tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16366946540990959332024-02-19T05:00:22.759-08:00Pundit Fight: The Political Arena‘US Politics is Wrestling’ est. 2007PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.comBlogger798125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-75274185440676224522020-05-09T18:04:00.001-07:002020-05-10T16:42:59.147-07:00Electomania 2020: 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' presents The Rock vs President Trump<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/jimmykimmel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JimmyKimmel</a> imagines Trump facing off against <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRock?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheRock</a> in "ElectoMania 2020" <a href="https://t.co/jatvNdtQaF">https://t.co/jatvNdtQaF</a> <a href="https://t.co/UPnDiGyUDl">pic.twitter.com/UPnDiGyUDl</a></div>
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) <a href="https://twitter.com/THR/status/865236038741966848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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In 2017, <a href="https://twitter.com/jimmykimmel">Jimmy Kimmel</a> booked a future dream card dubbed 'ElectoMania 2020', between The Rock and President Trump. Find the transcript of the segment below:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdnD_XbDYfWwzVT0UpQZ73ZOSDTnu148xs8i-6MAOTakntmNRha0LKY_AOnAp_v0-HcVrvNNKQED0NrK9BFd_Cdg5aieYOUSif4D0LJyczcC8PbmyIzoaW0GT5m_XnLp1QfePTUCNOlc/s1600/electomania2020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="655" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXdnD_XbDYfWwzVT0UpQZ73ZOSDTnu148xs8i-6MAOTakntmNRha0LKY_AOnAp_v0-HcVrvNNKQED0NrK9BFd_Cdg5aieYOUSif4D0LJyczcC8PbmyIzoaW0GT5m_XnLp1QfePTUCNOlc/s400/electomania2020.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ElectoMania 2020: The Rock vs Donald Trump<br />
presented by 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
JIMMY KIMMEL: I think an actual rock might beat Donald Trump at this point<br />
VOICEOVER: The stage is set. White House title holder Donald Trump...<br />
DONALD TRUMP: I'm here to challenge you<br />
VO: Defends his belt against The Rock...<br />
DWAYNE JOHNSON: You coming down here, you're running down our country we love. Its a country we're proud of<br />
TRUMP: I think I'm stronger than you<br />
<i>------- crowd boos -------</i><br />
JOHNSON: We don't boo you because you support Russia<br />
<i>------- crowd cheers -------</i><br />
VO: Get ready to Dwayne the Swamp at ElectoMania 2020<br />
JOHNSON: You're running around here looking like a big, fat bowl of Fruity Pebbles<br />
VO: Its and all out Smackdown of democracy<br />
TRUMP: You're right, he is scared. You're right.<br />
JOHNSON: You're looking at what would happen if a homeless lumberjack banged an Oompa Loompa<br />
VO: ElectoMania 2020. Only on C-Span 2.</blockquote>
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PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-32711137636346827022020-04-29T22:54:00.002-07:002020-05-03T22:44:10.088-07:00Full transcript of 'Wrestlers vs. Politicians' featuring Ronny Chieng of The Daily Show<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Ronny Chieng continued The Daily Show's tradition of linking US politics with pro-wrestling. During his tenure, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BpIh-ZcADYw/">wrestling mark Jon Stewart</a> was one of the first mainstream outlets to endorse the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/politicsiswrestling/">#PoliticsisWrestling</a> meme. In <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com/2010/03/jon-stewart-wyatt-cenac-and-mick-foley.html">2010 for a segment titled 'Crumbums & Fatcats</a>', Daily Show correspondent Wyatt Cenac and Mick Foley cut a promo which led to Stewart to surmise "So what you're saying is the whole f*cking thing [American Politics] is fake like professional wrestling".<br />
<br />
