While watching Donald Trump on the news the other night, it occurred to me that “trump” has two very different meanings.
As a noun, it’s often used as any playing card in a suit that outranks the other suits at the time the cards are being played. You can argue, I suppose, that Donald Trump is a trump card in the business world – a wealthy businessman whose imprint his all over the place – Trump Towers, Mar del Lago, and, of course, he’s the star of The Apprentice, for which he’s supposedly paid $3 million an episode.
Then there’s the other definition of trump, as in trump up. When used like this, as a verb, it means to devise deceitfully, to fabricate, to lie. For the past several weeks, Trump the guy who has a bad hair day every day, has been on every talk show trumping up charges against Obama – that he wasn’t born in the U.S., that he isn’t an American citizen, and why doesn’t he show his birth certificate and put the whole issue to reset?
What I find so interesting about this spectacle is that John McCain, white man born in Panama, was never asked to show his birth certificate, to prove his citizenship. So, there seems to be two sets of rules here – one for an African-American, another for a Caucasian.
Well, today, April 27, Trump was trumped: Obama released his birth certificate – the long form, the form that states “certification of live birth.” His attorney flew to Hawaii to get it – not a taxpayer funded trip, but paid for from Obama’s personal funds.
In 2008, the document that was released was a “certificate” that clearly indicated Obama was born on August 4, 1961 in the Kapiolani Maternity and Gynecological Hospital in Honolulu. Never mind that it’s a legal document and is what anyone born in Hawaii receives when requesting birth documents. For the birthers, the certificate wasn’t proof and with windbag Trump taking up their cause, the White House apparently decided to put the issue to rest .
Trump, realizing he had been trumped by Obama, immediately held a press conference and took credit for getting the administration to release the birth certificate. He then appointed himself judge and jury. “We have to examine it to make sure it’s valid, but we hope it is so we can move on to the real important issues.” Really? Important issues? Like what?
Well, Trump then continued to one of the important issues: Obama has no past and how can a man with no past have gotten into Columbia and then into Harvard? Translated: How did this black man get into those schools? As Chris Matthews commented on Hard Ball, Trump seemed to be comparing Obama to Don Draper, the secretive protagonist of Mad Men.
So, let’s see. Trump wants Obama’s college and law school transcripts. What’s next? His marriage certificate? Michelle’s birth certificate? Birth certificates for his daughters? The real issue here for Trump is: How did that black guy get into a better college than I did? How did this black guy get into the most prestigious law school in the country? How did that black guy write his own books?
Trump the Chump has given a megaphone to the blatant racism of the birthers. And who, exactly, would vote for this loser? And why would NBC renew this guy’s contract?
I don’t know if Trump is racist, but the voters he is courting probably are to a great degree. In this sense, he’s trumping the other candidates by being the only one willing to risk appearing insane to the electorate at large in order to gain control of the true believers. In my opinion, he’s completely amoral–right and wrong doesn’t matter, only what works for him matters.
I take solace in that he, apparently, thinks whatever that is on top of his head is working for him, so maybe he isn’t as effective as he thinks he is.
Totally agree!
It’s getting so I can’t even stomach looking at the man.
Racism is not new in America. It has been with us since white men first landed here and stole the land from the Native American “heathens” and had them placed in internment camps, where so many of them withered and died. White men then of course trafficked in slave ships, sailing to Africa and bringing back black men, women, and children, which they sold into slavery….and the “masters” used the women cruelly and had children with them, etc. The KKK formed, no need to even discuss that. I feel certain a man we call Wubbya has a white pointed hat hidden away in his closet and still brings it out on occasion, because that KKK entity remains alive and well and active. White supremacy began in other countries and came here with the white man. Racism has gotten worse, not better, although the laws have changed, people have not. We seem to be digressing instead of progressing. As a little girl I was raised in Montgomery, Alabama, in the 1950s, and witnessed MLK. We lived directly across the street from the then-governor’s mansion. He was “Big Jim Folsom”, and I played with his children and was often inside the mansion. He was the worst of the worst white racist. Moving to S.CA when I was a teen, the racism there was from the whites against the Mexicans. It never stops. I find comfort in the knowledge that the hate mongers will someday return in different colored bodies of the people they despise and kill. Karmic justice prevails.
