# A Perfectly Reasonable Amount of Schadenfreude about Things Happening to Trump & His Enablers (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [May 19, 2023, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250 "2023-05-19T03:20:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 54
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2023, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1061 "2023-07-29T18:19:53Z")
It seemed more important that the uses of the term “big lie” were opinions and not news, which is Fox’s standard defense. Meanwhile, the judge got in some digs about modern news reporting (by implication, the 24-hour “news” networks) and modern news consumers. I hope he wasn’t laying the groundwork for anything there, because I believe he got some facts wrong. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1062 "2023-07-29T22:55:13Z")
God I need a generous, sweet, helping of schadenfreude soon. Today was a rainy, stormy day and my day off so I did a good deal more internet cruising and reading of national news than I usually do, then made the mistake of looking at various polling outlets, and scared myself silly. That Man canNOT be elected again. He just can’t. I’m not religious in the least, but holy mother of Deities, SOMEthing has to keep him out of office. The other candidates worry me too, but they at least might be swayed if The Narcissist was no longer blinding them, (or whatever power he has over them). I just don’t get it. I’m getting scared though … this feels like a bad movie script and I can’t get out of my seat and leave the theater. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1063 "2023-07-30T01:10:14Z")
I feel this way too and am really, really hoping for something, anything, that can change this trajectory we seem to be on. I have no faith at all in the electorate in this country to do that, sad to say. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1064 "2023-07-30T04:00:30Z")
Well, democracy is what it is. I don’t share your pessimism, but I have no certainty either. If it’s of any help to you, I saw a headline today (I can’t find it now, I don’t remember if it was CNN or someplace else) that said Trump’s Republican support is softening in light of additional current and likely future indictments. I thought I gave up after the 2016 election, but things got better. I believe things are still getting better. In my opinion, your (and my) best bet is to stay away from the daily headlines, and from pundits and opinions, and cultivate the ability to live with uncertainty. It’s that, or suffer increasing anxiety until the next election. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1065 "2023-07-30T05:16:10Z")
I found the story, it was on NPR. > **[GOP support for Trump softens as the former president's legal troubles mount](https://www.npr.org/2023/07/28/1190748917/trump-republican-support-independents-indictment-january-6-poll)** > > Former President Donald Trump is likely facing a third indictment and maybe a fourth. Fewer Republicans are saying Trump did "nothing wrong," the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll finds. > Republicans and Republican-leaning independents saying they believe Trump has done “nothing wrong” dropped 9 points in the last month, from 50% to 41%. So his strongest base seems to be slipping out from under him. There’s some schadenfreude for you. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1066 "2023-07-30T05:33:28Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > So his strongest base seems to be slipping out from under him. Probably won’t slip a whole lot further, though. During his presidency, his approval rate stayed in a fairly narrow range of 38-44 %, mostly around 42-43 %. So it looks like he’s down to that base. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1067 "2023-07-30T05:55:41Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > During his presidency, his approval rate stayed in a fairly narrow range of 38-44 %, mostly around 42-43 %. That was among the general population. Now he’s down to that just among people who lean Republican. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1068 "2023-07-30T06:30:58Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > That was among the general population. Now he’s down to that just among people who lean Republican. Ah, I missed that it was only Republicans. He usually had like 80-90% approval from them. It’s only half now. Big drop. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1069 "2023-07-30T07:35:33Z")