With <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com/2016/06/was-donald-trump-booed-at-2013-wwe-hall.html">WWE Hall-of-Famer Donald Trump</a> as President, Ronny Chieng filmed a 2018 segment in Appalachia to ask wrestler '<a href="https://twitter.com/ProgressLib804">Progressive Liberal</a>' for his state of the union.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>VIDEO: Wrestlers Vs. Politicians | The Daily Show With Trevor Noah</b></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="288" src="//media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:arc:video:comedy.intl:6c03daaa-6a85-4803-b110-dbc6e02d743c" width="512"></iframe></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
RONNY CHIENG voiceover: Democrats may know how to rally their base but when they reach out to Middle America they say things like<br />
ELIZABETH WARREN excerpt: Working families to get a share of the prosperity they're creating, we need a serious enforcement of competition laws<br />
<i>*deflating music*</i><br />
CHIENG vo: You're boring!!!<br />
NANCY PELOSI excerpt: Single payer! Single payer! Single payer<br />
<i>*deflating music*</i><br />
CHIENG vo: It's like you don't even care about what you're saying<br />
CORY BOOKER: Can you hear me now?<br />
CHUCK SCHUMER: It's not working</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3_kEW4P5d-v_Bo7Py6tWYMYrSXu-j6Ape7xyo10Y3PsNFfj2Hh0OIgdS7XRFtMEX18U88icb817kzQte9iqA1IcB1v1CodLA2C31CQ-LbPt7Nt-Xp9ahxw8m-WNKwRXW-9B1GN3mWg4/s1600/APF-rcdr-exciting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="850" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM3_kEW4P5d-v_Bo7Py6tWYMYrSXu-j6Ape7xyo10Y3PsNFfj2Hh0OIgdS7XRFtMEX18U88icb817kzQte9iqA1IcB1v1CodLA2C31CQ-LbPt7Nt-Xp9ahxw8m-WNKwRXW-9B1GN3mWg4/s320/APF-rcdr-exciting.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut to the exciting part</td></tr>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
CHIENG vo: No it's not. And it's no surprise. In the last election, people in swing states went for a guy who said things like...<br />
DONALD TRUMP excerpt: Who's going to pay for the wall?! I'd like to punch him in the face I tell ya!<br />
CHIENG vo: Trump honed his trademark oratorical style where else? In professional wrestling and if Democrats were gonna fight back, they needed someone who could go head to head with a WWE Hall-of-Famer like Trump. And in the heart of coal country we found him<br />
DAN RICHARDS excerpt: Shut your ignorant mouths cuz the Progressive Liberal has something to say<br />
CHIENG vo: Finally a Democrat who doesn't make me want to change the channel. Dan Richards has been making headlines wrestling as the Progressive Liberal and riling up small-town audiences all over Trump Country...</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSAJbmocwEQyXPvOnwrKmme7x-WQHvzOvalLbvtpUrJ3i8rT1CzWdOlWUAbAULB2Pp7lNd7FLHdI12yKnAkbPU2LTyBfyHiVE4MX_uf26778sWDWzFJ_pMsTfl_S9zvidC8v6CD4CTHU/s1600/APF-rcdr-newsheadlines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="850" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioSAJbmocwEQyXPvOnwrKmme7x-WQHvzOvalLbvtpUrJ3i8rT1CzWdOlWUAbAULB2Pp7lNd7FLHdI12yKnAkbPU2LTyBfyHiVE4MX_uf26778sWDWzFJ_pMsTfl_S9zvidC8v6CD4CTHU/s320/APF-rcdr-newsheadlines.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Progressive Liberal' Dan Richards making headlines</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
RONNY CHIENG: How hard is it to pretend to have these liberal values?<br />
DAN RICHARDS: Oh I'm not pretending<br />
RICHARDS excerpt: You're on the wrong side of history so shut up!<br />
CHIENG vo: But even if the crowd hates him, the Progressive Liberal could teach swing state Democrats some classic wrestling techniques for getting voter's attention<br />
DAN RICHARDS: You wanna stick to broad brush stroke talking points<br />
CHIENG: Right. So Middle America would rather learn about politics through a mostly naked man than by reading a book?<br />
RICHARDS: Yeah</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojGJK08yHNOakdFm79zpiV14ka7_5r5GfLeFZ4SBRd4y19FTZ3O4IurDwjCBFNsXm5dA5Sit_5dXBOwLzd8TV6u5Wx5wXd-UnGifLNeeWiDiZpxx7tPa_q3jYs3tP1AnX9hXRTSCUNIY/s1600/APF-rcdr-chyron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="850" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojGJK08yHNOakdFm79zpiV14ka7_5r5GfLeFZ4SBRd4y19FTZ3O4IurDwjCBFNsXm5dA5Sit_5dXBOwLzd8TV6u5Wx5wXd-UnGifLNeeWiDiZpxx7tPa_q3jYs3tP1AnX9hXRTSCUNIY/s320/APF-rcdr-chyron.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pro Wrestler sits down with Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
