Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: This is the difference between Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders

[think]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: This is the difference between Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders

By Kareem Abdul-Jabbar September 2 at 7:45 AM

Ernest Hemingway once said that courage was “grace under pressure.” Two presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, have recently tested this proposition. And how each man responded revealed the type of person he is and the type of president he would make: Trump authored his own doom, and Sanders opened immense new possibilities as a compassionate person and serious candidate for president.

Here’s where it went fatally wrong for Trump. During the GOP debate on Fox, when Megyn Kelly famously queried him about his attitude toward women (whom he has called “fat pigs,” “dogs,” “slobs” and “animals”) he hit back by threatening the questioner: “I’ve been very nice to you, although I could probably maybe not be, based on the way you have treated me. But I wouldn’t do that.”

Bad enough to alienate women in this way, but there’s even more insidious political crime here: attacking the First Amendment’s protection of a free press by menacing journalists. “I wouldn’t do that,” he said coyly. If you wouldn’t do it, why bring up that you could? For no other reason than to stifle other journalists who might want to ask tough but reasonable questions. If Americans learned that a leader in another country was threatening reporters, we would be outraged. Yet here it is. Right here. Right now.

Later, after Trump had blamed her attitude on her menstrual cycle, Kelly went on what Fox says was a planned vacation. Nevertheless, Trump suggested he may have been the cause. What kind of candidate takes credit for bullying the media? And last week, Trump allowed Univision reporter Jorge Ramos to be ejected from a press conference for asking questions about immigration without being called upon. Ramos was later readmitted and permitted to ask about immigration, during which he said Trump could still deport immigrants compassionately. “I have a bigger heart than you do,” Trump replied. Trump’s non-specific answer to the question ended with a personal insult directed at the reporter....

Full editorial:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/09/02/kareem-abdul-jabbar-this-is-the-difference-between-donald-trump-and-bernie-sanders/

A very good read. There is a discrepancy in the discussion in regards to the venues that Bernie attended but overall a well reasoned discussion on a major difference in the character of two candidates.

[PatrickforO]

1. Well, I'm confident that if the Donald is elected, he'll get us into a war the first year.

[tecelote]

11. Civil War

[retrowire]

12. week even!

that man has thinner skin than a tomato.

[rhett o rick]

21. We live with an Oligarchy for a government. A Princeton study makes that clear.

The Oligarchs like H. Clinton a lot and they like Bush a lot, just as Goldman-Sachs. They will not allow Trump to be president. Trump even though he doesn't know it, is giving cover to Bush. Bush can hid, like Clinton, until the election then come forward. Karl Rove will "convince" Trump to stand down. We live in an Oligarchy controlled government. Sen Sanders is defying that Oligarchy at his personal risk. I hope he remains safe.

[davidpdx]

32. First year?

I think you are underestimating him. Trump is twisted and demented much like George W. He had us in two wars only 26 months into his term in office.

[pampango]

2. "The two approaches reveal the difference between a mature, thoughtful and intelligent man and ...

The two approaches reveal the difference between a mature, thoughtful and intelligent man, and a man whose money has made him arrogant to criticism and impervious to feeling the need to have any actual policies. Trump threatens to run an independent campaign (he won’t; that’s a negotiating ploy). Trump is a last-call candidate who looks good in the boozy dark of political inebriation.

There’s a lot of complaining about the lengthy process in the United States of winnowing candidates, but this year has shown its great strength. It gives a wide variety of people the chance to have their voices heard, and it gives voters a chance to see the candidates over a period of time when their political masks slip. Some rise to the challenge, others deflate under the pressure of nothing to say.

Two roads diverged in a political wood, and one man took the road of assaulting the Constitution and soon will be lost forever. The other will be a viable candidate who, regardless of whether he wins the nomination, will elevate the political process into something our Founding Fathers would be proud of.

I did not know that Abdul-Jabbar was such a good writer.

[Xyzse]

3. Mr. Abdul-Jabbar is an amazing writer, spokesperson and human being.

I have nothing but respect for that man.

[Snotcicles]

7. They are opposites in most (if not all) human characteristics. nt

[Chef Eric]

8. Abdul-Jabbar has written several good books.

My favorite is "A Season on the Reservation." It's about his experience as a high school basketball coach on an Apache Reservation.

[ladyVet]

22. I saw a screen cap somewhere recently that shows he has a novel doing pretty well.

I can't remember what the book was, but a search on Amazon would find it. Apparently the man is much more than a talented athlete, and a fine Democrat as well.

[eridani]

26. Excellent writer. Finding that lots of things on the internets tubes--

--are blocking direct access to info about a book. If you hear the title, please post.

[Chitown Kev]

28. A novel about Mycroft Holmes

Sherlock's brother.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar is a Baker Street Irregular and has been a Sherlock Holmes fan for a loooong time.

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/02/elementary

[jalan48]

4. Nice to see Bernie complemented on the way he dealt with the BLM situation at Netroots as well.

[Snotcicles]

5. I see Ben Carson is gaining in the polls. Not much better in my opinion.

I find it troubling that there are so many people in this country that desire to be governed in the ways the Republican candidates have promised.

[jwirr]

18. I suspect that those people think the message does

not pertain to them. Only to "others".

