April 5, 2016

"As you may know by now, when you attack him he will punch back 10 times harder."

"No matter who you are, a man or a woman, he treats everyone equal."

Said Melania Trump, in sentences spoken in that order, one right after the other.



Punching, 10 times harder — man, woman, no difference. There's equality for you ladies, eh? The linked article, in the NYT, is titled "Donald Trump, Stumbling With Women, Enlists Wife to Campaign." Excerpt:
Mr. Trump had previously turned to the women in his life to help counter claims that he is a misogynist. He frequently invokes Melania and his daughter, Ivanka, on the campaign trail, talking about how, behind the scenes, they are the ones urging him to behave “more presidential.”

“Again, my wife: ‘Darling, you’re so brilliant, you’re so bright. Act presidential. It’s so easy for you,’ ” Mr. Trump told a crowd Sunday night in West Allis, Wis., mimicking his wife’s breathy, accented voice. “I said, ‘Darling, I’ve got to win first, you know? I’ve got to win.’ ”
I tried but couldn't find video of Trump imitating his wife calling him brilliant.

73 comments:

Matt said...

Donald Trump's definition of equality.

Henry said...

Carter should have quoted Amy this way.

I think to close out this discussion, it would be better to put into perspective what we're talking about. I had a discussion with my daughter, Amy, the other day, before I came here, to ask her what the most important issue was. She said "As you may know by now, when you attack him he will punch back 10 times harder. No matter who you are, a man or a woman, he treats everyone equal."

Brando said...

She forgot to add "sometimes he punches back at people who had never wronged him, but he'll do that to men as well as women. And sometimes his punches are 10 times stupider and more bizarre."

Count me completely convinced that his trophy wife says nice things about him. I'm sold!

traditionalguy said...

Cruel equality of the sexes. Next thing you know women will expect equal pay with men and equal combat service with men.

Sounds like a terrible waste of good women to me. But that is the Rule now.

Bay Area Guy said...

"Punching back" is a metaphor. Sometimes it works for Trump, but sometimes it means saying and/or twittering mean, stupid, misdirected stuff.

Melania is good looking, though. Nice contrast to Hillary:)

Gusty Winds said...

Said Melania Trump, in sentences spoken in that order, one right after the other.

Is the above condescension? Is English Melania's second or fifth language?

Somehow Melania seems quite comfortable next to The Donald and in her own....silky......soft.....skin.........ummmm what was I talking about again......

Oh yeah. Maybe being from Eastern Europe she looks at American Women in feminist culture and thinks, "get over yourselves".

n.n said...

Nothing has actually changed. Even under the code of chivalry, there was only deference to women who behaved as ladies. Today, female chauvinists have learned that law can be exploited as a weapon of coercion. Then there is reactive parenthood and planned parenthood. Unqualified progress, which is notably negative.

Chuck said...

Yeah, Trump was of course on with Chris Wallace last Sunday, and he continues to stick to his stupid, fact less assertion that Ted Cruz was responsible for the SuperPAC ad that used the Melania/GQ shoot. There's no give in the guy. No compromise. Not even when he hasn't got nothing to support him.

Some people see that as strength. Why, I have no idea. I see it as Trump being revealed as a sociopathic asshole.

Sammy Finkelman said...

She looks worse in that picture than Heidi Cruz in that tweeted pair of pictures. I mean it.

jr565 said...

didnt someone else make the point that if they attack you punch back twice as hard? I'm trying to remember who that was...

jr565 said...

if he wants to hold to this, some protester should yank his arm 10X as hard as Corey yanked' Michelle's arm. and lets see if he cries.

Brando said...

"Some people see that as strength. Why, I have no idea. I see it as Trump being revealed as a sociopathic asshole."

But also completely stupid. Think about the position Trump has been in after Rubio dropped out--he needs to expand his appeal beyond his current plurality so he can get a majority of delegates, as well as cobble together a coalition that can win in the fall. This is the time to do it, now that he's the front runner, and as a fail-safe he needed to be ready to make nice with Ted Cruz just in case he needs Cruz's delegates at the convention (as well as the far-right cred that Cruz's support could give him).