RONNY CHIENG vo: But Dan assured me that besides wearing shirts, politicians and wrestlers had one key difference<br />
DAN RICHARDS: People in politics will say anything to get elected whereas a good wrestler is only gonna say things that they truly believe in<br />
CHIENG: So what you're saying is that the level of political discourse in wrestling is actually higher than in politics?<br />
RICHARDS: Oh yeah</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQB_W0u5f_qW7jt7OxFcxpUBt_qYIPva2C3vUaNZVGeTH-34dhCHktOMP2hygnJQJwhC5MMScfQB3FaMgCp6_KGkvFd2yyv5_qxFalezqByoT772tXl3HMDSS4iGbZvb5A0zctK7H6cI/s1600/APF-rcdr-trumpprogposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="850" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQB_W0u5f_qW7jt7OxFcxpUBt_qYIPva2C3vUaNZVGeTH-34dhCHktOMP2hygnJQJwhC5MMScfQB3FaMgCp6_KGkvFd2yyv5_qxFalezqByoT772tXl3HMDSS4iGbZvb5A0zctK7H6cI/s320/APF-rcdr-trumpprogposter.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue team vs Red Team</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
RONNY CHIENG vo: But with Congress immobilised by partisan politics what advice did the Progressive Liberal have for Democrats<br />
CHIENG: Let's say you're Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell puts you in a headlock, what do you do?<br />
DAN RICHARDS: Ummm I'd reverse it into a top wristlock and I would stomp on his elbow breaking his wrists<br />
CHIENG: <i>*nods*</i> And the issue would be resolved?<br />
RICHARDS: Without a doubt</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTn9I1J_V3JzN8_R2ZibMyfn0v2TbmMaB823G6pMYsep-kI2Fve-9btY2VYhoTQe2viN7K9Fd2ovZKrpaPdksV4Ks0Ta0drlXc5Tu6JNQvip76z3oBix69r8VqxC-G0u9UFlIa_zsIq_g/s1600/APF-rcdr-promoclose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="850" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTn9I1J_V3JzN8_R2ZibMyfn0v2TbmMaB823G6pMYsep-kI2Fve-9btY2VYhoTQe2viN7K9Fd2ovZKrpaPdksV4Ks0Ta0drlXc5Tu6JNQvip76z3oBix69r8VqxC-G0u9UFlIa_zsIq_g/s320/APF-rcdr-promoclose.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Commander-in-briefs' Ronny goes in the ring with Dan Richards</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
RONNY CHIENG vo: The Progressive Liberal had some great ideas for updating Democrats' messaging but could he take on the Heavyweight Champion in the White House.<br />
RING ANNOUNCER: Introducing the 'Commander-in-briefs'!<br />
CHIENG: Is it just me or is it getting cold in here? Because there's a snowflake in the ring!<br />
RICHARDS: I am not a snowflake!!!<br />
CHIENG: Snowflake! Snowflake!<br />
RICHARDS: Quit pandering<br />
CHIENG: I'm one of them</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPkKiExx5Kn_cdzdQ21rmTOc0zF4l4BGtxHfL8Pk92cQ9bXS-vpRfjNW4jQ9ZxvLO-LDe7NLy36u960rCiD9QnNvUrJrhNNrmHmYEmYzlIdLLQEC4nZRHNTCV3xNhEfJYMPoDtNvc5vw/s1600/APF-rcdr-progshirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="850" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVPkKiExx5Kn_cdzdQ21rmTOc0zF4l4BGtxHfL8Pk92cQ9bXS-vpRfjNW4jQ9ZxvLO-LDe7NLy36u960rCiD9QnNvUrJrhNNrmHmYEmYzlIdLLQEC4nZRHNTCV3xNhEfJYMPoDtNvc5vw/s320/APF-rcdr-progshirt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dan Richards shows how to get a pop as a progressive liberal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
CHIENG vo: My pandering was working. Time to take this to the next level<br />
CHIENG: You know what this man wants? Let me guess what you want to do with the guns in this country. Just let me guess.<br />
<i>*crowd boos*</i><br />
CHIENG: You wanna take them away<br />
RICHARDS: I don't wanna take away guns. I'm just for really strict background checks<br />
CHIENG vo: OK, that wasn't too hard to understand and the audience was into it<br />
CHIENG: Fine! Whatever about guns. Let me guess what you want to do about marijuana<br />
RICHARDS: I think what people wanna do behind closed doors should be their business<br />
