The New York Times says James Comey’s new book, A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, offers “little in the way of hard new revelations” but many sensitive observations about the character of the man occupying the White House made by the FBI director whom that man fired for declining to kiss his ring.
One observation that stands out is the fact that Donald Trump doesn’t laugh:
Comey is what Saul Bellow called a “first-class noticer.” He notices, for instance, “the soft white pouches under” Trump’s “expressionless blue eyes”; coyly observes that the president’s hands are smaller than his own “but did not seem unusually so”; and points out that he never saw Trump laugh — a sign, Comey suspects, of his “deep insecurity, his inability to be vulnerable or to risk himself by appreciating the humor of others, which, on reflection, is really very sad in a leader, and a little scary in a president” [Michiko Kakutani, “James Comey Has a Story to Tell. It’s Very Persuasive,” New York Times, 2018.04.12].
Comey isn’t the first person to notice Trump’s seeming joylessness. The Nation noticed his lack of good humor in 2016, and elaborated on the psychological conclusions Comey now tenders:
…Trump needs to be the center of attention and dominate everyone in his midst. It’s these very compulsions that may be stifling his laughter. He is always the star, not the spectator; the performer, not the audience. The audience laughs at the star’s shtick—with rare exceptions (see above), he doesn’t laugh at theirs. And whether the venue is a town hall, a debate stage, or Chuck Todd’s set, to Trump everyone is an audience.
The very physiology of deep laughter in response to humor (as opposed to polite laughter to keep things friendly) signals vulnerability: your muscles relax, your cheeks might flush, you lose control. Trump doesn’t seem to give up that kind of control.
…Another possible explanation for Trump’s laugh deficit: The less honest you are with yourself, the less likely you are to laugh.
That’s what Robert Lynch, an anthropologist at the University of Missouri, and evolutionary biologist Robert Trivers at Rutgers University, found and published in a 2012 paper, “Self-deception inhibits laughter.”
“There’s a huge correlation showing that people who score high in self-deception laugh less,” Lynch told me. Furthermore, he said, “there’s a pretty robust correlation between self-deception and an inflated ego, or unwarranted high self-esteem. Some of the self-deception is telling yourself that you’re greater, more powerful, smarter than you are” [Leslie Savan, “Have You Ever Seen Donald Trump Laugh?” The Nation, 2016.09.26].
Online observers generally point to this video from the campaign of Trump’s reaction to a coarse audience joke as a rare example of a public yukkity-yuk from The Donald:
And again, enjoying audience rage at the Clintons:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ1byBVme5M
I invite the link war of evidence to the contrary, but it seems Trump suffers from the bully’s impulse, unable to laugh except at the tearing down of someone else.
So how much did Barack Obama laugh?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-z6IPSN6Bo
Barack Obama governed seriously, but he showed with his laughter (not to mention his sincerity) that he enjoyed the job and the people around him. Donald Trump shows neither seriousness nor enjoyment in his job, only perpetual, dour vindictiveness.
Read “The Difficult Case of Donald Trump”. That tells it all.
There’s a national bad mood that reflects the whole sordid mess.
Operation Desert Stormy as trump wags the dog in Syria. Cohen is in deep with trump corruption proof so yeah, there is only one thing to do, bomb some donkey’s.
McCabe. . . Comey, Rybicki, Baker; Strzok, Page, Laufman, Kortan, Yates, Shaub as the henchmen of the previous administration are fired and soon charged the swamp slowly releases its smell. Yes, the last administration was poisoned, corrupt, evil but there will be a cleansing and with that we can only pray the rule of equality in the eyes of the law will return.
Perhaps you mean prey, old sarge. You and yours prey on the poor, the disabled, the veterans and the elderly to name a few. The sooner the better for the kind of leadership we have seen lately in Washington to just go to hell where they belong.
Sorry Jerry. They are corrupt. The whole lot of them. Ask Ted Stevens’s family about the DoJ’s corruption and lies. Ask Frank Quattrone about the DoJ’s corruption and lies. Ask Cliven Bundy about the DoJ’s corruption and lies.
This is who you place your trust in for your monthly check, your EBT card, your health insurance. These are the reasons you will continue to defend them. You have sold your soul to line your pocket and fill your belly. You will not last long when the well goes dry.
Trump cult members have received their talking points, the republican National Committee opened a website to counter the release of Comey’s book.
