# Is Trump confused? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [January 24, 2024, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589 "2024-01-24T13:53:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 135
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2714 "2024-10-16T04:05:13Z")
Reason I can’t watch the speeches is not his annoying holy-shit-you-sound-like-a-banshee-granma-with-diarrhea-on-Robutussin voice… it’s your fucking supporters, the public or (hopefully) just actors. ---
**Author:** ![Hermione1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d07c76/32.png) [@Hermione1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermione1)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2715 "2024-10-16T04:18:24Z")
I’ve noticed some of the MAGA contingent on Twitter has been saying “it was a medical emergency for two audience members, what was he supposed to do, go on with the event as if nothing happened?” As if he didn’t just basically trail off after answering only (five?) questions. I’m pretty sure if Kamala had been in his place, she’d have said something like, “Folks, it seems we have a medical emergency in the crowd. If you’ll all be patient a second, we’ll just play some music. I’m going to check up and make sure they’re all right.” A short time later: “Well, it looks as if the venue staff’s got the situation in hand and it seems the two affected people will be okay. Thank you all so much for your patience. Shall we pick up the Q & A where we left off?” That’s what any halfway decent (and lucid) candidate would have done. But they won’t admit that, will they? ---
**Author:** ![Win\_Place\_Show](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/win_place_show/32/13469_2.png) [@Win\_Place\_Show](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Win_Place_Show)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2716 "2024-10-16T04:28:16Z")
I liked seeing some pushback across Facebook of “well, they fainted because he refused to pay to have the air conditioner running”. Probably bullshit, but so are 95% of the MAGA talking points so screw 'em. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2717 "2024-10-16T04:31:26Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > It’s not your fault that the clips can be misleading and I appreciate you posting them. I absolutely understand why they want to make Trump look as bad as possible. But dishonesty is the other side’s purview. I don’t like seeing our side play their game even in small ways. Glad to hear someone sharing my point of view - I said the same thing earlier in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2718 "2024-10-16T04:33:12Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > It’s not your fault that the clips can be misleading and I appreciate you posting them. In this particular case, I don’t think context would have helped. He gets stuck in a loop and starts repeating “32 days” over and over to the point that his own audience is laughing at him, then notices that the teleprompter “kicked back in” (in reality I think they just stop the prompter when he goes off script and wait for him to notice), then goes into a loop musing about the phrase “kick back”. No amount of context can make that look good. Remember in Anchorman where Ron Burgundy will unquestioningly read whatever the prompter says verbatim, and Christina Applegate’s character sabotages him by changing his sign-off to “Go fuck yourself, San Diego?” I suspect that Trump would absolutely fall for that. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2719 "2024-10-16T05:14:35Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > it was all for not very much God willing, this will be the slogan of the Republican party for the next 100 years. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2024, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2720 "2024-10-16T05:26:25Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > How about standing behind a lectern and answering unexpected questions with cogent answers for a half hour? And they don’t even have to be questions about policy. Trump has routinely screwed up even softball questions. Let’s see how he does in just general trivia, personal interests, anecdotes about his kid’s birthdays, and the like. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2024, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2721 "2024-10-16T05:47:52Z")
> [@Hermione1](#): > > I’ve noticed some of the MAGA contingent on Twitter has been saying “it was a medical emergency for two audience members, what was he supposed to do, go on with the event as if nothing happened?” Let’s pretend for a moment that this was true, and it took 45 minutes for the medics to get the people off the floor. Well, then, what I’d expect is for Trump to leave the stage. Even in this case, it’s horrible optics to have Trump up there just kind of weaving back and forth for that long. Isn’t he supposed to be in charge? At least get him into a back room where you can pretend he’s doing something useful. And secondly, if it was warm enough that people are passing out, and you don’t want to continue taking questions, you should just end the event early, and send people home, so that you don’t pointlessly risk more of them passing out from the heat. Staying there for no reason other than to watch this embarrassment of a dance party is utterly irresponsible. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2722 "2024-10-16T06:07:22Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > In this particular case, I don’t think context would have helped. He gets stuck in a loop and starts repeating “32 days” over and over to the point that his own audience is laughing at him, then notices that the teleprompter “kicked back in” That’s certainly the impression you get from the clip. But it is _not_ what happened. So to clear up this bit of misinformation, I found the relevant part of the speech on YouTube. Here is what Trump said before that clip begins: “Isn’t it nice to have a president who doesn’t need a teleprompter? What do you think Byron? It’s better, right? Huh? Did you see where her teleprompter crashed? She was talking about 32 days Mr. Congressman. 32 days, she goes 32 days. 32 days to the election. The teleprompter crashed.” He then goes on to talk about kickbacks and eventually gets back to how he is the greatest of all time at teleprompters. Yeah, it’s a stupid mangled story but that’s all it was. Trying to make him look bad out of context is not helpful. It just gives ammunition to the other side. The video should start at the relevant part for anyone interested. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tC7QY33UYpo/maxresdefault.jpg "LIVE REPLAY: President Trump Delivers Remarks in Atlanta, GA - 10/15/24") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC7QY33UYpo&t=272491) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2723 "2024-10-16T06:10:22Z")
