I expect him to cheat.
The video shows Trump's caddie dropping a ball in a more favorable spot for him.
Democrats think it is a "got-cha" moment. It isn't.
Watch. The cheating goes quickly. The caddy in the red vest quietly drops a ball onto the edge of the fairway as he walks toward Trump's actual ball located off-camera. See it? It is the tiny white dot just behind the caddy.
Here is the video: 22 seconds.
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| https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gmlyVoSSONY |
Golf is supposedly the game of gentlemen. It has an honor- code of self-policing of its many rules of fair play. Golfers see the game as a test of character.
Of course Trump cheats at golf. Trump cheats at everything, and it is part of his brand. Indeed, it is part of his appeal to his MAGA base, and beyond it.
That's right. It is a positive for him.
The American public is in a backlash mode. It is frustrated by an economy and government that seems hamstrung and incapable. Americans have a well-founded idea that we used to be a can-do nation. We could build Liberty Ships. We could build the Hoover Dam. We could cut down trees and build houses. We could secure our borders.
Now there is a sense that the whole country -- and Democrats especially -- have created a cannot-do world, and especially in Democratic states and cities. California makes jobs but it cannot build houses for the people who would do those jobs. It cannot build high-speed rail to connect L.A. and San Francisco. California cannot build California-compliant gasoline refineries. Environmentalists stop Californians from building environmental projects.
Some of the appeal of Texas in the national consciousness -- and part of why it is growing in population and political power -- is that it has a reputation as the antidote to California. Things get done in Texas, including building wind turbines and solar farms. A majority of Texans oppose abortion so, by-golly, they passed a draconian law to ban abortions. It is harsh and it rewards snoops and tattle-tales, but they got done what they wanted.
Trump doesn't care about the niceties of laws, norms, or the Constitution. He does what he wants, asserts that he can do it, and dares the Congress or courts to stop him. He makes pretextual arguments. He claims we are at war with Venezuela so he can claim the right to deport people under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. It is cheating, but people want something done. People who want more manufacturing jobs in America think that -- maybe, who knows? -- tariffs will bring them back, so they are OK with Trump claiming we have a trade emergency so he can set tariffs.
Trump flagrantly cheated his vendors, cheated on his wives, cheated his banks, cheated on his taxes, cheated Stormy Daniels with hints of a role on TV, cheated students at Trump University, cheated by exaggerating the value of Trump Steaks, cheated with Russia in his 2016 election (as verified by the GOP-led Senate investigation), and he cheated in claiming a landslide victory in the 2020 election (as verified by his own election security chief and attorney general). He wants the independent Fed to lower interest rates when economic conditions don't call for it, so he may fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell with a pretext about cost overruns at the new Fed building.
He cheats. For many, the question is "So what?" People frustrated with constraints and excuses for inaction like Trump's can-do, cheat-if-necessary attitude. As long as the people or countries being cheated are someone else, and the end result is popular, a sizable group of Americans prefer that he cheat. They like winning. The video shows the world what a winning golfer looks like.
Democrats need to wise up. Americans may not want a cheater, but they do want can-do leaders. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro gets this. Maybe some work and overtime rules got broken and contracts got fast-tracked. Who cares?
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| Commonwealth of Pennsylvania news release |
I am not shocked by Trump cheating at golf. I would be shocked if he didn't.
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4 comments:
What you are describing is nihilism.
If you support Trump, then you don’t care about his morals, including his being and hanging out with sex offenders. I question the morals of people who support Trump as a result.
Who took the video? How was it taken (by drone, by someone hiding in a tree...)? President Trump was almost assassinated in 2024. This video is too close for comfort; and that's not because it shows his caddy dropping a ball.
DTU - For your information, the UK has strong gun laws. Gun ownership is tightly controlled, and guns and gun owners must register. I'm less worried about a Trump assassination attempt on Scottish soil than in any state in the US. Guns and gun violence are not a common concern for the average UK citizen. Additionally, this video was clearly shot with a high-quality telephoto lens.
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