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One of the most consistent and self-defeating patterns of the past 9 years is that politicians/foes in both parties, the media, the DOJ, courts & others all fail to take the threat from Trump as seriously as they should.
They think he’ll go away.
Or stop.
Or that
1/
One of the most consistent and self-defeating patterns of the past 9 years is that politicians/foes in both parties, the media, the DOJ, courts & others all fail to take the threat from Trump as seriously as they should.
They think he’ll go away.
Or stop.
Or that
1/
…there are some things he won’t do to advance his cause or protect himself.
Usually, it’s been that misjudgment of him that has led to mistakes:
It’s why some didn’t vote for impeachment. Or start investigating him as soon as Jan. 6 happened—they thought he’d go away.
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Usually, it’s been that misjudgment of him that has led to mistakes:
It’s why some didn’t vote for impeachment. Or start investigating him as soon as Jan. 6 happened—they thought he’d go away.
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It’s why some support him even when they know how awful he is…they think that’ll put them in a good place in the long run, without seeing that no matter what you do, he’ll turn on you when he wants or needs to
Ask Frank LaRose or Jane Timken about that. Or Pence. Or all..
3/
Ask Frank LaRose or Jane Timken about that. Or Pence. Or all..
3/
…the people convicted of a crime in his service.
It’s why the media still today walks into interviews and debates wholly unprepared for what happens—still not believing that he is willing to lie any time he has to, for as long as he has to, spewing lies that are pure…
4/
It’s why the media still today walks into interviews and debates wholly unprepared for what happens—still not believing that he is willing to lie any time he has to, for as long as he has to, spewing lies that are pure…
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…fantasies if they will help him.
It’s why he gets away w illegality again and again, because courts apply rules to him assuming he’ll follow the conventional course of a typical white collar criminal defendant, as opposed to a career conman, fraudster and serial liar.
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It’s why he gets away w illegality again and again, because courts apply rules to him assuming he’ll follow the conventional course of a typical white collar criminal defendant, as opposed to a career conman, fraudster and serial liar.
5/
It’s why people aren’t prepared for face-to-face confrontations with him—not ready for the reality that he won’t only lie on the traditional things dishonest people lie about—but that the lies will be next level.
Like that Nancy Pelosi was to blame for January 6.
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Like that Nancy Pelosi was to blame for January 6.
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Or that he saved us from COVID and Biden is to blame for it.
Because if you know he will lie like that, you don’t agree not to have fact checking in a debate, and no responsible media would say in advance they didn’t plan to fact check because that would be an open…
7/
Because if you know he will lie like that, you don’t agree not to have fact checking in a debate, and no responsible media would say in advance they didn’t plan to fact check because that would be an open…
7/
…invitation to a serial and unflinching propagandist to walk in fully planning to lie whenever it suits him, assured he won’t be interrupted, and that a truth-telling opponent will be put in an impossible position.
Which means he wins before it even starts.
8/
Which means he wins before it even starts.
8/
Folks often fail to see that he won’t shy away from the most inhumane & inappropriate calculations to get ahead
Like using a detained journalist or grieving families as political props if it suits him
Or showing up to a 2020 debate knowing he had COVID, avoiding the test…
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Like using a detained journalist or grieving families as political props if it suits him
Or showing up to a 2020 debate knowing he had COVID, avoiding the test…
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…and perfectly happy (or worse) to risk infecting his opponent and his family.
If you do things that awful and inhumane, you’ll pretty much do anything.
But people still think he won’t. And are still surprised when he does. And he wins because of it.
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If you do things that awful and inhumane, you’ll pretty much do anything.
But people still think he won’t. And are still surprised when he does. And he wins because of it.
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This also means they don’t believe his darkest words & promises.
Must just be talk, they say. Absurd. Won’t happen.
But for him, his worst words build a mandate to make them reality. Like the wall. Or the Muslim ban.
He’ll do it, and say everyone knew because he told us
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Must just be talk, they say. Absurd. Won’t happen.
But for him, his worst words build a mandate to make them reality. Like the wall. Or the Muslim ban.
He’ll do it, and say everyone knew because he told us
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They also underestimate how afraid Trump clearly is.
That he knows better than anyone what he’s done, and that he could spend years in jail for it all
They don’t see that he projects that others will do to him what he would do to them, which makes him fear even more
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That he knows better than anyone what he’s done, and that he could spend years in jail for it all
They don’t see that he projects that others will do to him what he would do to them, which makes him fear even more
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And because they don’t see that fear, it means they underestimate how far he will go to protect himself from it. By returning to power.
Like telling Mike Johnson not to do an immigration deal
Like using a detained reporter as a pawn.
