The only other book I’ve ever read by Bob Woodward was Veil way back in the early Nineties (or was it the late Eighties?) I know I was still attending Marquette when I checked it out from the library. Even so, I didn’t know he was full of crap and part of DC’s pundit class who shares their disdain for those living in Flyover Country. These facts revealed themselves to me when he wrote his love letter to the Pentagon after Gulf Distraction One, I didn’t bother with anything about Clinton yet I’m sure it was critical; Clinton deserved criticism but Woodward shares the SCLM’s addiction to claiming balance through their “both sides do it” fallacy.
Fear became compelling after seeing him on The Daily Show. Let’s face it, this administration leaks like a cheap colander meaning Woodward’s latest practically wrote itself. Plus, there are enough Republicans the shitgibbon has burned ready to spill their guts to anyone willing to listen.
I didn’t find too many surprises in Woodward’s revelations regarding the worst president since Spurious George but I want to list a few in case you haven’t given them much thought.
- Trump hates to read, most briefings are condensed to a page or two.
- He’s notoriously cheap. An example would be US operations in South Korea.
- Nobody can stop Ivanka and Jared coming and going as they please.
- He thinks he can run the government like his numerous failed enterprises.
- If his numerous legal woes get his attention, he can’t compartmentalize them.
- Staffers often swiped his idiotic orders off his desk before he could sign them.
- Meetings are kept short due to his incredibly short attention span.
Long ago, the writer H.L. Mencken said “As Democracy is perfected, the office of President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.” As for the author of this quote, I don’t know much else regarding him. He was alive during the FDR administration so it’s hard to say who he defined as “plain folks” then, yet he did have MAGA-hat-wearing hate mongers down pat. Trump certainly reflects many for their lack of intellect and/or ability to think critically. What Mencken has to do with Woodward’s book is the frustration past administration members went through, including the head of his legal defense team. Trump’s surrounded by mainly two types, True Believers and Opportunists (often there’s little difference). The Opportunists are those who know Trump’s election was a fluke but they’re using him to push the Republicans’ long-term goal of restoring America’s Gilded Age regime (I dare one Republican I know to prove to me their party doesn’t hate democracy given their track record after Hoover.). Along the way they tried to educate the shitgibbon on our current foreign policy, defense strategy and economic policy. You’d have more success at telling your pet a funny joke and them getting it. Many Opportunists eventually resign because they can no longer stand it even though some of these scumbags, namely Gary D Cohn a DINO, succeed in pushing the regressive agenda. True Believers are the suckers thinking Trump will follow through on his campaign lies. Beyond making it alright for racists to come out of the woodwork, they’ve been frustrated at every turn, hence Steve Bannon’s departure as he stirs up trouble in Europe.
For those of us in “The Resistance,” Fear only reinforces our numerous reasons why Trump should be defeated. He has damaged America for decades to come, on top of what the Bush-Cheney, Clinton and Reagan-Bush administrations left behind. The book should really be read by the Trump Chumps in the hopes it will give them a less painful epiphany than the ones others got through the recent shutdown. As one sucker said, “He’s hurting the wrong people.” Serves the base right. However, Fear is wasted on them due to their hatred of reading anything deeper than the Twi-tard novels and since Woodward worked for the Washington Post, it’s dismissed as fake news. After years of Palin’s anti-intelligence drivel, we shouldn’t be surprised at the outcome.
Is there any hope? Some. It was with Fear‘s ending when Trump’s defense lawyer quits, a turd with no conscience and a record for defending other corporate criminals, tells Trump he’s an F-ing liar. This isn’t anything new but let me put statement in an appropriate context. Trump doesn’t take good advice and can’t keep his multiple lies straight. With the former, he will take the stand in a trial and via the latter he will perjure himself. Let’s hope we can defeat a possible President Pence.