The Man Behind The Myth

The late conservative New York City talk show host Bob Grant was well known for frequently rant of “get off my phone, you fake, you phony, you fraud."  Though the target of his diatribes was invariably someone of the left, his diatribe against individuals whom he accused  of being "a fake, a phony, and a fraud" could never have been more appropriate than if it were directed at the current President of the USA.

University of Buffalo psychologist Shira Gabriel, who led a study of the impact of what is described here as "fourteen seasons of carefully edited prime-time exposure" for Donald J. Trump, found that many viewers developed a

"parasocial bond" with the host- a one-way relationship in which you feel close to a celebrity you have never met....... 

Trump's television persona, like that of Arnold Schwarzenegger (who was ultimately elected governor of California), was "likable and powerful," they note.

"He alone made the decision of who would stay or go ... and he was able to make the decision fairly and quickly"—qualities one would like to see in a president. Relatively few reality TV personalities can say the same.

Of course, the key is that "The Apprentice" was a "reality show,"not a realistic show. Even the blissfully unobservant should be aware of that now. Earlier this month

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson learned he was fired Tuesday only from a tweet by his boss, President Donald Trump, NBC News reported, citing State Department officials.

And to add insult to injury, Tillerson was basically an afterthought in that tweet, which first introduced Trump's new chosen top diplomat, CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

It is, in whatever variant, the President's modus operandi. This past week now-ex Veterans Administration Secretary David

Shulkin said during an interview with MSNBC that he spoke on the phone to Trump on Wednesday about needing to focus on polices to help the VA.

“We spoke about the progress that I was making, what I needed to do from a policy perspective to make sure that we‘re fixing the issues in VA,” Shulkin said. “He was very focused, he was very inquisitive about the things we were working on, making sure we were focused on the job at hand.“

MSNBC host Chris Hayes asked if Trump “made no mention of the fact that he was about to terminate you,” to which Shulkin said, “That’s correct.”





Ten weeks ago we had learned

President Donald Trump is reportedly displeased with Chief of Staff John Kelly’s recent comments about the Republican’s long championed border wall and how the commander-in-chief’s views on immigration have “evolved,” according to media reports....

Trump had been displeased with Kelly for some time, and Axios had recently reported

that Kelly could catch the president’s ire for presenting himself as the man behind the curtain. A source told the publication that Kelly could be going down the road taken by former White House chief political strategist Steve Bannon, who took credit for helping Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton and was dubbed “The Great Manipulator.”

“Kelly has finally ventured into Steve Bannon territory when it comes to trying to create the perception that he’s the ‘great manipulator,’ saving the country from Trump’s ignorance,” the unnamed source told Axios. “The difference is, Steve tried to develop that reputation in off-the-record conversations with reporters. Kelly did it openly on the country’s most-watched cable network. It’s the subtle difference between hubris and arrogance.”

He still does not want Kelly around. Earlier this month

Trump suggested to others outside the White House that he would leave the chief of staff position open. He would then receive direct reports from a handful of top aides, in a set-up that would resemble how he operated the Trump Organization. 

Trump has reportedly tabled the concept for the time being. 

But the chief of staff cannot fire himself. The President must do it and he finds it very, very difficult to fire anyone himself (especially in person), as Shulkin discovered. (Fearful, he also will not criticize Putin if Vladimir might hear him.)  Firing a (retired) general is doubly difficult, so if Kelly were instead to resign, Trump would be more excited than his first night with Karen McDougal.

Mired in real life, however, the "you're fired" fella has a problem because the words "you're fired" get stuck in his throat.   Nevertheless, the left may continue to bail him out.  "He's a bully" they cry out, failing to understand that this act is what catapaulted him onto the stage initially and played a major role in his election.  It sets him apart as a take charge, decisive guy who always is in control, and perceived as a winner.

"The Apprentice" portrayed Trump as "likeable and powerful," Gabriel noted. It is now up to Team Patriot to undermine this false bravado, to reveal that the emperor has no clothes. Big hands notwithstanding, he must be unmasked as a fake, a phony, a fraud.



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