Speculation: Nominee or not, Bloomberg could dismantle Trump

[Mike 03]

While I agree that in terms of polls and likely outcome of the primaries, Trump is scared to run against Biden, I believe the person he has Oedipal night sweats about is Michael Bloomberg because Bloomberg can do something to Trump no other person so far has been able to do: dismember Trump’s psyche. Bloomberg can expose him completely as a fraud and a charlatan. Trump’s greatest fear is being exposed by someone more successful than him who he has no psychological defense against. If you were an FBI profiler trying to get a confession out of Trump, you’d send in Bloomberg because there’s a button inside Trump such that if the right person hits it, you’ll see Trump disintegrate like a Twinkie in a tornado. And Bloomberg is the guy to push it.

It doesn’t matter if Bloomberg is saying something that hundreds, thousands of reporters, psychiatrists, and foreign affairs experts have said before—if it comes from Michael Bloomberg it will hit a target nobody else has been able to hit.

It has to do with exposing Trump in a way he’s not capable of defending himself against. Trump has an arsenal of tools he’s relied on since childhood when he’s attacked, such as name-calling, blaming, deflecting, projecting and lying. They are childish but have been somewhat effective (early on, they were more effective) with his base. They’ve allowed him to keep his self-concept intact. But Trump has no defense mechanism against Bloomberg. For Trump, an attack by Bloomberg is almost like an attack from a glorified image of his own father—the father figure he imagines he had but didn’t, and also being attacked by the person he imagines himself to be but obviously isn’t: an actual stable genius; a (mostly) beloved New Yorker; an actual philanthropist; an actual respected billionaire; an actual successful businessman. Trump’s usual defenses will crumble because his fragile façade isn’t equipped to repel an attack from someone who actually exists in the space Trump thinks belongs to him: It’s an attack from deep inside the very place he wants to occupy.

And inversely, Bloomberg knows exactly what Trump is. Over Bloomberg’s lifetime he’s seen thousands of less-successful malignant narcissists like Trump pass through high finance. He can read Trump like an X-ray machine. Bloomberg is probably too compassionate to intentionally disgrace a lot of the losers he meets, but he won’t hesitate to slam-dunk Trump when the opportunity presents itself.

Remember, Trump and his father were very competitive and Fred Trump was an extremely demanding, controlling person. Trump shifted his real-estate aspirations to Manhattan not to try to “outdo” his father but to impress him and, importantly, avoid competing with him. But Fred Trump could never be impressed by anything Trump did, and Trump could never meet his father’s expectations. Fred Trump’s death left unfinished business between them. “Unfinished business” that someone as psychologically shrewd as Bloomberg can exploit by speaking to Trump the way a disappointed father speaks to a son he never loved. That’s why I think Bloomberg, more than anyone else, can throw Trump terminally off balance. How? Maybe with something as simple as an advertisement but probably something more creative, perhaps hitting Trump on multiple platforms, but especially a televised interview where he could speak almost directly to Trump, shaming him, humiliating him in a sophisticated manner that Trump couldn’t miss. I think one reason Bloomberg is remaining aloof from the fray is he that he knows this confrontation is coming and wants it to be meaningful, which it wouldn’t be if he were constantly in Twitter scuffles. Today we saw a glimpse of a direct confrontation between these two people.

Michael Bloomberg doesn’t actually have to win the nomination to accomplish this. He can attack Trump at the time and place of his choosing. He’d probably wait until closer to the election because he’s also a superior strategist. But in the unlikely event that Trump is stupid enough to keep attacking him (which surprises me, actually), it could come sooner.

[RandySF]

1. It's a real possibility.

[flying_wahini]

2. I hope you are correct! It will be money well spent.

[peggysue2]

3. I'm reading Bloomberg the same way

He appears dedicated to bring Trump down, no matter the cost.

Good one on Mike Bloomberg because Trump needs a full, public thrashing for everyone's sake. Bloomberg certainly has the money to do it. In my mind, any amount to accomplish the ultimate goal would be well spent and a true public service to boot.

And the eventual confrontation? Glorious! Trump will need to think a lot harder than referring to Bloomberg as 'little Mike.' A lame, pathetic shot across the bow. I look forward to Bloomberg 'finishing business' with The Donald. Finally. For good. Then Trump and his sycophants can slither back to the holes they came from. And maybe, just maybe the country can put this nightmare behind us.

[matt819]

4. Okay

but will he do that?

I'm not so sure, despite all the very good reasons to follow your advice.

Why? Over the years how many people have actually come through on destroying trump, funding Dems in the way that RW billionaires have funded the fascist movement, etc. I would argue that the number is zero. Oh, sure, lots are critical of trump, but one of the attacks has hit home, and they haven't changed a damn thing. It's been suggested that Bloomberg should fund a network, a la Fox. Why? The RWers aren't going to watch it, and the rest of us don't need to.

[loyalsister]

5. If that's true

He didn't have to exploit the primary process to do it. He's disgusting.