'The Chosen One': Now More than Ever, the Press Needs to Address Trump's Manic Instability

[dajoki]

'The Chosen One': Now More than Ever, the Press Needs to Address Trump's Manic Instability
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/node/86232

In a presidency marked by incoherent pronouncements and bizarre visions of grandeur, Donald Trump seemed to reach new, troubling heights last week.

He referred to himself as "the chosen one." He quoted a rabid conspiracy theorist radio host who declared that Israeli Jews love Trump as if he were the “King of Israel” and “the second coming of God,” while Trump himself accused American Jews of "great disloyalty" if they voted for Democrats. He attacked the prime minister of Denmark ("nasty&quot because she will not sell him Greenland and she mocked the very idea as “absurd.” He suggested he might serve more than two terms in office. He slurred his words while reading a speech off a teleprompter. He accused journalists of trying to ruin the U.S. economy. He claimed Google had "manipulated" millions of votes in Hillary Clinton's favor during the 2016 election. He suggested giving himself a Medal of Honor. He said doctors in El Paso, Texas, left their operating rooms mid-surgery in order to greet him during his visit there following a local gun massacre. And he referred to the NRA as if it were a co-equal branch of the federal government.

That was all within the span of approximately 48 hours. For all previous American presidents, that would have far surpassed the irrational missteps they made during entire four- or eight-year terms. For Trump, it was just his vacation week.

Yet the press remains consistently timid in dealing with Trump's blatantly unstable behavior. Newsrooms today nearly uniformly refuse to address the mounting, obvious signs that Trump remains a deeply troubled man. In other words: Nothing to see here, folks.

Following Trump's erratic Greenland episode, The New York Times ran a head-shaking editorial headlined, "Mr. Trump and Greenland: Is This Real Life?" and described his strange view of the world as "frightening." But the Times refused to acknowledge the obvious context regarding Trump's instability. And of course, the Times refuses to call for Trump's resignation, even though it's clear the paper's editorial board views him as a dangerous, befuddled fool.

In its news pages, the Times labeled the Greenland farce an "odd moment" in the Trump presidency, which is an overly kind description. Then, in reviewing his bizarre week, the paper conceded the diplomatic embarrassment came "at a time when Mr. Trump has seemed particularly erratic."

True. But what does that mean, for Trump to be "erratic"? What does it mean for the most powerful leader in the free world to be acting in a bizarre and often schizophrenic fashion? Why aren't the Times and other news outlets consulting experts in the field of mental health on a regular basis? And why isn't Trump's obviously "erratic" behavior the story of his presidency, since it's so obviously an unprecedented development in this country's history of nearly 250 years?

<<snip>>

[kentuck]

1. Nice summary of his weekend...

"He referred to himself as "the chosen one." He quoted a rabid conspiracy theorist radio host who declared that Israeli Jews love Trump as if he were the “King of Israel” and “the second coming of God,” while Trump himself accused American Jews of "great disloyalty" if they voted for Democrats. He attacked the prime minister of Denmark ("nasty" because she will not sell him Greenland and she mocked the very idea as “absurd.” He suggested he might serve more than two terms in office. He slurred his words while reading a speech off a teleprompter. He accused journalists of trying to ruin the U.S. economy. He claimed Google had "manipulated" millions of votes in Hillary Clinton's favor during the 2016 election. He suggested giving himself a Medal of Honor. He said doctors in El Paso, Texas, left their operating rooms mid-surgery in order to greet him during his visit there following a local gun massacre. And he referred to the NRA as if it were a co-equal branch of the federal government. "

[Zoonart]

2. The "PRESS" needs to call for his resignation.

They were all calling for Clinton's resignation over a consensual BJ and lying about the woes "IS".
News papers across the country must begin calling for his resignation. Democrats and pundits must answer every and all questions about Trump with the single phrase, "He. must resign". It is the only way to move the needle on this conversation enough to pressure the Republicans to get him gone.

Personally, I don't think we have the luxury of time for impeachment or to wait until the election. The amount of damage he can do in a year is incalculable.

[Firestorm49]

3. We have a truly sick person in the White House.

Of course, the following thought would go nowhere, but I believe that any candidate campaigning for the presidency of the United States, whether Democrat or Republican, should be required to take a mental exam in order to qualify to run.

This guy’s a flying nut case and needs to be in a padded room.

[hedda_foil]

4. The thing is a normal narcissist would pass a mental exam because they know what answers should be.

Shitforbrains wouldn't pass in a million years because he is completely and utterly delusional, but most narcissists are more intelligent than average and have learned how to emulate normal behavior and responses. They also have the ability to read social cues and adapt their behavior as they see fit. The orangeutang may have been able to do that in his younger days (?) but certainly is unable to do so now.

[Guilded Lilly]

5. Kick. There are no more words.