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Home Trump vs. Obama

Trump vs. Obama

Obama is a coward.

Trump will call someone a name while Obama will anonymously source a smear through three levels of staffers, political allies and reporters. Trump called CNN “Fake News” on camera. Obama sourced Operation Rushbo, targeting Rush Limbaugh, through a variety of White House people and left-wing allies. Trump will boot reporters he doesn’t like. Obama authorized secretly hacking the emails of a FOX News reporter. Trump had an openly hostile conversation with the Prime Minister of Australia. When Obama wanted to call Netanyahu “chickens__t”, he did it by having one of his people anonymously plant it with a reliable media sycophant, The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, before later having a spokesman disavow it. Poultry ordure doesn’t smell any worse than that.

But Obama is very careful to launch dirty attacks without getting any on his hands. The insults are anonymously sourced. The retaliation comes out of the bowels of the bureaucracy. And he only finds out about it from the media. That allows him to retain what he cares about most: his popularity.

Obama and his people like to think that their dishonesty is a superpower. They pat themselves on the back for stabbing everyone else in theirs. Sometimes their smugness over how well they use the media to lie and smear gets out of control. Like the time Obama’s Goebbels, Ben Rhodes, boasted to the New York Times about how easy it was to fool everyone about the deal to protect Iran’s nuclear program.

After Trump won, it was business as usual.

Obama put on his best imitation of decency while his people went on preparing to undermine Trump at every turn by smearing him, wiretapping him and doing everything possible, legally and illegally, to bring him down. It was the same phony act that he had pulled for eight years, bemoaning the lack of bipartisanship while ruling unilaterally as a dictator, destroying the Constitution while hectoring us about our values, denouncing racism while organizing race riots, complaining about the echo chamber while constructing one and lecturing us on civility while smearing anyone who disagreed.

Trump’s killer instinct lies in understanding that hypocrisy conceals weakness. That is what powered him through the primaries and then through an election. His instinct is to grapple directly with a target. That is also the source of his popularity. Meanwhile the source of Obama’s popularity is his hollow likability. He’s likable only because he is almost always too cowardly to say what he really thinks.

Americans have seen the real Trump: because he is, in his own way, always real. Obama is always unreal. When Trump and Obama have appeared together, Obama seemed less real. He is a brand wrapped in all sorts of images that have nothing to do with who he really is.

Trump has always understood that Obama’s bravado was hollow. Obama boasted that he would have defeated Trump. Then he went on to try to do that with attacks from behind the scenes routed through government loyalists and media operatives while pretending that he had nothing to do with any of it.

But Obama and his people had learned nothing from how Trump had won the election. When Trump is attacked, his response is to go directly for the attacker, no matter what the argument is or how it’s sourced. Trump doesn’t get bogged down in debates or befuddled by media echo chambers that are so totally enveloping that they resemble reality. He just smashes past them to the source of the smear.

That is exactly what he did by calling out Obama’s eavesdropping. He bypassed all the layers that Obama had put in place to insulate himself from involvement in the attack, the media echo chamber, the staffers who handed information to the media and the government loyalists who provided the information to the staffers, to strike at the wizard behind the curtain.

And, in doing so, he made a mockery of Obama’s bravado.

When Obama boasted that he could have beaten Trump, he meant that he could have done so using the same tactics that worked so well against McCain and Romney. Like most of the media, he had failed to understand that these tactics don’t work against Trump because he is a moving target. Trump created his own brand. Unlike most presidential candidates, he doesn’t need consultants, and unlike most Republicans, he isn’t worried at all about likability. That’s why he won an election and still has majority support for his policies, including the most controversial ones, despite poor likability.

Obama is obsessed with being liked. In the media space, effective messaging depends on likability. But Trump upended the same formula that had ruled presidential politics since Nixon vs. Kennedy. Instead he casually tosses likability aside to grapple with opponents, rivals and enemies. Trump won this election by forcing opponent after opponent to either fight him on his own terms or back away.