[hedda_foil]

24. That's a wonderful insightful analysis, jwir.

Just as the German people who supported Hitler thought it didn't apply until they came for them.

[jwirr]

38. Exactly.

[eridani]

27. If that were so, why so many votes to increase the minimum wage in red states?

If our messaging were working, Dems would be winning there as well. Te Repubs want to deflect legitimate anger toward the "different," and not toward those who make the rules that are fucking us all over.

[mak3cats]

6. More from the article...

Americans may flirt with the preppy life of the frathouse partier because he’s poked sacred cows, said stuff we all wish we could say (except that reason keeps us from doing it), and acted buffoonishly entertaining. But when you wake up the next morning and he’s saying you’re now in a four-year relationship, reason comes rushing in, and it is time for the “it’s me, not you” speech. With over a year until the elections, there are too many Republican hopefuls that dilute the polls. Once the herd thins out (Rick Perry seems out of money; Bobby Jindal out of breath; Huckabee out of touch), other candidates with more substance will have their voices heard. And when it comes down to just three or four candidates, Trump’s blustering inarticulation and dodging of questions will seem untrustworthy.

Although each absurd, uninformed or just plain incorrect statement seems to give Trump a bump in the polls, there are only so many times supporters can defend his outrageous assault on decency, truth and civility. Yes, a few will remain no matter what. (One 63-year-old woman told CNN that the Republicans were out to discredit Trump: “They twisted what the words were, because they’re trying to destroy him.” No one has to twist his words because what he says is twisted enough. He speaks fluent pretzel.) But voters will eventually see the light.

"Fluent pretzel." What a wonderful phrase!! I'll be watching for more of this man's opinion pieces - I had no idea.

[daleanime]

13. +1

[navarth]

9. Kareem is that most rare and wonderful combination

...an athlete intellectual. Right up there with an intellectual policeman/woman, soldier...anybody with talent below the neck that concentrates on developing it above the neck. It's all too rare.

[Ken Burch]

10. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has always been one of my heroes. n/t.

[ashling]

14. Great piece ... except for one thing

Nothing that Trumpty Dumpty or Megan Kelly said at the debate was an attack on the First Amendment. The First Amendment only prohibits government from inhibiting speech. The Donald is not now - nor will he ever be - a part of the government. ... let alone master of the words that he projectile vomits onto the masses

[WillyT]

15. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!

[Old Crow]

16. Great essay.

I didn't know Abdul-Jabbar was such a good writer!

[jwirr]

17. Excellent article and well worth a full read. Thank you

for posting.

[beac]

19. K&R! n/t

[Matariki]

20. That's a great article. Thanks for posting it

great stuff:

Trump’s rationale for avoiding Kelly’s debate question – that neither he nor America has time for “political correctness” – taps into a popular boogeyman. The term “political correctness” is so general that to most people it simply means a discomfort with changing times and attitudes, an attack on the traditions of how we were raised. (It’s an emotional challenge every generation has had to go through.) What it really means is nothing more than sensitizing people to the fact that some old-fashioned words, attitudes and actions may be harmful or insulting to others. Naturally, people are angry about that because it makes them feel stupid or mean when they really aren’t. But when times change, we need to change with them in areas that strengthen our society.

It’s no longer “politically correct” to call African Americans “coloreds.” Or to pat a woman on the butt at work and say, “Nice job, honey.” Or to ask people their religion during a job interview. Or to deny a woman a job because she’s not attractive enough to you. Or to assume a person’s opinion is worth less because she is elderly. Or that physically challenged individuals shouldn’t have easy access to buildings. If you don’t have time for political correctness, you don’t have time to be the caretaker of our rights under the Constitution.

[malaise]

23. Kareem

will be a guest on Rachel Maddow tomorrow night n/t

[hedda_foil]

25. Thanks, malaise. I'm not going to miss it.

[malaise]

29. Love your user name

and you're welcome

[hedda_foil]

35. Thanks, Malaise. You're the first one, in almost 15 years here, to get it.

I love your name too.

[malaise]

36. You've been here from the beginning??

Damn - I'm almost 11 years.

[hedda_foil]

37. Not quite the beginning. I got here in November of 2001.

I took a long break from posting, so I pretty much dropped off the radar, which is why my post count isn't higher.

[noiretextatique]

30. kareem, you must not know how much blah people fear socialism

it is a scourge, i tells ya

[ejbr]

31. FAVORITE line

"Rick Perry appears to be out of money; Jindal out of breath; Huckabee out of touch."


Excellent read! Thanks for posting!

[DAngelo136]

33. If you want to see what results a Trump presidency would bring

Watch the documentary: "Small Potatoes: Who Killed The USFL"
Even if you're not a sports fan, the documentary gives an insight to Trump the businessman and Trump the man himself.

[LWolf]

34. I attended a USFL game in L.A.

The first time I saw Steve Young play.

I read that Herschel Walker is supporting Trump despite his USFL debacle.

[Stellar]

39. I think Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is supposed to be on the Lawrence O'Donnell's show tonight. nt

[Cheese Sandwich]

40. That was great writing

Kareem 2020?

[KamaAina]

41. tRump replies:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027134232