Best election race ever!!

[demi-conservative]

Here’s the set-up:

1. The mainstream media knows they are smarter than Donald Trump. They see evidence of this truth all the time, although much of that evidence is confirmation bias.

Then…

2. Trump does something smart – accusing Obama and Clinton of being “founders” of ISIS. This is a clever way to get the world to debate Clinton and Obama’s ineffectiveness during a time when ISIS expanded. In other words, it is brilliant media manipulation, and it worked.

3. CNN and other Clinton supporters interpret Trump’s statement about ISIS as absurd and uninformed because they can’t imagine a scenario in which Trump does something brilliant. Trump being brilliant isn’t one of the options, as far as they know.

The reality of Trump’s clever persuasion is crystal-clear to anyone who thinks Trump is smart. Trump was clearly joking about the “founder” part to get people squawking, and it worked. Total success. Brilliant technique.

Now the media has a big problem. They can’t admit that they were extraordinarily dumb in this situation and Trump was brilliant. That reality is invisible to them because it doesn’t fit their worldview.

So…cognitive dissonance happens.

This is a textbook set-up for cognitive dissonance. The facts we observe (Trump is smart, the media is gullible) is opposite of the media’s worldview in which they are smart and Trump is uninformed. So what do they do?

They act as if Trump is the dumb one in this situation. Because that fits their worldview.

And…they…fact-check his claim.

Meanwhile, the unhypnotized laugh themselves into a stupor watching this spectacle of cognitive dissonance. Humor aside, it is a marvelous and incredible thing to behold.

One of my smartest friends just emailed me to say he thinks Trump really believes that Obama and Clinton “founded” ISIS. My friend has a very high IQ and he’s well-informed. But cognitive dissonance isn’t influenced by intelligence. He believes whatever fits his worldview. Just like the rest of us.

The fun part is that we can see cognitive dissonance when it happens to others – such as with my friend, and CNN – but we can’t see it when it happens to us. So don’t get too smug about this. You’re probably next.

I think this story will end up in psychology textbooks. You rarely see such a clean example of cognitive dissonance in public.

Oh, and Trump hates babies, and he also wants a 2nd amendment supporter to assassinate his opponent. As long as the media is being dumbasses, they might as well fact-check that stuff too.

I have never been so entertained.

http://blog.dilbert.com/post/1488446...ap-of-all-time

[seanD]

I don't agree. He had an opportunity to lay into Hillary with that one. He had her on the ropes and could have brutalized her like he brutalized Jeb during the primaries. The look on Jeb's face when he attacked his brother was classic, and many could justifiably argue that that was a pivotal point of Jeb's election downfall, even in spite of the fact they obviously had Bush fanboy hecklers in the audience. But in this case, he not only blinked by claiming he was being sarcastic, but since he put the focus on Obama instead of Hillary, he allowed the liberal MSM the upper-hand by defending Obama. I honestly can't find any other reason why the heck he backtracked.

[demi-conservative]

I don't agree. He had an opportunity to lay into Hillary with that one. He had her on the ropes and could have brutalized her like he brutalized Jeb during the primaries.

I'm not sure we disagree much. Opening blow was good, but follow-through sucked!!

I think it's his handlers. He should listen less to them, and more to his own gut.

[demi-conservative]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYNuiSpumoQ



Maybe NYT and Wapo should factcheck claim about mother!!!

[Cow Poke]

I'm not sure we disagree much. Opening blow was good, but follow-through sucked!!

I think it's his handlers. He should listen less to them, and more to his own gut.

Naw, I think he is so fixated on getting applause and adoration from his rallies he really doesn't care about the "bigger picture". He hasn't caught on to the fact that he needs to stop "playing to the primaries" and start playing to the general.

[Terraceth]

I think Scott Adams gives Trump a lot more credit than he deserves for these dumb statements by him being some kind of Machiavellian scheme on his part.

But more importantly, even if Trump is saying these things as a carefully calculated way to manipulate the media into increasing his popularity... his popularity polls aren't improving as a result.

[seanD]

I think Scott Adams gives Trump a lot more credit than he deserves for these dumb statements by him being some kind of Machiavellian scheme on his part.

But more importantly, even if Trump is saying these things as a carefully calculated way to manipulate the media into increasing his popularity... his popularity polls aren't improving as a result.

I actually think the cognitive dissonance is being displayed in Adams. He supports Trump, so this is his way of dealing with and explaining away Trump's antics.

[JimL]

Trump may not be dumb, but he understands where the far right mind is, and thats what he is banking on. Of course he doesn't believe half the things he says, but he knows that his audience will.

[demi-conservative]

But more importantly, even if Trump is saying these things as a carefully calculated way to manipulate the media into increasing his popularity... his popularity polls aren't improving as a result.

Polls often manipulated, especially when there's conflict of interest!! (*cough cough Brexit*)

[demi-conservative]

Trump may not be dumb, but he understands where the far right mind is, and thats what he is banking on.

Given wide appeal of Trump, he understands where many many Americans are at, and so many many buy what he's saying, not just far right!!!

[Cow Poke]

Trump may not be dumb, but he understands where the far right mind is, and thats what he is banking on. Of course he doesn't believe half the things he says, but he knows that his audience will.

Then there's Hillary, the pathological liar who will say absolutely anything to get elected, and who really has no core beliefs.

[Cow Poke]

Given wide appeal of Trump, he understands where many many Americans are at, and so many many buy what he's saying, not just far right!!!

Trump was doing much better when he was on his anti-politically correct screed. That was really resonating.

[demi-conservative]

Trump was doing much better when he was on his anti-politically correct screed. That was really resonating.

???

You said earlier that Trump should move on from "playing to the primaries". When he did anti-PC stuff that was primary playing. And now you want him to move back??

[Cow Poke]

???

You said earlier that Trump should move on from "playing to the primaries". When he did anti-PC stuff that was primary playing. And now you want him to move back??

He had a consistent message that resonated with a lot of people. It's not just conservatives who are tired of all the politically correct nonsense. He was saying what so many were thinking. Now he's back to pandering to his crowds, and has lost that message.

[demi-conservative]

He had a consistent message that resonated with a lot of people. It's not just conservatives who are tired of all the politically correct nonsense. He was saying what so many were thinking. Now he's back to pandering to his crowds, and has lost that message.

I'm not sure what you want him to say! Or whether you know what Trump has been saying recently, beside what liberal media highlight!

Eg: some other post you said Trump should be hitting media. He is, just that for somestrange reason liberal media don't like to report much that, you know, they being accused of big bias!! Again, I'm not sure what you want from Trump.