The Night They Laughed At Trump

This was a bit shocking to me - but I listened to the clip and yes, they're laughing at him.

Now, the opening proposition for this op-ed was odd because I somewhat disagree with it:

Because he has no real interest in the boring parts of being president, such as governing the country, Donald J. Trump has taken a rather unusual approach to campaigning for the job.

He has spent most of his time trying to scare people, bragging about himself, and making jokes.

I think he's interested in being president. I don't know that he's NOT interested in governing but I do know that he has a very poor understanding of the powers of the Presidency and (as everyone knows) Donald's favorite subject is Donald. He likes "zingers" and "gotchas", particularly if they make the audience laugh.

But this time, as he worked up to a "zing", the audience didn't laugh at the punch line... they laughed in scorn and disbelief at him.

But there comes a moment in the life of every bully when the crowd is no longer laughing with you but laughing at you. And it’s generally the moment when the bully’s power to intimidate collapses.

Nearly all the stories about the final presidential debate will focus on the moment when Trump refused to say whether or not he would respect will of the electorate on Nov. 8. It was clearly a disqualifying comment, which makes it just another day at the office for the GOP nominee.

But to me, the true moment of revelation Wednesday night didn’t come in the form of words. It came in the form of laughter.

The laughter was loud enough that moderator Chris Wallace had to chide the audience into silence. But the damage had been done.
Specifically, the spontaneous outburst that greeted the following statement from Trump: “Nobody has more respect for women than I do.”

This comment has been met with derision before; I expect that if he'd actually had some solid mentoring with Roger Ailes, he would have been warned away from this phrase. There are other things he could have said that would have resonated better. But I could name rooms full of people who have more respect for women than he does, including Jimmy Carter, Patrick Stewart, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Jamie Hyneman, Adam Savage, and more.

We've seen Trump in action. He's no Mythbuster.

And in this case, he's a failure as a mythmaker.

They were laughing because it has become so obvious over the course of his despicable campaign that Trump has absolutely no respect for women, in particular those women whom he can’t harass, grope or otherwise control.

There was even a strange kind of pity in the laughter, as if the assembled simply couldn’t believe that a person could be so deeply in denial about his essential nature.

I don't think he's in denial over this. I think it's his go-to statement that he wants to sell people on so that they will doubt the women who've accused him and everyone else who said anything unkind about him.

Steve Almond throws down one final observation:

Trump wasn’t telling a joke. He had become the joke.

I've mentioned this quote before, but I couldn't help but be reminded of novelist Margaret Atwood's words, "Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them."

His relentless narcissism, his abject cluelessness, the monstrous sliminess that he can’t recognize or moderate.

He looked, in that moment, like exactly what he is: an angry, aging Lothario who still believes he’s God’s gift to women.

The op-ed continues and while it's not crude, it's sharply observant.

I noticed the photos of him after the rally, surrounded by family, looking old and out of energy. At the end of his rope. He didn't react as much to the laughter (you could see him planning "what zing am I going to bring up next"; antsy and irritable, waiting to get in his next one-liner.) But I think on some level perhaps he noticed that he's not coming off as credible to a lot of people.

I think this is agenda written.

They both looked exhausted at the end of it and with some annoyance.

You've gotta think both these people think 100% they have to win and 100% they can help the country.

The person they are fighting against is stopping them doing it!

a reply to: Byrd

You bring up some good points Byrd. I wouldnt want to be that guy.

a reply to: Byrd

That was a rough moment for Trump in the debate...you could see it on his face.

You see, his supporters can try to defend him and dismiss his sexual assault accusations...but I haven't really heard any of them try to claim that he respects women.

Trump is in denial himself about this issue. And it brings up something I haven't thought about. Maybe Trump honestly believes he respects women and that he honestly believes he didn't assault these women. In his mind, maybe he just believes what he said on the bus...he thinks he is a star and all women want to be with him. Maybe he thinks that by going up and kissing them or groping them, that he is showing respect because in his mind...he thinks it's an honor for them.

Donald is arrogant enough and has a big enough ego that I think it's a possibility that's the case.

a reply to: Byrd

He knows he won't be the president:

Trump likes challenges that have a risk of losing and winning, and he likes to win like everyone does. He is running for president and hoping to win so that he can undo all the ruining of a nation that our current administration has been trying so hard to do. He wants to make America a success again so that people can be successful again. If he can do that, then he has won his goal to make the country a better place, and will always be remembered as having done it. This is a natural aspiration that any decent American would aspire to do.

