h/t forcibly deranged.
And, despite what George Will says, Trump is winning.
In November, 1863, the New York Herald reported that a temperance committee had asked President Lincoln to dismiss Ulysses S. Grant. They told him the general was an imbiber of strong spirits, to which Lincoln replied: “I wish you would tell me the brand of Whiskey Grant drinks. I would like to send a barrel to my other generals.” This story is probably apocryphal, but it captures the contempt with which the socially awkward Grant was viewed by the eastern establishment. This came to mind when I read the following about President Trump by a little old lady named George Will:
By his comportment, the president benefits his media detractors with serial vindications of their disparagements.… For most Americans, President Trump’s expostulations are audible wallpaper, always there but not really noticed.… And as balm for his base, which remains oblivious to his likely contempt for them as sheep who can be effortlessly gulled by preposterous fictions.
Will contends that Trump’s “deportment” is what drives the abuse and lies to which the President is subjected by the frauds of the Fourth Estate. Likewise, Grant’s exaggerated drinking was an excuse the northern press employed to denounce his tactics during the Civil War, as well as the necessity, when he was President, to keep troops stationed in the southern states. Will, in his dotage, has evidently forgotten that the media has relentlessly savaged any and all Republicans. To blame Trump for his treatment by CNN, MSNBC, et al. is like blaming a woman for her own rape.
Fortunately, Lincoln wasn’t stupid enough to listen to newspaper publishers or the temperance committees. He needed a “fighting general” to replace strangely inert commanders like George B. McClellan and Henry Halleck. By the time Lincoln lost patience with these dawdlers, Grant had won important victories at Forts Henry and Donelson. Soon he would also capture the crucial town of Vicksburg. Halleck was so jealous of Grant that he launched a campaign to undermine Grant’s credibility in Washington (sound familiar?). But Lincoln wanted battlefield victories rather than Washington gossip.
This is much the same attitude many voters, conservatives as well as independents, had adopted by the time Trump came down that escalator to announce his intention to run for the presidency. Just as Lincoln saw a proven winner in Grant, rather than another pompous peacetime general like McClellan and Halleck, the voters saw a successful businessman in Trump instead of the usual decorous losers like John McCain and Mitt Romney. And, unlike George Will, they did not and still do not give a damn about “comportment.” Trump’s supporters wanted someone on the GOP side who would fight. more here
AIM
DEEP
SEMPER
ONE
LYA
Hasn’t George Will been relegated to the bench? Nobody listens to you George. Irrelevance sucks, doesn’t it.
Well, Let us see…. In Lincoln’s (and Grant’s) unlawful attack on the Southern States, they would require some semblance of authority…. The fact that Grant was as drunk as I am does not make his approach alright. Yes, Lincoln was successful at keeping the union together but at a terrible expense. Abe was a big government guy (which I abhor). Grant was not evil (though sheridan was), a soldier following orders…… may he enjoy his eternity in Hell.
“Speaking the truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act.” Geo. Orwell
@ Crackerbaby – Who fired upon who?
YOU are the one that said unlawful attack. What does that mean?
“Beginning at 4:30 a.m. on April 12, the Confederates bombarded the fort from artillery batteries surrounding the harbor”.
I don’t really give a dam WHY they fired FIRST on a Federal Fort.
What version of history is taught on the losing side down there?
You are worried about a Civil War from over 150 years ago?
Worry or be concerned about what is happening NOW.
Did I fail to mention that I think PDJT is doing the right thing! You GO G….. Dude!
“Speaking the truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act.” Geo. Orwell
Aw hell, Genrl’, in da sout they teach em’ that Lincoln was a half breed VooDoo priest hell bent on using the innocent blood sacrifice of southern yout in order to summon his satanic lord and master.
Kant hardly blame dem lil’ chitlins for holdin a grudge fer so dam long. Dey ain’t know no better.
The Bump Stock ban is killing him with hard core gun people. I think I understand why he did it. A sacrificial lamb sort of thing. But the problem is he relied on the NRA to sell it, and nobody trusts the NRA anymore. He should consult with Don Jr. or throw us a bone. Like Nation Wide Reciprocity.
THESAURUS MUCH, GEORGE??
Nation Wide Reciprocity, I’m all for it. But that is more than throwing us a bone, that’s throwing us the whole damn cow. Or in the case of taking on the muzzies, it’s throwing us the whole frickin pig.
@ Crackerbaby – this is for YOU.
@1:48
“Rommel you magnificent bastard, I read YOUR book”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dObTXYa-_n4
“In a man-to-man fight, the winner is he who has one more round in his magazine” – Erwin Rommel
And? HE LOST.
George Will is just a pompous ass.
Who cares what he says?
I even kind of agree President Trump goes a tad overboard with his dialogue.
But his dialogue quite often serves a purpose.
A good purpose.
I think George Will’s acrylic toupe has let his brain overheat. Take a breather, George, but get back to us in 2023.
Geo. Will STILL doesn’t understand POTUS Trump. Oh yeah, POTUS Trump.
George will?? Didn’t we toss him in the trash with bill krystol?
George Will was the guy who ironed the razor sharp crease in Obama’s slacks.
Will hates Don almost as much as he hated Ron. the diff, and it is A BIG DIFF, is he feared Ron, as did the leftist Bush/Rove clique. With Karl + GWB backing him Will is open in his attack on Don. With Ron he had to be oblique and nuanced. But his progressive hate was there if you took out your wallet and paid attention!
George trying to write like William Buckley, jr and just sounding like a school boy with a thesaurus.
Benito – more like dinosaurus.
Romney was the last time Conservatives tried to field a candidate that exemplified “looking presidential.” The media character assassinated him and savaged him just as much as they do Trump. Message received, media. Character doesn’t matter. Winning matters. So this time they went with Trump.