Instead, he manages to continue alienating anti-Trump Republicans as well as the general public, and put Cruz in a position where no one will ever respect him if he forgives Trump for going after his wife.

Anyone who cannot see how dumb that is deserves to ride the Trump boat as it sinks this fall. For a "master dealmaker" he seems pretty terrible at it.

traditionalguy said...

Hierarchy Rule is a tradition that passed away. The show of Deference as the ruling class's duty to all lower class people was a badge of a Gentle Man. But the lower classes in turn had to obey.

Today bowing and changing tone towards women is just a Political Correctness sub-rule honored in the breach.

Gusty Winds said...

I'll bet Melania's nick name for the The Donald's schlong is actually "The Donald" or "Mr. Trump".

Brando said...

"if he wants to hold to this, some protester should yank his arm 10X as hard as Corey yanked' Michelle's arm. and lets see if he cries. "

But we all know she made up the whole thing, despite video evidence and Trump's later suggestion that they grabbed her because the Secret Service warned them. It's possible to believe all of that if you can divorce your mind from logic as quickly as Donald will divorce wife number three the minute he needs a newer model.

traditionalguy said...

Also Melania is explaining that The Donald is Leader of the Pack. She only wants to help.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Just what we need. obama II.

pm317 said...

I have heard this from her before. Isn't that the point of feminism that male and female should be treated equally? That everybody be treated the same?

mccullough said...

Punch is a pugilistic metaphor. Does it apply to women. Obama's punch back twice as hard was a metaphor directed at everyone, so it could cover a man metaphorically punching a woman. Maybe Trump means it more literally.

Pugilistic metaphors, like martial metaphors, are common in political speech. Even the word campaign is a martial metaphor in politics. It's pretty much a dead metaphor.

gadfly said...

So one of the foreign models - Melania Knaus - imported by the corrupt Trump Model Management Agency, to get cheap "talent" using H1B visa provisions was one of the few ever who made it big in the states but she had give her all to the rich old man. Now to keep her place in life, she lies to us for and about Donald.

Even Ivana is speaking out for monetary reasons as well. Donald said in 1988 that he and Ivana don't argue. "She does exactly as I tell her." So Ivana says: “He’s very outspoken. He just says it as it is.” But she also explains things in a most appealing manner. "As long as you come here legally and get a proper job . . . we need immigrants. Who’s going to vacuum our living rooms and clean up after us? Americans don’t like to do that," Ivana Trump told the New York Post. Oops!

Only Marla Maples seems to have gotten very little from the failed marriage. Rumor has it $2 million and when she was in a Broadway play, she even had to pay to stay at a Trump property. So what makes her say that she still loves Trump and his children? I think you can spell T-I-F-F-I-N-Y.

rehajm said...

I didn't listen but the dress is part of the Daenerys Targaryen collection.

mccullough said...

Models, like athletes, should have their own visa category.

Brando said...

"Now to keep her place in life, she lies to us for and about Donald."

Yeah, it doesn't carry much weight when we hear about what an awesome person he is from someone on his payroll.

Besides, none of that sounds all that flattering. "Hits back ten times as hard"? Reminds me of Obama. And I don't think us Trump critics have a problem with "hitting back" so much as "hitting the wrong target" or "hitting back in a hissy fit childlike manner". He's a child--his wife would do better to try and showcase his mature side (you know, make something up).

HoodlumDoodlum said...

rehajm said...
I didn't listen but the dress is part of the Daenerys Targaryen collection.


NTTAWTT.

Also isn't she more the *wife* of dragon(s)/fire-breather?

FullMoon said...

jr565 said... [hush]​[hide comment]

if he wants to hold to this, some protester should yank his arm 10X as hard as Corey yanked' Michelle's arm. and lets see if he cries.


Yeah, pretty funny. Ya know, when that freak jumped on Trump's stage, SS guy grabbed Trump to protect him. Trump pushed SS guy's arm aside and took an aggressive stance. No doubt in my mind he was ready to punch the freak in the face.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

I do have to say I'm always charmed when people talk about the US/America as "our country" when they have a thick foreign accent.
By the same token I'm usually turned off when people who've been here for a long time can't/don't speak any English.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

jr565 said...
if he wants to hold to this, some protester should yank his arm 10X as hard as Corey yanked' Michelle's arm. and lets see if he cries.


jr565 is "showing the buise-ed arm" the "waving the bloody shirt" of the 2016 election? Are we...are we still really super-pissed at the guy now that he's been charged with a crime? I guess so.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

Unrelated: is "resting squint face" a thing? I've seen it a few times recently.

victoria said...

