Today, CNN reported that “Donald Trump's campaign manager Corey Lewandowski was arrested and charged in Jupiter, Florida, with simple battery of former Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields, according to police.” This grew out of a campaign event during which Lewandowski grabbed Fields by the arm to pull her away from Trump. A Washington Post reporter saw it happen.
The immediate response from Lewandowski, fully supported by Trump, was that Fields was making it up and faking the evidence. Oh, and so was any stinkin’ witness. (WaPo’s headline, today, was “Donald Trump’s campaign manager lied. There’s now clear video proof.”) The follow-on responses have evolved as the evidence evolved. Unsurprisingly, the patter of the evolving responses is familiar to anyone who has not been isolating himself from news of the Trump campaign.
- First, deny the charge: no matter how obvious, in spite of any physical, recorded, or taped evidence, and regardless of witnesses. Deny, deny, deny. No amount of denying is too much. Find some small element in the event or in the reporting of the event that can be used in an ad hoc explanation of what really happened.
- Second, attack the victim. They probably learned this from watching Fox going after all those dead, black, teenagers shot by cops. On second thought, Fox would have learned it somewhere, too. Bottom-feeders rarely are creative. Regardless, once again, find some small element in the event or in the background of the victim that will allow you make up insinuations.
- Third, change the topic. Find some small element in the event or in the reporting that you can jump on and use to attack some reporter, even if it is totally irrelevant.
- Imaginary small elements work as well as real ones, often better.
- Repeat the process as necessary (as more evidence comes out): Ad hoc. Ad hominem. Ignoratio elenchi. Ad hoc. Ad hominem. Ignoratio elenchi. ...
This is the pattern by which Lewandowski and Trump responded to Michelle Fields’ charges. It also is, exactly, the pattern by which the entire Trump campaign has operated. It is how Trump has bullied his way over, around, and through opponents as well as what passes for our national press. The pattern is unmistakable to anyone who has seen any reporting on the Trump campaign. It also is unmistakable to anyone who has followed (whether they admit it or not) Comedy Central’s “South Park.” In short, Donald Trump IS Eric Cartman.
Comments are closed on this story.