<i>*man in crowd cheers*</i></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkEGeUiHX2qtHRFHPjxPwsd8lpcSeQwg8A-_Ofhk6OggFSmEd3nWYOg4wWe_Qqn0a0-FGLeASCjyI1XFkzUS_Op4K6Qu55I1e5jP3Ma0TOsPABGQOlMG-fgRKK0bej0oVMIxFlibN6Mc/s1600/APF-rcdr-ronnystompow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="850" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEkEGeUiHX2qtHRFHPjxPwsd8lpcSeQwg8A-_Ofhk6OggFSmEd3nWYOg4wWe_Qqn0a0-FGLeASCjyI1XFkzUS_Op4K6Qu55I1e5jP3Ma0TOsPABGQOlMG-fgRKK0bej0oVMIxFlibN6Mc/s320/APF-rcdr-ronnystompow.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The future of American Politics</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
CHIENG: Like Hell you do<br />
RICHARDS: That is my position as the Progressive Liberal<br />
<i>*crowd cheers*<br />*triumphant music plays*</i><br />
CHIENG vo: Looks like broad brush talking points work. Especially that marijuana one Democrats. So maybe let wrestlers craft slogans for your next campaign. Like "Lock Guns Up", "Make America Greatest" or "420 4 2020".<br />
Let's face it, what really turns on swing state crowds isn't words. It's action<br />
CHIENG: I don't care about your positions cuz you suck<br />
<i>*Ronny runs the ropes and takes a bump*</i><br />
CHIENG vo: Middle America wants a strong hero who won't back down from a fight. So Democrats if you want to beat a wrestler president. Keep it simple and go on the offensive<br />
<i>*Ronny getting stomped on the turnbuckle*</i><br />
CHIENG: Fake News! Fake News!<br />
CHIENG vo: Welcome to the future of American politics</blockquote>
I contend it's been the prevailing state of American Politics for a while now, this blog was founded in 2007.</div>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-76105788389970751402018-04-12T05:02:00.001-07:002018-04-12T06:46:19.781-07:00Luchador Stephen Colbert cuts wrestling promo as "El Trump Loco"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American Pundit Fighting profile: Stephen Colbert</td></tr>
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One of the <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2007/03/pundit-profile-2-stephen-colbert-al.html">first Punditfight wrestlers</a> I ever animated was Stephen Colbert. For Team Red. Despite transitioning to straight comedy in the footsteps of David Letterman, Stephen is arguably more political in his Late Night incarnation. Whilst Colbert doesn't have the same affection for Pro wrestling as running mate <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxZCRmfV5fw">Jon Stewart did</a>. In today's monologue he donned a luchador mask and put on a wrestling promo as "El Trumpo Loco".<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>VIDEO: The President's WrestleMania Foreign Policy</b></div>
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<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="237" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9Ih9GIJXC3w?rel=0" width="420"></iframe>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
STEPHEN COLBERT: (5m 37s) Threats, muscle flexing, macho nicknames. Trump is finally bringing his background in pro-wrestling to our foreign policy<br />
<i>*Stephen puts on a luchador mask and speaks in wrestling voice*</i><br />
<br />
Now! You listen up brother. You better get ready cuz on Monday night on World War Raw I'm bringing the thunder to Animal Assad, the gas killin' animal. The rude dude, King Jong Crude but first I'm taking down my nemesis the special counsel and if you candy-ass jabronis think I won't plunge the world into a global conflict that destroys civilization as we know it, then you don't know El Trumpo Loco, brother! I am crazy, hombre. I will deport myself because I am "smart!"</blockquote>
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PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-85099389870154214342017-09-20T03:37:00.004-07:002017-09-20T03:40:25.033-07:00Bill Burr and Joe Rogan on Politics being Blue Team (CNN) vs Red Team (Fox News)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Comedians Bill Burr and Joe Rogan distilled the '<a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/search/label/wrestling">Politics is Wrestling</a>' analogy in a conversation about CNN vs Fox News on a recent episode of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9GWqfNlWHI">Joe Rogan Podcast</a> (Ep 909). Bill Burr discussed his anxiety watching those News channels as they bake conflict and partisanship in their programming.<br />
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<b>VIDEO: Joe Rogan Experience #909 - Bill Burr</b></div>
