There Are 11 Types of Donald Trump Enablers

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/07/01/tim-miller-trump-republican-operatives-book-excerpt-00043279

This week, Cassidy Hutchinson demonstrated in front of the whole world how a political staffer can break free from the rationalizations that lead dwellers of the swamp to enable behaviors we know are evil.

I might be a Cassidy sympathizing Enemy of the People. But as a gay man who contorted himself into defending homophobes and a Trump abhorrer who didn’t hesitate when asked to spin for Trump’s EPA toady Scott Pruitt, I still know a thing or two about being an enabler.

I have had more drinks where reluctant-MAGA and MAGA-adjacent professional Republicans spilled their guts than I would care to count. I’ve heard the lengthy laments from members of the 2 percent about how they’ve got bills to pay, a college fund to fill. Regiments of the “privately concerned” have shared their worries, as have the professionally depressed.

I’ve listened to men bemoan the fact that they can no longer talk politics with their wives; they feel judged by their friends. Been shaken down by the guilt-ridden who wanted to see how they could help our efforts to take down Trump behind the scenes — but were never quite willing to put their name on anything. Been filled with assurances by insiders about how they are needed to keep things on the rails because of all the horrible things I wouldn’t believe they’d prevented, but that they weren’t at liberty to detail.

*snip*

[tblue37]

1. This is from Tim Miller's book "Why We Did It." I am just halfway done with it.

Usually I just plow right through a book, but I can only tolerate a certain amount of this book at a time.

Stuart Stevens' It Was All a Lie is better.

[spooky3]

2. His language is overly complicated for me. Nt

[tblue37]

3. Stevens' or Miller's? One of my issues with Miller's book is his self-congratulatory use of cutesy

metaphors and too cool and trendy language. His malapropisms also hurt my eyes. (Example: "subject upon the voters" rather than "impose upon the voters" or "subject the voters to.&quot

Yes, the inside information is interesting (and appalling), but although I have found many of his articles insightful and well-written, I did not like the style of this particular book.

[spooky3]

4. Agree. Yes, I was referring to Miller. Nt

[tblue37]

5. I don't think it's complicated so much as his language is distracting and awkward in his attempt

to sound clever.

I taught college English for 45 years, and I encountered a lot of bright kids who "decorated" their phrasing in an attempt to display how far above the crowd of ordinary student writers they were. They thought they were being clever and creative, but they were just being unreadable.

[spooky3]

6. I think we're saying the same thing. Direct, clear text is

Much more interesting to me to read. I was an Edwin Newman fan, if you’re familiar with his book A Civil Tongue.

Carolyn Hax (advice columnist) had the same problem as Miller in her early years. It was just too tedious (apparently for other readers, too) to figure out what she was advising the letter writer to do. At that time she said her column was aimed at younger readers, which seems consistent with what you’re saying about the intent. Over time, she’s greatly changed her approach.

[Hortensis]

7. Thanks, and thanks tblue. This was fun. The comments were helpful because,

how did I forget I had Stevens' It Was All a Lie but barely began it? Downloaded again.

[GoodRaisin]

8. I had the pleasure of being introduced to a Trumper today.

One of my son’s co-workers, mid-30’s male. We live in eastern NC in a very red area, outside of the University population (East Carolina University).

He and my son had an exchange about the J6 hearings in which I overheard our visitor say that “Democrats need to drop J6 hearings” because “nobody cares about it”. That’s where I interjected myself into the conversation to let him know that there are indeed a great number of people that do care about it and explained why I said it. Then he looks at my son and says “well, I see where you got your politics from”.

Then he says to me he “wanted to make very clear” that he, and Republicans like him, are sick of Trump’s bullshit and wish he would “go away”. He said they do not want him to be the next Republican presidential candidate. But, he said “he’s Republican and always been Republican and there is no way he could ever vote for Kamala Harris.” The conversation was cut short because he said he needed to get to his next job.

My impression was he’s likely typical of a cross section of voters here that are propagandized by what they hear on Fox News and some of our local channels (we have 2 Sinclair channels). I take what I can from such exchanges, in this case, the Trump base is starting to fragment and they think Biden won’t run in 2024. They are starting to feel Trump fatigue, but will still vote for him in a general election against any democrat.