Marshall, TPM - great piece. "The Wraithing of Rod Rosenstein"

[NRaleighLiberal]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/the-wraithing-of-rod-rosenstein#more-1058939

I am going to put the end of it here - it is amazing.

.....

But who exactly did Rosenstein think he was dealing with?

The marvel of this is how this pattern keeps repeating itself. Why do people get close to Trump? Here’s what I wrote last July …

Yet the precise motivations, the exact origins of the leak pale before a larger reality. They send an unmistakable message. Coming into the orbit of Mr Trump, taking his yoke as it were, requires not only total submission, a total relaxation of every muscle and defense but a farewell to all independence and dignity.

Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch’entrate …

Look at Chris Christie, a once strong-arming figure now reduced to being the iconic symbol of a shudder-inducing, oddly voluntary and seemingly perpetual cycle of abject humiliation. In addition to all the ‘hostage Christie’ memes we saw over recent months, Trump forces made sure to tell numerous reporters that as recently as Thursday night – last night – Christie was literally pitching himself to Trump on the phone, again begging to be picked for Veep even after the decision for Pence had apparently already been made. As recently as Friday morning, according to the Times, Christie still thought he was still in the running. It seems quite likely Christie only finally learned his fate from Trump’s twitter. As the Times put it with some understatement in a separate article dedicated entirely to Christie’s public humiliation, “Mr. Trump appeared to relish poking fun at his effusive booster.”



It’s Rosenstein more or less to a tee, even though we’ve yet to see him in public with the hollow eyes and vacant stare.

I cannot figure why Rosenstein took part in this. I don’t know enough about him to attempt any analysis of his personality. All I know is that he did. And that, whatever his motivations and however it matches or mismatches with his career to this point, his public reputation is deservedly obliterated. There’s something dark and sick at the center of the Trump World because I don’t think anyone can really deny the pattern I’m taking note of here, even though I describe it in fulsome and lavish language: everybody who gets close gets damaged, usually badly. And the heart of that darkness is Trump himself, a lumbering vortex of need and rage, a black hole. The only question is why people keep going, mainly of their own free volition into his reach.

[cilla4progress]

1. I've been asking..

What does trump et al have on Rosenstein, or given, as you say, the repeating pattern: how is this bully dynamic working?

Maybe Rosenstein was "duped," but, come on, how stupid does one need to be????

SMH

[frazzled]

2. Perhaps because

loyalty is everything to Trump, and a refusal to draft something about Comey (we don't even know exactly what Trump asked of him) would mean his own axing ... no doubt on the spot. And when you're not there, you can't even do anything to stop the worst depredations.

That said, it's a lose-lose situation for anyone sucked into the madman's orbit: you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[WhiteTara]

3. He may be detaching today during his meeting with

the Senate Intelligence Committee. I look forward to leaks and reports.

[Phoenix61]

4. The go for the same reason the cobra goes to the snake charmer

Narcissists are wonderful to be around until they are not. When they like you it is amazing! You are wonderful, the best, everything you do is incredible. And let's face it, being adored it pretty damn nice. But then, for no apparent reason, you become the enemy. You want to understand what happened and to fix it and go back to being thought wonderful. It will never happen, no matter how hard you try it will never, ever happen. Narcissists don't forgive and they certainly never forget. Revenge is more their style.

[longship]

5. Josh Marshall is simply one of the best.

TPM is a mandatory daily visit. Make sure you visit the Editor's Blog.

[LAS14]

6. I've been waiting to see what happens to Ivana and Jared, but...

... maybe it already happened long ago?

[Cha]

7. Thanks for this, NRL

[NRaleighLiberal]

12. .

[CincyDem]

8. "Wraithing" is such an incredibly accurate word and concept.

Used so little outside fantasy writing and yet, so painfully accurate.

The concept of Trump hallowing out the souls of those close to him and then discarding their carcasses like empty casinos is just priceless. Rosenstein spent 30 years building it and Trump drained it in 3 weeks. Makes me shudder what he can do to the country's 250+ years of reputation building - where will be in 25 weeks?


these guys are such asshats.

[Stuart G]

9. Thanks for posting this..This last sentence need repeating...

There’s something dark and sick at the center of the Trump World because I don’t think anyone can really deny the pattern I’m taking note of here, even though I describe it in fulsome and lavish language: everybody who gets close gets damaged, usually badly. And the heart of that darkness is Trump himself, a lumbering vortex of need and rage, a black hole. The only question is why people keep going, mainly of their own free volition into his reach.

[NRaleighLiberal]

13. that is the punch line, to me.

[BainsBane]

10. ABC is reporting Rosenstein threatened to quit

when he found out he was the fall guy for this. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/deputy-ag-rosenstein-verge-resigning-upset-wh-pinning/story?id=47342541

I figured it had already been posted somewhere here.

[maxsolomon]

20. He should have.

He'd have salvaged (some of) his rep.

[geek tragedy]

11. he looks like Fredo.

"Don't ever take sides with anyone against the family again!"

[herding cats]

14. 'I said Id help you whack Carlo. But you didnt say youd tell everyone it was my hit!'

That line expresses it well. How anyone cannot have learned associating oneself with Trump is tantamount to setting yourself up to take the fall for him.

[kentuck]

15. Right on!

Absolute loyalty. Or you can sell your soul and keep your job.

[Grins]

16. Wraithing? Perhaps, "writhing..."

Yes; spelling police. Sorry.

I did love this line from the post: Chris Christie, a once strong-arming figure reduced to being the iconic symbol of a shudder-inducing, oddly voluntary, and seemingly perpetual cycle of abject humiliation.

That about sums him up!

[More_Cowbell]

21. I believe it's creating a wraith

Like in the Lord of the Rings: completely subjugating someone to your will until they're a hollowed out shell of their former selves.

[lastlib]

23. Wraith (noun):

"a ghost or ghostlike image of someone, especially one seen shortly before or after their death."

synonyms: ghost · specter · spirit · phantom · apparition · manifestation · spook · shade · phantasm

used in similes and metaphors to describe a pale, thin, or insubstantial person or thing;

a wisp or faint trace of something.

[Martin Eden]

17. Sycophants are attracted to wealth and power

Like moths to a flame, they can't help themselves even though they'll get burned.

[Amaryllis]

18. More:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016184890
Rosenstein threatened to quit after being cast as impetus of Comey firing, which was already decided

[vlyons]

19. He leaves turmoil and chaos in his wake wherever he goes, whatever he does

I guess people are so greedy and delusional that they think Ben Franklin C notes will rain down from heaven on them if they kiss his butt. I can't think of any other reasons.

[mcar]

22. You can't be a dedicated public servant at his level

and be that ignorant of politics and this POTUS.