The disturbing undertones of today's Trump-Arnold Twitter spat.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

In case you haven't heard, the Madman posted this on Twitter this morning:

Donald J. Trump ?@realDonaldTrump · 2h2 hours ago

Wow, the ratings are in and Arnold Schwarzenegger got "swamped" (or destroyed) by comparison to the ratings machine, DJT. So much for....

?Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump · 2h2 hours ago
being a movie star-and that was season 1 compared to season 14. Now compare him to my season 1. But who cares, he supported Kasich & Hillary

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/817350726800306177

It's more than just petty celebrity gossip about a stupid reality show. Nor is it just the run-of-the-mill Trump acting a fool on Twitter.

Why does this disturb me?

Well, despite what should have been glaring, obvious conflicts of interest, the Madman is still listed as an executive producer on The Apprentice. I know, it's absolute ridiculous, but that's just a fact.

One would think that someone as an Executive Producer of a show would want to act in its own best interest and not denigrate it based on petty personality spats.

But that's not who Donald Trump is. Donald Trump is and has always been about only one thing: Donald Trump. He's psychologically incapable of transcending anything beyond his own ego. So he might be the executive producer of The Apprentice but obviously he has no loyalty to it or desire to see it succeed because his successor at host has in his mind crossed him and failed him.

Now, it's one thing if we're talking about a crappy, formulaic reality TV show. However it's an entirely different thing if we're talking about the United States of America.

In two weeks, barring an unexpected coronary event, Donald Trump is slated to become this country's chief executive. He'll stand up and take an oath of loyalty to protect our country. His ego should not transcend that duty of loyalty.

However, what we see here is that the man has no loyalty to anyone but himself. None. He'll burn the entire house down if it makes him feel any better for his feelings being hurt. And that is so, so incredibly disturbing when one considers our very country as at stake in his little hands.

As goes The Apprentice, so goes the United States of America.

[uponit7771]

1. The ratings are very low... MiniPoot isn't going to take responsibility for any failure of anything

[Cha]

5. Yeah, he'll be blaming all his failures as cic on the Dems, Hillary,

and Obama.

[brush]

40. What a dummy he is, comparing his 1st season to Arnold's. The bloom is way off the rose with ...

that show. Come on, orange one. Think.

It's been on 14 years. Nobody cares about that show anymore.

America has been there and done that. Hell, ratings have been declining for the last few years.

Why does trump not get that the show has run its course no matter who he puts on there?

And this guy is president and can't grasp that.

[TexasBushwhacker]

72. Yup, it's just a schedule filler

It's up against CBS's Monday night comedies (starting with Big Bang Theory) and ABC's "The Bachelor". Every network has to have dogs to counterprogram the ratings winners. Like all "reality" shows, "The Apprentice" is cheap to produce. As far as I know, it doesn't even have a second life in syndication. It's a dog.

[MrModerate]

87. I didn't realize it was opposite "Big Bang."

Even in these DVR-assisted days that's a huge sign hung by the network saying "Factory floor sweepings go here."

[TeamPooka]

68. Rate were low because Trump already ruined The Apprentice brand by being a racist sexist jerk

NBC didn't notice.

[uponit7771]

69. +1, so true !!! NBC has already normalized MiniPoot in their minds and think Americans want him

... while even the people who support his racist ass don't want to be too close

[Sunlei]

81. rates were low because The Apprentice is horrible boring without decent, interesting contestents.

[woodsprite]

2. He probably has his writers re-writing the Oath of Office, even as we speak. n/t

[Fla Dem]

3. This man is disturbingly juvenile, egocentric and unstable. nt

[SammyWinstonJack]

66. What does that say about his supporters?

[Else You Are Mad]

4. Wow.

The ratings have nothing to do with the fact that Trump is more popular than Arnold -- its a tired, 15 year old show that no one wants to watch anymore.

[Zoonart]

13. And........

Trump burned it down. It has his stink all over it.

[Blanks]

27. ...and was a stupid concept in the first place. eom

[MFM008]

6. They are low

Because most people don't want to see anything that reminds them of HIM.......

