November 13, 2015

"How stupid are the people of Iowa? How stupid are the people of the country to believe this crap?"

Asks Donald Trump after a highly comical reenactment of Ben Carson's knife-and-belt story.

"He took a knife and he went after a friend and he lunged! He lunged that knife into the stomach of his friend!"

Trump demonstrates with his own belt, which bends this way and that — see? — and is hardly a shield against knifings. He actually says: "Anyone have a knife you want to try it on me?"

ADDED: I think we can picture what it will look like if and when Trump's numbers start failing and/or he loses couple caucuses/primaries. He'll tell us off, calling us stupid. He gave us a chance. It would have been great, America could have been great again, but we just didn't get it, and that's it, he's gone. He thought we were smart, but we were stupid.

56 comments:

Known Unknown said...

Maybe Carson's friend was a Cowboy

The Godfather said...

On the video clip I saw, Trump acted drunk or crazy. Quite a change from his usual dignified demeanor.

mccullough said...

Rubio has to love Carson for bringing out the crazy in Trump.

Bobby said...

Doesn't seem like a winning strategy to call the people of Iowa stupid, at least not if you're trying to win votes in Iowa- maybe it might work to win votes in Michigan or Ohio? (I don't know Big Ten loyalties). You could win votes in Palo Alto by saying "how stupid are the people at Berkeley?" I'm pretty sure of that, and I know for a FACT that saying "how stupid are the midshipmen at Navy" could only be surpassed in vote generation by saying "the midshipmen at Navy are stupid!" if you're at West Point.

I especially liked Trump's "I know more about ISIS than the generals do." Doesn't know any of the parties on the ground in Syria or Iraq, but he knows more than John Allen, Lloyd Austin, Joe Dunford and Mike Nagata. Yup, sounds about right to me.

RonF said...

You know - this guy really could get elected President. Think about that ....

rcocean said...

Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill. Anyway, I predict that once Trump figures out how stupid the Republican base is and how they'll support Carson despite Carson's having zero chance of being elected or being able to debate, Trump will drop out. And then, Rubio or Bush will be nominated.

Never bet against the establishment.

LCB said...

He also attacked Caron's religion. I wouldn't vote for Carson due to policy differences, but I respect the man for standing up for his beliefs. Trump forever took himself off of the "maybe" list for a lot of people with these kinds of attacks.

David said...

In Trump's defense, Carson is completely unqualified to be President, and Republican primary voters in Iowa (based on polling data), are incredibly dumb.

Anonymous said...

How stupid are the people who support Trump?

David: Trump is qualified? Three bankruptcies? He is qualified as a better liar.

Hillary is qualified? Lied about national security, Benghazi, emails... Another candidate qualifies for being a better liar.

SteveR said...

The Iowa Caucus is a lousy wan to start the process of selecting an electable candidate, for Republicans anyway. Too much of an industry and not very diverse in terms of the general electorate.

David said...

You're correct that Trump is not qualified to be President, and his supporters are incredibly dumb, hence the second part of my previous comment.

Sebastian said...

"How stupid do the people of x have to be to believe candidate y?"

A case of projection?

mccullough said...

They are both older than 34, natural born US citizens, and have resided in the US for at least 14 years. So both are qualified to be President.

David said...

I think you meant eligible. Unless Republicans use the two terms interchangeably.

jr565 said...

Don't try to be a forensic pathologist Donald.

traditionalguy said...

Trump is being up front. He is amazed at what he is up against. He offers to do the job of a Conservative and pragmatic President following Obama's set up crisis after crisis of immense proportions, and he is being told over and over from the GOP guys that he is really not a nice enough man for them. They would prefer hearing con man sweet talk from a pants on fire liar like Carson.

It is like Trump is pleading with a crowd of suicidal jumpers to come down off the ledge and live and they can become great again.

He also told them that after he fixes things, then the ones who still don't like his tone can go back to another 20 years hearing sweet delusions spoken softly by establishment politicians.

MAJMike said...

Once again over the shark for The Donald.

Henry said...

Squirrel!

Henry said...

That really is all Trump's got.

Henry said...

It's as if the collective unconscious of Internet snark found its voice in a giant boiled potato suit.

MikeR said...

Prof. Althouse, you are wasting my time following Donald Trump. I don't care about him and his ridiculous comments. Please stop.

exhelodrvr1 said...

"How stupid are the people of this country?" 2008 and 2012 ...

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

Well, that was ugly. Have another drink, Donald.

Big Mike said...

