https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the ... bed475201cTrump just made some very strange comments about Stephen K. Bannon
We don't yet know what Stephen K. Bannon's fate in the Trump White House is. But judging by President Trump's own words, it doesn't sound particularly good.
In a brief exchange with the New York Post's Michael Goodwin on Tuesday, Trump seemed to deliberately place Bannon at arm's length, suggesting that his role as an adviser has been oversold and even appearing to threaten Bannon's job.
Goodwin says he asked Trump if he still has confidence in Bannon, who is reportedly feuding with Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner. And Trump didn't exactly disabuse Goodwin of the idea that Bannon is embattled. In fact, he did quite the opposite.
“I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late,” Trump said. “I had already beaten all the senators and all the governors, and I didn't know Steve. I’m my own strategist, and it wasn't like I was going to change strategies because I was facing crooked Hillary.”
Ouch. Bannon joined the campaign in August for the lion's share of the general election, taking on the role of campaign CEO. He and Kellyanne Conway, the campaign manager, were the titular heads of the campaign. Trump then kept Bannon on as his chief political adviser in the White House, serving alongside chief of staff Reince Priebus.
In his comments to Goodwin, Trump also nodded to the tensions that exist in the White House and appeared to place the onus on Bannon to make things right — or else.
“Steve is a good guy, but I told them to straighten it out or I will,” Trump said.
Trump is certainly an unorthodox and unpredictable politician, but these comments from basically any other politician would signify the beginning of the end for Bannon. Perhaps it's frustration speaking and we shouldn't read too much into them.
But the Trump White House also has a demonstrated history of distancing itself from and downplaying the roles of aides who turn out to be liabilities. And that sure seems to be the tree Trump was barking up here.
Dead Man Walking?
Dead Man Walking?
First he was kicked off the national security council, and now this ringing endorsement:
Re: Dead Man Walking?
Do you think this will make Trump behave any differently (if Bannon, gets the boot, I mean)?
Re: Dead Man Walking?
If he goes, it is hard to imagine who the left will come up with as the next evil overlord pulling the puppet strings of the malleable Trump.
Re: Dead Man Walking?
When Bannon goes the left will point out that Trump's cabinet and advisors are the least qualified group ever to inhabit the Executive Branch and accurately reflect the intelligence of 90% of the Republican party.
yrs,
rubato
yrs,
rubato
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Bicycle Bill
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Re: Dead Man Walking?
You missed a word there, rube.rubato wrote:When Bannon goes the left will truthfully point out that Trump's cabinet and advisors are the least qualified group ever to inhabit the Executive Branch and accurately reflect the intelligence of 90% of the Republican party.
And even so it will be little more than preaching to the choir, because the people who need to get the message are the ones who still have their fingers in their ears going "Na-na-na-na-can't-hear-you".
-"BB"-
Yes, I suppose I could agree with you ... but then we'd both be wrong, wouldn't we?
Dead Man Walking?
“In a world whose absurdity appears to be so impenetrable, we simply must reach a greater degree of understanding among us, a greater sincerity.”
Re: Dead Man Walking?
kristina wrote:Do you think this will make Trump behave any differently (if Bannon, gets the boot, I mean)?
Well when you're talking about improving Trump's behavior, of course it's all relative and incremental...
And as Trump himself has pointed out (using different words of course) he was perfectly capable of being a complete asshole long before he met Bannon...
That having been said, the role Bannon has had in the White House is to play to, validate, encourage and inflame Trump's worst instincts and darkest impulses, (he has done this because of his own openly stated nihilistic philosophy of "governance"; a philosophy that is absolutely antithetical to the best interests of the country) so not having him there doing that would have to be at least a marginal improvement...
That doesn't mean that those instincts and impulses won't still be there, and that Trump isn't perfectly capable of still acting on them, but removing someone from his immediate daily proximity who is actively and relentlessly encouraging them, should at least somewhat lessen the occurrence...
To draw an analogy, a domestic abuser may be capable of engaging in abuse without any encouragement, but it certainly wouldn't help to have somebody next to him constantly saying, "Go ahead, hit her, it's alright, you should do it. It's the right thing to do, she deserves it."
Which is essentially the role Bannon has played.
There is certainly evidence that who Trump has around him makes at least some difference in the types of policy decisions he makes and the tone he sets. (This is not really surprising when you're talking about a man as shallow and lacking in core beliefs as Trump.)
The replacement of a venal crackpot like Michael Flynn with a extremely knowledgeable and consummate professional like HR McMaster has unquestionably improved the quality of Trump's statements and behavior on international issues for example...
The best situation of all of course is for Trump himself to leave, but short of that, the fewer toxic, un-American characters who are around to influence him on a daily basis, the better...
Re: Dead Man Walking?
It looks to me like Trump may be trying to humiliate Bannon into quitting:
http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-st ... ner-2017-4He's 'a guy who works for me': Trump is keeping Steve Bannon at arm's length
Political observers have been scrambling to parse President Donald Trump’s latest words about rumored fighting within his administration.
Trump appeared to be gradually distancing himself from White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who has been seen as increasingly isolated in the West Wing.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal published Wednesday, Trump seemed to dismiss Bannon, an aide and campaign confidante he has known for at least five years, describing him simply as “a guy who works for me.”
The president echoed comments he made in the New York Post on Tuesday. In that interview, Trump attempted to diminish Bannon’s role in his 2016 election campaign, saying Bannon “was not involved in my campaign until very late. I had already beaten all the senators and all the governors and I didn't know Steve.”