That doesn’t make it sound any more sane and your transcription is incorrect. If anything, it makes him worse, since he’s claiming not to need a prompter when there’s clearly several on stage at all of his speeches, he’s having a conversation with an individual instead of the audience, he’s talking about an incident that never happened, and he STILL goes into an incoherent loop about 32 days and kickbacks with a bunch of umms and uhhhhs. > [@aurora\_maire](#): > > Trying to make him look bad out of context is not helpful. Anything that makes him look bad is helpful, because he is bad and people need to see that if we want to defeat fascism. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2724 "2024-10-16T06:23:12Z")
I see you have edited your post. I may have missed a word or two but the transcription shows that he is clearly telling a story about Harris, not glitching out because his teleprompter quit working. Which is all I was trying to clear up. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2725 "2024-10-16T06:24:42Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > I may have missed a word or two but the transcription shows that he is clearly telling a story about Harris, not glitching out because his teleprompter quit working. Which is all I was trying to clear up. He’s telling a false story about Harris and he’s glitching out. ETA: “He wasn’t confused, he was just making fun of the way his opponent talks” isn’t exactly better either. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2024, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2726 "2024-10-16T06:58:25Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > He then goes on to talk about kickbacks and eventually gets back to how he is the greatest of all time at teleprompters. … It took me all of five minutes to learn to appear before and use a teleprompter, and ten minutes before I mastered it. (Had to learn it at one point.) In other words, it’s easy to learn and use one quickly. It’s hardly a skill, like playing piano, or woodworking, or knitting, or sports skills. I’m unsure how one can be “the greatest of all time at teleprompters.” But then, we’re talking Trump, so I guess he thinks it’s possible. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2727 "2024-10-16T11:20:56Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > > [@Czarcasm](#): > > > > “YMCA” was played at most wedding receptions for quite a while, and it didn’t really matter how right wing the families were. Little old grandmothers and drunken uncles would be side-by-side flailing their arms while trying to pantomime the letters. If you tried to tell them about where the song came from you would have been ignored. > > A little like the “Every Breath You Take” phenomenon, I suppose. I read that Sting expressed amazement that people would play his song about creepy stalking at weddings, but he eventually shrugged and stopped being surprised. I really don’t think they are anything alike. YMCA is usually played _because it gets people on the dance floor_. It gets the party going. Few think about the actual content of the lyrics, and for many of those who do, it’s a _humor_ song. Not everything has to be serious. When it was popular, I’d venture Macarena was played for the same reason - people will dance. Which doesn’t mean this event wasn’t weird and indicative of cognitive issues. But that’s for stopping the the Q&A part of just sorta-dancing a bit for that long, not because of the songs chosen. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2728 "2024-10-16T11:48:52Z")
> [@Tzigone](#): > > Few think about the actual content of the lyrics It seems to me the actual content of the lyrics is that if you’re in a new town and feeling down you can find a fun and cheap place to stay at the YMCA. You can get yourself clean and have a good meal, you can do whatever you feel. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2729 "2024-10-16T11:51:53Z")
> [@Jihi](#): > > At least the media seems to be picking this up to some degree and not sanewashing it. That’s something I guess, even if we know it won’t affect the polling at all. Nothing does. About a week ago, a local program did a show about the media sanewashing Trump. I had meant to post it here, but forgot. > **[Is the media 'sanewashing' Trump?](https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2024/10/08/media-sanewashing-trump-voters-misinformation-election)** > > The media uses small soundbites and sensible summaries to make Donald Trump sound more coherent than he actually is. But by doing so, some argue that the media ends up presenting a misleading picture of the former president that could misinform... ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2730 "2024-10-16T12:14:31Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > You can get yourself clean and have a good meal, you can do whatever you feel. Surrounded by young, athletic men. In a shower, perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2731 "2024-10-16T12:41:33Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > He’s telling a false story about Harris and he’s glitching out. > > ETA: “He wasn’t confused, he was just making fun of the way his opponent talks” isn’t exactly better either. I agree. Even if the story he was trying to tell was true, which it isn’t, he’s telling it in a nearly incomprehensible way. You could expand that snip to include more before and it doesn’t help. The guy is rambling likes he a 12-pack deep. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2732 "2024-10-16T12:42:31Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Surrounded by young, athletic men. In a shower, perhaps. Whom you can feel. And then do. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2024, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/2733 "2024-10-16T13:02:44Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Surrounded by young, athletic men. In a shower, perhaps. I supposed that’s implied by “it’s fun to stay at the YMCA”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589.md?page=134) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589.md?page=136)