Suppose Trump were to say on Twitter sometime that a group of BLM protestors in Philadelphia dragged a white family of eight, including a toddler, out of their home and burned them alive in the middle of the street, so he should send in the troops and be re-elected to stop that from happening again. The media, the governor of Pennsylvania, and the opposition all point out that never happened, and Trump just says, nope, fake news, it did happen, do not listen to anyone who tells you otherwise.
Or suppose he said that Florida’s COVID cases have dropped by over 75% thanks to the governor, there is no illness crisis there, the hospitals are empty, and in fact everyone should go down there to vacation to help the economy recover. And again, ignore all fake news telling you otherwise, even if it comes from the Florida government itself.
Is there any lie so big that Republican/conservative politicians, pundits, and journalists wouldn’t back him up over? Is there any conceivable case, even remote, that he would say something that those groups would actually push back on, and not excuse, explain, ignore, or deny? I’m just wondering if there’s truly no limit to what his enablers will stomach.
Note I’m not asking if he’d be believed; we know he would. But said enablers are a big reason why that would happen, so I got to wondering.
The first lie - claiming that a white family was burned alive - is actually more believable to Trumpers. It mentions a specific thing in a humanized way. A believable lie is one that sounds specific and believable, even if there is no proof for it.
This isn’t a BIG lie, but the thought came to me while I was posting in another thread.
Today trump wore a mask at Walter Reed Hospital
So re the question posed by his thread: What if he says he has been wearing masks from the very beginning of COVID but the lying fake MSM refused to print any pictures of him in a mask because they want to take him down and make him look bad. So if he came out and flatly denied ever refusing to mask up and said he has always worn one-- would his followers believe him?
To hell with lies – that’s penny ante stuff. Shoot someone on 5th Avenue? I figure he could start shooting Republican politicians and voters and hardly any would squawk.
He wouldn’t get far with a religious lie. “I am directly descended from the Apostle, Saint Peter.” “I can heal the sick by my touch.” “An angel appeared to me yesterday…” Even his base know that his character is on the rough side, and far from sanctified. His posing with a Bible didn’t gain much traction, even with his best friends. Everyone, even his closest and dearest, knows that he has no respect for or relationship with Jesus.
He also didn’t get anywhere trying to claim that millions of illegal immigrants voted for Clinton in '16, and that’s the only reason she outpolled him. He stated it, nobody believed it, and the lie fell flat, a true lead balloon.
Trump believes it (it = any Trump BS) and that’s why it succeeds. His base still believes it. We know it’s bullshit but we aren’t going to vote for him, so we don’t count.
His base believes because - it is possible. Most people believe in angels, so if Trump says he talked to an angel - it is possible. Trump has a special relationship with Jesus and whatever it is - it is possible.
During a campaign rally in Romania, a candidate hit a child who was chanting the name of one of his opponents. The candidate and his surrogates came up with numerous explanations trying to persuade the people that the recorded images were not real. The candidate won the elections. His supporters still claim his innocence although anyone can watch the video on youtube.
The people of Louisiana elected former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke to the House of Representatives. In Washington DC, Mayor Marion Barry was video taped smoking crack, spent 6 months in jail and then was elected again.
Now, these aren’t about lying, but it’s just part of my overall point (that I’ve made in other threads) that people are generally going to vote within their party.
With Trump, ignoring people that land near the middle of the political spectrum, how many Republicans that voted for Trump 4 years ago, with full knowledge of everything that’s happened (and don’t believe all his/Fox News’ BS), are going to vote for Biden this year?
Look at it this way. For people that voted for Obama in 08 and 12, is anything, anything at all, that Biden could do in the next few months that would make you vote for Trump (or lets just say a ‘normal’ republican president?
Once again, as long as what he says or does upsets the opposition they will back him all the way. Words and deeds are weapons, and it just doesn’t matter what is said and/or done as long as it fucks with the enemy.
In that part of Louisiana, Duke hardly held controversial views. And Louisiana is different. When I lived there all candidates for the head of the Department of Agriculture (an elected job) were either under indictment of ex-cons from political crimes.
The Times has found tons of people just like this. Not the hardcore Trumpists, but former Trump voters.
For Trump? Not much that Biden would do that he wouldn’t be in jail for. Mitt Romney. Possible. But I’m a former Republican who left the party when they were stupid enough to nominate Shrub.
This the reason why don’t really want to talk about politics. I don’t think I’m turning into a misanthrope but I feel I’m losing the faith in my fellow humans. It’s a little personal crisis I’m going through at the moment. I hope it’ll pas…
I don’t get the impression that trump’s continual fabrications matter to trumpists much. I’ve read many an interview with them in which something like “he’s wonderful for our country although I do wish he wouldn’t lie so much”. That is, they just chalk it up to his bracing personality.
It is also true that grotesque hyperbole has taken over all political discourse in this country, left and right, and in that context, flagrant lying isn’t so noticeable. But the far right is also peculiarly gullible. They are a dwindling minority which has invested all in a vision of white male supremacy and a heroic story of America, a vision drifting ever farther from the rest of society’s understanding of the facts. They are already accustomed to the necessary continual editing of events so that their world view remains undisturbed. As long as trump’s lies add to the edifice of their belief system (and don’t they always?), they will try mightily to think they are true.