Trump culters have been ordered to blame Hillary, President Obama, and anybody remotely connected to them by calling them crooks, corrupt, and the inevitable “lock them up”.
As usual, they are blind to the fact that Obama is no longer president and Hillary is no longer Secretary of State or a 2020 presidential candidate.
The Trump culters are hanging all their hopes and dreams on the Dept. of Justice IG report.
Robert Mueller isn’t investigating President Obama, Hillary, or anybody else on the culters wish list, he is investigating Trump, the Trump campaign, Trump’s Russian connection, and Cohen, just to name a few.
The Trump culters will continue their attempt to distract and deflect from Trump’s legal problems with trite and silly comments, blame anybody and everybody for Trump’s crimes and charges against Democrats that aren’t under investigation and are not collaborated.
As most of us have predicted, Trump decided to go to war as another distraction from his impeachment problems by pretending to care for the welfare of the children of Syria, oddly he doesn’t share his care with the children of Parkland school that were victims of the recent mass school shooting.
This is meant to be funny. But, who cares because South Dakotans don’t laugh, anyway.
(i.e.)
-SoDakers love Trump.
-Trump is German.
-SoDakers are mostly German or have been around enough Germans that it’s rubbed off and made German the dominant culture.
-Trump doesn’t laugh.
-SoDakers love that Trump doesn’t laugh. It helps build an identity for those who only find humor in the pain of others.
-There’s a reason only three USA Presidents have been of German heritage.
-Americans love to laugh.
-Americans don’t love Trump.
https://www.weeklystandard.com/joshua-gelernter/why-dont-germans-laugh
Oglalas guffaw.
Rhoden is an Englishman.
Hear Rhoden laughing.
Oglalas guffaw?
I needed 5 syllables, Mr. C. I started with “Norskies and Oglala…” but realized Oglala is a cool word with 3 syllables all by itself. Guffaw means to laugh heartily, like the Germans that Mr. Lansing seems to think infest our state do not do.
The Norskies guffaw
with German-like glee and mirth
while the Irish dance.
Grudzie, old bloke. Not surprised you missed the crux of the biscuit from Mr. Heidelberger and me. Germans DO laugh, once in a while and so does your President. But since it’s rare to hit yourself in the face with a pie they can’t laugh at themselves. But should anyone be in pain or be having hard times, they’ll find that quite funny. In Europe it’s said that Germans do laugh. They just go into the basement so no one sees they actually have normal emotions. #goat
That is very funny. Cruxes of biscuits and laughing in the basement, indeed.
Mr. Lansing, my limerick caused two of your goats to voluntarily surrender themselves, like the French. You just don’t recognize when I get them because you count with French math.
grudz,
You didn’t get my goat at all, you limerick simply didn’t make sense.
Sometimes my limericks don’t, Mr. C. I wasn’t aiming at your goat, by the way. He’s a nice goat.
… and if there’s anyone in South Dakota with sense, it’s Mr. Cornelius. There’s been such a brain drain of the “best and brightest” for at least seventy years that over the age of twenty five what’s left is simply a depleted gene pool of ignorance, garnished with German stubbornness. It only makes sense that Republicans are the majority. That’s Republican’s core personality.
Maybe everyone should have the option to vote where they live OR vote where they grew up. Seems like proper distribution of intellect, to me.
Thanks Porter, but I’m no young feller anymore, I’m like George Burns, when I bend over to tie my shoes in the morning I stay down there awhile to see what else needs doing.
Your take on German humor, or the lack of it, is intriguing. The more I think about the Germans I’ve known, the truer it is.
Indians have used their humor as a means of survival for decades, it is wry and often times non-Indians don’t understand it. Indians know that for their humor to be effective, you have to be able to make fun of yourself, something Trump doesn’t know how to do.
As further evidence of Trump’s lack of humor, for the second year he is skipping the White House Correspondence Dinner later this month. At President Obama’s last Correspondence Dinner he was merciless on Trump without being mean or vulgar and Trump couldn’t take it, he was mad the whole time.
All previous presidents relished being roasted at the dinner and took the good natured ribbing in stride and with laughter, Trump ruined that too.
You humble me in your presence, Roger. You’re the most woke person I’ve had the pleasure to meet, anywhere and I’m old, too. lol PS … I wrote this next bit an hour ago and intended to sit on it until someone responded to my last post. You amazing human, you.
