Well, THIS new tweet DEFINITELY came from Trump. Apparently he worked hard watching fake news.

[Miles Archer]

Donald J. Trump‏ Verified account
@realDonaldTrump

Heading back to Washington after working hard and watching some of the worst and most dishonest Fake News reporting I have ever seen!
4:22 PM - 20 Aug 2017

Link to tweet

[oberliner]

1. It's actually impressive how he managed to redefine the phrase "fake news"

Which was originally used to described actual fake stories planted by Russia to disrupt the election.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. +100!

[Miles Archer]

4. You know what amazes me?

I've tried my best to never slip into buzz words, dog whistles, catch phrases, memes, what have you. If I catch myself about to use that in a post, I usually self-edit and get it the hell out of there.

That said, I've written about my sister and brother in law in Colorado several times. They are both 100% on the Trump train. It's been a while since I've gone anywhere near a "political conversation" with either of them, but the last time I did, my brother in law got the words "Sounds like you're listening to fake news" the MINUTE I said something critical of Trump.

And the difference between us is that they see throwing that term around as a point of pride and a badge of honor, but when I hear it, I'm hearing a trained seal.

Most people "learn" via repetition and either positive or negative reinforcement. Somehow Trump pulled off a "charm offensive" and hypnotized his base into thinking he cared about them, and was going to fight for them. They bought the red hats, they repeat the script, they're Pavlov dogs who keep pressing the bar, even though the food pellet never drops.

[oberliner]

6. I find myself in a similar situation

I also have relatives who are Trump fans and it is impossible to talk to them. Everything on CNN is "fake news" as far as they are concerned. Between Trump using this pejorative, and Hannity, and Fox, and everyone else, it really has managed to stick. Even actual news people will take the bait and use the term in a sort of self-joking way, which I think only reinforces the way the term has been repurposed for Trump's benefit.

[sharedvalues]

7. Two things to say to them

1. Don't engage on politics, engage about Fox News and how GOP billionaire donors lie to Americans to cut their own taxes. That's the real problem in America anyway, and it tends to knock the brainwashed sideways. I find it useful to talk about the Fox News host who said their shows are all rigged to be pro-GOP propaganda, and Murdoch's strategy in the UK and here since the NY Post in the 80s.

2. When someone says fake news, you can say 'The term Lugenpresse was used by Hitler. The direct translation is 'fake news'" The good part about saying that is that it is actual historical fact. It has nothing to do with today's media. Hitler and Goebbels used the term 'Lugenpress'/lying press/fake news. I find the GOP brainwashees usually try to come back about how the liberal press is biased and then I just say "This was reported in the 1930s. It has nothing to do with today's media" and they stew like crazy.

[Bradshaw3]

3. Why don't ALL the pundits just admit what he is?

A Faux news watching, low information, conspiracy theorist who is our president. He is nothing more than that. Well an evil bigoted, sexist POS. But his info comes not from government agencies but from RW media - and he believes every word of it.

[Miles Archer]

5. If he goes all in for Bannon and starts lifting his leg on Fox...

...it won't be pretty.

I haven't posted many Bannon pieces here since the firing, but I've been reading about his meetings with the Mercers and their willingness to fund a TV network to compete with Fox.

He'll never catch up that fast.

Trump's base...the ones who probably follow Breitbart on line already...will jump on it, and they will pick up viewers from that base, but there is no way in hell...even WITH Mercer money...that they will get as many viewers as Fox overnight.

If Trump turns on Fox and Fox turns on Trump, it could get pretty amusing. Rupert Murdoch was one of the people who was vocal to Trump about shitcanning Bannon, and Bannon knows it. If Trump has to choose sides, he has to decide what Bannon's following is worth to him in the big picture...of there is truly a "big picture" available to him at this point.

[sharedvalues]

8. Yes! Trump IS the Trump voter, brainwashed by Fox News

We are watching what happens to someone who watches too much Fox News and gets too much right-wing propaganda. Their head is filled with lies.

I'm starting to believe Trump is actually an example of someone brainwashed by Fox. He certainly acts like many Fox voters, and he repeats some of their moronic lies, like about Pershing.

Here's what DJT sees on Twitter, by the way. It's scary.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/08/17/now-you-can-see-what-donald-trump-sees-every-time-he-opens-twitter/

[Bradshaw3]

9. If you've seen the documentary

The Brainwashing of my Dad you see how it happens. It was sad but at least they were able to recover the dad they knew - once they got him off RW hate media. Too late for dump and he was never a decent person to begin with.