# "Leave Donald Alone!" Pleads His Press Secretary **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 2, 2017, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125 "2017-01-02T04:23:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/361 "2017-01-20T05:55:26Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > No, it’s simply that I understand his motives, where those of you who are opposed to virtually every single thing about him are eager to assume the worst and label him accordingly. I’ve long said that Trump is rarely doing what he appears to be doing on the surface. He’s usually operating several levels above it with results in mind that are not readily apparent to outside observers. And in so doing, he is almost (always) successful in achieving what it is he wants to accomplish. Sooner or later I expect that you and other of his opponents will come the realization that you’ve long been underestimating that guy. Harry Reid warned you about that when he said, _“Never, never, ever underestimate Trump!”_ His former wife (and casino executive) Ivana once said of him, _“You can’t win! He will always find a way to outsmart you!”_ > > Everything he’s been doing has been working in his favor and serving him well. And yet here you and other of his critics sit, laughing at him and belittling him and viewing everything he says and does in the most critical and condemning light, totally oblivious all the while to the fact that everything he does has a payoff that benefits him. I don’t know that it’ll gain you anything to stop underestimating him, but at least you’ll stop looking so reflexively foolish and naive as you do now. You are wrong. He is a loon. A thin-skinned, raving, egomaniacal, sociopath with the attention span of a brain-damaged house cat. Trump is not a zen-jedi-chess master, whose plans are so far above our understanding that we must simply sit at his feet and watch them unfold, like children before a deity. He is a doddering, senile old man whose has sundowner’s syndrome heaviest at 3 am, and word-vomits whatever vile nothingness takes his fancy onto twitter. These bilious eruptions are apparently how he intends we shall be governed. The fact that you find genius is in this makes you an idiotic, drooling, meat-puppet with no connection to reality. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/362 "2017-01-20T06:45:29Z")
May I remind you all that this is a guy who has twice built multi-billion dollar fortunes (once from a billion in the red), created a highly successful game/reality show on television, entered the presidential race as a complete outsider and laid waste to 16 seasoned candidates to secure the nomination, then ran a highly sophisticated and technologically advanced general election campaign to defeat Hillary Clinton. Later today he will become the 45th president of the United States. If you all want to comfort yourselves with these ridiculous claims that he’s a stupid, doddering old loon, knock yourselves out. Reality laughs at you. And I wouldn’t necessarily call him devious, **White SIFL** , although he’s certainly capable of it. It’s simply that he plays his games on a level not apparent (and not capable of being apparent) to outside observers. Thus they frequently (or pretty much always) misunderstand what he’s really up to, and/or what goals and accomplishments he’s really trying to achieve. Personally I think Trump is a genius, with insights and an understanding of human nature superior even to that of Steve Jobs, along with the ability to successfully handle issues of immense complexity with relative ease. But that’s not what I’m talking about when I say he’s operating on levels most people don’t understand. It’s not that they’re necessarily incapable of understanding what he’s really doing, it’s just that they aren’t privy to the information that would allow them to do so. So again, they jump to conclusions based on what little they do know, and because they don’t really know what they’re talking about they’re pretty much always proven wrong. Sort of like the football fan who thinks he’s qualified to analyze and pass judgement on the decisions and thinking of coaches and quarterbacks when he doesn’t have the slightest idea of the enormous real world complexity they’re having to contend with. Essentially everyone watching and passing these kinds of judgements on Trump are nothing more than Monday-morning armchair quarterbacks and analysts who have no idea even of the existence of all the things they don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/363 "2017-01-20T06:49:42Z")
Is the implication that you can’t be really successful and also a thin-skinned narcissistic loon? Because [that’s exactly the opposite of reality](http://thoughtcatalog.com/jennifer-foster/2014/02/why-narcissism-leads-to-success/). ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/364 "2017-01-20T07:40:41Z")
It’s like talking to air. (And that fortune just keeps getting bigger and bigger every time I hear about it.) ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/365 "2017-01-20T13:04:18Z")
Running those casinos into the ground while other casinos in the area were making a ton of money was a brilliant business move that you’re all just too stupid to see… Yeah, that’s the ticket! ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/366 "2017-01-20T13:32:02Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > It’s like talking to air. I’ve never wished for air to disappear, or felt certain that we’d all be better off without it. He’s hardly the first naïf to fall sway to the patter of a charlatan, but he does display a remarkable appetite for horseshit, and witnessing a man of his rapidly advancing years mooning over Don the Con like a giggly schoolgirl is just flat-out uncomfortable. If Trump had gone a slightly different way, SA would be one of the first to slip on his last pair of new Nikes and shove his way to the front of the Kool-Aid line, all the while scoffing at the doubters who’ll be left behind. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/367 "2017-01-20T14:12:15Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > … totally oblivious all the while to the fact that everything he does has a payoff that benefits him. I don’t know what alternative universe you’re living in, but people have been saying this on the SDMB for a year or more. And it’s the very problem with him. > [@](#): > > …created a highly successful game/reality show on television… Unless Mark Burnett, creator of “The Apprentice,” is being sworn in as the 45th President of the United States, this isn’t true. Burnett is not Constitutionally eligible to be President, so I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/368 "2017-01-20T14:16:24Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > The “Donald is operating on a plane so far above everyone else that only we brilliant few get it” argument is an amusing one. How about it. Just as a cheating spouse or a lying used car salesman didn’t outsmart anyone. But don’t try explaining that to anyone who thinks that building a giant wall along our southern border is a worthy goal. ---
