WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2024
MacCallum thinks she may know: Why did Donald J. Trump say "bloodbath" during last Saturday's speech?
Thanks to Acyn's early alert, the use of that word triggered a wave of blue tribe pundit reaction. Fox News veteran Martha MacCallum thinks she may know why the candidate used that word.
On Monday, MacCallum spoke with Howard Kurtz on her weekday afternoon program. According to Alex Griffing at Mediaite (headline included), here's part of what she said:
Fox Host Says Trump Knows There’s ‘No Bad Publicity’ and Drops ‘Certain Words’ to Ignite Media Firestorms
[...]
“You know, it’s interesting, Howie, because what the former president said to you,” MacCallum noted, turning to Kurtz who spoke to Trump for an interview on Sunday.
“You know, I do believe that he’s a politician and prior to that, a businessman who believes there’s no such thing as bad publicity. And so if you drop certain words into the ether, you’re going to get talked about, you know, the great Hugh Hewitt spent three hours talking about this morning,” MacCallum added, noting that Trump often creates these news cycles deliberately with vague yet bombastic language.
According to MacCallum's theory, Trump deliberately employs "vague yet bombastic language" to generate news cycles—to generate bursts of publicity. We suggested something similar as a possibility in our own Monday report.
Our suggestion differed somewhat from MacCallum's. To wit:
Does Donald J. Trump use fiery language as a way of "trolling" our own blue tribe? We suggested that as our own best guess, while noting that there's no way to be sure.
There's no way to know what the candidate "meant"—what he may have "had in his mind"—when he said what he said on Saturday. That said, we'll guess that the resulting firestorm has quite possibly worked in the candidate's favor.
Why did Donald Trump say what he said? We can't answer that question, and neither can anyone else.
A wide range of liberal pundits and academics, along with quite a few red tribe pundits, don't seem to understand that last fact. Tomorrow morning, we'll review the work of one (highly regarded) Yale professor who got way out over his skis in the brouhaha which followed Donald Trump's use of The Word.
In that regard, also this, once again at Mediaite:
‘Plays Out Perfectly For Donald Trump’: Dan Abrams Slams Media’s ‘Breathless’ Coverage of ‘Bloodbath’ Comments
Dan Abrams thinks the media firestorm "played out perfectly" for Trump.
That's also a matter of opinion / assessment / best guess. There's no way to know if that assessment is true, though we'll say it quite possibly is.
As of now, the firestorm has moved ahead to what Trump said about American Jews. Why does Donald Trump say these things?
Only The Shadow actually knows! At time of great emotional feeling, it can be extremely hard to keep that fact in mind.
The increasingly chauvanistic, hypernationalist base of the Republican party wants to have a tantrum against a cultural elite without threatening their own privilege inside of the capitalist order, and they have practice being newsworthy. Trump loves getting attention from the media because he was raised by someone who attended white supremacist rallies and he likes seeing how far right he can push everyday people to be like his dad.
ReplyDeleteThe political agenda of the Klan is to create a large public works project and hire a bunch of white people for it, who then enforce the reward by a discriminatory hiring system, that they rig for themselves. These people are too white to be killed off by capitalists, and too middle class to do more than win every other election behind someone grifting them.
That makes it ironic that the Democratic Party is seeing major declines in support from virtually every demographic group except whites.
DeleteThe Dems are seeing declining support in every male demographic group, including whites.
DeleteThat's why keeping the women's right to vote is so important to them, and why the Republican Party is moving to nullify the votes of women.
3:31,
DeleteGreat use of identity politics by you. Give yourself a pat on the back.
The Republican Party plays footsie with skinheads, it used to do it through people like Ron Paul, now it uses Koch and Trump at the forefront.
ReplyDeletePlaying the race card at this stage of the game is beyond imbecilic.
DeleteThe Left is too woke to play the race card, 3:31.
DeleteTry again.
ReplyDelete"Does Donald J. Trump use fiery language as a way of "trolling" our own blue tribe?"
I don't think anyone cares about your alien-reptilian tribe. He talks to the working people, using words they use and understand.
Nonsense.
DeleteDidadeu poralumnau Pohala ua ua
DeleteThe best thing about Trump is his total contempt for Republican voters,.
DeleteCheckout 3:24. He thinks the guy who's made a career out of stiffing his contractors is a friend of the working class.
P.T. Barnum was terrible with numbers.
If you attract bad publicity it is self-serving to believe there is no such thing as bad publicity.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone think this dumb issue made anyone actually switch to or from Trump? Or suddenly get off the fence and go for or against him? It was certainly of huge interest to voters that have no intention of changing their upcoming vote. Because they both like to pretend voters are switching based on the news cycle. Oh and the conservatives found a quote from Biden where he said "bloodbath" too. Forget that it was taken out of context.
