Miami Mayor enters race as MAGA supporters explain themselves
The David Pakman Show - June 15, 2023
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Trump supporters explain why they are dangerous and clueless
PBS hosted a series of focus groups with Trump supporters and it offered an insightful look at the psychology and epistemology of the average Trump voter. Despite Trump being a failed former president with multiple indictments and impeachments, there are still millions of people supporting him. The participants expressed beliefs that the latest charges against Trump are a setup, including staged photos, and questionable conduct by the FBI. They question why Biden is not indicted for similar actions and saw it as evidence of a two-tiered justice system in the country but along party lines rather than race or class lines. Interestingly, some even state they would support Trump more if he were found guilty. When it comes to the January 6th insurrection, the participants believe that Trump's words were not inflammatory and expressed support for a candidate who would pardon the rioters. This analysis highlights the deeply ingrained beliefs and narratives propagated among Trump supporters, which will pose challenges for anyone who tries to sway their opinions.
Sarah Palin tries denying, then CONFIRMS Trumpism is a cult
During a conversation on Newsmax, Sarah Palin was asked to explain why Trumpism is not a cult, but her response inadvertently confirmed the presence of cult-like characteristics within Trumpism. Despite denying the cult label, Palin proceeded to describe traits associated with cults, such as excessive support, conformity, intolerance towards dissent, and blind allegiance to a cause. In truth, hardcore MAGA followers deny realities like climate change and the 2020 election results, worship Trump as a messianic figure, engage in symbolic practices, and exhibit unwavering devotion to him. Trump has control over his followers through manipulation, lies, fear, and the demand for absolute belief and compliance. In contrast, Biden supporters do not exhibit similar cult-like behaviors, as they prioritize policy and ideas rather than unquestioning devotion to Biden himself. Palin's attempt to reject the cult characterization actually highlighted the existence of cult-like traits within Trumpism, further fueling the ongoing discourse about the nature of this political movement.
From yesterday’s show:
Fox introduces Trump as "the President of the US," labels Biden "wannabe dictator"
Two notable incidents took place on Fox News the day Donald Trump was arraigned in federal court. The first incident involves host Brian Kilmeade introducing Donald Trump as the president of the United States. Of course, while Trump gets to keep his title of “president” for life, he’s not the current POTUS and this introduction by Kilmeade was deceptive. The second incident revolves around Fox News using a lower third that referred to President Joe Biden as a “wannabe dictator.” There was a side-by-side feed of Biden and Trump speaking at different venues and the graphic read: “WANNABE DICTATOR SPEAKS AT THE WHITE HOUSE AFTER HAVING HIS POLITICAL RIVAL ARRESTED.” This demonstrates a potential shift for Fox squarely back into the Trump camp after it tried steering away from him. Perhaps antics like these are done deliberately to boost ratings or at least help maintain the network’s current level of viewership.
From yesterday’s show:
WOW: MSNBC surpasses Fox News in ratings for first time in 2+ years
Fox News has reportedly lost its long-standing ratings dominance to MSNBC, according to Nielsen data. MSNBC's primetime viewership narrowly surpassed that of Fox News, which has faced credibility issues and controversies from its coverage of the 2020 election to its recent firing of Tucker Carlson. Nielsen data shows that MSNBC narrowly outperformed Fox News in primetime viewership, with averages of 1.52 million and 1.504 million, respectively. CNN has also had ratings issues as of late, leading to the ousting of its CEO Chris Licht. MSNBC seems to have benefited from the problems faced by both networks. The future of 24-hour news media remains uncertain, with streaming platforms and independent media gaining popularity as alternatives. The seventeen few months leading up to the 2024 election will be crucial in determining the direction of media outlets.
More on the show:
-- Eric Levitz, writer about politics and economics for New York Magazine, joins David to discuss his recent piece “Blaming ‘Capitalism’ Is Not an Alternative to Solving Problems”
-- Republican chaos as another Florida Republican, this time Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, announces he is running for the Republican presidential nomination
-- Fox News interviews 2024 Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie and clearly doesn't want to hear the truth from him
-- Chris Christie surges in the polls from 1% to 1.7%, nearly doubling his support in the 2024 Republican primary
-- Voicemail caller asks whether Chris Christie, if he became the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, would likely defeat Joe Biden
-- On the Bonus Show: Texas prepares for another brutal heat wave, Cornel West also wants Green Party nomination despite running under People's Party, Tesla's self-driving system may not be that great, much more...
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