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BILL BURR:(1h 16m 10s) Its why I can't watch CNN or Fox, I can't just sit there and listen - as much as I rant and rave which is just f*ckin pretty ironic - I can't sit there listening to people screaming and yelling at each other cuz they don't want to come together. They don't want to find what's right. They just want to win.<br />
JOE ROGAN: They have a side and they don't want to look at the other side.<br />
BURR: I have a red tie so I argue the "Red Tie" sh*t. You have a blue tie so you argue that. It's f*ckin childish…<br />
ROGAN: Hashtag "I'm with Her". The I'm with her thing was driving me f*cking crazy too. What do you mean you're with her. Is it just "her", is it about a woman or is it about who is the right person to run the f*ckin country. Cuz its not her, are you voting Democratic?<br />
BURR: And I thought those f*cking — you know CNN they kinda boxed out Bernie Sanders. It was almost like a fight, he might’ve been a better matchup. Who knows?<br />
ROGAN: He was a way better matchup. He wasn't compromised. If you wanna talk about someone who was financially compromised, he wasn't compromised. He may have been the only guy who ever ran for President that wasn't completely tied in to the financial system.</blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe Rogan and Bill Burr talking about the CNN/Fox News divide</td></tr>
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JOE ROGAN: The CNN/Fox divide, the left and right divide has never been greater in this country than right now. There's no one objective news source. There's not one news source that just tells you what's going on and doesn't do it from a biased perspective. Its left or right.<br />
BILL BURR: <b>But I think that divide only exists between the people that watch that sh*t. Its kinda like people — do you watch the UFC, do you not watch the UFC — If you watch the UFC then you're into this sh*t.</b> I think there's just news junkies out there that just mainline that sh*t and they're the ones where that divide is like that.</blockquote>
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PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-18534223259656967882017-09-18T19:35:00.000-07:002017-09-19T03:19:31.604-07:00Ladies and Gentleman, my name is Alex Jones and I am the advocate for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson an Alex Jones guy?</td></tr>
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I've written previously how Alex Jones has been <a href="https://medium.com/punditfight/alex-jones-and-owen-shroyer-on-the-ticket-of-mark-zuckerberg-and-the-rock-ba811062479">receptive towards a Dwayne Johnson</a> candidacy. With recent fracturing in the President's base over his <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2017/sep/15/late-night-trump-daca-deal-ann-coulter-trevor-noah-seth-meyers">overtures to the Democrats</a> on DACA, Alex revisits the appeal of The Rock and him possibly replacing Trump as a more suitable populist darling. <a href="http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/07/wwe-legend-the-rock-muhammad-ali-peoples-champion">The People's Champion</a>.</div>
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<b>VIDEO: Is Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Running For President?</b></div>
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ALEX JONES: (54s) I don't really like Hollywood. I'm sick of it. Its so fake, its empty. But I do like The Rock. I do like his movies, my kids like his movies. Reportedly behind the scenes, he's a really likeable guy. A hard working guy and he's supposedly pretty conservative but in a populist vein. That's a good thing.<br />
He said about a month ago, he's considering a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynGL938wLaM">run for the Presidency in 2020</a>. And the way Trump's going, if he betrays his base. I think there's one guy who's got more real star appeal and people appeal than even Donald Trump and that's Dwayne Johnson. And if Trump dynamites his own base and starts selling out to the Democrats then I would back Dwayne Johnson running against Donald John Trump and I think most Americans would as well.<br />
