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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTrump advisor: Take the president-elects words symbolically
Posted with permission.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-advisor-take-the-president-elects-words-symbolically?cid=sm_fb_maddow
Trump advisor: Take the president-elects words symbolically
12/21/16 08:00 AMUpdated 12/21/16 08:09 AM
By Steve Benen
A few months ago, The Atlantics Salena Zito coined a phrase to describe perceptions of Donald Trump that resonated broadly: {T}he press takes him literally, but not seriously; his supporters take him seriously, but not literally.
But as it turns out, theres apparently a third option, which as Politico noted, a prominent Trump advisor articulated on MSNBC yesterday.
Take Donald Trump seriously but not literally or better yet, take him symbolically, a member of the president-elects transition executive committee advised Tuesday.
No, no, no, no, dont take him literally, take him symbolically, Anthony Scaramucci told MSNBC. See, its different.
No, no, no, no, dont take him literally, take him symbolically, Anthony Scaramucci told MSNBC. See, its different.
Scaramucci, a New York investment banker, is a member of Trumps transition team executive committee, and he frequently serves as a surrogate for the president-elects operation.
The context of this was a discussion about Trumps business interests and apparent conflicts of interest. The president-elect was supposed to hold a press conference last week to explain how hell deal with this mess, but the event was cancelled and the transition office hasnt rescheduled. Were left to wonder why Trump said one thing and did another.
You should definitely take him seriously because hes a man of his word, Scaramucci told MSNBC yesterday, but I do think that some of the things that happens with the media is when hes sending out tweets or hes speaking in a certain way that sets the hair on fire of the nations media particularly the left-leaning media I think his supporters see that more as symbolism and a rejection of sort of that egg and tomato throwing that hes experienced from June of 2015 when he announced his campaign.
This was unintentionally amusing, but its emblematic of a broader problem. Indeed, its surprisingly simple:
1. Donald Trump says a lot of things that arent true.
2. Trumps allies, aides, and surrogates have a hard time defending the things he says that arent true.
3. They end up coming up with creative explanations in the hopes of rationalizing and/or justifying Trumps penchant for brazen dishonesty.
2. Trumps allies, aides, and surrogates have a hard time defending the things he says that arent true.
3. They end up coming up with creative explanations in the hopes of rationalizing and/or justifying Trumps penchant for brazen dishonesty.
Corey Lewandowski, for example, said voters understood that sometimes, when you have a conversation with people, whether its around the dinner table or at a bar, youre going to say things, and sometimes you dont have all the facts to back it up. Pressed to explain Trumps demonstrable lies, Reince Priebus added the president-elect has pushed the envelope and caused people to think.
Mike Pence said Americans should find it refreshing that Trump tells the public whats on his mind without much regard for telling the truth. A pro-Trump pundit argued two weeks ago that it doesnt really matter if the president-elect brazenly lies because theres no such thing as facts anymore.
Yesterday, this greatest-hits collection expanded: Trumps bogus claims shouldnt be evaluated on their accuracy, but rather, the president-elects falsehoods should be seen more as symbolism.
Theres simply no way to take such a defense seriously what exactly are Trumps lies symbols of? but this ridiculous framing is a reminder of just how challenging it can be to support a leader who generally seems allergic to the truth.
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Trump advisor: Take the president-elects words symbolically (Original Post)
babylonsister
Dec 2016
OP
C_U_L8R
(44,987 posts)1. Symbolically... how?
Like a Jungian Fool archetype or more concrete like a swastica