NY Times Columnist David Brooks: Trump is the 'Greatest Con Man in American History'

[highplainsdem]

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/ny-times-columnist-david-brooks-trump-is-the-greatest-con-man-in-american-history/

Right-leaning New York Times David Brooks — never the biggest fan of President Donald Trump — came with possibly his most blistering critique ever following his paper’s expose on the commander-in-chief’s tax returns and business losses.

Appearing on Andrea Mitchell Reports, Brooks pulled no punches in his assessment of the President’s past as a businessman.

“He is the greatest con man in American history,” Brooks said. “And this is before he became president. He conned us all into thinking he was a successful businessman. And then later when people realized he was not a successful businessman, he conned people into electing him president.”

-snip-

Video at the link.

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Absolutely not, he has the IQ of a 7 year old. He has NO plans, NO strategy AT ALL

He says

"black people scary"

and if enough people react, he says it again

he says

"Muslims bad"

and if enough people react, he says it again


I could go on and on, i get the implication of the story and the RESULT of what he does like a 7 year old is that of a great con, but he has no idea what he is doing other than spreading hate.

[Perseus]

18. It is a real problem to underestimate him

He is a con man, he is a crook, he is an amoral person, he has no class, he is a liar, he is a misogynist, a fraud, etc. etc., but it is a mistake to underestimate his evil and his capacity to do wrong, he understands people like him and he recruits them, I have to think he does it by compromising them and then he is able to manipulate them.

Anyway, do not underestimate him or his kids, they are not incompetent, they are not stupid, they are just evil. We see them as incompetent because they fail miserably to do the right things, but that is not their agenda, their agenda is to work for themselves, to screw everyone else but come ahead of the game.

You say "he has no plans", but it only looks that way because its not that he has no plans, he does, that plan is to put money in his pocket, in other words, he has goals, what he doesn't have is an analysis of the consequences so he will destroy everything in his path without any care if he has to in order to reach his goal. When he destroys everything in his path he will have no regrets.

I say it is a problem to underestimate him because, like the police has to try to do against criminals, we have to be proactive to try our best to be ahead of the game, to anticipate his next move, which is actually easier than many people think, all we have to do is look at history, understand how other dictators won, it is always the same method, that is why Deocratic leaders must become more assertive and work hard to remove him, and his cronies.

[Martin Eden]

21. +1

Trump is ignorant and has no desire to read or learn, because he thinks he aleady knows better than the so called experts.

His mental pathologies can be a hindrance in achieving his own selfish goals, but I agree it is a mistake to underestimate him. Trump is indeed a very talented con man. He could not have gotten to where he is without a cunning ability in manipulating his targeted audience.

Trump's many hours of watching television, especially Fox News, really is essential homework for doing his job -- which is to know the mindset of his voters and the latest rightwing narratives so he can keep running his con game on them.

[underpants]

2. Well when a streetwise worldly guy like David Brooks catches on

Just saying

[struggle4progress]

3. "Russia? What exactly do you mean by 'Russia'?"

[Cosmocat]

4. Actually it would be MUCH more accurate

To say Republicans are the dumbest asses in the history of mankind.

It's been blatantly obvious to us libs all along.

[FakeNoose]

6. +1000

Yep!

[bluestarone]

5. Could NOT have succeeded without

The russian assholes and FULL RETHUGS in congress!! I believe he was used about as much as he used others! Now we know what the RETHUGS are all about!

[Blues Heron]

7. "He conned us"

Speak for yourself Brooksie

[Johonny]

8. And people like David Brooks paved his way to presidency ...

[brewens]

9. Just like a draft dodger causing someone else to go n his place, Trump and his kind

not paying taxes, means someone else has to pay more. We working class people can't have big tax cuts because they go to those at the top.

The half-wits think that's good. They just think how much better off they'd be if they didn't have to pay either. Of course they don't realize it couldn't be just them. How else would the military be funded, and they never seem willing to stop throwing the DOD more money.

[shanny]

10. OK--that's funny.

Right wing apologist says rump "conned us all"? Conned YOU, you mean.

[meadowlander]

11. The 'greatest' con man wouldn't have been caught.

Trump is a blustering bully that pseudo-intellectual right wingers thought they could use to get their tax cuts and deregulation and are now just embarrassed by.

[ananda]

12. Correction: Reeps are the greatest dupes/marks !!!

MF45 is the greatest loser in American history!

[SunSeeker]

13. It's not that Trump was such a great con man (he didn't fool most people)...

...it's that Republicans CHOSE to accept his con, since he legitimized their bigotry.

[Dave Starsky]

24. That is the correct answer.

The vast majority of the country knew he was 100% full of shit. A segment of these people didn't care.

[Nasruddin]

14. Yeah right

"I'm shocked shocked! --" what complete nonsense.

He conned a bunch of people who wanted to be conned. Helped by a bunch of people who wanted to be in on the conning (& still do). That was probably his MO during his disastrous business career, a lot of wingmen and camp followers stood to make money on the chaos and flying debris, & perhaps he got some kickback from it behind the curtain.

A few have figure out the jig is up, or else there's no payday for them in selling this con any more.
I just hope they're right, but after all this time I have a feeling I'm on the wrong side of a payday myself.

[Ford_Prefect]

15. More bigly a con than Billie Sol Estes...

[Stuart G]

16. K & R

[Scurrilous]

17. K&R

[struggle4progress]

19. How to identify a sociopath

[Blue Owl]

20. Flimmin' and flammin'... Griftin' and scammin'...

n/t

[yardwork]

22. He never fooled me. And New Yorkers knew he was a con.

Maybe the only people Donald conned were Republicans.

[sarabelle]

23. And 30% of the voting population love him because he is a con man. nt