She learned her lines well, and executed them in the right order, with the proper emphasis, just like a good little fembot.


vicki from Pasadena

P.S. Wouldn't vote for him if he were the only candidate.

Nyamujal said...

English isn't her first language. I'm sure there's something lost in translation there. Leave her alone, her husband is distracting enough.

walter said...

I was hoping Melania would address the contentious hand issue.
It will be fun to see her and Ivanka's kids grow up together.
By the way, was part of the press pool in Wausau. A popular shirt for sale there read "Trump that bitch!"
Another highlight was watching this guy get down in a Trump mask

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Gusty Winds said...

Is the above condescension?

No. The professor is simply making it clear that these sentences were not clipped from different parts of the speech and put together to make it sound like Trump likes to hit women. The juxtaposition was Melania's, or whoever wrote her speech.

jr565 said...

Hoodlum doodlum wrote:

jr565 is "showing the buise-ed arm" the "waving the bloody shirt" of the 2016 election? Are we...are we still really super-pissed at the guy now that he's been charged with a crime? I guess so.

i was never super pissed at him. I think Trump basically shot himself in the foot and now Corey has to pay for it by getting charged. I think it was stupid of Corey and Trump to fight the charge this way and the fact that he is charged is only a reflection on their lack of savvy. Am I HAPPY about it? no.
If Corey had said what I said he should have said Id be more than willing to defend him. Since i thought he had an out that he could have used to get out of a charge. (namely that he had no idea he had done anything untoward) But since he and Trump decided to go another route, I can only say that it was a poor choice.
But, it was tied into the phrase about punching back 10x as hard. That seems to be what Trump did to Michelle. She's going to sue corey? Well then, Trump is going to sue her for assault. waht do you think about that? That'll teach her.
Trump then seems to punch back 10x as hard if people did nothing (i.e. Cruz getting punched back for a PAC he has no involvement with putting out a picture that was not complementary of Trumps wife) or Michelle getting punched back 10x a hard for having the temerity to say "oww, you just yanked my arm". wtf. Was that the punching back 10x as hard Malia was talking about?

Anonymous said...

He will punch back 10 times harder, eh? That's very endearing.

jr565 said...

Amanda wrote:
He will punch back 10 times harder, eh? That's very endearing.

Obama's campaign said as much in 2009. If they punch you punch back twice as hard. Is the degree then how big the response will be? punched back twice as hard is ok, but punched back ten times as hard is too much? Would punching back 5x as hard be better?

Bob Boyd said...

"...he will punch back 10 times harder. No matter who you are, a man or a woman, he treats everyone equal."

Battle space prep for presumed opponent Hillary.

Bob Boyd said...

How many punches were pulled for Sarah Palin?

FullMoon said...

victoria said... [hush]​[hide comment]

She learned her lines well, and executed them in the right order, with the proper emphasis, just like a good little fembot.


vicki from Pasadena



As anyone who took one minute and six seconds to watch the vid will attest, she did not learn her lines at all. She read them. Funny how "Vicky" jumps right in to insult Melania. Jealous much?

MayBee said...

I remember when Michelle Obama said this:

Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.

In general, I would prefer it if we didn't ask spouses to campaign or really even get involved.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

I'll punch him AGAIN, but 100 TIMES harder than he punched me back, which is 1,000 TIMES HARDER than my first punch, if my calculations are correct!

jg said...

Lovely, lovely, lovely. The admiration of a beautiful woman (subconsciously) means a lot. I bet he was saving this as long as possible. Talking about the world as it works, not as the impartial policy+credibility+accountability vulcan rationalists we wish we were (when it comes to getting optimal public policy).

jg said...

'fembot' accusation comes from a woman. most women don't like higher-rank women who have higher-rank men, i notice. it's good to be realistic+comfortable about where you are (or else you should be working hard to fix it).

Anonymous said...