This includes the media, which has tried to grapple directly with him, with disastrous results.

The Obama machine, a massive propaganda matrix that alternates between lying and gaslighting, is not built to handle Trump. And Obama isn’t built to handle Trump either. Obama’s hipster transgressiveness made him seem cool when up against Romney or McCain, but everything Trump does embodies real transgressiveness. The machine is built on limiting the freedom of action of Republicans by intimidating them with political correctness and potential smears. But Trump doesn’t care about any of that.

Trump is willing to throw everything into an attack. Obama’s people build complicated traps that he walks through without thinking twice. Obama plays chess. Trump overturns the board.

Obama’s strategy was to create so much chaos that the White House wouldn’t be able to get anything done. Instead it would ricochet from scandal to scandal. Similar tactics had proven quite effective in the second terms of Reagan and Bush. But Trump thrives on chaos. Many of his supporters want him to be a disrupter. Chaos translates to effectiveness. The more noise he makes, the more he’s changing things.

President Trump has made it clear that in response to these attacks, he will directly challenge Obama. And that breaks down Obama’s entire plan of using proxies to do his dirty work while he gives inspiring speeches. Trump will not let Obama get away with attacking him and then hiding behind phony idealism. And he intends to make the Obama machine into the issue in these attacks.

Obama’s plan involved a gradual emergence to deliver more sanctimonious lectures about “who we are”. It did not involve getting directly into a fight with Trump. But, as his other opponents discovered, Trump doesn’t give you a choice.

The favorite quote of Clinton’s damage control man Chris Lehane came from Mike Tyson. “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” Obama’s people like to think that this is what they’ve done to Republicans, Iran Deal opponents, police officers and even President Trump. But Trump is showing them what the expression really means.

Obama had a plan. Then Trump punched him in the mouth.

The plan to entangle key Trump people in scandals hit a roadblock. Instead the wiretapping accusations have become the issue. And Obama’s people have been forced to come out and offer cautious denials.

And Obama and his dirty tricks have been dragged out from behind the curtain.

Trump and Obama are two very different men. Their personalities, as much as their politics, will define this conflict. The media routinely accuses Trump of having totalitarian instincts. But the true totalitarians are men like Obama those who hypocritically use the machinery of government to go after their opponents while pretending to be virtuous. President Trump has always fought his fights directly.

And the battle for America has only begun.

Comments

  1. Anonymous20/3/17

    Good article. I never could understand why people liked the guy, seen too many guys like him in the locker room after gym class (disgusting), practicing their seduction lines.

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    1. Anonymous21/3/17

      👍👍👍😀👍

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  2. Anonymous20/3/17

    By the way, even in the 1980s, it was well known that since American agencies were prohibited from domestic spying, the Brits did it for us, and if we needed any info we got it from them. And we did the same for them.

    Seems to be just an issue in semantics, "wiretapping" is anachronistic, "eavesdropping" is more accurate. Wiretapping is ancient primitive technology no longer in use for the most part.

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    1. One thing that everyone keeps forgetting about Obozo is he is not black. He is half white

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  3. Anonymous21/3/17

    Brilliant, as usual, Daniel.

    Obama gave us a character insight as soon as he had the bust of Winston Churchill removed from the Oval Office, which was wholly unsurprising.
    By the end of his 8 year term, it was surprising that he didn't have it replaced with that other odious fascist appeaser, Neville Chamberlain.

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  4. "And the battle for America has only begun."

    The battle for America took a major blow in 2008, when the media coaxed the people into thinking they chose Obama, and then came close to being lost when the same scam was pulled four years later.

    Fortunately, enough people noticed the decay and elected a President that is trying to save his country, by battling on several fronts against a well organised and thoroughly indoctrinated minority that controls immense wealth, power, and importantly the easily seduced minds of half the country that still believe they are relevant.

