"He. Can't. Read."

[Different Drummer]

‘He. Can’t. Read’: Internet joyfully piles on Trump for ‘not being smart enough’ to understand Mattis letter knocked him

Source: RawStory.com


A recent New York Times report revealed that President Donald Trump didn’t seem to comprehend the resignation letter sent by Defense Secretary James Mattis this week.

Trump allegedly read the letter before praising the secretary’s work and dedication to the United States, but once cable news began reporting the letter’s contents, he turned to rage. A Twitter-rant quickly followed.

It’s led many pundits and activists online to wonder if the president was smart enough to understand what Mattis was saying in his two-page letter.

CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins was among the first to comment it seemed Trump didn’t really read the letter.

More at: https://www.rawstory.com/2018/12/cant-read-internet-joyfully-piles-trump-not-smart-enough-understand-mattis-letter-knocked/

[UTUSN]

1. K&R

[Hamlette]

2. Hard to say whether he can't read or he just won't read

he thinks he knows everything so why bother to read anything?

[unblock]

3. I'm leaning toward "lying when he said he read it."

My guess is a staffer read it and said he resigned. Donnie said good.

Maybe the staffer said "he also said some pretty damning things about you, wanna me to tell you about them?"

If the staffer did, then Donnie said, "f*ck no! Why the hell would i want to hear some loser's negative opinion?"

[AdamGG]

9. I'd go with your interpretation

He's too fucking lazy and has too short an attention span to read a two page letter.

[Sherman A1]

33. Precisely

He can read just fine, he chooses not to do so.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

16. would you tell him it's negative if you were that staffer?

His reactions have taught the people around him to kiss up or stay out of range. People with the guts to disagree are long gone. By this time, I'll guess that those with the guts to bring bad tidings are thinning out.

[unblock]

20. I agree

And exactly because of that kind of reaction.

Even a new staffer doesn't have to get that kind of response too many times before they learn, he doesn't want to hear the bad news.

[MsLeopard]

19. I think he's too

Illiterate to understand the “big words” used in Mattis’ letter. Mattis probably wrote it that way on purpose - knowing he would never take the time or have the inclination to look up words he didn’t understand. He probably stopped reading at the first word he didn’t recognize.

I agree he has staffers who are supposed to filter what he says publicly, but they must hate his guts and don’t give a shit if he screws up yet again. My opinion only.

[onlyadream]

4. I think he is dyslexic

And I heard that is son Barron is too.
I’m in a family with many dyslexics, and they can be very smart and high IQ, but not in Trump’s case. Nope.

[grantcart]

6. I agree

It creates a need to compensate to overcome

Nelson Rockfeller had severe dyslexia and compensated by memorizing large amounts of material and had an outsized an energetic personality.

When he visited the 1964 Seattle World's Fair he spent 16 hours searching out every New Yorker visiting the fair and left the gaggle of reporters 20 years younger gasping for air by the end of the night.

People speak in phrases but when Trump reads he struggles and reads each word separately with an artificial diction.

Not an expert but it screams dyslexia to me.

[erronis]

34. I don't disagree with the dyslexia diagnosis, but another explanation: imbedded brain chip needs

a new battery.

While the battery can be recharged during the unit's "executive" time, batteries do wear out over time.

The various transmission methods (short/medium/long wave) take a toll on the batteries and circuitry. Sometimes there is actually an over-heating event and you can see the unit's face getting red and uttering pure gibberish.

Also, the remote-control operators always leave enough reserve power, just in case. Just in case the unit deviates from the script and needs to be completely shut down. This may provoke smoke and loss of body functions. Stand Clear!

[budkin]

10. Totally

It's very obvious.

[Poiuyt]

31. He seems to fit the pattern--both strengths and weaknesses

Poor reading and spelling skills. Mixing up sounds or syllables when saying long words is a common sign with children, but Trump still does it.

Also, many adults with dyslexia turn out to be successful entrepreneurs

[maddiemom]

32. I'm a reading specialist and have said many times that he shows all the signs of dyslexia.

[onlyadream]

37. I thought Bush was dyslexic as well.

It strikes 10 to 20 percent of the population, so it’s totally possible.

Again, not that dyslexics can’t be brilliant, but not in these two cases. Nope.

[ProudLib72]

5. If only he had the attention span it takes to make it through Hooked on Phonics

Maybe some degree of literacy should be a prerequisite for becoming president? Let's try to pass some legislation about that...soon.

