# 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:** 46
**Author:** ![GailForce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dfb087/32.png) [@GailForce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GailForce)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/901 "2024-06-12T12:10:36Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > The shark thing Doesn’t he supposedly have a phobia about sharks? Not that they’re not scary but I mean an actual phobia. You say “shark” to him and he drops a load in his pants, like that? Good thing he’s got them diapers, I guess. That’s what was happening, I figure, he was rambling, Rain Man style, about something that was bothering him and it didn’t matter that he was up on a stage talking to strangers about politics, he just got “sharks” in his head and he couldn’t let it go and start rambling about something else, like taxes or Biden crime family or unfair judges. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/902 "2024-06-12T13:08:37Z")
Does anybody know what the real point is supposed to be with that WTF battery and shark story, if anything? Unless I missed it, I’ve only seen joke answers. I’m guessing something about being against the auto industry going electric, or something…? trump has a similar WTF stock story where he pantomines grunting and struggling to lift a heavy weight, making him look like he’s crapping his pants, which had me thinking “ooohhkayy…he has finally lost it completely”. That turned out to at least have some sort of point, however stupid and offensive, about being against trans athletes competing against biological women. BTW, @ThelmaLou has a post in the ‘disgraced trump’ thread about a NY Post article: “Is Donald Trump OK?” Specifically in reference to the battery and shark story: > [@How has the disgraced, CONVICTED FELON, former President Trump pissed you off today?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-the-disgraced-convicted-felon-former-president-trump-pissed-you-off-today/942178/7163): > > Finally someone in the media says it out loud! It is irresponsible to obsess over President Biden’s tendency to mangle a couple of words in a speech while [Donald Trump](https://www.washingtonpost.com/donald-trump/?itid=lk_inline_manual_2) is out there sounding detached from reality. Biden, [who is old](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/02/09/special-counsel-biden-memory/?itid=lk_inline_manual_2), at least makes sense. Trump, [who also is old](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/01/28/trump-biden-false-equivalency-media/?itid=lk_inline_manual_2), rants like someone you’d cross the street to avoid. We in the media have failed by becoming inured to Trump’s verbal incontinence — not just the rapid-fire lies and revenge-seeking threats, but also [the frightening gl…](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/05/02/time-magazine-interview-donald-trump/?itid=lk_inline_manual_4) ---
**Author:** ![GailForce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dfb087/32.png) [@GailForce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GailForce)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/903 "2024-06-12T13:14:00Z")
I assumed the point was “Liberals are trying to force you to use electric engines on everything, and outlaw gas engines, even though EVs are life-threatening monsters but so are liberals…” And then his imagination kicked in and he started rambling about "But what if you had to choose between getting electrocuted or getting eaten alive by a SHARK!!!’ and we were off to the races. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/904 "2024-06-12T13:22:14Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > The shark thing still boggles the mind Thing I keep coming back to, is remember Howard Dean? He ruled himself out of contention for POTUS candidate by _yelling too loud at a stump speech_. How did we get from that to felon rapist candidate whose insane rants have becoming incoherent senile insane rants, and is still polling at basically 50-50? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/905 "2024-06-12T13:24:23Z")
Thanks for the link. I’d have posted here if I had thought about it. 👍🏽 ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/906 "2024-06-12T13:29:10Z")
Thank you for sharing the article! Hopefully it’s only the start of the mainstream media really starting to question trump’s mental wellness. This pull quote from the article really needs to be said more, publicly: > It is irresponsible to obsess over President Biden’s tendency to mangle a couple of words in a speech while [Donald Trump](https://www.washingtonpost.com/donald-trump/?itid=lk_inline_manual_2) is out there sounding detached from reality. Biden, [who is old](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/02/09/special-counsel-biden-memory/?itid=lk_inline_manual_2), at least makes sense. Trump, [who also is old](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/01/28/trump-biden-false-equivalency-media/?itid=lk_inline_manual_2), rants like someone you’d cross the street to avoid. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/907 "2024-06-12T13:32:47Z")
> [@solost](#): > > That turned out to at least have some sort of point, however stupid and offensive, about being against trans athletes competing against biological women Here’s the key point for this thread. These insane rants are not new, and do have a point (a universally terrible offensive point, but a point nonetheless) A few years ago it was actually pretty simple to infer what that point was (it may shock you to learn that your average MAGA is not too skilled a deciphering sophisticated allusions). But not any more these rant have become so incoherent, and rambling that no one has any idea what he is saying. That is a sign of his mental decline. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/908 "2024-06-12T13:32:47Z")
From McSweeney’s: > **[Final Exam for the Class “What a Presidential Candidate Can and Cannot...](https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/final-exam-for-the-class-what-a-presidential-candidate-can-and-cannot-survive-apparently-taught-by-howard-dean)** > > Final Exam > Poli Sci 401 > Yale University, > Jackson School of Global Affairs > Professor Howard Dean > Part I (50 points) – multiple choice > 1. Which of ... ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/909 "2024-06-12T13:35:44Z")
> [@GailForce](#): > > I assumed the point was “Liberals are trying to force you to use electric engines on everything, and outlaw gas engines, even though EVs are life-threatening monsters but so are liberals…” That’s close. It’s because “we’re going to end the mandate on electric–they want to make all boats, too. I went to a boat company in South Carolina.” And then that’s where he talks about asking the ‘smart’ question, because, you know, he has a relationship with MIT. Of course, there is no mandate for electric boats. Here’s a link for the speech. The bullshit about boats starts at about the 42 minute mark. (No, I didn’t listen to the whole hour-long rambling rant.) > **[Former President Trump Holds Rally in Las Vegas](https://www.c-span.org/video/?536150-1%2Fpresident-trump-holds-rally-las-vegas)** > > Former President Trump held a campaign rally in Las Vegas, where he spoke for about an hour about his 2024 campaign for president and contrasted his policy agenda with that of President Biden. ---