    America's slim chance at survival rests on its people waking up to watch the consequences of another continent, Europe, being betrayed by its own leaders; and then deciding that's not what they want.

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  5. That was so illuminating; thank you.

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  6. Anonymous21/3/17

    Very find piece. And very correct. Obama is, indeed, a coward.

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  7. Obama got away with his scams because the media failed to tell the American people what his administration was doing. They haven't made that mistake with President Trump and now Trump's approval rating is 37% ...exactly what they'd hoped for.

    If they can't get to Trump they'll get to congress, who needs to pass President Trump's agenda. If the President's numbers are in the tank you can bet these chicken's will run as fast as they can, and waiting in the shadows will be the swamp waiting to come in and put the stopper in the drain.


    I'm not counting President Trump out, that is a mistake, I just wish he didn't help the other side so much. The "wiretapping" is getting worse for him by the day. If he has evidence which contradicts Comey's testimony he should show it, otherwise he should shut up and move on. The people need to trust their President, he's not helping on that score.

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  8. Anonymous21/3/17

    Daniel, you had me at "obama is a coward." A lying, sniveling, back stabbing, two faced coward.

    The differences in style between the two men could not be greater. But how many fights can Trump fight simultaneously. No doubt, head to head, Trump would eat obama for breakfast. But obama is a rope-a-dope type fighter. He is not interested in taking a punch and being macho. He would rather by sneaky and stab you in the back. Stabbing you in the back still means that he is the last man standing.

    Which is what we have to prevent.

    Yesterday's Comey hearing did not go well for Trump. obama is too well layered. Judge Napolitano's sources flaked out and both he and Trump now look silly.

    Time to learn from obama and use some pages from his playbook. On the basis that Trump as President can deem a person or entity a threat to national security and order surveillance on them, let the surveillance of obama and soros begin. Order the NSA to turn over all the data that has been collected through obama and soros intercepts. Trump is the President and let him use his awesome power. Then a couple of judicious leaks. After that we will see how well obama can fight a multi front war.

    Speaking of warfare, obama's OFA has something like 30,000 cadre located in many, many cities. Who is paying their salaries, office rent, phone bills, electricity? Is it soros? Follow the money.

    Up till now it has been a mugging of the Right. Now the Fight begins.

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  9. I've read all manner of pro-Trump articles about what the election really means, the defeat of the elite, etc. Yours is the most original and quotable I have encountered. Cheers.

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  10. Anonymous21/3/17

    Another brilliant article to explain what is going on in this country which put a smile on my face. How? You quoted Mike Tyson.

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  11. D.D.Mao21/3/17

    In your recent article above you attempt to compare the two presidents on the same moral equivalency test that the left has been using for decades with the expectation of putting someone on the defense. "Well if you think Trump did something bad how about Obama.?" Having two narcissistic, ego driven personalities running the country should scare us under normal circumstances. But these are times where tribal politics is determined by emotions like a bunch of high school pre-puberty adolescents. There is nothing presidential about these schoolyard attacks on anyone via it through tweets or subordinates. Not to mention anything that comes out of the White House has serious consequences be it political, financial or foreign policy.


    We have so many more pressing issues to discuss than constantly dredging into these unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. Neither Trump nor Obama are "MY" president". The word "MY" signifies possession and not only expects him to look after my needs but is one of the reasons behind this tribalism in America. They are "OUR" president and until we recognize that we will continue electing these incompetent, unprepared empty suit leaders. If you believe lowering your values by joining the "Victim Olympics" with the left is going to going to improve the country then you are sadly mistaken. But by accepting the end justifies the means and electing these two (along with a few others recently )we have already taken the low road. Hopefully history will not compare them on each other but what they accomplished while in office. Some times paranoia keeps you alive and sometimes it keeps you from living.