[smirkymonkey]

12. I think we should start him off slow. Let's begin first with "Hooked on Monkey Phonics".

[ProudLib72]

14. He must be familiar with the word "morbid"

As in "morbidly obese". And "fern", as in "Melanie stuck some pencils in a fern and called it a wreath".

[NoMoreRepugs]

7. He read it but didnt comprehend it is most likely.

Dopes gotta be dopes.

[SergeStorms]

8. I'd bet on that.

Trump isn't smart enough to comprehend what was written. "Bigly". Any word with more than two syllables doesn't register in his head. He's a perfect fit for the deplorables.

[matt819]

11. I've thought that

But we’ve seen him read. But it’s like me reading Latin. It’s just words. I have no idea of what each word means, much less the nuance. This must be what reading is like for him. Just letters that look like words, but nothing more.

That, among so much more, could account for his non stop rage. He knows he is inadequate and he can no longer get away with bluster.

How’s that for arm chair analysis?

[Lock him up.]

13. Every new day he is a danger for life on Earth.

[lunatica]

15. He didn't expect the letter to be made public so he didn't read it

Plus he expected it to be a simple resignation from a good soldier. Mattis had protected Trump before so he didn’t expect the truth.

[hedda_foil]

17. He can read. He manages to read most words on the teleprompter. I believe the problem is

He doesn't process the meaning of what he reads so it's useless to him. He seems to have very serious learning disabilities in that neither auditory nor visual information is assimilated unless it's directly about him, and then it's only to the extent of deciding whether someone is with him or against him. Of course, once he hears criticism the source is permanently identified as an enemy.

That's just my opinion, of course.

[Mariana]

18. I bet he can't see well enough to read anything.

And he refuses to wear glasses because he thinks it looks weak or some stupid shit like that.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

21. Could it be a case of adult ADHD?....

(from Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder#Adults

Inattention

*fails to pay close attention to details
*has trouble holding attention on tasks
*has trouble organizing tasks and activities
*loses things necessary for tasks
*appears forgetful in daily activities
*has a short attention span and is easily distracted
*makes careless mistakes – for example, in schoolwork
*is unable to stick at tasks that are tedious or time-consuming
*appears unable to listen to or carry out instructions

Hyperactivity-impulsivity

*unable to sit still
*fidgets, squirms in seat
*leaves seat in inappropriate situations
*takes risks with little thought for the dangers
"on the go" or "driven by a motor"
*talks excessively
*blurts out answers too early
*has trouble waiting their turn
*interrupts or intrudes on conversations

Perhaps a pro can chime in here, but he sure shows a lot of those symptoms.....

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

22. Can't. Read. and Not. Smart. Enough. Anyway. eom

[flibbitygiblets]

23. He can read. He's just too lazy and self-absorbed to read anything that's not about himself.

Not saying he's articulate or anything of the sort. Just not illiterate.

[Luz]

24. He reads words with no comprehension.

[Laffy Kat]

25. And this man has the nuclear codes,

Fu#king great.

[Mike Nelson]

26. Don't agree...

… he can read. He can read a teleprompter. He will stop if he's unsure of a word, though... He makes odd corrections during his reading. I think he needs a read-thru and sometimes skips it... I think he's nervous about reading scripts and that's why he goes off script. I think his reading comprehension may be below his reading level.

[no_hypocrisy]

27. Perhaps he can't decipher. Perhaps he can't make out the words but can't comprehend.

I encountered a 50+ year old man who was an eye witness and I was going to cross-examine him. I had to choose the approach to elicit information from him.

I gave him a statute to read into the Record. He got stuck on the third word, individual. I immediately recognized that he was unable to read and I had to go easy on him. (Otherwise, I would look like a bully in front of the judge.)

Fortunately with my experience as a teacher, I spoke to him in a supportive way as one would speak to a child. I won his trust -- and I got my information -- and with that information, I totally destroyed the case of the Complaintant

My point: If I had not discovered his mental and emotional age (not his chronological age), I could have blown the case.

[bluedigger]

28. The only thing he needs to read and comprehend is the exit sign.

[Gothmog]

29. Use of complete sentences fooled trump

Link to tweet

[scipan]

30. evidence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=99&v=87H7anJcSNY

[left-of-center2012]

35. He can't spell, either.

He's told us he has one of the smartest brains in the world.

He never told us whose brain, and if he keeps it in a jar.

[Perseus]

36. Why do people act surprised to the lack of intelligence of the orange buffoon?

I don't get it! it is very upsetting to believe that after two years people are now realizing the guy is a buffoon and has the brain of a buffoon, with due respect to buffoons.

It should have been clear during the campaign, why are people surprised?