by Jack Neworth
“Everything Trump Touches Dies”
In 2018, longtime high-level Republican strategist Rick Wilson wrote a stinging and yet remarkably funny New York Times best-selling book about Trump with the concise and powerful title listed above. The paperback has just been released with not to be missed updated material. The commentary includes Wilson's take on the Democratic sweep of the mid-terms, the gloomy future of the GOP and the country as a whole.
The updated material also includes a poignant anecdote from 2018. Because of a delayed flight, Wilson was stuck at a crowded Charlotte airport. Ordering fast food he winds up sharing a hard to find table with an immigrant woman from Liberia. (Or as Trump might say, “a shi*hole country.”) Her tale in this dark era, might bring tears to your eyes. It certainly did mine.
But first, I digress to Trump's bizarre, rambling and almost incoherent 2-hour+ speech/horror show at the CPAC convention last Saturday, where the audience actually cheered the mention of John McCain's death. (Can you say “sick?”)
Trump's seemingly endless diatribe rivaled Fidel Castro and other infamous autocrats. It's actually the longest presidential oration in history, if you can call it oration. It only served to confirm my long held view that not only is Trump a shameful president and human being, but he's clearly emotionally disturbed.
Admittedly, Trump had a rough week leading up to CPAC. To begin with, Trump's “big” Summit #2 in Vietnam with Kim Jong-un was a predictable disaster. (Ironic that Trump avoided Vietnam by draft dodging and yet, when he finally goes there, he gets killed back in the U.S.)
At the same time, Michael Cohen testified before Congress that Trump is “a cheat, a con artist and a racist.” (Is that all?) And the GOP congress didn't really deny it. Instead, they brought out a black woman who merely stood there as they offered the “I have a black friend so I can't be racist” defense.
Another irony of sorts, is that CPAC used to be a “family and Christian values” conservative organization. That said, Trump probably violates half of the 10 Commandments on a daily basis. Go figure.
Trump's speech was weird from the jump. Basking in the approval from the moment he came on stage, Trump eyed an American flag in the corner. He proceeded to hug it like it was mommy's dress and he was two. (Except a two-year-old doesn't use gobs of hair spray to cover bald spots or Bronzer make-up designed to give that “sun-kissed” glow but, with Trump, leaves white bags under his eyes and a raccoon-look.)
As for the flag embrace, we've never seen Trump hug Melania like that. Colin Jost of Saturday Night Live compared Trump to Lennie in “Of Mice and Men” petting his mouse. (And we all know how that ended.)
I've often referred to Trump as the “Mango Mussolini.” If you turned the sound off during his rant, Benito is exactly who he looked like, minus the helmet. Trump's facial expressions changed so radically as he mocked his myriad of enemies, he looked downright schizophrenic. (With sound, as Bill Maher often says, “He's just a whiny little bitch.”)
Back to Rick Wilson, who's the opposite of a liberal. As he puts it, “I'm an American first, a conservative second and a Republican third.” Having worked in the Bush 41 administration, with his remarkable wit and writing skills, for thirty years he's been
an extraordinarily effective GOP hatchet man and negative ad guru.
Wilson eviscerates Trump's ego issues, staggering ineptitude and colossal ignorance. Wilson's of the opinion that the presidency reveals the character of the person in the White House, or, in Trump's the lack thereof.
Wilson's rough on the Democrats, too, however, and the worst part is, it kind of rang true. “Democrats are forever snatching defeat from the jaws of victory,” was just one of many jabs directed at the left.
Among my favorite chapters in this clearly well-researched and surprisingly funny book is “Trump's Island of Misfit Toys.” In it, Wilson uses his insider knowledge and biting wit to describe the ludicrous cast of characters in Trump's administration.
Wilson writes, “Steve Bannon looks like the spokesmodel for a new line of gout medication.” Paul Manafort, “Crooked, corrupting, utterly amoral, a perfect fit for Trump.” Stephen Miller, “He's the thinking man's racist on Team Trump. Brilliant, dangerous and also needs to spend a week getting laid.” (Enough Trump supporters have threatened Wilson and his family that he now carries a concealed gun, is thoroughly trained and serious.)
Kirkus Reviews writes, “Wilson's insider take is hilarious, smartly written and usually spot-on. Somebody had to do it.” I wholeheartedly agree. Plus, you don't want to miss the end of the book. It's enough to give you hope.
“Everything Trump Touches Dies” is available at Amazon or wherever books are sold. Rick Wilson is at Twitter @TheRickWilson. Jack is at Jackdailypress@aol.com.