This is a bit strange. Just got an email from another commentator who said: Hi guys, I am unable to comment on your Donald Duck er Trump post. It says that there is a banned phrase found. Anyway, I read it and he is despicable.
When we posted a comment outside the dashboard, we didn’t have a problem. Today, it seems that google has changed a rule: you an only comment on other blogs if you have a gmail account. Big brother?
what??? well, bigbrother, no big surprise – we all know he’s everywhere including our closets – but do you suppose google has become a part of the tarnished trumpster? wouldn’t that just be something!!!
Did you get some weird error message, friend of Nica? Google’s do no harm mantra is PR, nothing more.
amen, sista’! uh, cousin!!! 😉 girl, i could tell some stories, too! we should co-author a book! 😉
i guess that would be co-cousin a book!
Now THAT would be a book!!
Thanks for your article……….well said! I’ve been very dismayed by the racism, and intolerance, that so divides our country now – the spectre of Donald Trump running for office is weird indeed.
I have for years found it sad that Donald Trump is so admired and given so much attention. What does he really represent, other than a boundless greed for money and power, and, of course, racism? To me he represents all the dark sides of capitalism. And he’s admired for what? Not humanitarianism, as some of the very wealthy, such as Bill and Melinda Gates have turned to. Not any protection of the environment or the future. Not, certainly, his intellect, or his aesthetics. Only that he’s been ruthless enough to become rich.
This entire thing is sad.
One should be able to disagree and not be labeled. I am sure that many Tea Party people are not racist just frustrated.
I remember seeing an interview of two lovely, well educated black women who were being harassed because they were not supporting Obama, they were for H. Clinton.
I don’t like what has happened in our country, people pointing fingers at others and accusing people of things and making incorrect assumptions.
Trump is a terrible business man, many bankruptcies, business plans where he bullied people so badly they walked out of deals, and how many wives?
And why would NBC renew this guy? Ratings and Money, he is making his
announcement about whether he will run on his season finale!
This is all just typical Trump. We all just ignore him up here.
why does anyone even watch that show? Beyond me.
As I am not in possession of my long form birth certificate, (only a recent cert. of live birth) the whole birther thing really annoys me.
The spectacle of racism in American politics has given me moments of despair. I actually thought America had become better than that, more mature somehow. I was delusional. It’s always painful come face to face with your delusions.
Being in an interracial marriage, my husband and I witness these attitudes daily. In this way, it is worse now than it was 10 years ago.
The Southern Poverty Law Center (civil rights group and white supremacist watchdog) has traced the inception of the Tea Party back to racists roots. That’s why the trumpsters and tea puppets have their double standards. (Palin’s college diploma in journalism has never been found, btw.) Trump’s point about Obama “coming from nowhere” probably means “he doesn’t have connections”. Trump’s whole empire is a nepotism-and-“good ole boy”-based network.
very very sadly racism is alive and rears its ugly head everywhere in every way conceivable – the father of my beautiful little grandson is south american – colombian – and has a gorgeous skin tone much like many gringos laying out tanning on miami beaches – my little grandson has cafe latte skin [my nickname for it!] which is so beautiful – and he has thick thick curly curly hair which is left a bit long – he is gorgeous! – in any event, many times when he is out with his very pale skinned european lineaged mom, passersby will say things like, “oh, he’s so pretty – is he MIXED?” or some other insulting remark – to which my daughter, without missing a beat replies, “mixed with WHAT?” – anyway, could not help responding to your comment, d!
My daughter was born before I married Larry, who is African American. She 7 when we married. He calls her his daughter, publicly (she’s as pale as me). The both of them find people’s reaction amusing. “How did she get so white?” Or the stunned “You did say you are her father, right?”