    "Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I'm contradicted."
    Ralph Waldo Emerson

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  12. D.D.Mao21/3/17

    Thank you Daniel for finally providing proof of "Trump grabbing a pussy" with the picture you enclosed in your above article.

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  13. Thank you. That is exactly why I knew Trump was my guy from day one. I am so tired of politicians as they will never tell you what they really think (if they do think) because they always want to walk the fence so they can lean whichever way the wind is blowing at the time. It is so refreshing to have a straight shooter in the White House.

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  14. Excellent analysis of the match, Daniel.

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  15. Anonymous21/3/17

    When I used to write for a couple of blogs, I was in the occasional habit of plagiarising the brilliantly quotable stuff from others – always with attribution, you understand (Well, most of the time). So much of what you wrote today is theft worthy.

    “Trump is willing to throw everything into an attack. Obama’s people build complicated traps that he walks through without thinking twice. Obama plays chess. Trump overturns the board.”

    “Obama’s plan involved a gradual emergence to deliver more sanctimonious lectures about “who we are”. It did not involve getting directly into a fight with Trump. But, as his other opponents discovered, Trump doesn’t give you a choice.”

    It’s the greatest compliment I can offer: I wish I’d have thought of it first – the insight is dazzling.

    churchill.

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  16. Ditto on the illuminating nature of this article! Brilliant! Obama reminds me of some "mean girls" I knew in high school. Always come out smelling like a rose even though they were behind every nasty thing that happened.

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  17. Anonymous21/3/17

    Brilliant article portraying the true Obama and his despicable minions.

    I came from a communist country and I was able to identify the techniques Obama was using since his campaign in 2008. He was elected by the ignorance and re-elected by the stupidity of misinformed and indoctrinated Americans. Very sad indeed.

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  18. Anonymous, I wish one of you that have lived in one of these Communist countries would write an article on the similarities of government takeover that we are experiencing. I am truly gobsmacked that otherwise intelligent people cannot see where the leftist agenda is leading us. But if it is not obvious after eight years of the odious Obama, I guess personal experience will be their only teacher. God help us.

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  19. Anonymous21/3/17

    Good article Daniel, but I have yet to see you write anything negative about Trump. Shapiro has his "good Trump, bad Trump" meme. You must have your reservations, and if so, it would bode well for you to spell them out sometime. If not, maybe you aren't the individual I thought you were.

    Is it too much to ask for an honest broker in the Whitehouse?

    Obama was awful. I didn't vote for Trump either. Just like Obama, I'll watch Trump to see what he does, not what he says or says he'll do. Sometimes it's been okay, other times he's been a train wreck...his own worst enemy.

    I think America can do better than this, but will we?

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  20. Anonymous21/3/17

    Obama is indeed a coward, liar, gaslighter. Gaslighter is the most telling; he artfully plans and lies with the arrogant expectation that his inferior opponents will doubt their own senses and minds. He is even more disgusting than the lying Clintons.

    I especially love Trump's direct counterattacks for their honesty. I can see Trump is keeping his promises. Trump clears barriers and keeps going. Damn the sourpuss Republican purists who would have preferred a well-mannered loser. I don't expect my every ideological wish to be met, but Trump is the bravest, most noble patriot we've had in my lifetime and I sing his praises.

    ABSJ1136

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  21. Sheesh! Obama...what a slithery!

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  22. Anonymous21/3/17

    Obama revealed much about his character when he trotted out that totalitarian 2008 campaign poster -- an alien thing that could only be favored by a narcissistic candidate and the legion of personality-cultists that elected him. The Kenyan thereafter gave us political insights when he began his reign by violating more than 200 years of American tradition when he ostentatiously bowed before a monarch (and a terror-sponsoring one into the bargain), and ended it (along with the world at some point) with his barely-concealed efforts to usher in an Iranian nuke. Trump would no doubt love to bask in the same glow that came so readily to Obama. He sure could use some of the insulation from criticism that the Kenyan enjoyed for eight years. However, the appeal of such circumstances isn't enough to prompt the president to alter anything about himself. How impolitic. Whereas fey Obama attacks his enemies indirectly via minions and subterfuge; manly Trump counters criticism with the bull-moose recklessness of TR in high dudgeon. Maybe it's something about he fact that both the Hero of San Juan Hill and the Resident of Mar-E-Lago hail from privileged Long Island backgrounds. Anyway, while Obama is as phony as a computer-generated birth certificate; despite his flaws and -- IMO -- some undesirable policies, to Trump goes the refreshing virtue of being authentically Queens-borough-brusque.