ReplyDeleteWhat could sway undecideds against Trump? We have some data that (and common sense would also) indicate that coverage of his many trials could do so. And not the type that's geared for the blue koolaid drinkers... Trump is going to jail any day now! But the cold, hard facts of the crimes he's committed and the complete disregard he's shown for the law, and for people.
The only reason Trump isn't in jail is the judges are afraid of having their name in the obituaries.
DeleteThe Trump indictments have only helped Trump. The bloodbath faux controversy helps him. Trying to swiftboat Trump doesn't work. Democrats need to talk to people about why they are unhappy about the economy and promise them they will do something about it. They need to address issues of trade. That's about it. It would help if they would run a candidate that isn't unpopular, old and weird.
DeleteThey may help him in terms of voter turnout. But I would be very surprised if his trials swayed anyone at all into being a supporter. There are polls that show voters report they will turn sharply against him if he's convicted. Much moreso amongst undecideds.
DeleteI agree with Rationalist. It will hurt Trump's election chances if he's convicted of a felon
DeleteOTOH if Trump manages to reach election day without being convicted, that will strengthen his argument that he's being unfairly targeted by Dems. That could help him a little.
https://x.com/grabienmedia/status/1769460881090298348?s=42&t=oYvKLjVc8YzJIvwKoQTYBQ
DeleteDonald Chickenshit is squirming like a stuck pig, desperate to avoid any of his trials starting before the election. He cannot allow the trials to start and have the media reporting on the prosecution's evidence and strength of case. He is having his lawyers do every abuse of the legal system they can think of to prevent that from happening.
DeleteDonald Chickenshit is a big brave braggadocio asshole when giving his Nurenberg rallies in front of his ignorant tribe of deplorables, like DiC. He attacks the judges, the prosecutors, the witnesses, whoever, because he knows they can't respond in kind. He's nothing but a flimflam cheap shot artist. Assholes like DiC think he can shit ice cream cones. They don't see what a fucking total coward the deadbeat con artist is.
It shouldn't matter whether he is convicted by election day or not, when he is so obviously guilty of so many charges.
DeleteThis is the problem. People are not all alike. These trials help Trump among irresponsible criminal scoff-laws but hurt him with law-abiding citizens.
DeleteHe can't allow the evidence to start coming in and get blasted night after night on the evening news. He knows once that starts, he can bend over and kiss his fat ass goodbye.
DeleteMaybe Trump used the word "bloodbath" to describe many US auto workers losing their jobs and US auto companies losing money, because that word has the precise meaning. Def 3 of the word "bloodbath":
ReplyDeleteSubstantial losses by many people, as in a mass termination of employment or widespread financial loss
In my dictionary, bloodbath means “Republicans are arseholes.”
DeleteHey, David, have you gotten your gold sneakers yet?
DeleteHe wasn't describing anything remotely possible given David's proposed meaning, not even anything historical. That makes it more likely he was evoking a violent image in order to titillate his violent MAGA base.
DeleteThomas P Stafford has died.
ReplyDeleteTrump is overcompensating for his privileged upbringing. He doesn't know what it's like to live outside of limos. So he's pretending to be upset about car imports because Biden is regulating them.
ReplyDeleteHe's trying to sound working class by being gruff. But really he's a piece of shi who loves violence anyway.
I wonder all if the prosecutions make him an underdog and make him more popular?
DeleteSure, David. Being found liable for sexual assault and business fraud are quite appealing to the masses. Just as inciting an insurrection, strong arming state officials to find imaginary votes for concocting fraudulent schemes to overturn the will of the voters are just really attractive to normal people.
DeleteThe Billionaire Underdog. What a great movie idea.
DeleteWe must take into account that all politicians at that level are pieces of shit that try to sound working class. That wouldn't be anything new for working class voters. If the prosecutions can be framed as politically motivated attacks by the people pursuing them, it could increase Trump's popularity.
DeleteRemember, everyone hates Democrats and everyone hates the mainstream media. People will be suspicious of anything either of those institutions advocate.
Then that makes Trump NOT the underdog.
DeleteYes, in a way, that is true. He has an advantage not being attached to an unpopular, entrenched institution.
DeleteNo David. These prosecutions won't help Trump. He needs to stick to the bigotry, which gets the Republican base jacked-up to go out and vote for him. That's really his only chance of being elected come November.
DeleteReminding Trump voters that he has a long history of stuffing his contractors isn't going to lose him one vote. Republican voters know nothing about, and don't care one iota about, the economy.
DeleteThere are however, two things they care about deeply. And that's where Trump delivers for them.
Stiffing his contractors.
DeleteMia Westbrook is a regular mom who lost her job last year, and after an unsuccessful job hunt, she started working online. I interviewed her about her amazing story and she revealed her steps for success.
Delete