**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:** [January 20, 2017, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/369 "2017-01-20T14:31:45Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > May I remind you all that this is a guy who has twice built multi-billion dollar fortunes (once from a billion in the red), created a highly successful game/reality show on television, entered the presidential race as a complete outsider and laid waste to 16 seasoned candidates to secure the nomination, then ran a highly sophisticated and technologically advanced general election campaign to defeat Hillary Clinton. Later today he will become the 45th president of the United States. If you all want to comfort yourselves with these ridiculous claims that he’s a stupid, doddering old loon, knock yourselves out. Reality laughs at you. > > And I wouldn’t necessarily call him devious, **White SIFL** , although he’s certainly capable of it. It’s simply that he plays his games on a level not apparent (and not capable of being apparent) to outside observers. Thus they frequently (or pretty much always) misunderstand what he’s really up to, and/or what goals and accomplishments he’s really trying to achieve. Personally I think Trump is a genius, with insights and an understanding of human nature superior even to that of Steve Jobs, along with the ability to successfully handle issues of immense complexity with relative ease. But that’s not what I’m talking about when I say he’s operating on levels most people don’t understand. It’s not that they’re necessarily incapable of understanding what he’s really doing, it’s just that they aren’t privy to the information that would allow them to do so. So again, they jump to conclusions based on what little they do know, and because they don’t really know what they’re talking about they’re pretty much always proven wrong. Sort of like the football fan who thinks he’s qualified to analyze and pass judgement on the decisions and thinking of coaches and quarterbacks when he doesn’t have the slightest idea of the enormous real world complexity they’re having to contend with. Essentially everyone watching and passing these kinds of judgements on Trump are nothing more than Monday-morning armchair quarterbacks and analysts who have no idea even of the existence of all the things they don’t know. Yeah, just because he outsmarts you, and you are in awe of his every move, doesn’t actually mean he is smart. It just means that you lack the capabilities of not falling for his lies. I can understand how, from your perspective, he seems a genius, and is is true that he is operating on a level far above yours, but really if you weren’t operating at such a substandard level, you could see that Trump really is not operating on a level that is even close to above average, much less the genius 4d chess master you think of him as. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/370 "2017-01-20T14:55:12Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > … Personally I think Trump is a genius, with insights and an understanding of human nature superior even to that of Steve Jobs, along with the ability to successfully handle issues of immense complexity with relative ease. But that’s not what I’m talking about when I say he’s operating on levels most people don’t understand. It’s not that they’re necessarily incapable of understanding what he’s really doing, it’s just that they aren’t privy to the information that would allow them to do so… You’re fucking delusional. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/371 "2017-01-20T15:20:00Z")
Steve Jobs? “Understanding human nature”? Boy, that Lincoln, just another pretty face… ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/372 "2017-01-20T15:20:58Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > The “Donald is operating on a plane so far above everyone else that only we brilliant few get it” argument is an amusing one. Between the closed sharpie and blank pad of paper and the reams of blank paper in manila folders, am I the only one who is reminded of the Nigerian princes and their poor grammar to weed out the less gullible right away? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/373 "2017-01-20T15:35:48Z")
**Starving Artist** once again belittles and underestimates our beloved President-Elect. You don’t get it, **SA** – he’s superhuman. He doesn’t have mere human, earthly characteristics and qualities – he’s a godlike being, capable of feats greater than any being that’s ever graced the Earth. I don’t know why you can’t understand how amazing he is, that he can give women orgasms with a single look, and solve world problems with a single tweet, and eliminate our enemies from afar with the power of his huge, massive hands. Trump created America – hell, he created the Earth and all the universe, and it’s really a shame that you can’t give this divine creator his due. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2017, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/374 "2017-01-20T15:38:13Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > **Starving Artist** once again belittles and underestimates our beloved President-Elect. You don’t get it, **SA** – he’s superhuman. He doesn’t have mere human, earthly characteristics and qualities – he’s a godlike being, capable of feats greater than any being that’s ever graced the Earth. I don’t know why you can’t understand how amazing he is, that he can give women orgasms with a single look, and solve world problems with a single tweet, and eliminate our enemies from afar with the power of his huge, massive hands. Trump created America – hell, he created the Earth and all the universe, and it’s really a shame that you can’t give this divine creator his due. Gosh He’s awesome! We’re all really impressed down here, I can tell you. ---
**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:** [January 20, 2017, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/375 "2017-01-20T15:46:45Z")
Someone help **Starving Artist** out, cut off his supply of Kool-Ade, and get him into detox. ---
**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:** [January 20, 2017, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/376 "2017-01-20T15:56:46Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Someone help **Starving Artist** out, cut off his supply of Kool-Ade, and get him into detox. Yeah, that’s actually his own urine. He just calls it kool-aid, and we don’t like to think about it. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/377 "2017-01-21T12:44:44Z")
[Trump Around!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtvZlLp8Fdc) ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/378 "2017-01-21T23:14:59Z")
Spicer [throws a tantrum in the White House press room](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/sean-spicer-assails-media-inauguration-crowd-size) to complain about media reporting of Trump’s anemic turnout. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2017, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/379 "2017-01-21T23:22:49Z")
“This was the largest audience ever to witness an inauguration, period,” Spicer said with emphasis. “Both in person and around the globe.” Holy shit! That dude is Baghdad Bob. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2017, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125/380 "2017-01-22T00:06:24Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > \And yet here you and other of his critics sit, laughing at him and belittling him and viewing everything he says and does in the most critical and condemning light, totally oblivious all the while to the fact that everything he does has a payoff that benefits him.\. That’s what we’re afraid of - payoffs that benefit him, and not the country. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leave-donald-alone-pleads-his-press-secretary/776125.md?page=20)