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marmar

(76,985 posts)
Sat Sep 12, 2020, 09:55 AM Sep 2020

Donald Trump's fatal flaw: Of his many defects, Bob Woodward may have identified the worst


Donald Trump’s fatal flaw: Of his many defects, Bob Woodward may have identified the worst
Trump's failures come from a deep, dark well of fear and cowardice. He doesn't believe in anything, even himself

LUCIAN K. TRUSCOTT IV
SEPTEMBER 12, 2020 12:00PM (UTC)


(Salon) According to interviews recorded by Bob Woodward for his book, "Rage," Donald Trump was briefed by national security adviser Robert O'Brien on Jan. 28 of this year that the coronavirus "will be the biggest national security threat you face in your presidency," that the virus was five times more deadly than ordinary flu, that it was spread when "you just breathe the air," and that it would soon become a worldwide pandemic. At the moment Trump told Woodward these things, on Feb. 7, the president had one job: Persuade the American people to work together to deal effectively with this threat to their health and well-being.

That would mean, in the coming months, that Trump would have to convince people it was not just in their interest, but necessary for their very survival, to do a whole bunch of stuff they would not want to do. They would have to endure lengthy "lockdowns," when they would essentially be confined to their homes. They would have to take their kids out of school and learn to cope with "remote learning" from home. Many of them would have to close down their businesses or be laid off from their jobs. Sports competitions, from junior high and high school level right on through college and professional sports like baseball and basketball, would be canceled. Concerts would be canceled. Museums and zoos and national parks and public attractions like Disneyland and other amusement parks would close. Restaurants and bars would close. People wouldn't be able to gather in large groups to attend conventions or watch movies or plays or attend their children's graduations, or even in smaller groups for birthdays and dinner parties and weddings. People would be forbidden to visit their elderly relatives in nursing homes. If their family members got sick, they would not be able to visit them in hospitals. If loved ones died, it would not be possible to celebrate their lives in person at funerals. It would become necessary for people to learn how to "socially distance" themselves and even to wear protective masks when they were around others.

But Donald Trump didn't know how to convince others to do things they didn't want to do. All he understood was fear and money. Trump had spent his entire life dealing with people in two ways: He would try to intimidate and frighten them, and if that didn't work, he would buy them off. Two things which you and I probably look at as to be avoided, yes, like a plague — meeting with lawyers and accountants — Donald Trump did on practically a daily basis. This was the way Trump moved through the world. When he encountered a problem, he would get one of his lawyers to threaten lawsuits or file them, and when the lawsuits failed, he'd ask his accountants to figure out a way to move money that wasn't his — for example, money from his supposed charitable foundation — so he could buy his way out of trouble with a settlement.

.....(snip).....

Donald Trump had no understanding of what I call the exercise of power in the absence of money. This is power at its most absolute, the power to motivate soldiers to risk their lives in combat, the power to motivate doctors and nurses to risk their lives treating patients with deadly communicable diseases, the power that motivates someone to give his or her life for another. ............(more)

https://www.salon.com/2020/09/12/donald-trumps-fatal-flaw-of-his-many-defects-bob-woodward-may-have-identified-the-worst/





17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Donald Trump's fatal flaw: Of his many defects, Bob Woodward may have identified the worst (Original Post) marmar Sep 2020 OP
Trump craves to have absolute power duforsure Sep 2020 #1
Yep. He's a DSM-5 disaster area. marmar Sep 2020 #2
I think he IS the DSM-5. 2naSalit Sep 2020 #4
I'm sick and tired that trump is scared, that trump only knows fear and money, etc., in effect, they SWBTATTReg Sep 2020 #3
so... what if we just bought him off eShirl Sep 2020 #5
He will continue to incite his minions.. paleotn Sep 2020 #11
Add placing heavy sanctions back against Putin and his ilk pandr32 Sep 2020 #15
Extremely well written. Thank you. KentuckyWoman Sep 2020 #6
"Even as a narcissist, he's a failure." crickets Sep 2020 #7
He thought he could SETTLE with Mueller stopwastingmymoney Sep 2020 #8
It isn't past tense. He is still grouping people and not doing masks and ignoring the virus. LizBeth Sep 2020 #9
Malignant narcissistic personality disorder Roland99 Sep 2020 #10
Liar. Corrupt, Liar is Donald Trump! UCmeNdc Sep 2020 #12
The absolute worst human ever to live. paleotn Sep 2020 #13
This is a really good piece of writing. llmart Sep 2020 #14
Excellent analysis. Pepsidog Sep 2020 #16
Well, that's quite the humdinger! calimary Sep 2020 #17

duforsure

(11,882 posts)
1. Trump craves to have absolute power
Sat Sep 12, 2020, 10:02 AM
Sep 2020

And feels insecure unless he has it. I think he also thinks by hurting others it gives him more power to demand praise giving him the false impression he's loved.

SWBTATTReg

(21,859 posts)
3. I'm sick and tired that trump is scared, that trump only knows fear and money, etc., in effect, they
Sat Sep 12, 2020, 10:29 AM
Sep 2020

are blaming these traits for trump's failures etc. when in reality, he is a dismal failure, on all fronts, and doesn't know what the f**k he's doing, period (pardon the language). He's incompetent, a moron, an idiot, a bully, and a loudmouth who in reality, doesn't know a damn thing. Period.

paleotn

(17,781 posts)
11. He will continue to incite his minions..
Sat Sep 12, 2020, 12:20 PM
Sep 2020

undermine our democracy, and do Putin's work even if we simply let him go. No, he and his spawn must be destroyed. Ruined. Jailed until he dies.

And the Russians need to be dealt with in no uncertain terms as well. I think the next buzzing of a US warship by a Russian jet should elicit a surface to air missile. Publicly..."Sorry, accident. Our condolences to the family. But, with your forces and ours in such close proximity, accidents like this are bound to happen." But the true message will be loud and clear to the Kremlin. Don't ever fucking do it again.

pandr32

(11,447 posts)
15. Add placing heavy sanctions back against Putin and his ilk
Sat Sep 12, 2020, 12:41 PM
Sep 2020

I agree with you about making ourselves "loud and clear to the Kremlin."

crickets

(25,896 posts)
7. "Even as a narcissist, he's a failure."
Sat Sep 12, 2020, 11:50 AM
Sep 2020

Congrats, donnie. You finally are best at something by being the biggest failure the world has ever known.

stopwastingmymoney

(2,028 posts)
8. He thought he could SETTLE with Mueller
Sat Sep 12, 2020, 11:57 AM
Sep 2020

Was that from the Woodward tapes? I can’t keep it all straight lately

LizBeth

(9,946 posts)
9. It isn't past tense. He is still grouping people and not doing masks and ignoring the virus.
Sat Sep 12, 2020, 12:00 PM
Sep 2020

Even with his own words saying how bad it is.

llmart

(15,501 posts)
14. This is a really good piece of writing.
Sat Sep 12, 2020, 12:34 PM
Sep 2020

I still can't understand how he's been able to get away with all his corruption all his life, including these past three and a half years.

calimary

(80,700 posts)
17. Well, that's quite the humdinger!
Sat Sep 12, 2020, 02:21 PM
Sep 2020

An expert diagnosis, for sure.

He is a selfish and utterly soulless individual.

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