On Day Two of the Trump Presidential Pre-Regnum, he traveled to the White House for a meeting with President Obama to begin the governmental transition at the President’s invitation. The meeting lasted about 90 minutes, and occurred without apparent rancor. At the end, in an informal armchair setting, both men gave some brief remarks about… Continue reading Trump Day Two: Gone to the White House, Ho, Ho, Ho! (November 10, 2016)
Trump Day One: Will the Real Donald Trump Please Stand Up? (November 9, 2016)
To Tell the Truth is an exceptionally long running TV game show aired exclusively on CBS Television network from 1956-1968, before syndication. The money quote at the end of each occupation challenge game is the signature phrase: Will the real Mister or Ms X please stand up?* After the stunning events of last night in… Continue reading Trump Day One: Will the Real Donald Trump Please Stand Up? (November 9, 2016)
Trump’s Pet Folly: He Wants a Dogless White House (November 5, 2016)
Trump has no use for dogs of the canine variety, except to hurl insults at their human counterparts on a sustained and regular basis, in a variety of disapproving ways. Americans are Heavy Duty Pet Lovers National surveys and reports year after year document the American love affair with their pets. As you would expect… Continue reading Trump’s Pet Folly: He Wants a Dogless White House (November 5, 2016)
Trump’s Fantasy Flight: The Class and The Ass (November 4, 2016)
Trump was on a hot roll Friday night, November 4th, during a rally in Hershey Pennsylvania when he launched into a fervent recasting of events earlier in the day in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He was complaining bitterly about Obama’s behavior towards a Trump protestor at a Clinton rally that afternoon. “If I spoke the way… Continue reading Trump’s Fantasy Flight: The Class and The Ass (November 4, 2016)
Trump’s Finances: $100 Million Three Bags Full (November 3, 2016)
“Baa, Baa, Black Sheep” * One of the first childhood nursery rhymes I can recall learning is this famous example dating from 1731 in England, sung to a French melody from 1761. It seems appropriate to use childhood phrasing in this season of Trump driven intellectual (non) rigor. Its use here however is not for… Continue reading Trump’s Finances: $100 Million Three Bags Full (November 3, 2016)
Trump’s TV Ads: Still Broken Trifecta (November 1, 2016) Third Iteration
The gold standard source for monitoring Presidential campaign TV ad spending remains the data provided by CMAG/Kantar Media on a weekly basis. CMAG/Kantar Media is like the Nielsen Ratings for campaign TV. A full accounting for our purposes is provided by the Associated Press (AP) wire service and found here: CMAG/Kantar Media Presidential Campaign TV… Continue reading Trump’s TV Ads: Still Broken Trifecta (November 1, 2016) Third Iteration
Trump’s Presidential Quiz: Does He Know the Difference? (October 30, 2016)
What’s the Difference Between ISIS, ISS, and ISI? In honor of my favorite feature on Sunday morning radio, NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle hosted by Chief Puzzle Master Will Shortz*, here is a presidential foreign policy quiz. Need a hint? All three are foreign organizations outside United States, they all contribute to increasing the US… Continue reading Trump’s Presidential Quiz: Does He Know the Difference? (October 30, 2016)
Trump’s TV Ads: More Broken Promises (October 29, 2016) Update
The gold standard source for monitoring Presidential campaign TV ad spending remains the data provided by CMAG/Kantar Media on a weekly basis. CMAG/Kantar Media is like the Nielsen Ratings for campaign TV. A full accounting for our purposes is provided by the Associated Press (AP) wire service and found here: 2016 Presidential TV Ad Spending… Continue reading Trump’s TV Ads: More Broken Promises (October 29, 2016) Update
Trump’s Campaign Finances: Willie Sutton Has Left the Building (October 28, 2016)
The original Trump version of the Mr. Political Clean storyline was his promise to frustrated Americans that he would self-fund his campaign for President, as he is so fabulously wealthy and not beholden. He didn’t need or want any financial assistance to run for office as a public service for his country. So, he could… Continue reading Trump’s Campaign Finances: Willie Sutton Has Left the Building (October 28, 2016)
Trump’s Nostalgia: Ads When America Was Great (October 24, 2016)
Trump’s main campaign slogan for the last 18 months has been MAGA (Make America Great Again). No great surprise that he has also been more than a little sketchy about just when exactly in the past that might have been. We know that Trump is not a deep intellectual thinker, nor a fan of history,… Continue reading Trump’s Nostalgia: Ads When America Was Great (October 24, 2016)