The primary campaign for the Republican nomination for president is in full swing. And despite the fact that Donald Trump is himself a candidate, he has twelve challengers competing for the nod. That's a pretty profound indication of how poorly he is regarded by his party peers. Former presidents are not often challenged for their party's nomination.
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Then again, former presidents are not often notorious losers who have been impeached twice, are awaiting trial on four criminal indictments for 91 felony counts, and have been adjudicated as rapists and business frauds. Trump is uniquely situated as a candidate who has accomplished all of that while exhibiting signs of cognitive decline, acute paranoia, delusions of grandeur, and sociopathy. Considering that record of mental instability and legal liability, his opinions on candidate qualifications are remarkably relevant...
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In his previous campaigns in 2016 and 2020, Trump had unprecedented support from right-wing media, especially Fox News. That's still true in this election cycle, but Trump isn't quite satisfied with the level of support he's receiving. In his mind he must have unwavering adoration without the slightest diversion from total worshipful devotion. Anything less than that is tantamount to treason. Literally...
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In light of that, Trump has been making his dissatisfaction known in posts on his failing social media scam, Truth Social. On Tuesday he complained that his Ministry of Propaganda (aka Fox News) was not living up to his expectations...
"I watched Fox & Friends this morning, and it is totally unrecognizable. All they do is 'gush' over job seeking candidates that are 50 Points, plus, down to your favorite President, or speak endlessly about people that will never run and, without cheating, could never win...And what ever happened to Steve? No wonder their ratings are way down. MAGA!"
First of all, Trump is now admitting that he watches Fox News after repeatedly maligning it as "dead, totally fake, and unwatchable". But more to the point, his complaint is centered on his notion that a "news" network shouldn't report on all of the candidates in a primary race. It should only report on him.
While Trump is correct that he is currently leading his opponents by substantial margins, that isn't a reason to curtail coverage of them. What's more, contrary to Trump's grumping, the only candidate that Fox News has ever "gushed over" is Trump. And we know that he knows that because of how frequently he thanks Sean Hannity, Jesse Watters, Mark Levin, and others for their unabashed gushing.
Finally, Trump takes a personal swing at Fox and Friends co-host, Steve Doocy. He doesn't cite whatever it is that has offended him, but it is likely a minor criticism that Trump has magnified in his cartoon brain. As for Fox's lower ratings, that's mainly a function of the scandalous revelations that came out as a result of the defamation lawsuit by Dominion Voting Systems. Fox settled the suit for 3/4 of a billion dollars, but not until after it was revealed that most of their hosts and executives had been lying to their viewers for years.
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Trump's tantrum over how Fox News has betrayed him isn't anything new. He has been attacking Fox for quite a while. Whenever he sees something that he regards as insufficiently worshipful, he lashes out. And his animus is backed up by acts of revenge, including his refusals to participate in GOP primary debates hosted by Fox, and his attempts to sabotage them. Which is why he scheduled a rally in Michigan tomorrow to compete with the second Fox hosted debate. And that follows his scheduling a Twitter interview with fired Fox host Tucker Carlson during the first Fox hosted debate. Because if there's one thing for which you can count on Trump, it's petty jealousy and vengeance.
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Trump's desperation and bottomless hostility always manages to rise to the surface. No person or entity is safe. He will turn on his closest associates should they stray from utterly blind allegiance and adulation. And his attacks on Fox News are the best evidence of his twisted sense of one-way loyalty.