So I've been trying to think of a substantive reason for Trump to trot out his wife for a campaign appearance at this point in particular, only to have her read a short, boiler-plate paragraph of platitudes that add up to not much at all. There was no warm, personal touch that a wife could bring to the table, like a touching anecdote about something sweet he did for one of his children or a reminiscence of some family moment that was revealing of a larger truth--- the sort of 'humanizing' speech wives are often called upon to make for a candidate. We did NOT get a little window into his private world, a series of remarks designed to make the audience think, "well, how bad can the guy be when he's like that with his family?" I assume we are suppose to think that showcasing his wife is intended to warm his image so that women in the audience feel more positive about Trump and may give him a second look. If that's all there was to it, I'd rate that a fail.

But I have to wonder if he's clever enough to have deliberately sent her up there to give an awkwardly written speech (which one would assume she did not write herself) in a soft, awkward way in the hopes that some might actually criticize her 'low energy' performance, her stilted delivery, or even--- best of all worlds for his campaign-- her accent. Then he could have the opportunity to leap to her defense, to stand up for his wife as Cruz was able to stand up for Heidi in recent weeks because of Donald and Company's attacks on her.

Can't you see it? "She is very shy. She is not a natural campaigner and didn't want to make an appearance but I asked her to do this because of the unfair attacks on me where women are concerned. So she did her part and the media was so unfair, so quick to criticize, so ugly. I love my wife and I will not stand for people to be mean to her. You can attack me--- I"m tough, I can take it. But Melania is a different story."

Cruz often comes across as cold and stiff, and for many, his spirited defense of his wife, complete with "she's my best friend" and "leave her the hell alone," showed another, more 'human,' more 'regular guy' side of him. Maybe Donald wanted to manufacture a similar set of circumstances for himself? If so, too bad, because no one of consequence seems to have taken the bait and criticized Melania.

Kansas City said...

I wonder how Trump bringing out his beautiful third wife, 25 years younger than him, and from Slovania [?], will help him with the female vote. I doubt it.

Aside from wanting to look at her, why would anyone want to listen to her read a speech spouting Trump nonsense?

FullMoon said...

Kansas City said... [hush]​[hide comment]

I wonder how Trump bringing out his beautiful third wife, 25 years younger than him, and from Slovania [?], will help him with the female vote. I doubt it.

Aside from wanting to look at her, why would anyone want to listen to her read a speech spouting Trump nonsense?


I wonder the same thing. Wouldn't it behoove him to showcase all the "women he has placed in important jobs within his company" ? There must be binders full of them. Personally, I would love to see Amorosa take on his detractors. She a mean one, for shur

Kansas City said...

I assume his bragging about all the women who advanced in his company is a big exaggeration like most everything he says. The media should look into it, instead of just accepting his bragging.

Titus said...

She is hot-face a little pinched though.

Love the dress.

tits.

eric said...

I wonder if we will find out tonight who Ann for in the Wisconsin primary.

I'm going to guess Bernie Sanders.

Real American said...

Deacon Jones agrees!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm2l0pxYw-4

Limited blogger said...

good to see future first lady hitting the campaign trail.

William said...

I can't see Melania changing anyone's opinion about Trump for the better. She's very good looking, but she's not very personable or engaging. She does nothing to soften Trump's image. Trump's daughter is a far more formidable and charming spokesperson for the Trump brand........The daughter should post pictures of her new baby right next to pictures of Chelsea's baby. I bet her baby is much cuter than Chelsea's baby. "Who do you want to be America's grandchild," the caption should read. I'd bet that would win Donald tons of votes.

chickelit said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
chickelit said...

Kansas City said...I wonder how Trump bringing out his beautiful third wife, 25 years younger than him, and from Slovania [?], will help him with the female vote. I doubt it.

I imagine it works the same way for Hillary whenever she trots out her "girlfriend." FTIW, I'd rather have a Slovenian First lady than a Muslim one. See how that works, Kansas?

And while you're at it, why don't you share some invective for Ronald Reagan and George Will for what they did to their first wives?

David said...

Big absence off Trump love here tonight.

Gusty Winds said...
I'll bet Melania's nick name for the The Donald's schlong is actually "The Donald" or "Mr. Trump".


