# Did you know in 2016 how bad Trump really is? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 19, 2020, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346 "2020-10-19T19:15:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/161 "2020-10-23T12:26:00Z")
Huh, interesting that “[the piece so thoroughly lacked credibility that one _Post_ reporter refused to put his name on the story over such concerns.](https://www.thedailybeast.com/wall-street-journals-news-side-releases-a-piece-debunking-opinion-sides-hunter-biden-screed)”, and that, " Giuliani acknowledged to the _Times_ that the _Post_ lacks certain journalistic standards, explaining that he specifically opted to give the story to the tabloid because they wouldn’t “spend all the time they could to try to contradict it before they put it out.” Even the Wall Street Journal’s news division contradicted its opinion side, "The New York Post’s front-page article about Hunter Biden on Wednesday was written mostly by a staff reporter who refused to put his name on it, two Post employees said. [Bruce Golding, a reporter at the Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloid since 2007, did not allow his byline to be used because he had concerns over the article’s credibility"](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/18/business/media/new-york-post-hunter-biden.html) “Many Post staff members questioned whether the paper had done enough to verify the authenticity of the hard drive’s contents, said five people with knowledge of the tabloid’s inner workings. Staff members also had concerns about the reliability of its sources and its timing, the people said.” “Mr. Giuliani said he chose The Post because “either nobody else would take it, or if they took it, they would spend all the time they could to try to contradict it before they put it out.”” So, I expect that there will be hearings on this right after they get to the bottom of the mysterious Bat Boy. I don’t expect much to come from this tabloid hit piece. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/162 "2020-10-23T12:31:32Z")
Here’s what I said in [November, 2016](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-is-not-the-time-to-come-together-as-americans/771476) > Can you all stop with this moronic “now’s the time to pull together as Americans nonsense? That’s not happening. When you voted for Trump you specifically voted against an America where we all pull together. You voted for racism and divisiveness. This isn’t Mitt Romney, we’re not arguing about the tax rate for the top 1%. You voted for racism. You rang a bell that can’t be un-rung. Reading between the lines of this “we’re all Americans” sentiment, I see that the guilt of what you have done is already sinking in. You want us to make you feel better and give you a pass. The fact is that because of what you’ve done, we’re not all Americans; your version of America is in direct contrast with my version of America. Because of what you’ve done, we’ll never all be in the same America again. > > Donald Trump ran a campaign that asked voters to choose: us or them. I choose them. I choose my brown, black, straight, gay, trans, Muslim, Jewish, Atheist, Baha’i brothers and sisters. I choose them; I choose them even if you and I have known each in real life for years and I’ve never met them. I choose them even if you and I are related. I choose them because by voting for Trump you forced me to choose. ---
**Author:** ![agzem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@agzem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agzem)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/163 "2020-10-23T12:51:13Z")
> **Summary** > > > [@k9bfriender](#): > > > > Even the Wall Street Journal’s news division contradicted its opinion side > > The WSJ article is contradictory. From that Daily Beast article: > > "…The Journal did note that Bobulinski said **Hunter Biden appeared to reference his father** as a potential business partner in one set of text messages, allegedly referring to him as **the “big guy."** > > Here it is in the WSJ: > > “The email references “ **10 held by H for the big guy**?” Mr. Bobulinski said the “H” referred to Hunter Biden and the “big guy” was Joe Biden. Mr. Gilliar didn’t respond to a request for comment, nor did the other partner in the venture, Mr. Walker.” ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/164 "2020-10-23T13:02:05Z")
**Modhat on:** This post is off topic. Please stay on topic. We’re not talking Biden in this thread. Also post 133 Your posts are under review by the P&E mods, I’m just keep the thread on track for now. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/165 "2020-10-23T13:25:56Z")
I mean, if you listen to talk radio, read Breitbart or Newsmax, or watch Fox in prime time, just listen, read, and look at the pitches. They’re talking about the sovereign debt apocalypse (i.e. “Buy Gold Now!!!”) and selling penis pills. “_Just remember, when the end times come, and you’re forced to live in a remote underground bunker in North Dakota for up to a year, you’ll want a larger penis to go with your bitcoin. Call now. Operators are standing by._” ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/166 "2020-10-23T14:05:31Z")
The day after he was elected, I wondered if he would be the first post WW1/Spanish Influenza president (Wilson, of course) to see a life expectancy decline during his term in office. [![Google Photos](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lmR47B0-KIxSjKH3lbjvS4HsDGIZ4E3s_rvmKTX9FxwAmt36DwHeWvFCTTR_R2AciswhdbArygBAOyHreG3Wo1Q6G8aYWMnqRNgcW3MWWOOlWbW9xesK_LiItjeRxW9ZAS3xiTjwXg=w600-h315-p-k "New item by John Thornton") ](https://photos.app.goo.gl/bsAN5MFqvn1mkGns7) [United States: life expectancy 1860-2020 | Statista](https://www.statista.com/statistics/1040079/life-expectancy-united-states-all-time/#:~:text=Over%20the%20past%20160%20years,to%2078.9%20years%20in%202020). ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/167 "2020-10-23T14:50:18Z")
Agree with all of the above. The thing that sort of surprised me is how blazingly stupid he really is. We should all count our blessings that he has NOT come up with a new health care plan. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/168 "2020-10-23T14:59:56Z")
“How will your health care plan cover pre-existing conditions?” “It just will.” There is no plan. There’s never been a plan. There probably never will be a plan. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/169 "2020-10-23T18:26:22Z")
There _is_ a plan, the plan has been “Get rid of that health plan that damn uppity n\*\*\*\*\* came up with that people like.” That has been the only plan. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/170 "2020-10-23T18:31:03Z")