And he has been. He bio dad has not been available to her. This “black guy” IS her dad. She feels blessed.
I think it’s great! And it’s pathetic that racism is still so prevalent in this country. How many decades has it been since the KKK ruled the south?
The birth certificate has also been in the UK newspapers today – surely an end to the matter. As for Trump I personally can’t take him seriously with that hairstyle – but there again I don’t have to unless, that is, he ends up at the White House.
Really. It’s the hair!
The birth certificate now has spawned twenty new conspiracies by the far right nuts, according to Before It’s News. Take a look.
Unbelievable!
https://beforeitsnews.com/story/595/434/Obama_s_Birth_Certificate:Top_20_Conspiracy_Theories_That_Have_Already_Sprung_Up.html
Racist-in-chief Conspirator-General David Icke says the birth certificate is a fraud.
https://www.redicecreations.com/
David Icke was once arrested and charged for taking money from people under fraudulent circumstances. . They paid him to talk to Jesus.
He’s having allot of fun fleecing people and duping them.
Great post!! Loved this. LMAO this morning reading this. Trump is a total bafoon! First off…why would anyone be interested in him as a presidential candidate is beyond me. It’s like a circus act….like something out of Ricky Jay’s Journal of Anomalies. A freak show! Distractions from the real issues.
freak show. Well put! Firefox is preventing posting on blogger blogs. Tried to get onto yours today, kept getting error message.
You nailed it, cousin! Very well said! Love the ‘3-hair’ bit. We know that HAS to be a hairpiece, right, and a poor one, at that. Humph. He’s such an egotistical, loud-mouth jerk. A laughing stock, for sure. Would love to see a big gust of wind come along unexpectedly and blow that hairpiece off!! Can you see it! What fun that would be!
senarios like this Donald (quack,, like a fox) Obama,, as I they wanted Osama and got instead,, is all so theatrical.. When did the prez ident come to this area.. 4-20 dah! but the story went like this,,, the duck was the one used to call Mr. President out,, he was used to get the paper work shown….. that’s my guess anyway.. but for more important matters only 23 days left gotta type fast,, problem figuring what to rigth about!!!!!
OMG!!! YOU ARE SO RIGHT ABOUT THE 3HAIRED TRUMP! you said it all!!! well, almost all – check this out: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/donald-trump-filed-bankruptcy-times/story?id=13419250
i’m just wondering why, if he filed FOUR corporate bankruptcies, he would put himself on the front burner to RUN A COUNTRY anywhere besides straight to deeper poverty – obviously, he didn’t listen well in any economics classes he “might” have taken at a “university” – and i’ve not seen his transcripts, have you???
and then, there’s the little thing of his lineage – german grandparents – does that mean he’s a NAZI? by HIS thinking, it would – his grandfather came here in 1885 and did not become a citizen until 1892 – allegedly, became a citizen, that is – i mean, i haven’t seen any actual proof of that – his mother was born in scotland – oh, dear, the citizenship questions!!!
well, you can see the tower of trump questions just grows and grows –
😉
I would suggest that someone totally hounds Donald trump and digs up his multitude of indiscretions, except that I really don’t want to know anything more about the man. He is the sideshow and an unworthy distraction. Obscurity would be the best place for him. I wish the press would just ignore him.
Sadly, I have been in several areas of the country where people, even black people, believe this smear campaign whether it be race or religious faith that they are twisting to their purpose. We have become a nation of Enquiring minds.
Trump is such a loud-mouth, uncouth jerk. My husband said years ago that he is also not a very good businessman – and has walked on obligations to banks on at least one of his buildings. The man hasn’t a chance at the the White House. He needs to go back to his gilded (gross!) tower and concentrate on his reality show.
He apparently went bankrupt a couple of times.
Hi Rob and Trish,
I especially enjoyed your discussion of the meaning of the word “trump.” Trump has been trumped! I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately – so here you are – the best mind readers!
Each day brings a new trumped up something from him!