NO MORE MR NICE GUY - IS A WOMAN CANDIDATE THE ONLY FIRST WE FACE THIS ELECTION?

Here is something we really need to think about my friends. We often differ over ideological issues or partisan positions. That is what politics and campaigns should be concerned with deciding.  But this time it is very different. This time it is about human beings and basic human decency. 

Despite an overwhelming distaste for W and Cheney, being repulsed by Nixon, knowing that things said and done by Ronald Reagan made my skin crawl and a serious dislike for Bush the elder – none of these candidates induced fear for the future in the sense that we might not survive their Presidencies because of their mental and emotional make up.  All of them were reasonably sane people who loved this country and all at least believed they put America before their own selfish interests. Their statements and speeches were in the main based on what they believed was truth. 

My differences with them were based on ideology and issues – not their basic humanity, intelligence (even W), essential veracity, or their sanity. I felt all of them would react with some caution and rationality confronted with a crisis, and they would not deliberately put us at unnecessary risk or act out in a way that was totally embarrassing to us as a country. All of them would suffer some sense of personal pain and emotional torment prior to putting our troops in harms way. If Tony Blair could get along with W then W could not be completely abhorrent to world leaders. They were all presentable men with hearts and feelings for their fellow human beings to some degree.

But now we are faced with a FIRST - an unprecedented unique situation in Presidential politics. Donald Trump lamented with dismay that Hillary did not call to congratulate him after he accomplished something "no one had ever done in the history of our nation". What could that be I wonder?

 My online friend Digby outlines it here:

LOCK HER UP

"He's just losing it. He started off his rally yesterday morning pissed off at the fire marshal for refusing to let too many people into the room because these people "don't know what the hell they're doing"  --- and they might be Hillary people. The fire marshal.

Then there was this when the lock her up chant started:

"I've been saying let's just beat her on November 8th. But you know what, I'm starting to agree with you," Trump said.

The comments, which came in his first public appearance since Clinton ripped him in her speech at the Democratic National Convention Thursday night, marked an about-face for Trump, who in the last week has resisted joining in on his supporters' chants and instead urged them to channel their anger at the ballot box.

"You know it's interesting. Every time I mention her, everyone screams 'lock her up, lock her up.' They keep screaming. And you know what I do? I've been nice," Trump explained to his supporters in this evangelical bastion of Colorado Springs. "But after watching that performance last night -- such lies -- I don't have to be so nice anymore. I'm taking the gloves off.

Needless to say he's lying. His Nuremburg rally speech at the RNC was the first time he ever said "lets beat her in November." He's been saying for months that she should be in jail: After months of insisting that Clinton was "guilty as hell," Trump argued in June that Clinton should "go to jail" over her email use, which Trump and Republicans allege may have compromised national security. Meaningless, I know, to point such things out anymore. It's actually more useful to point out the rare times when he isn't lying or bragging or otherwise being a cretin

.

I WANT TO HIT HIM IN THE FACE SO HARD HIS HEAD WILL SPIN

Yes, he also said he wanted to hit someone (Bloomberg) for saying mean things about him and he says he takes these insults personally.

But nothing, nothing comes close to this batshit crazy comment:

 “I was curious to see whether she’d do a class act and not mention my name,” the Republican nominee said at a rally with supporters in Colorado. “Or mention it with respect, like, say, ‘I’d like to congratulate my Republican opponent for having done something that nobody has ever done in the history of politics in this nation.’” “See, I thought she might do something like that. I thought she'd give me a big fat beautiful congratulations. If she did that, would that have been cool? Would that have been great?,”

Yes, he actually said that. And it wasn't a joke. That's the weirdest projection I have ever seen. Twisted, bizarre, freakish. He thinks he's the one who has "done something that nobody has ever done in the history of politics in this nation." And he's angry that Clinton didn't congratulate him for it.

The mind boggles."  Thank you for that Digby

The mind boggles indeed. Think about this for a minute or two. Did Trump put in a call to Hillary to congratulate her on becoming the first woman to ever achieve this historic position? Did he even consider it? NO

His reaction was to complain that somehow he was slighted because she did not call him with congratulations because he had “done something that no one had ever done in the history of our nation”. What was that we have to wonder. 

What does he think he has done that is a first in history? 
I think I've got it and you probably will not like it. I believe he is the first clinically diagnosed narcissist and pathological liar to get to the nomination for President of a major political party 

Am I losing my mind? Have I possibly missed some similar incident or something in our past 60 years of Presidential campaigns that has it's analogue in this situation? Yes there is some element akin to narcissism in most who aspire to high office. It comes with the territory but has there ever been a Presidential candidate who displayed such utter contempt for his opponents, total disregard for truth, and such a complete narcissistic view of his own value? 

How do we identify narcissism that rises to the level of a clinical disorder? Well I find it helpful to recall these portrayals in film:

Mary Tyler Moore character in Ordinary People,

Zaphod Beeblebrox in Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Annette Benning in American Beauty 

Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) in Anchorman

Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest 

Michael Keaton in Pacific Heights

Meryl Streep in Osage County

Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) in American Psycho

Kathleen Turner in Body Heat 

Nurse Ratched - Louise Fletcher One Flew Over the Coocoo's Nest  

and Scarlette O'hara (Vivian Leigh) in Gone With the Wind

Surely one of these characters will resonate with you and bring the Trump personality into clear focus. 