Absence of taste too.

cacimbo said...

This a clear message that Trump plans to go full attack on Hillary. McCain and Romney both campaigned against Obama with kid gloves fearful of being labeled racists. Trump's wife is telling us that HIllary's gender will not prevent him from campaigning just as hard as if she were male.

chickelit said...

Cacimbo Cacimbo said...Trump's wife is telling us that HIllary's gender will not prevent him from campaigning just as hard as if she were male.

I no longer feel that Hillary is even a woman, so the chivalrous instinct in me is completely lost on her. I hope Trump beats her public image to pulp. That "woman" has been credibly linked to the negligent deaths of innocent Americans. She deserves everything that Trump (or any opponent with a spine) can dish.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

Trump is the guy with the gun at the knife fight...

Rusty said...


"She learned her lines well, and executed them in the right order, with the proper emphasis, just like a good little fembot."


vicki from Pasadena

So do you Vicki. So do you.

Gusty Winds said...

Ignorance is Bliss said...Trump likes to hit women

Bullshit. In no way do I believe Trump likes to hit women. Neither do you. Spankings maybe.

Seems a shot at her broken English, but only the Professor knows. And other women have male speech writers. So what?

But I don't expect Feminists to see Melania's charm.

Arab leaders will. Latino leaders will. European's will love her.

She's a woman who likes alpha-males. Even though she speaks multiple languages, feminists will write her off as a ding-bat controlled by her man and his money.

Equality?

walter said...

Trump..with long affiliation with and on the record previous endorsements of Hil for president..is err.."uniquely" qualified to bring it...

Yes Ella'..the hooplah about Melania flying in to defend Trump's views of females was met with a scripted, brief and underwhelming attempt.
Of course, we are already seeing folks float theories about it being a strategic setup...

Chuck said...

Michael Fitzgerald said...
Trump is the guy with the gun at the knife fight...


I think of Trump as "the guy with the gun at a cocktail party..." There's never been a Republican candidate who has done more damage to the party, to the party's base, to other Republicans running for president, to other Republicans in down-ballot races, etc., etc.

Since when did it become a good idea for a party's national candidate to run around insulting the party's donor base? The Democrats are salivating over a Trump nomination the way that we Republicans are savoring a Sanders nomination.

It's fine if Donald Trump wants to run against the Republican Party. I'm fully aware that lots of the Trumpkins all over the internet and very much including here at the Althouse blog, all love the idea of destroying "the GOPe." But if that were really the case, I'd suggest to Mr. Trump that he run on the Bull Moose ticket. Or the Reform Party ticket. Or the Bullshit Reform Party ticket. Don't expect Republicans to sing on to the destruction of the Republican Party, thank you very little.

Gusty Winds said...

Chuck said...Since when did it become a good idea for a party's national candidate to run around insulting the party's donor base?

Four months ago Cruz was the other anti-establishment candidate. Now he's the darling. The Obi-Wan. Their only hope.

Maybe many people who have voted Republican for many years want to redefine the party. Is the party only defined by members of the donor class, or is it a party that belongs to its voters?

cacimbo said...

@Chuck said "Since when did it become a good idea for a party's national candidate to run around insulting the party's donor base?"

Well when did it become a good idea to insult your own voters? Talking heads and many Republican bloggers/journalists are trashing Trump voters. These are the people who worked hard to get Republicans elected to the House and Senate. Do you think we are going to be interested in continuing to work, donate and vote for a party that openly insults us. The same people who insisted McCain and Romney were the "most electable" have been ripping our front runner to shreds because he is not their preferred candidate. Well yes, Trump will probably lose when leading Republicans are more interested in destroying him than running against Hillary.

chickelit said...

Gusty Winds wrote: Maybe many people who have voted Republican for many years want to redefine the party. Is the party only defined by members of the donor class, or is it a party that belongs to its voters

Chuck isn't going to be happy with Cruz either. He's going to go all the way to defeat pushing for his party-boys, Romney & Ryan.

Chuck said...

Gusty Winds said...
...

Four months ago Cruz was the other anti-establishment candidate. Now he's the darling. The Obi-Wan. Their only hope.