> [@saje](#): > > That Man canNOT be elected again. He just can’t. I’m not religious in the least, but holy mother of Deities, SOMEthing has to keep him out of office. The other candidates worry me too, but they at least might be swayed if The Narcissist was no longer blinding them, (or whatever power he has over them). I do not wish death on Mr. Trump, though if someone was to create paper targets with Mr. Trump’s likeness on them, then I just might get back into competitive rifle target shooting, which I enjoyed when I was younger. I was pretty good, back in the day, and am sure I could plug him in both eyes, on a paper target. Using iron sights, of course. Still, I wonder about Mr. Trump’s health. He’s what now? About 76 or 78? All those Big Macs and Diet Cokes have to take their toll. By the same token, I would not like to see Mr. Biden run again. Neither Mr. Biden nor Mr. Trump has the youthfulness it would take to make the American electorate see that there is a middle ground between Republicans and Democrats, and that not everything is in black and white, zero or one, or male or female. It’s shades of grey that matter, and right now, it seems to me that the United States cannot see shades of grey. Younger candidates might. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1070 "2023-07-30T10:40:41Z")
I hate to say it but Trump looks to be in pretty good health for his age. The only obvious thing his terrible diet and sedentary laziness has done is make him overweight. OTOH the pathological narcissist probably wears more makeup than Tammy Faye Bakker. The most optimistic outlook to my mind is the plummeting likelihood that he could possibly win in a general election. I have no great faith in the electorate, to put it mildly, but even the most obtuse of them must surely see by now that he’s corrupt to his very core, too stupid to be stealthy about it, and surrounded by more sycophantic hoodlums than Al Capone. His Florida estate is literally a den of mobsters. As the indictments mount from multiple directions and his whining about “witch hunts” just becomes pathetic, even his ability to win Republican primaries becomes questionable. I’m reminded of a discussion between Chris Sununu (governor of NH) and Bill Maher many months ago. Even then, Sununu – who is a Trump supporter – stated flat-out that Trump wouldn’t win the nomination. Maher’s position was that he absolutely would, but couldn’t win in the general. It’s likely Maher who will be proven right, but things could get very bad for Trump on the legal front so who knows. Then of course there’s the disturbing possibility that Trump is nominated, loses the general election, and starts making a lot of “perfect” phone calls. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1071 "2023-07-30T10:46:21Z")
That’s good to read. I’m crossing everything that the trend snowballs and he’s buried under a (metaphorical, at least) avalanche. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1072 "2023-07-30T10:56:47Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Even then, Sununu – who is a Trump supporter – stated flat-out that Trump wouldn’t win the nomination. Sununu is not a Trump supporter. Perhaps he once was, but when he announced that he wasn’t running in 2024, he claimed he could be more effective helping to ensure Trump wasn’t the nominee. I too am not feeling particularly optimistic about American democracy. It’s up to the young folks, but we all know that, historically, the youngest voters don’t come out in numbers like the older generations. Should that finally change, it’s bye-bye republican party and their infantile culture wars bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1073 "2023-07-30T11:39:21Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > > [@wolfpup](#): > > > > Even then, Sununu – who is a Trump supporter – stated flat-out that Trump wouldn’t win the nomination. > > Sununu is not a Trump supporter. Perhaps he once was, but when he announced that he wasn’t running in 2024, he claimed he could be more effective helping to ensure Trump wasn’t the nominee. Not disagreeing with you, but in the interview, Sununu did say he was a Trump supporter, and even went so far as to add (paraphrasing from memory) “I’d vote for him if he was running [in the general], but he won’t be”. Maybe he was just trying to appease his Trumpist Republican base, and his opinion of likelihoods was influenced by his personal distaste for Trump. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1074 "2023-07-30T11:51:47Z")
Oh I’m sure you’re right about the general election. In their diseased minds, a corrupt, anti-American, racist rapist is somehow better than any Democrat. It’s truly mind-boggling. The real way to make America great again? Deport everyone who voted for Trump twice. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1075 "2023-07-30T12:06:20Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > I feel this way too and am really, really hoping for something, anything, that can change this trajectory we seem to be on. I have no faith at all in the electorate in this country to do that, sad to say. I understand your feelings here, I often share them. But the key thing is to remember: _This is how they want you to feel_. They’ve already convinced a lot of their own supporters to effectively lose faith in democracy via the whole “stolen election” narrative, but they can’t really put an end to democracy until their opposition _also_ loses faith in democracy. The key to fighting this is to become more active in your local politics. Don’t just post and vote, but get out in the world, volunteer to make phone calls, knock on doors, or staff information booths at local events. There’s a huge mass of people who still don’t vote in the US, and if you can mobilize even a small part of that group, you can flip elections all over the country. The solution to a failing democracy is _more democracy_. