By EDUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ
McALLEN, Texas | It's a puzzle, one being assembled a piece at a time. There's that Donald J. Trump as weirdo president, as losing president, as riot instigator, as former president, as oft-indicted president, as arrested president, as photographed criminal, as a shrinking personality.
Every step diminishes the guy.
America waited on his departure from The White House, on his indictments, on his arraignments and his jail bookings, on his mug shot. It was all a silly journey, of sorts - the Trump-weary country inching toward the day this clown no longer means a damn.
That's where we are this morning following last night's booking of Trump in Atlanta.
One more piece of the puzzle, as Johnny Cash might sing. Not all that many left to complete the picture's totality. Trump gone and out of sight. No more excitable news reporting, no more waiting in great anticipation.
Trump is on his way out of the sit-com that has grabbed Americans since he entered national politics in 2015. It was a show. Now, it's a mere shadow of the foreboding end that will come, will come soon. It's what happens with news stories. Some have legs and stick around longer than others. Clowns need the media and the media needs clowns, especially in politics.
The stuff sells and, yes, the news media is also about business - making money by selling Ads or commercials. You get a million-plus viewers on a story and you're hot; you get 50 million and it's an industry.
Trump has brought home the bacon for small and major news operations. It costs money to send a news crew to Georgia, but it gets the viewers. The Atlanta Journal Constitution, on the verge of being sold not all that long ago, did gangbusters business yesterday with its almost minute-by-minute reporting of Trump's arrival in town, his motorcade drive to the Fulton County jail, his entry into the jail building, his booking, his photography and his departure.
It was the news of the day for pretty much every news outlet in the Free World. You could even find Trump's booking mugshot on LeMonde in Paris.
But it's winding down.
Every one of these benchmark moments is taking us to final resolution on the Trump saga. The facts are there: you could even ask whatever happened to the war in Ukraine? To the participants of the Republican Party's first presidential debate (2nd one is scheduled for Sept. 27)?
What Trump has done is suck the air out of the room, wherever he is or may be - that's been his star attraction.
Of course, we know it never lasts forever.
And endings are generally bad. That, we also know.
So long, Trump. We hardly knew you...
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He's just annoying. Enough already. And have you noticed that Gov. Abbott has gone low. He's staying out of the news.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I agree. Your thought-process is rare around here. We met at the restaurant about three weeks ago. I was sitting with Othal Brand, Jr. McAllen needs more media.
ReplyDeleteWhat do they see in him? I don't get it. I hear it's mostly rednecks, tho. Trump is a dirty old man. Just my opinion
ReplyDeleteWe live in a hurry-up, throwaway society. Things, people and fads come and go, as will Donald J. Trump...
ReplyDeleteHe had it all, but he wanted to be racist.
ReplyDeletePolitical power...nothing like it, I hear. It exacts a high price, however. Trump is finding that out...The hunger for publicity was always there with him. The presidency sent him into another realm...
ReplyDeleteTrump is really a loser crybaby down deep. I bet he couldn't fight another grown man. He's never worked a day in his life. Not exactly a leader in my book.
ReplyDeleteWhat Trump fronts is not himself; it's a certain dogma that, say, Rednecks like, this idea that it's okay to vent racism and bigotry. He's emboldened them and they appreciate it. Trump was a Democrat for most of his life and, in fact, contributed big bucks to Bill and Hillary Clinton campaigns before he bellyflopped into politics himself...
ReplyDeleteI never liked him. He's too much of a brute. Classless, actually. Really. he may have the big bucks but he has no class. His mother came to this country as an immigrant and listed herself as a "maid" on immigration forms at Ellis Island. No class at all, sir.
ReplyDeleteSo are you a journalist? You sound biased against Trump versus being “inquisitive “ a a journalist should be. Why not be puzzled or taken aback by folks in the hundreds of thousands that are supporting Trump? Why? And don’t be quick to dismiss them by calling them a cult or MAGA extremists! Why are TRUMP Trains growing in momentum and size? I have spotted them in McAllen, Mission Edinburg, Weslaco and Harlingen? How can that be? Step asside and listen to them.
ReplyDeleteWe have written fairly. You must be new to this blog. Trump is a singular figure that History will deal with harshly. That's my belief based on my many years of professional experience. I AM VERY BIASED against all that goes against what I served my country for in the military. Trump, a draft dodger, has another vision for my country. How can I ever support it? As for Trump trains in the RGV, well, what I - and many others - see is nothing more than a social outlet for some of our more bored and less-educated neighbors. Why a Mexican (Mexican-American) would support Trump and endorse his racism/bigotry is beyond me. Thanks for the note, yes...
DeleteThe commenter at 12:53 PM obviously has problems. I'd ignore him. jmho
ReplyDelete