Donald Trump: Classic or Dud?

there's no chance

How to win friends and influence people:

Susan Hoffinger, the prosecutor, is objecting to many of Emil Bove's questions, often successfully. Robert Costello had been ignoring the judge’s rulings, so Justice Merchan warned him directly to wait for a ruling before answering.

It happens again, and when Merchan sustains an objection, Costello says “jeez,” apparently meaning to question the judge's authority. “I’m sorry?” the judge asks, glaring down at the suddenly reddened witness. Costello mumbles something in return and testimony resumes.

there's no chance

otm. he thinks he has to make these noises because he claims he's pure and innocent and being unjustly hounded, but he won't take the stand.

going well

"I want to discuss proper decorum in my courtroom," Justice Merchan tells Costello.

"As a witness in my courtroom, if you don't like a ruling, you don't say 'geez,'" the judge says.

"You don't make a side-eye, you don't roll your eyes," Justice Merchan continues.

Geez

I'm sorry?

geez

Merchan, angrily: Are you staring me down right now?

Clear the courtroom, the judge says.

— Tyler McBrien (@TylerMcBrien) May 20, 2024

Oooohhhh shhhhiiii-

lmao this dude making Cohen way more likeable and credible in contrast, what a shitshow of a defense

he's their only witness too lol

https://i.imgur.com/xhvLRm6.png

Why ruin a perfect case

I have people come up to me, grown men, with tears in their eyes, big men who have never cried before, saying, "sir, it's the perfect defense".

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/trump-media-lost-3276-million-first-quarter-year-revenue-just-771000-rcna153165

I genuinely do not understand how they could lose this much, there has to be some sort of money laundering going on here

Not sure that money was real in the first place

how they could lose this much

when the founder raids the till, it can go pretty quickly

genuinely do not understand how they could lose this much, there has to be some sort of money laundering going on here

🙀

last year they lost like $50m, idk how it could be that much in just one quarter

well, they went public - more suckers to fleece

I hope it's the RNC's money going into that black hole, but more likely it's the Saudis and UAE currying favor.

It’s just the dipping value of his meme stock, right? It was worth a gazillion dollars on paper, and then it dropped, so I guess he can write that drop off on taxes?

No, he cannot, unless he sells, and only then in certain circumstances to offset gains in other stucks.

stocks

STONKS

I don't think that is the stock price dropping, I think that's actually saying "the company lost 328 million dollars last quarter", unrelated to the company's like total value stock-wise

"i'll vote for him, he's a successful business man!"

Ah… Seems on the level then:

“The company told the SEC last week that it would delay its quarterly filing, after the agency charged its former auditor, BF Borgers CPA, with “massive fraud” of hundreds of companies, raising red flags about the accuracy of the financial information that the firm had audited.”

Funny, Borgers are Trump’s BF.

I feel like I understand the core parts of Trump's appeal to the people he appeals to, but the thing that just trips me up over and over is how anyone fails to see what a cheap crook and grifter he is. Every single thing about him screams CON MAN in big red letters, which to me seems like it shouldn't really be a matter of ideology just basic self-preservation. Afaik even right-wing nuts don't enjoy getting ripped off. But maybe I'm wrong.

You're not wrong, and it's what has baffled me most about Trump's rise to the presidency and his continuing hold on his base. It's really a study in mass psychosis.

They think that all politicians are crooks and cheats. If you say Trump is a swindler they'll say "They're ALL crooked! At least he's honest about it!"

Something I hadn't realized: if Trump doesn't testify, he has to say so clearly and unequivocally in open court:

https://mitchellepner.substack.com/p/on-donald-trumps-decision-not-to

xp the lack of a real core competence-- outside of bluster and lying-- makes me wonder wtf is up with these people, they have like, no standards for either ruthlessness or dominance. so far.

hmmm very strange to put this in an official campaign video

https://i.imgur.com/wbDNYe9.jpeg

As Trump once said during a presidential debate, "I don't know much about QANON, but I hear they like me."

Apparently he doesn't know much about neo-Nazis either, except that they are "fine people".

Getting ripped off to own the libs.

lol, putting the headcase Costello on the stand has been such a classic Trump-knowing-better-than-his-lawyers disaster move

You're not wrong, and it's what has baffled me most about Trump's rise to the presidency and his continuing hold on his base. It's really a study in mass psychosis.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqk-ssa7xNXTyJhzi_G7WQxMp3K5RnAbgj8ytxMAC78CvuZKIGhdnyu7CYpcCWElnedwwpfNw5T7S95cqanldIG1ETPSrzqgABnhTitwYRQBc5G9pDR6jXIryc_zkUJphCeh2Cvj87Rv1x/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/The+Mass+Psychology+of+Fascism.jpg

the art of the heel

tired: silence in court.
wired: CLEAR THE COURT!!

that hard-hitting science from the Orgone Institute

the art of the heel

― close encounters of the third knid (darraghmac)

*applause*

I think that's a wrap folks, it's been announced on twitter that the extremely relevant Superstar Amber Rose has endorsed DJT! rip Biden

Fame (chasers) recognize fame (chasers)

She was married to Johnny Depp or something?

damn i just googled her and 1) she appears to have had her forehead tattoo removed? and 2) the only thing i know about her is that she was on an episode of Intervention trying to save a childhood friend (and her children) from a florid opiate addiction. It was really intense. This endorsement makes no sense.

Anyway, Trump not testifying, etc. etc. Closing arguments next Tuesday.

well yeah he can't testify he has a gag order put on him by a very conflicted judge

So corrupt!

Amusing note from Mitchell Epner:

I suspect that MAGA-sphere articles that hyped Costello as a “killer” witness to debunk Cohen led FPOTUS to insist that he be called as a witness.

Not calling any witnesses precludes prosecution from commenting on defense failure to present a case. But, presenting 1 witness means DA can argue it.

Further to which, as he noted earlier:

I am reading the liveblogs of the testimony of Robert Costello, who will be the lone substantive witness called by Trump's defense.

I cannot imagine how the testimony could have gone worse for the defense.

Defense knew Costello wrote emails that would undermine his testimony, but did it anyway.