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1076 "2023-07-30T12:42:48Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > There’s a huge mass of people who still don’t vote in the US, and if you can mobilize even a small part of that group, you can flip elections all over the country. The only way to do this is to capture the votes of those that don’t participate/vote. A MAGA will never change their mind. Anyone that voted for him in the first place is completely delusional. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1077 "2023-07-30T14:30:11Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > I too am not feeling particularly optimistic about American democracy. It’s up to the young folks, but we all know that, historically, the youngest voters don’t come out in numbers like the older generations. Should that finally change, it’s bye-bye republican party and their infantile culture wars bullshit. Wasn’t it young voters voting in historic numbers that helped put Biden in the White House? > [@enipla](#): > > The only way to do this is to capture the votes of those that don’t participate/vote. Google says there will be 8 million newly eligible voters. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1078 "2023-07-30T14:39:44Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Ah, I missed that it was only Republicans. He usually had like 80-90% approval from them. It’s only half now. Big drop. Don’t assume just because more Republicans think he’s don’t something wrong they won’t vote for him. I’m guessing they’ll vote for him anyway, especially if he’s the nominee. They simply _must_ to save the country. Or some such bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1079 "2023-07-30T16:43:50Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > if someone was to create paper targets with Mr. Trump’s likeness on them, then I just might get back into competitive rifle target shooting A little Photoshop work on this one and you got it. [![](https://targets.net/cdn/shop/products/ICE-QT_LG_500x.png?v=1576877494) ](https://targets.net/cdn/shop/products/ICE-QT_LG_500x.png?v=1576877494) ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2023, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250/1080 "2023-07-30T16:47:45Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > The key to fighting this is to become more active in your local politics. Don’t just post and vote, but get out in the world, volunteer to make phone calls, knock on doors, or staff information booths at local events. There’s a huge mass of people who still don’t vote in the US, and if you can mobilize even a small part of that group, you can flip elections all over the country. The solution to a failing democracy is _more democracy_. I volunteer for Vote Forward, so no, I’m not just sitting here wringing my hands. What I find most disturbing is the overall level of crazy we seem to be experiencing now that I never knew existed before. It’s permanently changed my view of people in this country, and nothing is going to change it. But - back to the schadenfreude: > **[$60 Million Refund Request Shows Financial Pressure on Trump From Legal Fees](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/29/us/trump-pac-legal-fees.html?unlocked_article_code=iDRyVDHCGXzbPi645BlekzT9PmKwEf47oZCCvM7yYC-ilVUBkj4FMALzPscmF1-sj8isjQRW07HRyPqOcMRH7_YhSqdTCZqrf3VPPaPU8N9Ksrwzh3_xWsZcetf7A2m3X6mzPuMEWapxEmJFmLGvnkT1EjmsydrjHC35RH6ftFeqgnPHJSItlVdyy4lj4kFpTN6QSz5-vnzRa3E8M1dvc5qZUxydlNRnqvIvMXcLfmenOTZJEilXij-241r8kF3hXHTRSXLUDPRs-4OmN4xAdpMP5HSxRFR_EPKIcd4-gPkQXW-Fq7l4c9IWnnggTNSipF2vYmqmtR60&smid=url-share)** > > The situation signals a potential money crisis as the former president runs a campaign while under indictment in two jurisdictions and, soon, potentially a third. If nothing else, maybe the legal fees will help run him out of (other people’s) money. From the article. Classic. > The decision signals a potential money crisis for Mr. Trump, who has so far refused to pay his own voluminous bills directly and has also avoided creating a legal-defense fund for himself and people who have become entangled in the various investigations related to him. > Mr. Trump has long told associates that lawyers and other people contracted to work for him should do so for free, because they get free publicity. And he has told several associates that legal-defense funds are organized only by people who are guilty of crimes, according to people who have heard the remarks. It would be really interesting to see how much money an actual legal defense fund would collect. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250.md?page=53) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-perfectly-reasonable-amount-of-schadenfreude-about-things-happening-to-trump-his-enablers-part-2/984250.md?page=55)