I'd take him up on it. Let me pick the thick leather belt I'm wearing right now and a fishing filet knife, and the knife won't penetrate. Let me pick a thinner dress belt for Mr. Trump to wear and the Bowie knife my Civil War reenactor friend owns, with its Damascus steel blade, and Mr. Trump will be several weeks in the hospital recovering from the deep hole in his abdomen. I rate the story as being perfectly plausible. I rate Mr. Trump as thoroughly implausible.

trumpetdaddy said...

Somebody should have told Trump that you never go full retard. Dr. Carson may be many things, and qualified to be president isn't one of them, but he sure as hell isn't "like a child molester."

Never go full retard.

Bay Area Guy said...

Memo to Trump supporters:

1. If you're conservative, and really want to "stick it to the establishment" or "shake things up," you might wanna give Ted Cruz a looksee. He's a genuine conservative in thought, word, deed, oral arguments before SCOTUS, speeches against amnesty and Senate voting record.

2. If you're not conservative, well, mental confusion abounds....

Bobby said...

Big Mike,

That's what I'm saying: there are LOTS of belt buckles that can stop LOTS of knives, but if one is only familiar with Saks 5th Avenue belts, they're unlikely to understand that.

Bill said...

Ben Carson was highly precocious, and got a jump start on his career as a surgeon.

Chuck said...

I think that Trump is already running as a third-party candidate. I know; he promised to support the eventual Republican nominee. So he's not technically running for a third party. But he's not running as a Republican as far as I can tell.

tim maguire said...

Trump won't make it to Iowa. When he drops out, zero votes will have been cast for him. He is not now, nor was he ever, a serious candidate for president. Trump is just having fun, and when it stops being fun, he'll go do something else.

rcocean said...

Just what i thought. Saw the video. Trump wasn't calling anyone stupid, he was asking a rhetorical question. Aka "No one's stupid enough to believe Carson's story".

Remember the great menstrual comment that Trump never made? Or what about the attack on Carson's religion, which ended up being Trump saying "I don't know".

The establishment, both left and right, are out to get Trump. Pretty soon they'll be using the ransom note quote shtick.

rcocean said...

Notice all these "Republicans" are always attacking Trump but who are they FOR? They never say that.

Ann Althouse said...

Tromp came across like a standup comic. Not a very good one. And the audience, on camera, is not laughing.

Ann Althouse said...

Trump.

Not Tromp.

The Godfather said...

I think "Tromp" is a better name. I think I'll start using it.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

Ben Carson should offer to demonstrate what happened with the knife on Donald Trump at the next debate.

mikee said...

Trump is in this for Trump, not the nation, not the election, just for the candidacy, for a while, to further his own ego.

Carson? He is a more accomplished person than anyone else on stage during the Republican debates, and has actual principles which guide his action, unlike anyone else on stage during any party's presidential debates.

Keep your blowhard Trump, I'll go with Carson, or Cruz, (or Cthulu - at least before Hillary - why vote for any lesser evil?)

Johanna Lapp said...


Trump is just cruising for a sock on the jaw from an offended Iowan.
He's been soaking up too many Solonite particles from the sun rays.
Here's how it will go down: http://youtu.be/XhvDMhrws1o

Beldar said...

No, he won't go out with a snarl, because that would be bad for the Trump Brand.

He's already written his exit speech, but I don't know when he'll deliver it yet.

traditionalguy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
traditionalguy said...

I think The Donald could understand conservatives selecting Bush or a Romney again, but the idea that anyone is actually falling for a religious con man schtick like Carson's insults him. He is NYC realist. Appeasing guilt before God plays no role in any decisions that he makes.

Why should it? That would be bowing to a stubborn religious faith that has the self awareness of a rock.

Anonymous said...

The "trump isn't qualified' meme coming from Obama supporters is risible. That anyone voted even once for him, without knowing much about him except that he somehow got into Harvard ...and knowing that he had zero actual accomplishments, calls into question both their love of country and their intellectual acumen.

Consider please that the appeal of Trump lies just not in his outsider status. He appeals to those who believe a real hard-nosed businessman is just what this country needs. In terms of running large, complex organizations there is no one vying for the presidency that comes close to his experience. Tough negotiator? Likewise. Results-oriented, data-driven, get-it-done attitude? World class.
So what if he had three bankruptcies? Failure is a great teacher if the student is ambitious. Americans like ambition. Those who saw a lot of wood also produce the most sawdust. We also like people who get knocked down and jump back up. It's part of our ethos.
That he's blunt is also reflective of our American identity. And he's willing to say stuff to our collective faces that Hillary says behind our backs.