[kytngirl]

48. BINGO! NAIL ON THE HEAD! SPOT ON! PREACH! ALL RIGHT NOW!

[GusBob]

7. The president elect of the most powerful country in the world is tweeting about TV ratings

of a reality show

Jesus Fucking Christ

[Arkansas Granny]

11. It boggles the mind. Petty, childish and egocentric

[3catwoman3]

47. Jesus Fucking Christ, indeed.

My incredulity has not diminished one whit since the travesty of the so-called election. In fact, I think it is getting worse. The thought that this buffoon is about to occupy the Oval Office horrifies me to my core.

It is like an episode of the Twilight Zone, except that those only lasted for a hour.

[Motley13]

8. low ratings are probably due to assn. with POS

2 wks to doomsday

[MFM008]

31. no wonder my ulcer wont heal

...............................

[sarcasmo]

9. Reality TV is one of the reasons our country is in this current mess.

[ProfessorGAC]

41. This

Especially when you consider that these shows have almost nothing to do with reality.

[exboyfil]

10. So does this crap get shut down in 14 days?

We need to resurrect every criticism of how Obama budgeted his time after Trump is sworn in.

[Butterflylady]

17. In 14 days

The America we all know and love will cease to be.

[yuiyoshida]

29. pretty much...

Put on your seatbelts, its gonna be a bumpy ride!

[progressoid]

37. Yep. Also,

a sad welcome to DU Butterflylady.

[dgibby]

58. It's pretty much gone now.

That will just be the icing on the cake. GOP is already up to its dirty tricks. I have absolutely no hope that this country is going to survive in any recognizable form. Just glad I'm old and have no children or grandchildren. I do worry about my nieces and nephews and their children, though. So sad.

Welcome to DU. There's comfort in knowing there are those of like minds here.

[bdamomma]

12. I am putting up this thread

as a red alert:

Please read or watch this interview from Democracy Now.

https://www.democracynow.org/2016/8/10/donald_doesnt_know_anything_author_david

[mnhtnbb]

83. Thanks for that link. Great interview.

[spanone]

14. his ego is sick.

[Rollo]

15. Perhaps we need a new constitutional amendment...

One that stipulates the minimum qualifications for the presidency include an emotional age higher than 10 years.

[Lars39]

39. "Act your age, not your shoe size"....Prince

Although I think it was a common saying anyway. But still, that phrase keeps popping up in my head every time I think of Trump.

[nolabear]

16. Combined with is other tweet about his inauguration being "A GREAT SHOW"

I think he tips his hand as to how very angry he is about being dissed by celebrities everywhere. He mentions "swamped" in quotes, which I think is his general reference now to everyone he hates, his "deplorables." He's furious at not actually BEING the most important, powerful, godlike figure on the earth.

Trust me. The man's nuts in a very, very dangerous way. It's possible he's creating diversions but I don't think it's in a smart, chess-playing way. It's the way someone sets a fire to hide a murder, and gets off on both.

[Cracklin Charlie]

18. Is someone in The Whirlpool (his people)...

Letting this happen on purpose?

Are they letting him continue to melt down publicly, for some unknown reason? You would think that they would at least take away his twitter account, if he can't stop sending such goofy messages out to the entire world.

There has to be something we are missing.

[coco22]

22. Impeachment awaits or..

maybe something else.

[TrekLuver]

23. His people can't "control" him. They can't approach him and say hey cut it out...nobody puts

Trashpot Trump in the corner.

[nolabear]

61. I'd love to know. They must be squirreling away funds.

Got to be the worst job security in the world.

[coco22]

21. I believe he hs done what is in your last paragraph when just don't know.

the times or places.

[yallerdawg]

19. This steaming, heaping pile of manure...

needs to be impeached and locked up as soon as possible!

I have never watched Celebrity Apprentice, this NBC show was merely an hour long TV commercial which became apparent after the first episode of The Apprentice years ago.

"Celebrities" in a cheaply produced venue sporadically giving out corporate chump-change to their favorite charity has to be one of the least interesting ideas of all time.

I am watching it, though. That scumbag Republican cracked-actor hosting now is a million times better human being than the pestilence of humanity about to flush into the White House. If we - the viewers - can take the ratings up, another chance to drive that imbecile insane!

Go, Arnold!

[coco22]

20. Just wait for all of the stupid comments..

he will make at the inauguration. I believe he will name Hillary,Bill,President Obama an no telling who else no one can tell me that he is not insane he has a combination of mental problems and the mind of a child.

[MoonRiver]

46. The definition of early Alzheimer's.

I stand by my diagnosis.

