Trump's latest rally rant is much more alarming and dangerous than usual

[Demovictory9]

At his rally on Thursday night in Indiana, President Trump unleashed his usual attacks on the news media, but he also added a refrain that should set off loud, clanging alarm bells. Trump didn’t simply castigate “fake news.” He also suggested the media is allied with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s probe — an alliance, he claimed, that is conspiring not just against Trump but also against his supporters.

“Today’s Democrat Party is held hostage by left-wing haters, angry mobs, deep-state radicals, establishment cronies and their fake-news allies,” Trump railed. “Our biggest obstacle and their greatest ally actually is the media.”

In case there is any doubt about what Trump meant by the “deep state” that is supposedly allied with the news media, Trump also lashed out at the FBI and the Justice Department, claiming that “people are angry” and threatening to personally “get involved.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2018/08/31/trumps-latest-rally-rant-is-much-more-alarming-and-dangerous-than-usual/?utm_term=.77ae96b3f03f

This time, something different is happening. At this point, there is no longer any denying that Trump continues to direct incendiary attacks against working members of the free press even though his own language is being cited by clearly unhinged people making horrifying death threats against them.

Trump’s assaults on the media are different in another way, too. Previous presidents have tangled with the press, most notably Richard Nixon, who sicced his vice president on the TV networks. But as I discuss in my forthcoming book, even these presidents maintained a grudging acceptance of the news media as an adversarial mechanism of accountability that legitimately informs the public debate and thus retains a vital institutional role in our democracy.

Trump simply does not accept this at all. He is trying to destroy this foundational set of ideas in the minds of his supporters. And it seems to be working.

[HipChick]

1. STFU...ain't no one trying to hear anything from you today...Dolt45

[SWBTATTReg]

2. So we had the Boston Globe shooting threats already and I'm sure that more ...

unfortunately will happen...hopefully the FBI and / or state police orgs will stop in time. Isn't it amazing that he took advantage of the press during his campaign and now mocks / threatens them?

That's fine, with each idiotic muttering and doing, he gives the democrats free press and simply allows the media to highlight how disgusting and idiotic he truly is.

[Hortensis]

3. I wish I thought the press were more personally worried

so far than they are. THEY above all created Trump's victory and sank the Democratic Party.

They were far more genuinely frightened after 9/11 at the prospect of the media being dispersed from Manhattan to bum-fucked cities like Atlanta, Indianapolis, Denver, etc. Remember the be-very-afraid/our-danger-is-yours mantra of the "America will never be the same" message they swamped the nation with? They remembered all too clearly how New Orleans was left to live or die on its own and went to work womping up much more protection for the lifestyles they were afraid of losing.

They're doing the same again. Not that this couldn't mean future danger if not checked. But this is about them right now, and they care enough to sound alarms loud and early.

But here's another alarm to take to heart for them and us. Trump was being asked if he agreed with Obama's response to a question on power:

Obama had said, "Real power means you can get what you want without having to exert violence.”

Trump answered: "Well, I think there’s a certain truth to that. I think there’s a certain truth to that. Real power is through respect. Real power is, I don’t even want to use the word, fear.

Dictators are feared by those who cheer them, and Trump wants us to fear him. Fear is also the title, inspired by Trump's comment, of Woodward's new book. This is suspected to be the one Trump's tweeting anxiously about. It's due to be released on September 12.

[Turbineguy]

4. No good deed goes unpunished.

This is trump's thanks for all the free campaign help the media gave him.

[underpants]

5. His whole candidacy relied on free press

Full speeches often with a pre-game on all the major networks. He prepped the republican field with his Monday morning call ins to Fox n Friends.

Heell, between wrapping up the nominee nation and actually being nominated he ran low on money (couldn't touch the Gen. Election funds yet) and directly stated in a press release that he was going to rely on free news coverage. Of course he had to add that it was because he was so great.

Anything with that much airtime sells. Ever heard of a "Snuggie"?

[dalton99a]

9. +1

[kimbutgar]

6. I think of all those women in pink pussy Hats in January 2017 and 2018

No arrests either time. Yes those angry mobs are against him big time.

[GeorgeGist]

7. Putin's puppet ...

puppets.

[dalton99a]

8. There is no reason whatsoever to grant Trump the benefit of the doubt.

In the context of all these looming prospects, Trump’s willingness to link his assaults on the media directly to the Mueller probe — and to Democrats, painting them all as part of a grand conspiracy against him and his voters — is seriously worrisome, particularly after an unhinged madman echoed similar language while allegedly threatening to murder journalists. Just think how much more immediate and threatening this made-up conspiracy could soon appear to those inclined to such feverish hallucinations, especially with Trump escalating his efforts to feed them.

The most charitable interpretation is that Trump is merely invoking this conspiracy against him and his voters to get them out to the polls, to stave off loss of the House and oversight or impeachment later. There is no reason whatsoever to grant Trump the benefit of such an innocent interpretation. But whatever his actual intent, there is no denying it: Trump is doing this in the full knowledge that someone out there might take him at his word, with deadly seriousness.

[Blue_true]

10. Does not surprise me at all.

Trump thrives on division and vengeance. If we divide ourselves (the Left) over issues that we agree on >85%, he wins and we look like idiots that can't find the door. We need to vote as ONE in 2 months, 5 days, demolish his party and then turn our sights on removing him from office for good in the 2020 election.

[Fullduplexxx]

11. Lol and the media gave him about 2billion in free airtime

[Racerdog1]

12. Keep pissing off the wrong people

It may not work out so well for you asshole. Some that you piss off are closer than you know.

[oberliner]

13. Not seeing how this is different from usual

He always says this crap.

[AwakeAtLast]

14. I live near Evansville

On the Illinois side. The past three days have been nauseating. 11,000+ showed up for him. This was the greatest event of these people's lives. They ate it all up and asked for more! My Facebook feed needs disinfectant.