# The Trump Administration: A Clusterfuck in the Making Part Deux (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 22, 2020, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083 "2020-06-22T03:36:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 196
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3918 "2020-09-24T01:05:53Z")
…I’m hoping he often looms ominously over JB from behind, like he did with Hillary. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3919 "2020-09-24T01:11:45Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If they have a debate, are they going to strap Trump to his chair this time? There is one thing about which I am sure: Biden has a well-considered plan for any Trump looming during the debate. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3920 "2020-09-24T01:17:19Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > There is one thing about which I am sure: Biden has a well-considered plan for any Trump looming during the debate. An Irish knuckle sandwich would work nicely. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3921 "2020-09-24T01:33:59Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I typically ignore these stupid comments. But you seem to pull it more often than anyone else, so I’m briefly pausing my silence. > > Stop. Just stop. It adds nothing to the discussion, and it makes you look ridiculous. Go play on [grammer.com](http://grammer.com) if you feel the need to endlessly correct others for no reason. > > That is all. Don’t you mean [gramm **a** r.com](https://www.grammar.com/)? 😁 😉 (Gaudere’s Law strikes again) ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3922 "2020-09-24T01:36:07Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Don’t you mean [gramm **a** r.com](https://www.grammar.com/)? > > 😁 😉 Dammit! Um, autocorrect? But note - I wasn’t trying to link to [spelling.com](http://spelling.com). My grammar was still perfect. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3923 "2020-09-24T01:38:09Z")
True! ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3924 "2020-09-24T01:45:39Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > > [@Aspenglow](#): > > > > There is one thing about which I am sure: Biden has a well-considered plan for any Trump looming during the debate. > > An Irish knuckle sandwich would work nicely. I would like to see Joe say, “Let’s hear what you really have to say,” go over to Kumquat’s lectern, tear the microphone off it and shove it up the Idiot’s ass. ---
**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:** [September 24, 2020, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3925 "2020-09-24T01:51:53Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > > [@Aspenglow](#): > > > > There is one thing about which I am sure: Biden has a well-considered plan for any Trump looming during the debate. > > An Irish knuckle sandwich would work nicely. > [@eschereal](#): > > I would like to see Joe say, “Let’s hear what you really have to say,” go over to Kumquat’s lectern, tear the microphone off it and shove it up the Idiot’s ass. And here I was merely going to suggest Mace. (The spray, not the medieval weapon.) ---
**Author:** ![lum\_s\_husband](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lum_s_husband/32/3698_2.png) [@lum\_s\_husband](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lum_s_husband)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3926 "2020-09-24T02:00:06Z")
I will suggest a mace. ---
**Author:** ![Ziberian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/919ad9/32.png) [@Ziberian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ziberian)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3927 "2020-09-24T02:09:22Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Besides, I think Trump supporters seriously get off on that idea that they have liberals scared. I’m not about to give these fuckers the satisfaction of believing that their activism or worse is going to keep progressives from actually casting a vote; I’d rather show them the exact opposite: keep fuckin’ with me, and us, and we’ll bring two or three of our friends to vote with us Agree. One of the areas Democrats really need to step up on. Stop being so damn nice and get just as nasty as Trumpers, and take it right up in their face. These people are cowards at heart, a big part of why they worship Trump is because he publicly says/does the hateful, mean crap they only do/say in their inner circle. Being cowards, they scare easily, but if they think you’re scared of them, they get ugly. ---
**Author:** ![Ziberian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/919ad9/32.png) [@Ziberian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ziberian)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3928 "2020-09-24T02:20:11Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > > > Trump keeps calling Biden ‘Sleepy Joe’. Why isn’t Biden promoting the video showing Trump falling asleep during the Queen’s speech, and calling Trump ‘Sleepy Don’? > > Because Biden isn’t a six-year-old. While I definitely think he should take the gloves off, tactics like this aren’t going to flip anyone who’s in Trump’s base. Nothing is going to flip Trump’s base, it’s more about not letting Trump get away with it. His followers pick up his attacks & it’s always nice to be able to shove their Biden attacks down their throat with, say, a video showing Trump falling asleep during the Queen’s speech, in response to their ‘Sleepy Joe’ remarks. Ammunition. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3929 "2020-09-24T03:17:33Z")
This was the first item up on Rachel Maddow’s show tonight. The Democrats in Congress appear to be taking this very seriously, as did Rachel. “Not just a slip of the tongue”, she said. This could be a Very Big Serious Deal, folks. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3930 "2020-09-24T03:36:40Z")
Individual 1 says get rid of the ballots and we won’t have to worry about a transition of power. ---
**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:** [September 24, 2020, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3931 "2020-09-24T05:48:24Z")
> Power is not a means, it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me? Funny\* how often Mr Eric Blair seems to be appropriate these days. \*Not really. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3932 "2020-09-24T08:23:35Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > I would like to see Joe say, “Let’s hear what you really have to say,” go over to Kumquat’s lectern, tear the microphone off it and shove it up the Idiot’s ass. Please do not insult kumquats in that manner. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3933 "2020-09-24T15:12:04Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Individual 1 says get rid of the ballots and we won’t have to worry about a transition of power. You got scooped by @ThelmaLou. ---
