The New York Post has been one of the few “safe spots” in the media for all MAGAs. The Rupert Murdoch-owned conservative fish wrap was the only media organization that went all-in on the Hunter Laptop story long before there was enough evidence to truly verify the claim.
But the Post has been increasingly critical of Trump. Rupert Murdoch has already told Trump that he cannot support another Trump run. One hopes that Murdoch was only speaking about financial support and not “directing” his media empire. Regardless, the Post had been inching away.
Today the Post tore a seam in an editorial that shreds Trump, one that is especially cutting given it is coming from “within” the MAGA family. Trump should have braced for cover upon reading the title: Don’t Give Any Money to Con Artist Trump, and then it got real:
When Donald Trump teased a “major announcement” Wednesday, the MAGA boards went crazy with speculation. He’s going to be the next speaker of the House! He’s enlisted Ron DeSantis to be his vice presidential candidate! He’s finally found that voter fraud he’s been promising for two years! But no, it was a digital card collection of Trump dressed up like a superhero. In other words, another money grab.
It is humiliating that it wasn’t just the MAGAs that fell for it. Even the staff here (Or at least me) fell for it. Ironically, as I said on Wednesday, if there ever was a time when he needed a major announcement to break out of Mar-a-Lago, where he’s basically barricaded himself since the mid-terms, it was this week. Now, he’s done until after Christmas. Even the MAGAs will have more time with friends and family than worrying about Trump. Oh, and here is Trump as a Texas Ranger. Superhero:
Back to the editorial:
He raised nearly $100 million promising to “stop the steal” and spent almost none of it because he knew, despite his rhetoric, that there was no steal. He sent emails about how important the midterms were, then banked most of what he raised for his endorsed candidates. How many of his donors, tired of all this “winning” and burned by “major announcements” of the least desirable Pokémon, will finally send those email pleas to spam?
It would seem like quite a few, given that Trump is reduced to selling NFTs. Somehow, I got on Trump’s email list (On my honor, I didn’t sign up for it), and he was trying to sell me Trump wrapping paper this morning. I will not be sending him money.
Last line: Fool us once, shame on you. Fool us 1,438 times, and it may finally be too much.
There will be 20-40% of Republicans who will never give up the dream, but they’re a shrinking minority. They are actually tired of all this “winning.”
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[email protected], @JasonMiciak, SUBSTACK: Much Ado
One thing we should remember: right now, what’s left of Murdoch’s empire is having to answer for claims against Dominion voting systems in court. And Rupert himself got deposed in that case, something he was likely none too happy about. In earlier times, he’d have had his people ignore this embarassing a fail as the trading cards. Now, with Trump’s existence threatening to destroy 40 years of conservative hegemony, Murdoch probably wants his people to destroy this fool.
I think you’re on to something important. Fox made Trump. All that free airtime amount to upwards of a billion dollars in advertising for his 2016 campaign – under the guise of “news” coverage. Hannity was in truth an actual advisor Trump spoke with almost daily to either get advice or bounce stuff off of or both. Remember “Somebody please call Hannity!”? Others at Fox were also de facto advisors, and one could make a case they were the real WH Communications operation. That’s a lot of dirty laundry Murdoch doesn’t want aired. But attempts to buy off Dominion with a huge settlement which might even include a real apology from each of the three hour White Power Hour evening hosts on their shows (probably a condition Dominion would demand and which Murdoch would grant if it made this go away) hasn’t done the trick. Dominion actually seems to have a solid case. One that can meet the Sullivan standard and appears determined to go to trial.
Maybe several billion and that apology, with maybe repeats at least once a week over a month or so’s time might do the trick. And I think even though it would actually financially hurt Murdoch and his empire more than a little he might wind up doing it. And on top of that still have to shell out many tens of millions if not hundreds of millions in court fight trying to protect his “journalists” from having to testify in criminal proceedings on “First Amendment” grounds!
“There will be 20-40% of Republicans who will never give up the dream, but they’re a shrinking minority. They are actually tired of all this “winning.””
Um, I don’t quite get this. Trump has consistently maintained a base of GOP voters in that 20-40% range since 2018 so I don’t really see where this number is a “shrinking minority.” This number should be emboldened (by stealth Democrats–unlike all the “AntiFa” people responsible for 1/6) to ensure the GOP vote gets split in 2024–at least on the Presidential level. I don’t really see the House or Senate races benefiting UNLESS the winning GOP candidates are seen by Trump’s rabid supporters as insufficiently MAGA; the MAGA-backed candidates might be ineligible to get on the ballots as independents or part of a MAGA Party depending on state requirements and “sore loser” rules (think a reverse of the Liz Cheney situation) but they could certainly press for write-in campaigns OR the voters could just stay home. But, anything that causes a strong enough rift in the GOP vote could lead to a lot of surprise wins for the Democrats.
Especially of late he has been sliding in polls. Just 31% wanting to see him run again. Nearly 2/3rds not wanting him to run. DeSantis beating him in these polls, Two stories today, the NYP saying don’t give him anymore money, Bannon saying he can’t take this any longer. Trump can’t even break 40% in comparison to DeSantis.
I’m not about to check, but I wonder if Trump’s collection included a “Samurai Trump” – if so then one could say the NY Poste disemboweled him with his very own sword!
No. He was a super-hero boxer, a regular super-hero cape, the astronaut, no Samari, though I skipped two bc I didn’t want to wait for ads.
Does anyone else think that possibly the “trading cards” are another vehicle for money laundering? As in possibly he “sold” classified info but then didn’t have a means of collecting the cash? Just low-key wondering here ‘cuz I have had enough of all the antics.
It hadn’t occurred to me and that’s embarrassing. Trump made his rise laundering money. There is no indication he would stop. Last, the cards sold out last night even though they were being mocked by conservatives on Twitter, so… I am embarrassed. There is an element of “Of course it is…” even though I can’t prove it.
How can they sell out when they are digital? Did they have a limit of how many sales they would do? How???
I just read that not only did they sell out, but that there’s a secondary market and a bidding war going on for one (don’t know which) that is already up to $24,000. I’m guessing at least half those sales were by people who hate the guy but know they’ll make bank off his sheeple and are now selling them for a huge profit.
The whole thing confuses me because I thought NFTs couldn’t be transferred or re-sold.
Not entirely sure, but I think there is a situation that when NFTs are sold that the original creator/seller actually can receive a cut of the new sale. Manna from heaven for someone like tRump, and NO fingerprints!
ALL NFTs are scams! Come On! You are supposed to pay real money for something that you are told is unique, but its digital. Being digital means that the NFT costs like 1 billionth of a penny, and can be easily duplicated billions or trillions of times!
And Traitor Tot as a “superhero”?!?! ROFLMAO!!!!!