[kwassa]

63. No, Trump has been like this his entire life. No Alzheimers.

This is not a change in his personality, this is the way he has always been.

Narcissistic personality disorder is the closest fit.

Many psychology experts use the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association, to diagnose mental conditions. DSM-5 criteria for NPD includes these features:


• Having an exaggerated sense of self-importance.
• Expecting to be recognized as superior.
• Exaggerating your achievements and talents.
• Being preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate.
• Believing that you are superior and can only be understood by or associate with equally special people.
• Requiring constant admiration.
• Having a sense of entitlement.
• Expecting special favors and unquestioning compliance with your expectations.
• Taking advantage of others to get what you want.
• Having an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others.
• Being envious of others and believing others envy you
• Behaving in an arrogant or haughty manner.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-wagner/trump-and-narcissistic-pe_b_11289332.html

[BlancheSplanchnik]

71. This. Personality disorders are pervasive, poisoning every aspect of a person.

Poisoning, particularly with regard to Anti-Social PD, Narcissistic PD, and Borderline PD.

They're pretty much incurable. And a key characteristic is their willingness --even eagerness--to hurt other people, destroy relationships, destroy lives over what, to normal ppl, are trivialities.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

78. This.

How many voters didn't recognize his personality disorder, or simply chose to ignore it, is shocking.

I hope it's the former, and that his supporters will eventually have their eyes opened!

I had a company President who I could tell was mentally disturbed right away, but barely anyone else there recognized it. The guy eventually pointed a loaded gun at the heads of managers at a meeting, and finally more people realized there was a problem! (He was later fired, but the other shocking part of that story is that the managers didn't call the police and the maniac still had a "clean record" to maintain his concealed-carry license.)

[NewJeffCT]

24. I said before

Trump is going to spend 90% of his time attacking people that he thinks have done him wrong over the course of his life and trying to ruin them. The other 10% of the time will be him accepting credit for anything positive happening anywhere in the world or blaming his enemies for anything bad that happens.

Mike Pence is going to do the day-to-day administration.

[Skinner]

25. Good point.

Does make you think.

[gwheezie]

26. He's deranged

Trump cannot allow himself to be a loser. It cannot be his fault so he'll blame someone else even if it means tanking his own show.

[iluvtennis]

32. +10,000 nt

[Fast Walker 52]

57. he's so freaking deranged, it's SCARY!

[uponit7771]

70. +1

[erpowers]

28. Apprentice Ratings Were Tanking Before Arnold Schwarzenegger Took Over

Despite sagging ratings, Donald Trump is back with another season of The Celebrity Apprentice on NBC. Will the network keep the show going for another year or fire cancel the show and its host instead? We’ll have to wait and see.

http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/celebrity-apprentice-season-six-ratings-27180/

The sixth season of The Apprentice was by far the worst-received season of The Apprentice, and also the least watched on its initial run (the tenth season would later receive considerably lower viewing figures). Critics and many fans alike were very unfavorable to the various radical changes the show had made (such as being a Project Manager until failing, or having a winning Project Manager serve in the boardroom and advise Trump on who to fire) and thought the show lost its original appeal. They believed that producers were trying to incorporate more of a sensational edge to the show, rather than focus on the aspects of the business world, and some speculated that the show was trying to specifically mirror Survivor, with having the weekly losing candidates live in tents with no power or running water. Moreover, footage of the actual projects that candidates would work on was substantially cut, after the tasks in this season often took up as little as a fifth of the episode, whereas the tasks in previous seasons took up between a third and a half of the episode's running time. Trump later blamed creator and executive producer Mark Burnett for these ideas, who ironically is also the creator of Survivor. The 90-minute premiere of the sixth season averaged 9.1 million overall viewers and a 4.1/10 rating/share in the Adults 18–49 demographic. The figure for total viewers for the show's sixth season debut was much lower than that of the show's fifth season debut.[18] The second episode of season 6 averaged 7.3 million viewers.[19]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apprentice_(U.S._season_6)#Ratings

Despite hopes by fans that this season would lead to a permanent return of the original format, the season received the lowest audience figures of any Apprentice season, managing barely half the ratings of the panned season six, which had been the previous lowest-rated season. In addition, critics roundly condemned the decision to bring back the non-charity format, saying it was inappropriate to do so during an economic crisis (despite the fact that this season was dedicated to helping victims of the recession). Because of the poor ratings and lackluster reception of this season, Trump confirmed on the day of the final episode that the original format would be permanently discontinued after this season, and that all future seasons of the show would be in the Celebrity Apprentice format.[4]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apprentice_(U.S._season_10)

[rgbecker]

30. The country is in peril.

Like never before. And it may get worse when Pence writes the letter declaring Trump incompetent and asking the Congress to remove Trump and install him.

