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JHB

(37,813 posts)
23. Just remember he'll turn that against us the moment it suits his purpose
Sun Aug 26, 2018, 10:07 AM
Aug 2018

...just as he did before Trump.

Yes, he's witty and funny and (for now) he directs his scorching at Trump.

But, as a Republican strategist, he spent his entire career doing the very things that built Trump's base. He scare-mongered and scandal-mongered and played to all the bigotries and pet peeves, and called it "playing hardball". His job was to get Republicans elected, and there was no part of that job that involved "dialing it back." He was one of the people who painted Democrats as supervillains: utterly-corrupt, moral degenerates out to destroy the nation and all that's good and holy to get their voters all hot-blooded and into the voting booth.

But the drawback is: When you paint the story that way, it's supposed to end with you bringing the bad guys to justice. They rot in jail, or better yet get hanged or fried. Blow up the Death Star. Drop the Ring into the fires of Mount Doom. The Enemy surrenders unconditionally and their symbols get blown up.

Your audience wants this:

But they never get it.


When you tell that story for decades, continually amping it up despite its blatant falsehood, you create an expectation that you can never really deliver on. You can justify decades of investigations and re-investigations and re-re-re-re-re-re-re-investigations, but that's not going to hold up in court. So you put yourself into the position of portraying the other side as unbearably evil and an active threat, and then don't do anything about it. The base still has their hot buttons pushed, still believes every word of it, they just start thinking you're ineffectual at best, or more likely are part of the problem.

That's what Rick Spent his career building, and lo and behold, the Republican voters went for a guy who told them what they wanted to hear. Even the ones who voted for Johnson or stayed home are thanks to Rick and his colleagues, because they would "never vote for THAT woman!!!"


That's part of why he's so entertaining when he speaks: because he'll go right for the hot buttons.


So enjoy the performance, but never think he's a friend. In his eyes he's done nothing wrong. This isn't a "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" situation, it's more like "the temporarily uncomfortable creator of my enemy is the guy who will knife me in the kidneys the moment I've wrangled his hellbeast back into its pen."

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Whoa! I didn't think he could get angrier than he was on Bill Maher. I was wrong. Vinca Aug 2018 #1
LOL! Perfect reply to the Fraud's STUPID Cha Aug 2018 #2
I had to read it again when posting.. KelleyKramer Aug 2018 #4
I burst out laughing! Cha Aug 2018 #6
okay Trump Angry Dragon Aug 2018 #3
He's a GOP operative who despises Trump. octoberlib Aug 2018 #5
Nice title.. Cha Aug 2018 #7
Hi, Cha! octoberlib Aug 2018 #12
Yes we are, Cha. Yes we ARE. calimary Aug 2018 #22
Rick Wilson's an interesting guy, a longtime Republican strategist who's done some harsh ads... VOX Aug 2018 #8
When he started the Never Trump movement NewJeffCT Aug 2018 #9
Absolutely reprehensible, but unsurprising. If the current mess ever gets cleaned up, I'm hoping... VOX Aug 2018 #11
The media seems to like airing "Never Trump" Republicans NewJeffCT Aug 2018 #16
Here's to hoping, but odds are they'll snap back to their comfort zone... JHB Aug 2018 #24
Out of this nightmare, PatSeg Aug 2018 #15
+1 dalton99a Aug 2018 #20
BOOM! calimary Aug 2018 #25
...."Trump will go down as a coward, cheat, weakling, failure, and traitor."..... Pachamama Aug 2018 #30
I would insert... Grasswire2 Aug 2018 #35
Rick Wilson hates handmade34 Aug 2018 #10
I'm reading Rick Wilson's book "Everything Thump Touches Dies" womanofthehills Aug 2018 #13
Yes, I am also ready "Everything..." Raster Aug 2018 #17
I'm reading it too but he has some harsh words for Dems along the way Hamlette Aug 2018 #26
Wilson is a Repub who hardly ever has anything nice to say about Repubs. Paladin Aug 2018 #14
The problem is, Trump invents businesses -- Trump U., Trump Steak, Trump Wine. 3Hotdogs Aug 2018 #18
Fuck Wilson - he is why we are where we are ... Cosmocat Aug 2018 #19
Contrition is good for the soul. Some on the left should give it a try, Zambero Aug 2018 #21
I'm not clear on where Rick is being contrite. JHB Aug 2018 #27
Right Cosmocat Aug 2018 #31
I'm glad you agree. JHB Aug 2018 #34
Having aided and abetted Sarah Palin would certainly be cause for regret Zambero Aug 2018 #38
Yup. I just don't see where he regrts that. JHB Aug 2018 #39
In his book, Rick is very critical of the scum who now support Trump womanofthehills Aug 2018 #40
Just remember he'll turn that against us the moment it suits his purpose JHB Aug 2018 #23
Useful. Kind of like Russia during WWII. Sneederbunk Aug 2018 #28
This should be an OP... Zenlitened Aug 2018 #29
That doesn't really need to be pointed out ecstatic Aug 2018 #42
I wish this could be happening in real life instead of tweets on the internet. MadDAsHell Aug 2018 #32
"Coward, cheat, weakling, failure and traitor". That's putting it mildly. nt oasis Aug 2018 #33
I'd like to design this flop sweat bottle luvallpeeps Aug 2018 #36
Do you ever watch MSNBC? oberliner Aug 2018 #37
He is hilarious! I enjoy his appearances on Don Lemon because ecstatic Aug 2018 #41
K&R Scurrilous Aug 2018 #43
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