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  23. Everything you wrote is absolutely true. Obama is a coward and a bully. I especially enjoyed the visualization of Trump punching Obama in the mouth. Thanks for that.

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  24. In short, Trump is aggressive and Obama is passive-aggressive.

    In 2017, aggressive wins.

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  25. Well done, Daniel Greenfield.

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  26. It is time for a purge. Never thought I would say that. The Democrats are done. They have been reduced to the status of an insane relative mumbling in the corner of a family gathering. The Republican party is split. It's not about the people at all. It's about money and power and control. Obama is not relevant at all. He should be tried as a traitor and executed for what he has done to America. The media is also becoming a side show just like Hollywood with all their posturing...until they realized no one cares what they think. With Trump at least we have a shot at fixing things.

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  27. I really do hope Trump will keep on track. The last couple of weeks I see more and more rotten apples appearing in his security and foreign affair teams. The MacMasters, Pattersons, Ratneys and Lemperts of this world would make fame and fortune in the Obama administration. Is Trump losing his focus? Are his nominees and counselors who surrounded him the wrong pics after all?

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  28. Obama is also a traitor and a pervert. He should always be referred to as The Treasonous Pervert Obama.

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  29. Anonymous23/3/17

    Great article. Finally It has been clearly said. This is a perfect description of both men

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  30. Anonymous23/3/17

    Excellent, excellent piece!
    -Fred

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  31. "When Obama wanted to call Netanyahu “chickens__t”, he did it by having one of his people anonymously plant it with a reliable media sycophant, The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, before later having a spokesman disavow it."

    The only reason I can't say that was Obama's low point is that there were so many others. I was so disgusted I sent Goldberg an e-mail calling him out. Though I think I called him "toady" instead of "sycophant".

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  32. Anonymous24/3/17

    Wonderful!

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  33. Trump is a man. Obama is a metrosexual. The culture hopefully is shifting with the Trump election.

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  34. Anonymous24/3/17

    At the risk of tooting my own horn, I called Obama a coward the moment he became a national name after observing his tactics, phraseology and body language.

    He was the son of an itinerant, grasping, codependent mother and, despite the book title, he grew up essentially fatherless. Like most kids uprooted frequently and especially kids moving between nations and/or continents, Obama learned the cynical art of ingratiating himself with a special focus on adults, teachers, authority figures, etc. They praised this glib sycophant as bright, promising, etc. and his impressionable peers within earshot bought the hype, giving him an easy shortcut to popularity. Nothing really changed between his Hawaii days, his matriculation in lily-white leftist hothouses on both coasts, and his presidential campaigns.

    Sociopaths are as common as swipe cards in DC but Obama is an especially odious kind.

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  35. Anonymous25/3/17

    Wow, an extremely perceptive writer! Amen to every word said in this article! A ''coward'' who provoked a guy with lots of guts, Trump!

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  36. Anonymous31/3/17

    So many bullseyes by Greenfield, also Sophie Maele, yellowbeaver and others. Pervert, coward, metrosexual, vile. 2008 and 2012 were years that American voters abandoned rational self and national interest in favor of Insane Affirmative Action Symbolism. We got precisely the revolting poseur we demanded.

    Add to Trump's courage an amazing sense of timing. Finally we saw the ruin ahead.

    ABSJ1136

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