~ You see, good humor always possesses a bit of the truth. It’s true. I told y’all that this was all meant to be funny and that you wouldn’t get it. Until you can learn to laugh at yourselves South Dakota will never be more than what it is now. Big potential but highly negative, critical and fearful of the outside world. No real identity after over a hundred years. Pride in isolation isn’t pride. It’s cowardice.
Porter, you humble me, there is nothing special about me, I’m now an elderly Indian that has experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly that life has handed me, and I’m grateful.
The first year Trump was in office I thought he was fun to joke about, by the his second month, he wasn’t even mildly amusing. All the presidents that I have witnessed, whether Democrat or republican, have grown in office, they became mature and their vision clear.
That hasn’t been true with Trump, in fact we are seeing a soulless man rotting in front of us.
The German heritage you point out is important when it comes to Trump’s lack of leadership and lack of humor.
You can’t fully experience life if you can’t make fun of yourself and tease with good humor. That is a non-existent life and those people are only going through the motions of life.
To quote Trump, “sad”.
Porter, your previous comment was very well said.
One of the things I like to do to raise my mood is go to YouTube and search for “laughing babies.” They are wonderful. They take absolute and pure delight in the most mundane things and laugh boldly. It’s just delightful to watch and odds are very high that you will laugh with them. It’s simple and pure joy and it feels freeing and energizing and renewing. Ahhhhh. 😄
Love laughing babies, Debbo. Thanks.
Maybe some who felt offended by a generalization of German American personality will think of that when they generalize about Islamic immigrants. In America we judge individuals, we don’t judge groups.
I hate laughing babies, and I’m not even German.
grudz
You’re just an old softie and you aren’t fooling anyone that knows you.
Remember all theses you were all spewing about Pruitt. . .
“Administrator Pruitt had zero knowledge of the amount of the raises, nor the process by which they transpired,” Jackson said in an emailed statement that was first reported by Politico, adding that “these kind of personnel actions” are handled by the agency’s human resources officials, the Office of Presidential Personnel and him.” https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-10/epa-chief-of-staff-says-he-not-pruitt-authorized-big-raises
Once again, like the lemming you are, you either repeat the lies of the MSM or you make your own up all in an attempt to justify the hate you hold in your hearts. I’m laughing again. . .
e Atlantic reported last Monday that Pruitt requested pay raises for “two of his closest aides,” in March, a request the White House declined, according to a source with knowledge of the discussion. EPA then used an obscure provision to give the staffers, Sarah Greenwalt and Millan Hupp, the raises.
On Wednesday, Pruitt told Fox News, “I did not know that they got the pay raises until (Tuesday)
Splitting tiny little hairs, aren’t we, OldLemming?
Mike Cohen went to Prague to meet with a Putin representative. Mueller now has everything needed to prove collusion.
“Don the Con is Almost Gone”
Porter,
Mueller busted Cohen lying about the trip to Prague, Cohen has been denying the trip.
Apparently a Passport speaks louder than Cohen. Interesting point here, the question has been raised about the number of Passports Cohen has.
Porter and Roger,
It must be rough for you guys to know that Trump did nothing illegal?
The good news is:
Three more cities have joined the revolt against California’s “sanctuary state” law, as opposition to the state — and support for a federal government lawsuit against it — grows.
and
The report, first published by The New York Times, asserts that McCabe misled the DOJ watchdog and former FBI Director James Comey about the leak authorizations. He also misled the FBI’s Office of Professional Responsibility when questioned under oath about the leaks.
and
Ace Hardware has reversed its decision to pull ads from Fox News host Laura Ingraham’s show the Ingraham Angle and announced Friday it would resume advertising on the program.
and
The majority of America’s working and middle classes support President Trump’s decision this month to send between 2,000 to 4,000 National Guard troops to the United States-Mexico border to provide logistical help to overwhelmed Border Patrol agents.
Sanctuary cities – Laura Ingraham – National Guard and James Comey are only pigs with makeup in the dance Republicans are using as a poor distraction to the real story. Illegal or not … Trump cheated. November is coming.
Porter,
Trump has once again turned to Twitter to promote James Comey’s upcoming book, “A Higher Loyalty”.
The publisher announced that the first run printing would be 850,000 copies and has already ordered more.
Trump can attempt to distract America from his Mueller problem by bombing Syria and going to war with Comey, Mueller, and Rosenstein, but Americans are wise, they already see through the translucent Trump.
