You’re onto something here! We’ve all referenced Idiocracy but the parallels with Being There are uncanny…
“It’s for sure a white man’s world in America. Look here: I raised that boy since he was the size of a piss-ant. And I’ll say right now, he never learned to read and write. No, sir. Had no brains at all. Was stuffed with rice pudding between th’ ears. Shortchanged by the Lord, and dumb as a jackass. Look at him now! Yes, sir, all you’ve gotta be is white in America, to get whatever you want. Gobbledy-gook!”
Or this one (minor name change mine):
Ron Steigler: Mr. Gardner, uh, my editors and I have been wondering if you would consider writing a book for us, something about your um, political philosophy, what do you say?
Trump: I can’t write.
Ron Steigler: Heh, heh, of course not, who can nowadays? Listen, I have trouble writing a postcard to my children. Look uhh, we can give you a six figure advance, I’ll provide you with the very best ghost-writer, proof-readers…
Trump: I can’t read.
Ron Steigler: Of course you can’t! No one has the time! We, we glance at things, we watch television…
Trump: I like to watch TV.
Ron Steigler: Oh, oh, oh sure you do. No one reads!
I mean, “I like to watch TV” is practically the tagline of that movie…
There are certainly ways to lie without saying anything that is actually untrue. Like with his teeth: the doc said he does not use dentures, but people, especially rich people, have not had to use dentures for a very long time. Instead you get implants which are metal pins anchored in the bone and attach artificial teeth to those. You wouldn’t call those dentures, so technically it would be true. But that kind of statement implies that he has his own teeth, which is unlikely at his age.
With doctor-patient confidentiality Trump has the legal right to decide what the doctor can say to the press. It’s obviously also possible that the doctor had lied. He wouldn’t be the first rear admiral to cover his employer’s arse.
I’m far from a conspiracy theorist, but it’s baffling to me that the news keeps skipping over the bit where the doctor misspelled his own name on the health evaluation.
Yes, I was thinking about that overnight, so while it’s still possible, it also implies Trump’s health is not as “perfect” as they’re saying. There’s another thread somewhere here on boing boing debating how Trump could find a way to back out of his Presidency, my suspicion was that his health would be an excuse, but it might not be an phony excuse. Stress, obesity, a McD’s diet. . . a perfect recipe for heart problems.
I hate to be a killjoy for anyone’s twitter fun, but I really don’t see the political utility of arguing about Trump’s weight, physical health or mental competency.
Contributes to establishing a pattern of dishonesty.
It appears to be contagious too, as other people willingly lie for him. Maybe quarantine is in order until the CDC can look at the evidence… er… data… um… what is the CDC allowed to look at these days?
I don’t think it’s that he’s overweight that’s the issue. I think it’s the mental gymnastics that he thinks he can convince everyone that he’s not. It’s another, very visible sign that he cannot or will not be honest about anything.