Symptoms - see if this doesn't describe Trump to a T

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Narcissistic personality disorder is one of several types of personality disorders. Personality disorders are conditions in which people have traits that cause them to feel and behave in socially distressing ways, limiting their ability to function in relationships and other areas of their life, such as work or school.

If you have narcissistic personality disorder, you may come across as conceited, boastful or pretentious. You often monopolize conversations. You may belittle or look down on people you perceive as inferior. You may feel a sense of entitlement — and when you don't receive special treatment, you may become impatient or angry. You may insist on having "the best" of everything — for instance, the best car, athletic club or medical care.

At the same time, you have trouble handling anything that may be perceived as criticism. You may have secret feelings of insecurity, shame, vulnerability and humiliation. To feel better, you may react with rage or contempt and try to belittle the other person to make yourself appear superior. 

Narcissism is a less extreme version of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. 
Narcissism involves cockiness, manipulativeness, selfishness, power motives, and vanity-a love of mirrors. Related personality traits include: Psychopathy, Machiavellianism. 
Narcissists tend to have high self-esteem.
Narcissistic rage is a reaction to narcissistic injury, which is a perceived threat to anarcissist's self-esteem or self-worth

We are dealing with an insane person at the top of a political ticket this election. Knowing that should put all thoughts of ideology and partisan position aside. The danger of having a pathological liar and narcissist in control of the nuclear arsenal and our treasury should be evident to even the most rabid partisan. 

By the way, here's what John McCain did when Obama won his nomination in 2008. The same John McCain who was disrespected by Trump who called him "no hero" because he was captured. 

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TIME = TIME TO GET BACK ONLINE

The ascension of one DONALD J. TRUMP to the point of standard bearer for the once off-putting but essentially mainstream REPUBLICAN PARTY is both mystifying and terrifying. Despite a constant barrage of Republican contender ads worth over 25 Million Dollars detailing the constant lies of “The Donald” we have come to the 100 days to go mark with polls (not as of today reflecting the DNC “bounce”) showing a virtual dead heat in National votes and Hillary Rodham Clinton with a lead in states that give her 206 Electoral Votes to 154 for Trump. Current trends show a final EV tally of HRC 322 to 216 Trump.

This election is one of historic firsts:

Number One being the woman as a major political party nominee - the “glass ceiling” that makes history on top of the history of Barack Obama as the first black American candidate and President of the USA.  And

Number One A being a candidate who lies with almost every statement. A candidate labeled PATHOLOGICAL LIAR by opponents both Republican and Democrat.  A candidate David Brooks –the Conservative voice of the New York Times – calls “a morally untethered, spiritually vacuous man who appears haunted by multiple personality disorders.”

But the extremist fringe that threatens to take over the Democratic Party seems less menacing than the lunatic fringe that has already taken over the Republican one.
This week I left the arena here each night burning with indignation at Mike Pence. I almost don’t blame Trump. He is a morally untethered, spiritually vacuous man who appears haunted by multiple personality disorders. It is the “sane” and “reasonable” Republicans who deserve the shame — the ones who stood silently by, or worse, while Donald Trump gave away their party’s sacred inheritance.
The Democrats had by far the better of the conventions. But the final and shocking possibility is this: In immediate political terms it may not make a difference.

This Brooks description of Trump is not the usual political posturing and name-calling of past campaigns. There are literally 100’s of sites and youtube videos online devoted to an attempt to keep up with the sheer number of blatant lies the candidate knows are lies and knows we know are lies. Verifiable lies, documented lies, lies about unimportant things and big YUUGE lies concerning serious issues that are central to competent government in a dangerous World that requires a serious honest person holding the reigns of power of the most powerful country on Earth.

This development is so far beyond the bounds of anything ever seen in a modern political contest, it has baffled a media seemingly unable to get a grip on how to handle the problem. With hundreds of media outlets and even more weblogs like this one, there has been a dedicated effort to detail the lies – but there  seems to be a minimal effect. This list of 101 OF TRUMPS GREATEST LIES is a good example.  A favorite of mine in this list of 101 is #45:

45. February 7 and constantly after that: "If we competitively bid drugs in the United States, we can save as much as $300 billion a year.” As the Washington Post pointed out,“Total spending in Medicare Part D (prescription drugs) in 2014 was $78 billion. So Trump, in effect, is claiming to save $300 billion a year on a $78 billion program. That’s like turning water into wine."

Trump incorporates lies like this in his stump speech and delivers it with conviction week after week. Despite being told repeatedly that only $78 billion a year is spent on the drug prescription plan he continues to insist that he will save US $300 billion a year on that alone.

Most candidates for public office are actually fearful of being caught in a lie. Trumps plan seems to be to tell so many lies so often that the charge of “LIAR” will lose any meaning. And the awful truth is that it seems to be working.

And so it begins - 100 days to do what I can online to stop the horrifying possibility of a TRUMP Presidency.