TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN IS LIKE PLAYING WHACK-A-MOLE

This year’s presidential election feels like I’m playing an endless game of whack-a-mole.  Every time Donald Trump says something outrageous, tells a big lie, insults someone, or just opens his mouth in general, I have to whack him.  Every time I whack him, he pops up with another heinous declamation.  His attacks are starting to be hurled at warp speed and I can no longer keep up.  Therefore, I will just have to whack the ones I can.

Last week, Trump’s most whack-able offense was calling Hillary a “bigot.”  She’s been called all kinds of disgusting names, but she’s never been called a bigot.  That’s because most people know how to identify bigots and recognize that Hillary doesn’t have a bigoted bone in her body. Her lifetime works are proof of that. I don’t think Trump believes she’s a bigot. However, it’s the oldest marketing tool ever used and Trump knows how to do it well.  Say anything enough times, and it becomes embedded in people’s minds.  That’s why he says, “She’s a liar.  She’s a liar.  She’s a liar.”  Now when people think of Hillary, liar is the first thing they think.  Now he is repeating bigot, bigot, bigot.  Hopefully all Americans are becoming immune to his mind-control tricks.  Whack-a-mole!

Another phrase Trump has said so many times is that “Hillary lacks the judgment to be President.”   Well, let’s talk about Trump’s judgment.  I could write a book as long as War and Peace on that topic but am constrained by space.  Let’s just look at the judgment he uses to employ the management and public faces of his campaign.

In last week’s column I told you about the alt-right connections at the highest levels of Trump’s campaign.  I have more to report on his new campaign manager, Steve Bannon of Brietbart News.  Two major stories were released about Steven Bannon.  First, his domestic violence arrest in 1996 and the court battles between he and his ex-wife that went on for ten years.  Testimony in court documents revealed that one of these battles concerned his objection to the prominent private school his girls were attending in California.  He said, “There are a number of Jews there.  I don’t want my girls going to school with Jews.”  Whack-a-mole!

The other story about Steve Bannon concerns voter fraud.  This is particularly interesting because Trump is now using his marketing tool of repetition to convince us that the elections are rigged before we even cast the first vote.  Bannon is registered to vote in Florida at an empty house where he has never lived.  Florida law requires voters to be legal residents of Florida.  Bannon’s home is in California.  Bannon, in Brietbart news in 2012, made the case that “non-residents who vote in a battleground state are a threat to democracy.”  Florida is one of the MOST important battleground states.  So, using his own logic, that makes Trump’s campaign manager a threat to democracy. Whack-a-Mole!

And again, Trump’s judgment can be questioned because he hired Bill Stepien from New Jersey last week.  In case you don’t remember, Stepien was Governor Chris Christie’s campaign aide that was fired in the Bridgegate scandal.  He colluded with others to close the lanes on the George Washington Bridge in retaliation to the Mayor of Ft. Lee.  Also, in one of the e-mails, he called the Mayor an “idiot.” His willingness to affect the lives of tens of thousands for a political vendetta makes Stepien unfit to serve at any level of government.  He will fit in great with the rest of Trump’s campaign staff.  Whack-a-mole!

We should all be concerned about the judgment Trump has shown in associating himself with this band of suspect players at the highest level of his campaign.  It’s not like these people will disappear if Trump is elected President.  They will be right by his side influencing his every decision or action.  Either these are the types of people Trump prefers, or he gave no consideration to their character.  I gave more thought and research into hiring a carpet cleaner last week than Trump did in hiring the closest confidants in his campaign to be President.  Are these the type people you want standing beside the man with the nuclear codes?  Whack-a-mole!

The first Presidential debate will be held September 26^th, if Trump doesn’t find some excuse to weasel out of it.  His debate preparation will be easy.  All he has to do is come up with some additional catchy insults and repeat them.  I imagine Hillary is having a hard time finding someone to play Trump.  The job description calls for someone who will listen to over one hundred hours of his speeches and be familiar with everything he has ever said.  I can tell you now, that’s not a job for me!  I would douse myself with gasoline and set myself on fire if I had to listen to him for any extended time.

Labor Day is Monday.  Labor Day is a holiday intended to celebrate the workers of America.  Perhaps we should honor them by not making them work on this day.  For those fortunate enough to spend Labor Day doing fun things with your family, thank an organized labor union member whose organization created this holiday.