Unfortunately right now with what we currently have running things, they have other motives, like getting filthy rich off the backs of the tax payers, not something Trump would do since he is already rich.

originally posted by: kruphix
a reply to: Byrd
Trump is in denial himself about this issue. And it brings up something I haven't thought about. Maybe Trump honestly believes he respects women and that he honestly believes he didn't assault these women. In his mind, maybe he just believes what he said on the bus...he thinks he is a star and all women want to be with him. Maybe he thinks that by going up and kissing them or groping them, that he is showing respect because in his mind...he thinks it's an honor for them.

Donald is arrogant enough and has a big enough ego that I think it's a possibility that's the case.

I think I agree with you in many respects - but neither of us is Trump so we don't know for sure.

I think that he honestly believes that "respecting women" means "holding the door, taking their hand, smiling, offering them a chair" - all the trappings of a gentleman. It's those trappings that he has in mind when he says he respects women.

But manners are not the same thing as respect. And I don't think he understands the difference.

originally posted by: mekhanics
a reply to: Byrd

He knows he won't be the president:

He's got excellent timing and delivery - and he's sticking to the script and it's excellent.

I notice how different he is in this - his mouth is relaxed (not pinched), he's not sniffing, his shoulders are not hunched, his jaw isn't clenched and he's responding to the audience's ambience. It's interesting to compare this speech with his more recent speeches (they don't come off as well.)

a reply to: Byrd
And didn't he say something in that tape about how women gravitate to men with money or celebrity? Something like that. I think that down deep he knows that most of the women who have paid attention to him in his life were doing so only because of this. That they had no interest in him at all, only his status.

originally posted by: mekhanics
a reply to: Byrd

He knows he won't be the president:

I think you may be right...also at 13:10 on that vid he calls her hitlery and no one notices....funny stuff

a reply to: Byrd

There were a couple of times where Chris Wallace had to remind the audience to remain quiet in response to comments made by both candidates, that one though was without a doubt the most cringe worthy, maybe the most cringe worthy moment of all 3 debates. I'm not sure why he even attempted it, it's a weak spot for him and he should have just deflected or pivoted like Hillary did on some of the tougher questions against her and then try and move on.

Personally I think his ego along with his lack of debating experience caught up with him again. He's great at rallies of course but it's not quite the same during a debate, he's not preaching to the choir in this case. Again just my opinion but it seems like in all 3 debates he starts out well, but then slowly unravels and slips into "Rally Mode". It's almost like after 20-40 minutes he forgets that the audience he's currently talking to actually requires convincing of his comments instead of just reaffirmation as per a rally of his voter base where everyone agrees with him already.

originally posted by: Falenor
a reply to: Byrd

There were a couple of times where Chris Wallace had to remind the audience to remain quiet in response to comments made by both candidates, that one though was without a doubt the most cringe worthy, maybe the most cringe worthy moment of all 3 debates. I'm not sure why he even attempted it, it's a weak spot for him and he should have just deflected or pivoted like Hillary did on some of the tougher questions against her and then try and move on.

Personally I think his ego along with his lack of debating experience caught up with him again. He's great at rallies of course but it's not quite the same during a debate, he's not preaching to the choir in this case. Again just my opinion but it seems like in all 3 debates he starts out well, but then slowly unravels and slips into "Rally Mode". It's almost like after 20-40 minutes he forgets that the audience he's currently talking to actually requires convincing of his comments instead of just reaffirmation as per a rally of his voter base where everyone agrees with him already.

He is so unpolished and has very little background to keep up with Clinton who has been in this environment most of her life. That said, it was interesting that this most cringeworthy moment played two ways in two of the focus groups I checked. The focus groups hated Trump's statement, but upon investigation the audience reaction was an equal or greater negative to the focus groups. I did not pay attention to the Luntz focus group this time around, so I do not know what their take was. But it was interesting to see focus groups giving the victory to Trump in the debate. I think had Trump not made such a statement he would have got even higher positives.

When I lived and worked in the States, I was often surprised by the use of such hyperbolic statements by US Americans. "No one loves pizza more than I do." Really? "No one cares about the homeless more than I do!" Oh, dear. ... I view Trump's declaration as the kind of hyperbolic statement a good debate coach, public speaking teacher, or rhetorician would drum out of a student's vocabulary of phraseology and word patterns. Trump appears to have had no such coaching along the way.

originally posted by: NoCorruptionAllowed


Unfortunately right now with what we currently have running things, they have other motives, like getting filthy rich off the backs of the tax payers, not something Trump would do since he is already rich.

