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April 18, 2011

Translating Trump

By C. Edmund Wright
Donald Trump is jumping ugly with Barack Obama -- and conservative voters should cheer this and would-be candidates should take notes.  Frankly, I love the whole thing.  That, however, should be the extent of conservatives' flirtation with the real estate billionaire.

As demonstrated for all to hear on Friday's Rush Limbaugh Show, Trump presents an incoherent political philosophy that is built mainly on the Perot-esque notion that we should vote for Trump because, well, he is Trump.  Actually, part of me finds this very refreshing, but as a conservative I just can't get past the incoherent philosophy thing.  Trump is bolder than 2 Bushes, a Dole and a McCain stylistically, but maybe even squishier on the big issues.

But don't take my word for it.  Let's push aside the bravado and just examine his words in the cold harsh light of print:  Consider Trump's very first words to Rush (after the opening chit chat):

TRUMP: "...the fact is I look at what's happening to this country, I look at the way China is just ripping us off, I look at OPEC the way they are ripping us off with the oil prices. I mean, people are gonna be paying six and seven dollars a gallon for gasoline very, very soon; and you're gonna be up to $150 a barrel; and they wouldn't even be there if it weren't for us."

TRANSLATION:  I think the way to voters' hearts is to forget trying to educate them about the realities of the currency markets or the energy markets -- let's just anoint bogeymen and attack them with childish rhetoric to get folks dander up.  I mean, why bother them with nagging details about how it is our Federal Reserve that is screwing up our currency.  Bash China!  Let's not mention the liberals and our own energy problems, since many of these liberals are my buddies.  Let's bash OPEC.

TRUMP: I look at South Korea. What they do to us is unbelievable.  Even a smaller country, Colombia, they're signing a trade packet.  We lost last year -- let's call it "lost" -- $4 billion with Colombia, fourth largest country in Latin America, $4 billion.  With China this year, Rush, we're gonna lose $300 billion, and that wouldn't happen if I was there.

TRANSLATION: Ross Perot got a lot of mileage off of this trade-based populism -- hell, so did even Pat Buchanan -- so let's not dirty our hands with the realities that the unions play in our lack of competitiveness, because after all, I love the unions.  And they donate like hell too.  And let's not bring liberal environmental policy back into this either, since my buddies Schumer and Pelosi and Rahm might get offended.  Let's just hammer free trade and pretend that I, as the best negotiator ever, can make all our self inflicted lack of competitiveness go away with my brilliant deal making.

TRUMP: If you ever said to them (China), "There's a 25% tax, a 25% tax in all of your products coming in," we would, first of all, never really probably have to oppose the tax because they would come to the table -- if you meant it, if you really meant it -- so fast.  Now, if they didn't come to the table, we'd make a fortune.  We've take in a lot of money and guess what? Jobs would start going to Alabama and North Carolina and all our places.

TRANSLATION: Man, I hope the voters don't realize that this means all of the cheap goods they need since the economy is in the tank will go up 25% or more.  It's so messy to explain all of these things to the little people.  I'll just promise them I can bargain all of our problems away.  It's so much simpler than actually solving the problems. I'm the Donald.  They'll believe me.  After all, didn't I promise the USFL will replace the NFL?  

TRUMP (on why he said Obama would be great):  Well, look, Rush. Three years ago, or, you know, he got elect -- he gets -- he wins the election, right? And people came to me, and I said, "I hope he's great. I think he's gonna be great.  We all love him." We were... I want him to do great, Rush, and I'll go a step further.  I'm a Republican, but if I had my choice of running or having Obama -- or somebody, but Obama, even Obama -- be a great president, the greatest president ever, I'd be so happy for the country.

TRANSLATION: Er -- um --well -- er -- that's why I gave your charity a hundred grand to start the show -- um -- er -- You weren't supposed to ask that. Geez, I want people to love me.  Two years ago, they loved Obama so I had to say that.  This is not gonna help me with those tea party folks who I pretend to love now. 

TRUMP: But the Republicans shouldn't get too far out because they're already making plans to say, incorrectly, that the Medicare is gonna be terrible for the seniors, et cetera, et cetera.  This is Obama's fight, and he should be leading it as the president.  We shouldn't get too far out in front.... but I will say, Rush, the Republicans have to be careful.  And I'm a fan of Paul Ryan, but he shouldn't get too far out with some of these plans, because they're gonna belabor it. One thing with me: If I decide to run I am gonna cherish senior citizens.  And the Democrats, and I know 'em all because as you know I come from New York and it's virtually a hundred percent virtual Democratic, right?

TRANSLATION: If you think John McCain would reach across the aisle, you ain't seen nothin' yet.  Hell, I've lived most my life ON the other side of the aisle.  We can't be pushing these extremist government cuts. I'll take RINOism to a whole new level. Oops.  Maybe I shouldn't have said that on the Rush Limbaugh Show.  For a minute I thought I was on with Greta or Imus.  Did I talk about Republicans in the third person? Crap. Maybe this cure-a-thon will have listenership low and folks won't notice.

TRUMP: He's (Ryan) doing a plan, he's done a plan, he's come out, and what the Democrats -- and I see it more and more and I hear from them because, again, you know, living in New York that's what I see is Democrats all over the place -- are going to do is say it's attack on Medicare. And Medicare to a lot of people means seniors, and that this is a very strong attack on Medicare.  And I honestly think you have to go down the line in a bipartisan way. You have to go down with the Democrats.  I don't think they should be too far out in front.  Don't forget, we don't have the president yet. Hopefully we will have. We don't have. He's supposed to be leading this attack, not us.  And they can do rejects, they can criticize his plan, but in my opinion... You know, there's an election in 2012, right?

TRANSLATION: Oh hell, I've lost it now. Maybe um I can -- er -- bamboozle them with some of that um bipartisan work together stuff.  That works, doesn't it?  Sounds good.  I'll throw some Obama lack of leadership stuff in there and end with the upcoming campaign to change the subject.

TRUMP: You know, I've dealt with Democrats and Republicans all my life, and somebody said, "Oh, do you have that much experience politically?"  You know, I've dealt -- and understand this better than anybody. I've dealt with politicians all of my life.  I've also dealt with foreign countries.  I'm doing jobs all over the world. I've dealt with foreign countries for a long period of time.  The fact is, I think somebody that got along with the Democrats -- and I do get along. Now, you know, that could change instantaneously. You understand that.  But the level of animosity... You know, in the old days "across the aisle" wasn't the worst thing. People got along.  Today, the level of hatred, the level of anger -- and I'm the most militaristic person there is, if they treat me improperly.  But I think having a little bit of a relationship on the other side of the aisle is not so bad, Rush, where deals can be made.

TRANLSATION: Look you right wing Republican idiots.  Doing deals and working across the aisle is the way we have to go.  You just haven't had the right guy doing it up to now.  You need me, because I'm the best ever. Look, I know the Chinese and I know the Democrats, and I can deal with both.  Because I'm Trump and you're not.  So there.

****

Without a doubt, Trump has done the country a favor by taking President Obama down a peg or two.  Moreover, he has proven to our potential candidates what many of us have known all along -- that there is nothing to fear in attacking Obama.  In fact, it's the way to go.  I just hope the voters take a close look at the mushy underlying philosophy of this man with the wonderful messaging tone.
on "Translating Trump"