[world wide wally]

33. I wonder if he has made the connection between that tv show and how much people hate him

and just refuse to watch it. I never watched it for more than two minutes at a time, but even the recent commercials pushing Arnold made me instantly sick to see knowing it was related to Trump.

[Separation]

34. Somebody once said

There is no such thing as bad publicity. My guess is he trashed it so people would tune in next week to watch the trainwreck and boost the ratings.

[FSogol]

49. Exactly. "petty personality spats" is what the show and Trump are all about.

[barbtries]

35. this quote from Charles Krauthammer says it so well

Trump’s hypersensitivity and unedited, untempered Pavlovian responses are, shall we say, unusual in both ferocity and predictability.

This is beyond narcissism. I used to think Trump was an 11-year-old, an undeveloped schoolyard bully. I was off by about 10 years. His needs are more primitive, an infantile hunger for approval and praise, a craving that can never be satisfied. He lives in a cocoon of solipsism where the world outside himself has value — indeed exists — only insofar as it sustains and inflates him.

i've been saying this for months but never expressed it this well. Trump is a sick man. talk about the elephant in the room.

[steve2470]

38. When a Republican ex-psychiatrist (is he still practicing?) says this....

you know things are really bad for this country.

[barbtries]

45. i know!

how can he still be republican? at least he said it out loud.

[3catwoman3]

60. Exceptionally well and succinctly stated by Krauthammer.

That so many voters fell for this incompetent sideshow jackass scam artist is distressing in the extreme.

[LittleGirl]

82. and it pisses me off to no end

that I am agreeing with someone like Krauthammer in the first place. gaaaaa

[Hekate]

36. KnR

[RiverStone]

42. Add to an endless list of incredibly disturbing things...

About a totally incompetent buffoon and fascist taking over the presidency.

[Initech]

43. Now just imagine this guy with access to nuclear launch codes.

[angrychair]

44. Some are missing the bigger picture here

In a handful of days, our president and many other Democratic Party leaders, will stand on the same stage and shake his hand, slap him on the back, congratulating him on being president now.

At that very moment he will be commander in chief of the most powerful military force in the history of the world. A military force that he can send at least a portion of, against anyone he wants, anywhere in the world, without notice or permission from anyone.

He can use a completely secret process to declare any US citizen an "enemy combatant", strip them of their rights as US citizens and send them Gitmo.

Within his first hour of being in the WH, a member of our armed forces with a case handcuffed to his arm as well as a couple of armed forces members, will join him alone in the Oval Office and give him the run down on the "Football", the process and launch codes for launching our nuclear arsenal.

This selfish, narcissistic, petty, racist is the next president.

[coco22]

50. Then he starts working on..

his petty payback list.

[hamsterjill]

51. In the words of Joe

Grow up, Donald!

Good grief. Seriously, Donald, just grow up and try to pretend you've got some sense even when we all know you don't.

[C_U_L8R]

52. He's freaking psychotic is what he is.

Trump needs to be in white padded room, not the White House.
Normal people just don't behave this way. He's sick.

[longship]

53. Cannot resist.

I'm not a big Arnold fan politically, but one cannot resist sticking it to Drumpf.

Pick your own Arnold meme to pull Drumpf's shorts.

[Ilsa]

54. He got trolled by someone claiming to be him @rareDonaldTrump

Vs @real DonaldTrump. It was pretty funny.

Maybe if a few hundred people did that, he'd dump twitter. He wouldn't be able to keep up with all of the trolls misrepresenting him (in his mind).

[Javaman]

55. when slighted, tRump would burn down the house rather than fix a bad tile job. nt

[HopeAgain]

56. Fucking reality TV is turning this country into babbling morons

It created Trump, it lets bigamists and mobsters be heroes, it celebrates shallow people and made Duck Dynasty bigots and greedy Kardashians the most admired trash in the world.

Do yourselves a favor and pick up a book instead.

But I'll be happy to let you know what I really think...

