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Trump Staffers Plant Alternative Facts to Stop Him From Tweeting Them
Trump Staffers Plant Alternative Facts to Stop Him From Tweeting ThemAlternative media describes media that will report the Trump administrations alternative facts. The Washington Examiner and Fox News contain a mix of legitimate reporting with conservative propaganda. Infowars is a fever-swamp conspiracy site run by Alex Jones, who promotes hoaxes like Pizzagate, insists the Sandy Hook shooting was faked, is suspicious of fluoridated water, and so on. Jones is barking mad. Breitbart and the Daily Caller lie in the middle ground between normal, conservative, Fox Newscrazy, and Alex Jonescrazy. (Jim Rutenberg recently noted the overlap between Joness conspiratorial beliefs and Trumps, but the administration refused to tell him that Trump followed Joness claims. Now Palmeri has confirmed it.)
And so Trumps staff essentially outsources the job of circulating pro-Trump alternative facts to the right-wing media in order to dissuade the president from doing it himself and thereby tarnishing his brand. The president is therefore not only the subject but also the object of his own staffs propaganda campaign.
Palmeri also reports a fascinating detail about the efforts to confirm Neil Gorsuch. The nominees comments to Senator Richard Blumenthal expressing dismay with Trumps attacks on the judiciary were planned, out of the calculation that demonstrating Gorsuchs independence from Trump and willingness to oppose his attacks on the judiciary would ease his path to confirmation. White House officials anticipated that Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch would distance himself from Trumps attack and thought the planned comments would help the nominees bid, said a person with knowledge of the conversations, she reports. Alas, Trump was not privy to the plan and, filled with rage, fired off a series of tweets attacking Blumenthal:
And so Trumps staff essentially outsources the job of circulating pro-Trump alternative facts to the right-wing media in order to dissuade the president from doing it himself and thereby tarnishing his brand. The president is therefore not only the subject but also the object of his own staffs propaganda campaign.
Palmeri also reports a fascinating detail about the efforts to confirm Neil Gorsuch. The nominees comments to Senator Richard Blumenthal expressing dismay with Trumps attacks on the judiciary were planned, out of the calculation that demonstrating Gorsuchs independence from Trump and willingness to oppose his attacks on the judiciary would ease his path to confirmation. White House officials anticipated that Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch would distance himself from Trumps attack and thought the planned comments would help the nominees bid, said a person with knowledge of the conversations, she reports. Alas, Trump was not privy to the plan and, filled with rage, fired off a series of tweets attacking Blumenthal:
Trump himself didnt like Gorsuchs disheartening and demoralizing critique. He fired off a tweet criticizing Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the Connecticut Democrat who repeated the comments, digging up a past controversy over the senators military record and accusing him of incorrectly characterizing Gorsuchs comments. Afterwards, Blumenthal and other Democrats criticized Trump and said the presidents comments would hurt his nominees chances. Asked if aides and advisers liked the tweet, one White House official said sarcastically: What do you think?
Other tactics by staff to manage Trump listed at New York Magazine
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Trump Staffers Plant Alternative Facts to Stop Him From Tweeting Them (Original Post)
Fantastic Anarchist
Feb 2017
OP
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,280 posts)1. That's so messed up.
It would have been better to just pick some random person off the street to be president.
Fantastic Anarchist
(7,309 posts)2. The random person would do a better job, no doubt. nt
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,280 posts)4. Maybe being president should be something like jury duty.
You get chosen randomly from a list of people who are constitutionally eligible and don't have any felony convictions or hospitalizations for mental illness or chemical dependency. If you're picked you have to be president unless you have a really good excuse.
Fantastic Anarchist
(7,309 posts)5. I'm not so sure about that, but why the hell not?
Couldn't be worse, eh?
Thor_MN
(11,843 posts)7. The prime qualification should be not wanting to be the President.
Anybody who wants the job wants the power - and is corruptible.
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)3. Trump is an idiot
Fantastic Anarchist
(7,309 posts)6. No argument from me!
👌