regular politicking that whenever he said something that appeared to be a gaffe, they thought he was playing a long, complicated game, when really he was just saying what he really thought and then STICKING TO IT unapologetically, and people were so baffled by the concept that not backing down could be successful they invented ideas of greater things at play. Truth is, a man with balls can flatten all of these gutless politicians. Trump making any attempt actually to play politics will fail. Trump simply saying and doing what he wants and not backing down will win. I think once he hit the office, he started trying to employ politics, and that strategy is failing. I also wish Ivanka would stay home and make sandwiches.

[21twelve]

Trump as candidate was being a salesman - and to a degree that is fine. Talking about “We’re going to build a big beautiful wall” sounds good on stage. Maybe he even believed it at one point - but I never did. But I know that he is concerned about securing our border, more than Hillary anyways.

What he may have thought at the time, and I think has discussed more now, that it isn’t just a “wall”, but viewing it in the entirety as securing our border. Maybe a “wall” in some places, but probably more like a fence. And increased manpower and technology in areas where a physical border can’t or won’t be built. Of course discussing all of the various options and means of securing the border doesn’t go over so well in a sound-bite.

I was reading about the 700 miles of wall that was promised to Dubya. They completed part of it awhile ago - it took ten years just to get through the process of emminent domain.

The only trouble with promising a wall is that he might lose the support of those that thought that a wall was really a feasible option. Unless of course he can prove to them (us!) that after a year or two he can show the huge improvements that have been made in securing the border (wall, fences, equipment, personnel, sharks with frikin’ lasers, etc.)

I would think some things, such as personnel and budget allocations, could be done by Executive Order.

[EliRoom8]

3-D chess includes signing a budget with funding for Planned Parenthood but zero for the wall.

Maybe that is 4-D chess?

[Benno van Archimboldi]

It was also “art of the deal,” too. Laughable.