**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:** [September 24, 2020, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3934 "2020-09-24T15:42:02Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > Just to change the subject a little, I notice that the Republicans have apparently realized that by indicating that Biden is barely able to function, they have set a very low bar for his debate performance. At this point, if he remains awake and reasonably coherent, he will have exceeded their characterization of him. Therefore, I am all of a sudden seeing them assert how good a debater Biden actually is. > [biden-is-actually-a-very-good-debater](https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/511156-trump-campaign-adviser-biden-is-actually-a-very-good-debater) > [Biden a good debater, as per Trump](https://news.yahoo.com/trump-biden-experience-debate-well-132652951.html) See also trump’s latest claims that Biden should be drug-tested for stimulants because of Biden’s recent well-done public speaking appearances, and his debate performance against Bernie… Which is of course also more HI-larious projection from trump, with all the very credible rumors of trump snorting up mountains of Adderall. It’s also a go-to playbook tactic for trump: daring an opponent to prove or disprove something, creating a lose-lose scenario; if Biden rightly ignores the call to be drug-tested, trump and others can claim he’s hiding something. If Biden went ahead and let himself be drug-tested, even when he passed it proves nothing to trump true believers, and opens him up to ridicule; like when Elizabeth Warren took the bait and got herself DNA tested to prove she is part Native American. ---
**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:** [September 24, 2020, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3935 "2020-09-24T15:59:56Z")
> [@solost](#): > > If Biden went ahead and let himself be drug-tested, even when he passed it proves nothing to trump true believers, and opens him up to ridicule; like when Elizabeth Warren took the bait and got herself DNA tested to prove she is part Native American.- Biden should not take any of trump’s disgusting, wormy bait. ---
**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:** [September 24, 2020, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3936 "2020-09-24T16:16:33Z")
How about just a regular coup? > **[This is what an American coup looks like](https://theweek.com/articles/939212/what-american-coup-looks-like)** > > How Trump can (and cannot) steal the election > President Trump’s campaign is reportedly in discussion with state and national Republicans to “bypass election results and appoint loyal electors in battleground states where Republicans hold the legislative majority.” At least that’s the report from a [terrifying article](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/11/what-if-trump-refuses-concede/616424/) written by Barton Gellman in _The Atlantic._ While this scenario is somewhat far-fetched, we should be clear that what Gellman describes here is tantamount to a coup, a complete break with the constitutional order that would unquestionably precipitate large-scale unrest and potentially the crackup of the United States. Could it actually happen? > > Trump has been clumsily telegraphing this plot for months — not generally the smartest way to overthrow a government, which is best done in secret. It would unfold like this: The election result is closer than expected, and the ultimate winner remains unknown on election night, with millions of mail-in ballots to be counted in the decisive swing states. Trump declares victory when the (incomplete) election night count favors him, and then launches legal maneuvering to force states to stop counting mail-in ballots, papered over with some feeble pretext about the fraud the president himself keeps [encouraging his own supporters](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/02/us/politics/trump-people-vote-twice.html) to commit. Thanks to [post-2010 gerrymandering](https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2016/07/19/gerrymandering-republicans-redmap), Republicans control both houses of the state legislature in nearly every contested state, and the president would presumably direct them to pass laws certifying Trump’s slate of electors, even if updated counts show Democratic candidate Joe Biden ahead. Et voila, a second Trump term. > > Mail balloting procedures are fully legal in all states that use them, so asking Republican legislatures either to stop the counting of ballots cast under agreed-upon procedures, or to certify a totally different winner than the people chose, is nothing short of extra-judicial election theft. It should not ultimately be a legal question. And in a healthy democracy, these efforts would not come before the courts at all nor should they be casually floated by a sitting president as the plan. **Any attempt to do so is no different than having Biden and his vice presidential pick, Kamala Harris, abducted and dropped out of a helicopter.** A slightly better ending for the two of them, I suppose, but the functional outcome for the rest of us would be identical: an election stolen brazenly by unapologetic authoritarians who would no longer have any check whatsoever on their rule. > … > My bold. Yeah, this has been posted somewhere. I think. But bears looking at again. ---
**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:** [September 24, 2020, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083/3937 "2020-09-24T16:19:52Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Trump has been clumsily telegraphing this plot for months — not generally the smartest way to overthrow a government, which is best done in secret. Quote is from the article, not @ThelmaLou That is old think. What we have found in the last few years (has it really only been 4 years?) is that, if it is done in public, then it is assumed to be legal by the supporters. This is no secret coup, this is a bully coming up and telling you that he’s going to take your lunch money, and as long as he does it in the open and in front of the teacher, rather than behind the gym, it is perfectly acceptable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083.md?page=195) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making-part-deux-part-1/911083.md?page=197)