Like pushing for immunity he…
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Like telling Mike Johnson not to do an immigration deal
Like using a detained reporter as a pawn.
Like pushing for immunity he…
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believes he needs.
Like whatever else he’s cooking up for the election that we don’t know about.
Once you realize how afraid he is of losing the election, which to him means loss of freedom & wealth, his worst actions aren’t at all surprising.
They should be expected.
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Like whatever else he’s cooking up for the election that we don’t know about.
Once you realize how afraid he is of losing the election, which to him means loss of freedom & wealth, his worst actions aren’t at all surprising.
They should be expected.
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So the 9-year lesson is clear.
Assume the worst. Then assume worse than that.
Worse lies. Worse crimes. Worse corruption. Worse behavior. More fear and paranoia. More willingness to use dark and disturbing tactics
Assume going in: no filters. No brakes.
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Assume the worst. Then assume worse than that.
Worse lies. Worse crimes. Worse corruption. Worse behavior. More fear and paranoia. More willingness to use dark and disturbing tactics
Assume going in: no filters. No brakes.
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And only with that worst, worst case scenario in mind, plan accordingly. Act accordingly.
Plan for the lies. To come rapid fire. Your strategy and agreed conditions should account for that.
Assume the defiance of the court order is coming. Issue rulings accordingly.
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Plan for the lies. To come rapid fire. Your strategy and agreed conditions should account for that.
Assume the defiance of the court order is coming. Issue rulings accordingly.
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Know that Trump sees any moment where he doesn’t face accountability NOT as relief (again, he knows what he did wrong), but as an invitation to go further next time. Which he always does.
So impose accountability knowing that.
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So impose accountability knowing that.
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Know that he is deathly afraid that his crimes and corruption will catch up to him. That he’s afraid people will do to him what he would do.
And that fear drives so much of the worst that he does.
It’s the main reason he did what he did on January 6. Fear.
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And that fear drives so much of the worst that he does.
It’s the main reason he did what he did on January 6. Fear.
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It’s why he’s now running. Fear of what will happen to HIM if he’s not
in power.
Know that cozying up to him will earn you ZERO loyalty from him. The moment you do anything against his wishes, or that your presence stands against his wishes, it’s over.
Just ask Pence.
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in power.
Know that cozying up to him will earn you ZERO loyalty from him. The moment you do anything against his wishes, or that your presence stands against his wishes, it’s over.
Just ask Pence.
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And know that he will do the worst of what he says. It’s all on the table.
Once he says it, he’s off and running on claiming it as a mandate.
And that he is politically attuned enough NOT to say all he plans to do.
So his words are just the start.
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Once he says it, he’s off and running on claiming it as a mandate.
And that he is politically attuned enough NOT to say all he plans to do.
So his words are just the start.
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And know that the one thing he’s not used to is people actually catching onto all this.
He dominates because his willingness to be worse than expected always catches people off guard.
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He dominates because his willingness to be worse than expected always catches people off guard.
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If all who opposed him together began to assume the worst and act accordingly—planning for it, gaming it out, standing up to HIM, going on offense knowing all this—he loses.
At that moment, and longer.
Examples?
Nancy Pelosi standing up at that meeting…
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At that moment, and longer.
Examples?
Nancy Pelosi standing up at that meeting…
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…and asking Trump, to his face, why do “all roads lead to Putin?”
That knocked him back.
Or the interview by Jonathan Swan, who was prepared for every lie and asked follow up question after follow up question, interrupting Trump as much as Trump interrupts others:
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That knocked him back.
Or the interview by Jonathan Swan, who was prepared for every lie and asked follow up question after follow up question, interrupting Trump as much as Trump interrupts others:
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Trump: "You know, there are those that say you can test too much, you do know that."
Swan: "Who says that?"
Trump: "Oh, just read the manuals. Read the books."
Swan: "Manuals? What manuals?"
Trump couldn’t handle it.
Do THAT! Every time.
He can’t handle it.
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Swan: "Who says that?"
Trump: "Oh, just read the manuals. Read the books."
Swan: "Manuals? What manuals?"
Trump couldn’t handle it.
Do THAT! Every time.
He can’t handle it.
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We have 5 months to end this nightmare.
The nine-year pattern is clear.
Figure it out. Assume the worst. Plan accordingly. Act accordingly.
No more mistakes. Our nation and democracy can’t afford them.
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The nine-year pattern is clear.
Figure it out. Assume the worst. Plan accordingly. Act accordingly.
No more mistakes. Our nation and democracy can’t afford them.
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For more thoughts on how to protect democracy in 2024 and beyond, sign up for my newsletter: davidpepper.substack.com/p/project-2025…
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