I fully remember when the “depleted gene pool of ignorance” in the SDGOP supported Nixon as he became a self-inflicted free fall for the bottom of the credibility pole, too. The “ones left” after the annual, youthful, SoDak brain drain have been on the wrong side of history their whole adult lives.
As hard as it is to tolerate Don the Con, I’ll take my cue from the ladies. “If you want some offensive guy gone really bad just ignore him.” Without a response to his antics, Trump is just another nobody. His and Republicans’ attack on political correctness is really just an attack on political decency. The decent people of South Dakota, as you say Roger, already see through the translucency.
It must be rough for you guys to know that Trump did nothing illegal?
It must tickle Jason’s innards to knowingly ignore all the lies Drumpf tells and the fact he is in violation of the constitution’s emolument clause whenever he goes to his golf courses and gouges the government for his SS detail to stay in overpriced rooms.
Japan’s PM is coming to America again. Drumpf could host him at Camp David and play golf there, but he can’t personally make any money at Camp David.
And don’t forget, the minute Drumpf gets placed under oath he will commit the biggest and best bunch of perjury the world has ever seen.
such tripe…”McCabe. . . Comey, Rybicki, Baker; Strzok, Page, Laufman, Kortan, Yates, Shaub as the henchmen of the previous administration are fired and soon charged the swamp slowly releases its smell. Yes, the last administration was poisoned, corrupt, evil”… the pristine old sarge whines.”
Sarge you have no inkling of the substantial ethical credentials of atty Yates, among any of the others you’d care to debate.
“The Comey memos are key to the Special Counsel’s work. Pursuant to long-standing Department policy and absent any satisfactory accommodation, the Department of Justice cannot simply hand over evidence that is part of an ongoing criminal investigation,” ….
“If House Republicans refuse any accommodation short of the Department of Justice handing over custody of these documents — which it cannot do — I fear the Majority will have MANUFACTURED an excuse to hold the Deputy Attorney General in contempt of Congress. If they succeed in tarnishing the Deputy Attorney General, perhaps they will have given President Trump the PRETEXT he has sought to replace Mr. Rosenstein with someone willing to do his bidding and end the Special Counsel’s investigation”….(emphasis added)
republicans manufacturing things? hmmmmm. Pompeo a diplomat? Sure, send him secretly to the most dangerous (presumably) leader in No. Korea, before sending the most dangerous person in the world, republican’s trump, to No. Korea to hip shoot. We’ll see if it’s “fruitful”, meaning if it turns out trump is unprepared, he can exit-like TTP, like…on and on. Who knew things (health care for 360 million people, or diplomacy, or north korea’s nuclear progress in weapons), could be so complicated?
Gee, who knew? Well Parkland students know these things inherently.
http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/383834-house-judiciary-chair-expected-to-issue-doj-subpoena-over-comey
sarge-https://www.yahoo.com/news/scott-pruitt-congressman-says-every-153123726.html
Every day that Pruitt stays on the job is an embarrassment to the country,” Representative Don Beyer said to Newsweek.
Beyer is the vice ranking member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and the ranking member of its Subcommittee on Oversight. He was one of the first congressmen to officially call for Pruitt’s ousting last month.
republican lemmings, huh? good image. thx
wanna throw up anymore softballs sarge?
Oops! There goes McCabe!!! Who is next?
More evidence Comes lied. . . When will Lynch get hers? What about Page ratting the criminals out?
The wave is cresting!!!
McCabe hasn’t been arrested or indicted.
The wave is cresting, it sounds that Cohen will flip and out Trump’s crimes to Mueller.
Comey may get indicted, that wouldn’t break my heart.
Rudy G. has been hired on as another Trump attorney to help make Mueller disappear. There isn’t a report as to who Rudy G. has hired as an attorney.
OldSalami is like a hungry dog that regurgitates its stomach and then sniffs through the mess to see if it missed any morsels the last time around.
Two weeks ago there were reportedly 4000 subpoenas ready to be served on Democrats. Just another distraction trying to throw the hounds off Drumpf’s criminal arse and further obstructing justice.
Roger,
The Justice Department’s inspector general referred its findings on former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe to the US attorney’s office in Washington for possible criminal charges associated with lying to internal investigators, according to a source familiar with the matter.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/19/politics/justice-mccabe-criminal-referral/index.html
Andrew McCabe has not been indicted or arrested for any charges.
Roger,
Nobody said he was. He was fired for reason though.