[Buns_of_Fire]

85. Premiering January 20! From the producers who brought you "The Apprentice"!

Here Comes Donnie Boo Boo!

Follow the hilarious antics of a dolt who becomes President of the United States! Watch as Donnie Boo Boo:

* plunges half the population into poverty!
* orders the military to invade Canada and take their maple syrup!
* tries to build a really, really tall wall off the coast of California!
* accidentally starts WWIII!

You'll laugh! You'll cry! You'll experience every moment as if you were a resident of his hapless country!

Remember: January 20 on NBC! Don't miss it!

We're serious here. You better NOT miss it! There'll be a test in the morning and we're taking names!

[HipChick]

59. What a petty arse that the future of this country has been delivered unto..

[Vinca]

62. If you had no idea who this person was, you'd think it was a 6th grade boy.

[JDC]

64. Setting himself up to host on the show?

If he got by with still being the Exec Producer, he probably is thinking he can do the show also - in his spare time.....

He sure as shit doesn't really want to be POTUS

The Pundits and Trump teamers like KAC, Sean Spicer, Chris Collins, etc will compare it to Obama doing talk shows, throw out the usual Obama was golfing lines - equating it to "all the free time Obama has," and Trump will do the show without anyone stopping him because it is "So unprecedented."

I have come to realize that at least 45% of the american people think the job of POTUS is just a figurehead position anyhow. It explains the whole fucking mess.

[Alekzander]

65. Actually, this is Trump boosting the ratings, you have seen where he does sort of the opposite but

in his mad ways, his purpose is to generate publicity for something, it is an attention getter & this is what he is doing here.

He does not do the logical but the illogical & unfortunately, it has worked for him

Where I am disturbed at all this, this guy is hooked in with NBC, he still is the executive not counting he is planning on making millions as President from his businesses just like Putin has done.

[harun]

67. Agree, didn't make sense he would bash a show he works for, but then again when does

he do anything for the team? It's all about Trump.

[classof56]

73. This from the Man Who Would Be King?

The one the RNC christmas card referred to as our New King?

Okay, I'm going to be sick again.

[AgadorSparticus]

74. I am understanding Trump now. This is a decoy. He is trying to take away from the IC report

Released today about Putin's interference.

[gulliver]

75. This

[Worktodo]

76. You are 100% correct

Which is why, outside of this site, I won't click on any article about a trump tweet. Starve the beast. Heck, we don't even know if trump writes them himself-- it's all just vapor.

[AgadorSparticus]

84. Exactly. And that is a good point to starve the beast!

[ecstatic]

77. Has it occured to Trump that millions won't watch because of HIS lingering ties

to the show? Maybe the ratings weren't a referendum on Schwarzenegger, but on tRump? And maybe a part of him knows that, that's why he lashed out (trying to save face).

[Sunlei]

80. Republican Party allowed this unfit person to run.They could have easily crushed him in Courts.

hard to tell what RW 'faction' really backed trump through his entire campaign of 16? months.


He did only call in phone 'exclusive' interviews almost daily with fox-lies.
90% of the news stories (much fake-news, propaganda), his personal account tweeted were from breibart, the hill & fox.
his association with palin were quiet, unreported, he got the baggers early.

Ds went along and seemed to accept use of the word trump instead of Republican over the entire past year. Many Ds constantly allowed headlines with trump in every one to dominate D websites.

IMO, breaking news rules, the headline system in particular needs to be changed. To late now but the propaganda system the RW used took full advantage of the top website for Democrats in the USA, DU. and this is the top website by ranking. This website was even hacked, offline for elections! It's discusting what Republicans allowed to happen to our democracy.

manafort in trumps campaign did not seem to bother anyone. I remember reading his bio & then posting about "why is Russias Ukraine busting Lawyer with trump campaign"? Republicans were in early colluding with Russia to beat Hillary/Sanders.

[fescuerescue]

86. If Trump doesn't like it. It must be pretty good.

I think I'll check it out

[lark]

88. He is not our president.

He's president for Russia, for himself, for the rich and for anyone that sucks up to him. For all the rest, he's a total menace to our way of life and personal security. He aims to steal everything from us and give it to himself, Russia and his oligarch friends. He's using the presidency to save his failed company because he;s really an ignorant buffoon who's only good at manipulation and is horrible at decision making and has no relationship with truth or morals. He just doesn't care about those things at all,