With all due respect, this has to be one of the most deluded things i have ever read on ATS. You know rich people dont just stop wanting money once they are rich enough right?

originally posted by: Kapriti

originally posted by: Falenor
a reply to: Byrd



Personally I think his ego along with his lack of debating experience caught up with him again. He's great at rallies of course but it's not quite the same during a debate, he's not preaching to the choir in this case. Again just my opinion but it seems like in all 3 debates he starts out well, but then slowly unravels and slips into "Rally Mode". It's almost like after 20-40 minutes he forgets that the audience he's currently talking to actually requires convincing of his comments instead of just reaffirmation as per a rally of his voter base where everyone agrees with him already.

He is so unpolished and has very little background to keep up with Clinton who has been in this environment most of her life. That said, it was interesting that this most cringeworthy moment played two ways in two of the focus groups I checked. The focus groups hated Trump's statement, but upon investigation the audience reaction was an equal or greater negative to the focus groups. I did not pay attention to the Luntz focus group this time around, so I do not know what their take was. But it was interesting to see focus groups giving the victory to Trump in the debate. I think had Trump not made such a statement he would have got even higher positives.

When I lived and worked in the States, I was often surprised by the use of such hyperbolic statements by US Americans. "No one loves pizza more than I do." Really? "No one cares about the homeless more than I do!" Oh, dear. ... I view Trump's declaration as the kind of hyperbolic statement a good debate coach, public speaking teacher, or rhetorician would drum out of a student's vocabulary of phraseology and word patterns. Trump appears to have had no such coaching along the way.

I agree with you on this point about Trump and i think that's why some people like him. Of course, thats an insanely idiotic reason to vote someone as POTUS , just because he says what he thinks.

Doesnt change the fact that Trump is a scumbag, lying, sexist et al piece of sh*t

Some tasteless comments, big ego and big mouth VS a lifetime of Hillbilly corruption, lies, scandals, voter fraud, inciting riots and violence . Ill take the tasteless comments, ego and big mouth.

originally posted by: Byrd

originally posted by: mekhanics
a reply to: Byrd

He knows he won't be the president:

He's got excellent timing and delivery - and he's sticking to the script and it's excellent.

I notice how different he is in this - his mouth is relaxed (not pinched), he's not sniffing, his shoulders are not hunched, his jaw isn't clenched and he's responding to the audience's ambience. It's interesting to compare this speech with his more recent speeches (they don't come off as well.)

delete

originally posted by: Byrd

originally posted by: kruphix
a reply to: Byrd
Trump is in denial himself about this issue. And it brings up something I haven't thought about. Maybe Trump honestly believes he respects women and that he honestly believes he didn't assault these women. In his mind, maybe he just believes what he said on the bus...he thinks he is a star and all women want to be with him. Maybe he thinks that by going up and kissing them or groping them, that he is showing respect because in his mind...he thinks it's an honor for them.

Donald is arrogant enough and has a big enough ego that I think it's a possibility that's the case.

I think I agree with you in many respects - but neither of us is Trump so we don't know for sure.

I think that he honestly believes that "respecting women" means "holding the door, taking their hand, smiling, offering them a chair" - all the trappings of a gentleman. It's those trappings that he has in mind when he says he respects women.

But manners are not the same thing as respect. And I don't think he understands the difference.

Couldn't agree more. Watching that- I was like " Uh... THIS guy could get elected" Luckily THAT guy hasn't shown up before on the presidential stage. and eventually he was booed off the stage anyways.

I don't respect women, so i don't really care. Trump probably does not either, probably only saying he does for PR...like most of what candidates say.
Who really cares though? What difference does it make? How does a president's respect for women effect in any way their ability to hold office? I don't think people are really aware of what the president can and can't do.

originally posted by: Lice000
I don't respect women, so i don't really care. Trump probably does not either, probably only saying he does for PR...like most of what candidates say.
Who really cares though? What difference does it make? How does a president's respect for women effect in any way their ability to hold office? I don't think people are really aware of what the president can and can't do.

I dont think youre aware of how to be a human being in civilization. And Im not being insulting here at all mods. This person openly says " I dont respect women" "How does a presidents respect for women effect in any way their ability to hold office"


These are words of the sexist, ignorant and deplorable. Yea- I said it. Deplorable.

originally posted by: bknapple32

originally posted by: Lice000
I don't respect women, so i don't really care. Trump probably does not either, probably only saying he does for PR...like most of what candidates say.
Who really cares though? What difference does it make? How does a president's respect for women effect in any way their ability to hold office? I don't think people are really aware of what the president can and can't do.

I dont think youre aware of how to be a human being in civilization. And Im not being insulting here at all mods. This person openly says " I dont respect women" "How does a presidents respect for women effect in any way their ability to hold office"


These are words of the sexist, ignorant and deplorable. Yea- I said it. Deplorable.

That is really great and all, you can pat yourself on the back for your little PR response. But you didn't answer the question, how in the world does respect for women effect the ability to hold office?