Thread by @TheRealHoarse

Ok, with Trump set to take the stage in West Virginia in a mere 90 mins, might as well take a swing at what we might see from him.

The Vegas betting odds have installed "Completely raging like an unhinged lunatic" as the odds-on favorite.

I'm gonna throw a curve though.

1/

I used to write about Trump's narcissistic personality disorder all the time. Back in the day, it was almost eerie how accurately his shtick could be predicted. Folks who have been around my feed for a while can vouch for that...

It has gotten harder though...

2/

...not because Trump has become less predictable. Nope. That dude is the simplest of simple machines. With enough insight into what he's experiencing, he'd be regular as rain.

We just don't have enough of a window anymore. We see too little.

3/

Today though, there's no way he could know more than we know. He had no advanced knowledge of the Manafort verdict. It's unlikely he knew about the Cohen plea.

So, we know what Trump is taking in as new inputs...

4/

While he'd seem likely to rage, like a whole lotta people with NPD, Babyfingers tends to go quiet when he is completely "caught". He freezes. Retreats. Cocoons himself away from scrutiny.

He can't do that on stage obviously...

5/

So, I'd wager he's going to instead focus on distancing himself from Cohen and Manafort.

Narcissists have only two impulses: Seek adoration; avoid shame.

Trump will likely aim to avoid shame by pushing Cohen and Manafort as far away as possible.

6/

I won't be shocked at all to hear Senor Loco dismiss the Cohen and Manafort convictions as having absolutely nothing to do with him...

...and then pivot off that to blaming the media for alleging he's in trouble when those other fellas' problems have nothing to do with him..

7/

My money is on Trump surprising folks.

Look for:
1) A more sedate Trump than expected
2) Effort to distance himself from Cohen/Manafort
3) A show of empathy for only Manafort
4) Insisting "collusion" was the only legitimate accusation Mueller was supposed to investigate

8/

5) Whining about how unfair it is to HIM that Mueller is going after other people who's issues have "nothing to do with him"
6) Insisting that Mueller's investigation is STILL a "Witch Hunt" because it has delivered no proof he "colluded" and is now "spiraling out of control"

9/

Bottom-line: I'm guessing tonight's one-hour crazygram from the dais will mostly be about distancing the narcissist from the shame...

If Trump shows up with a flat affect and way less fire than he usually brings - and everyone expects tonight - somebody owes me beer.

<end>

p.s. just saw the day's other news: the tragic story out of Brooklyn, Iowa of Mollie Tibbetts body being found; an immigrant here illegally arrested.

Add a #8 to the above list. Trump will absolutely blow the dogwhistle about open borders, immigrants and the need for a wall.