As Obama said in his Pennsylvania speech, the Republicans have spent ten years talking about how awful Obamacare is and about how they’re going to replace it with something really awesome. And yet, they’ve never actually suggested an alternative. (Honestly, I would be interested to hear the alternative; the ACA has its flaws, so perhaps there are better ways of doing things.) Republicans have as their mantra that government can do nothing right, which is a great position to have when you’re on the outside looking in. But when you are the party in power, you need to actually govern. (And why do people vote for a party that thinks that of government?) ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/171 "2020-10-23T19:14:27Z")
I guess my answer to the OP is no. I mean I knew he would be awful; I just could not, in 2016, have imagine how bloody awful. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/172 "2020-10-23T19:23:02Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > The thing that sort of surprised me is how blazingly stupid he really is. This surprised me, too. I mean, I didn’t think he was an intellectual or anything, but I was surprised at how very deeply stupid this man is. He is incredibly stupid. I almost felt sorry for him when he bragged on-camera about how well he did when taking the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test. I, probably like some others here, have been in the room when that test was given to a person (my father) slipping into dementia. There is no “acing” that test. There is no “doing well.” If one can’t pass it, that person has dementia or some other cognitive impairment. That’s all there is to it. And this guy (Trump) actually thought that it was an impressive achievement to have gotten through the test without, say, having a guardian appointed for him. It’s obvious, every day, how stupid he is. And yet he has a huge fan base, who practically worship him. Doesn’t say much for his fanboys. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/173 "2020-10-23T19:26:07Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > And yet he has a huge fan base, who practically worship him. Doesn’t say much for his fanboys. George Carlin - “Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.” ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/174 "2020-10-23T19:35:08Z")
**Person** , **woman** , **man** , **camera** , **TV** AMAZING! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2020, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/175 "2020-10-23T20:14:24Z")
I still wince when I remember [Trump posing proudly in front of that array of fast food](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/President_Trump_Welcomes_the_Clemson_Tigers_%2846028645804%29.jpg). Most people would be embarrassed that this was the best they could deliver to their guests. He wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/176 "2020-10-24T01:00:28Z")
I first became aware of Donald Trump back in the '70s, when I was first living in NYC. My first impression was that he was the most repugnant human being on the planet. That opinion has been confirmed countless times. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/177 "2020-10-24T01:57:09Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > There is no plan. There’s never been a plan. There probably never will be a plan. There IS TOO a plan. It will be ready in two weeks. Two. Weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/178 "2020-10-24T02:28:35Z")
It’s the fusion energy plan, but for healthcare. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/179 "2020-10-24T02:43:43Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > There IS TOO a plan. > > It will be ready in two weeks. > > Two. > Weeks. Are “Top Men” working on it? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346/180 "2020-10-24T04:24:23Z")
I found a post I made back before we split from the regular time line and became that funky alt-history distopia where Trump won. > [@The aftermath of a narrow Trump victory](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-aftermath-of-a-narrow-trump-victory/766356/59): > > I think all policy will be divided into two classes. Those things Trump cares about, and those things he doesn’t. > > The things he will be interested in are those things that either a) directly affect him and his businesses b) are splashy and exciting enough that they trend on social media, and so dealing with them can be used to feed his ego, immigration and building the Mexico wall fall into this category c) Involve negotiation or re-negotiation of agreements and treaties, because I suspect he actually believes his propaganda that he is a whiz at negotiations, and if we could just let him loose and give him a military to use as leverage, he will be put America on top and take the rest of the world to the cleaners. Everything else including the majority of the day to day stuff involved in being president and keeping the government running falling into the category of things he doesn’t care about. > > For those things, he will let Congress, and his subordinates do what it wants without making use of the Bully Pulpit, and sign or veto the legislation based on whatever the majority of the Republicans want. for these things it isn’t worth the effort to come up with his own policy. If things go sour he will find someone to blame in his administration and fire that person. I expect at least 50% turnover in the cabinet and upper executive staff by the end of the term. > > For the things he cares about he will attempt to rule through fiat, declaring what needs to be done and expecting everyone else to fall in line. If they don’t he will call them bad names, and do whatever he can to damage them, and in the meantime carry on ignoring congress and issuing executive orders to get what he wants done until the supreme court gets together and tells him to knock it off. It’s frightening how accurate I was. The part I didn’t expect was that despite his level of incompetence that his base would stick with him and so the rest of the party would follow. I figured he’d be viewed as an embarrassment by the party as a whole and they would do their best to reign him in. I also didn’t expect that the nonstop naked partisanship pathological lying would continue throughout his presidency, and that he would pay no penalty for it. On the good side I expected him to threaten more countries militarily but that failed to materialize. So TLDR, I pretty much guessed how bad he would be but not how bad everyone around him would be. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-know-in-2016-how-bad-trump-really-is/923346.md?page=10)