Maybe many people who have voted Republican for many years want to redefine the party. Is the party only defined by members of the donor class, or is it a party that belongs to its voters?


I don't think Ted Cruz is "the only hope." But he's becoming a good tool to prevent Trump from getting to 1237.

I have said, too many times to count now, that I don't mind people trying to get in their two cents' worth, in moving the Party platform in their direction. By all means, get involved, speak up, vote for you primary candidates. Volunteer! Be a precinct delegate! Get Republicans elected to you county commission. But pretty soon you find out how much we need donors to make it all work. I am so grateful, to the people who put lots of their own money into the Party. I'm not bashing them at debates.

Really, Donald Trump ought to man up and have the balls to pick out particular donors who he opposes. Name names, and be specific about the issues that Trump thinks they are messing up. I say to you; I don't think Trump has any idea about any particular people, other than that they aren't supporting him and so they are by definition his enemies.

Chuck said...

Cacimbo - I'll leave it up to you; in the event that the Republican Party nominates someone not named Trump, who you gonna vote for?

walter said...

Almost forgot..another popular shirt read "Hillary sucks. But not like Monica"

Chuck said...

By the way...

You can use any search engine you'd like, to try to find me saying anything bad about Senator Cruz. You won't find anything. And to help you, I assure you that I have said on previous occasions that I understand how and why Senate colleagues have gotten pissed off at Cruz. I might have been among them, if I had been in the Senate. But I've got no great animus toward Cruz; I think his Senate troubles are tactical and not strategic. I rather like the idea of Ted Cruz picking the next two or three Supreme Court justices. If Cruz is the nominee, I'd work to help elect him and I hope he can succeed in a general election. I just don't think that Ted Cruz is the most electable Republican. Polling pretty clearly supports me. At least right now.

That is different, of course, from picking the flatly unelectable Donald Trump.

cacimbo said...

Chuck- At this point Trump is the only candidate who can possibly get the required number of delegates. If he enters the convention just a few short and the party denies him the nomination I will probably vote Libertarian for President. I am torn over whether to support my representative. I live in Staten Island, one of the only swing districts in NYC. Thanks to the Tea Party we turned a blue seat red. But all we hear is that having the House and Senate is meaningless without the Presidency. Since the establishment is unwilling to support the candidate the voters are selecting why should I bother helping keep the House Republican?

Paul said...

Hmm, 10 times harder... wow, Obama was only twice harder.

chickelit said...

@Chuck: You really are a contemptible example of party-boy conservative. Your blatant defense of the money and just the money in deciding who gets the Republican nomination is precisely the reason why I and many others won't vote for your Romney and your Ryan in the fall. I did that already. Fool me once...

Chuck said...Cacimbo - I'll leave it up to you; in the event that the Republican Party nominates someone not named Trump, who you gonna vote for?

Make it sound like ransom. That'll work. Chuck you, Farley.

Brando said...

"I assume his bragging about all the women who advanced in his company is a big exaggeration like most everything he says. The media should look into it, instead of just accepting his bragging."

Well, they've accepted this idea he's worth "billions" even though many estimates have him at less that a billion dollars (not that that's peanuts, but a key part of his "brand" is how rich he is). The thing with Trump is his lies are so numerous and predictable that they've just stopped fact checking. It's sort of like tolerating a little kid spouting nonsense. We're just not supposed to make that little kid president of the United States.

"There was no warm, personal touch that a wife could bring to the table, like a touching anecdote about something sweet he did for one of his children or a reminiscence of some family moment that was revealing of a larger truth--- the sort of 'humanizing' speech wives are often called upon to make for a candidate."

That's what's bizarre about this. Surely they could come up with some "moment of warmth" about Trump, who could use it after portraying himself as a complete douchebag for so long. That's what family is for! And hell, if he really is a terrible person, they could at least make something up. It wouldn't really be breaking with Trump campaign practice. Talk about that made-up story where some farmer helped him fix a flat in his limo so he paid off the guy's mortgage. People are dumb enough to buy it.

But your latest purchase telling everyone you "treat women just like men, punching them ten times as hard" is baffling. Was he trying to get the Ike Turner vote?

Unknown said...

Regardless of anything else, she is one hot number, a dish , a doll, a babe, whew......