**Author:** ![GailForce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dfb087/32.png) [@GailForce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GailForce)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/910 "2024-06-12T14:31:06Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > you know, he has a relationship with MIT. I have a relationship with MIT too. I used to drive past it sometimes when I lived in Massachusetts. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/911 "2024-06-12T14:40:54Z")
> [@GailForce](#): > > I have a relationship with MIT too. Huh. I delivered data there once. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/912 "2024-06-12T14:41:39Z")
> [@GailForce](#): > > assumed the point was “Liberals are trying to force you to use electric engines on everything, and outlaw gas engines, even though EVs are life-threatening monsters but so are liberals…” > > And then his imagination kicked in and he started rambling about "But what if you had to choose between getting electrocuted or getting eaten alive by a SHARK!!!’ and we were off to the races. His “point” is also predicated on his belief that if you get a battery wet it will electrocute everyone in the vicinity. But that’s not dementia, it’s just stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/913 "2024-06-12T17:27:11Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > His “point” is also predicated on his belief that if you get a battery wet it will electrocute everyone in the vicinity. But that’s not dementia, it’s just stupidity. Yup. And of course magnets don’t work under water. I think that was something about catapults and aircraft carriers going to rail guns instead of steam. Or… something. My guess is that if an aircraft carrior is underwater, they aren’t going to worry about launching planes. Trump probably thinks you can. He’s a loon. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/914 "2024-06-12T17:34:25Z")
> [@GailForce](#): > > You say “shark” to him and he drops a load in his pants, like that? I mean, yes, but also if you don’t say “shark” to him. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/915 "2024-06-12T18:25:00Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > he has a relationship with MIT. So this is an interesting aside. This started with a kernel of truth. Donald Trump’s uncle John G Trump was actually a leading scientist at MIT who among other things was sent to assess the allegedly booby trapped death ray Nicola Tesla left in a NY hotel after his death (it was neither booby trapped or a death ray) and later in his career correctly assessed the lasers needed for Reagans star wars project were unfeasible (a project his nephew decided to try and restart). He clearly had nothing in common with Trump, though Trump has always claimed being with nephew as some kind of achievement. But going from that to “having a relationship with MIT” is a logical leap. Your call as to whether that’s a symptom of his mental decline or just another example of him being pathological liar. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/916 "2024-06-12T18:34:39Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > But going from that to “having a relationship with MIT” is a logical leap. He said it, so it must be true. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/917 "2024-06-12T19:28:13Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > … Your call as to whether that’s a symptom of his mental decline or just another example of him being pathological liar. As has been noted, the two are by no means mutually exclusive. But it seems he used to tell ~~more intelligent~~ less stupid pathological\* lies. \* Yes’ I know that “pathological” properly refers to him rather than to his lies. But it just sounds better this way. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/918 "2024-06-12T19:55:06Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Thing I keep coming back to, is remember Howard Dean? He ruled himself out of contention for POTUS candidate by _yelling too loud at a stump speech_. How did we get from that to felon rapist candidate whose insane rants have becoming incoherent senile insane rants, and is still polling at basically 50-50? IOKWAWSDI . . . . _It’s Okay When A White Supremacist Does It._ Dean clearly could not produce that particular get-out-of-public-condemnation card. Trump will be forgiven anything–any sign of dementia, even unto actually wearing his underpants on his head–because he’s giving millions of American voters what they’ve craved for decades. That is, unlike previous standard-bearers like George Wallace or David Duke, Trump offers _plausible deniability_. He lets his fans indulge all their majority-minority terror, while at the same time pretending that what they _really_ are voting for is “a good businessman.” No degree of senile dementia can counteract the attractive power of that combination. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/919 "2024-06-12T23:24:39Z")
> [@solost](#): > > trump has a similar WTF stock story where he pantomines grunting and struggling to lift a heavy weight, making him look like he’s crapping his pants, which had me thinking “ooohhkayy…he has finally lost it completely”. I think it was Michael Cohen who postulated Trump was making those sounds to disguse the fact that he was voiding his bowels while speaking to a crowd. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2024, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589/920 "2024-06-13T03:12:54Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Yup. And of course magnets don’t work under water. I think that was something about catapults and aircraft carriers going to rail guns instead of steam. Or… something. > > My guess is that if an aircraft carrior is underwater, they aren’t going to worry about launching planes. Trump probably thinks you can. He seems to think that maritime engineers have never stopped to think about what happens to various parts of the boat/ship if they get slightly wet. He’s not just worrying about what happens when they _sink_. For the magnetic catapults, he was talking about pouring “a cup of water” on them, and they just break down. He doesn’t seem to realize that every ship at sea already has a complicated electrical system that works perfectly fine, even when they get a little wet. He’s just convinced that water+electricity=failure, and doesn’t move past that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589.md?page=45) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-trump-confused/996589.md?page=47)