If you like the current class of politicians we have...well, he ain't that.

As for me; no, he's not my top choice. But if he ends up with the nomination I'll gladly vote for him.

So continue to portray him as an oafish buffoon. If you are only capable of that level of analysis then so be it.


HoodlumDoodlum said...

Look, if people are stupid enough to buy that Hillary Clinton bought, set up, and paid for someone to maintain her personal email server because that was "more convenient" than using the already-available secure .gov email system, then they're stupid enough to believe pretty much anything any candidate says.

People are either worryingly stupid or they just don't care--neither is what I'd consider good news.

dmoelling said...

Here's a question for the Donald (mr. beholden to no one?). Is he going light on Hillary to keep in good graces with the NYC power elite if he loses? His business depend highly on gaining approval from the NY/NJ political powers.

Also if he is elected president, how will he comply with the federal law regarding separation of his business from his public office? Could he actually do this by putting "Trump Inc." into a blind trust? Would he be willing to sell his assets completely to be truly independent as President?

Simple questions

garage mahal said...

But Trump says he wants to make America great. I really love that slogan!

eric said...

This was a bad move by Trump. I've been a supporter of Trump. As well as Carson and Cruz. But this is just dumb. Carson is a good man. Doing a drunken sounding terrible stand up routine about Carson doesn't work. I don't need Trump to tell me whether to believe someone or not.

The more he attacks Carson, the less support I want to give him and the more support I want to give Carson or Cruz.

garage mahal said...

Also love the concept of Trump's Deportation Force. Mm mm. Mass Deportations. Gets me excited to vote!

The Godfather said...

I just saw this on the net:

"U.S. presidential candidate Ben Carson recommended praying for rival Donald Trump after the real-estate mogul and television personality, in a 95-minute rant in Iowa, likened him to a child molester, Carson's business manager said on Friday.

"'When I spoke with Dr. Carson about this yesterday how we should respond, you know he was so sad about it. He said: "Pray for him." He feels sorry for him because he really likes Mr. Trump,' Armstrong Williams, who often acts as Carson's surrogate in the media, told CNN.

"'To see him just imploding before our very eyes - it's just sad to watch,' Williams said."

I don't think seeing Tromp implode is sad. It is -- or should be -- a wake-up call for the Republicans.

But when this is all over, perhaps Dr. Carson can help Tromp find in Jesus a cure for the demons of his rage.

Steven said...

"How stupid are the people of Iowa?"

Well, stupid enough that you weren't laughed off as a joke candidate and forgotten before the first debate, you flip-flopping blowhard publicity hound. So, you know, pretty damn stupid. But we already knew that when they elected Obama of all people.

Unknown said...

Trump's negging. He's a master of the art of seduction.

jg said...

I thought it was incredibly effective (and slimy) patter. Audience feels some discomfort ("am I racist if I approve of this?") but there's still vocal admiration or at least consideration. Two things stood out besides the obvious "I'll say these nasty words in proximity to my foe while maintaining literal plausible deniability": 1. hard "the press are lizard-people" stance, 2. belt thing is interesting - Trump's out on a limb. Bibles and badges stop bullets, right? I think if you do anything other than shut him down as wrong on that point in your mind then you're converted to his (correct IMO) POV on Carson. Yet in doing so, you've already made excuses - maybe it was a small knife ... a fluke caught the knife against the metal buckle ... or maybe a pathological liar would say it did. (he also didn't say "pathological liar".

I'm really keen to see how well the Johnny-Cochran level rhetoric plays to the voters in this democracy. Do people listen more to the consensus of their betters - sorry, political commentariat, or do they decide for themselves and therefore are exploitable by a hypnotist's repetitive proximity-based emotive association-driven drone?

Todd Roberson said...

I keep hoping that James Carville will surface in this entire morass; my best guess is that Trump is entertaining us until a raunchy three way with Carville, Eleanor Clift and Mark Shields surfaces and goes viral. Then we'll see who's stupid, eh?

SukieTawdry said...

That's exactly how he'll go out, Ann.

Anonymous said...

"I think we can picture what it will look like if and when Trump's numbers start failing and/or he loses couple caucuses/primaries."

From your lips to G-d's ears.

BN said...

"I think we can picture what it will look like if and when Trump's numbers start failing."

"start failing..."? Don't you mean "start falling"?

Call the pedantry police!

BN said...

"Never bet against the establishment."

Long term, ok. Short term, the demagogues may have their day.

Then again, Hillary vs. Trump, would be the kicker we need to start it up. Who's gotta match?