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Plus if the Rock's up there saying, "Mexico and China don't let you in if you're illegal. They don't let you come here and have babies for free. They don't let you come here and claim you were a kid here but with no proof". Obviously because of he's skin color that would really help and I think The Rock knows that.<br />
But super focused, successful, smart guy. I think he'd make a great President. He's a free marketer. He loves America. He's not out to piss on the country... Should we start drafting Dwayne Johnson who already says he's getting ready to run to replace Donald Trump?</blockquote>
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Alex continues his gushing for The Rock but oddly diverges into a shoot against Kid Rock, another <a href="https://www.kidrockforsenate.com/">prospective celebrity politician</a>, which he promptly backtracks on.<br />
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<b>VIDEO: Will Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Defeat Trump In 2020?</b>
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ALEX JONES: So smart, good-looking, Pro-American guy with brown skin. Yes! Put him in office immediately...<br />
Listen I'm not dumping Trump right now and Trump's done a great job but we're gonna debate this about what do we do if old Donald Trump goes sideways?<br />
<br />
Well The Rock, Dwayne Johnson is a lot better than Kid Rock. Nothing against Kid Rock. He's got some OK music and stuff. Kid Rock does kind of look like he got fed through a meth laboratory.<br />
Ok I'm being mean. Kid Rock's got some good policies. Some good ideas, he's given a lot of money back to Detroit and he's a patriot. I've got mutual friends with Kid Rock and I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that. Hell! I don't look that good either. Maybe I look like I've been fed through that. Point is that <a href="https://www.kidrockforsenate.com/">I hope he wins the Senate</a> but he really is rough around the edges.</blockquote>
I doubt we'll be seeing Alex Jones introducing The Rock in public appearances the same way <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foiNfXfoLpw">Paul "The Advocate" Heyman</a> introduces Brock Lesnar. I don't see the Rock's personal politics overlapping with Alex Jones' brand of libertarianism. As far as credible wrestler candidates go, Governor <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ventura+infowars">Ventura is closer to an "Alex Jones Guy</a>" than the Rock or John Cena is.<br />
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The Rock is in a unique position as an adored public figure, transcending partisan politics. Moreover, he’s getting a push from the Infowars apparatus that paved the climate which helped elect Trump. If you smell what The Rock is cooking.<br />
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PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-46836177339860096372017-06-23T11:40:00.001-07:002017-06-23T19:53:41.507-07:00The appeal of Celebrity Presidential candidates— White House 46: The Rock vs John Cena<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Once in a lifetime III". John Cena vs Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.</td></tr>
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There's been a lot of chatter on the possibility of Pro-Wrestler Dwayne Johnson contesting for the Presidency. With broad appeal as a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/therock/?hl=en">social media darling</a> and the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/2016/08/25/the-worlds-highest-paid-actors-2016-the-rock-leads-with-knockout-64-5-million-year/#70d6e31575a9">world's highest paid actor</a>, the Rock has gotten bipartisan approval from the likes of leftist filmmaker <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/michael-moore-the-rock-dwayne-johnson-us-president-2020-a7717291.html">Michael Moore</a> and conservative publication, the <a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/447618/rock-dwayne-johnson-hero-we-need">National Review</a>.<br />
Outspoken billionaire Mark Cuban has spoken on how <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2016/05/billionaire-investor-chris-sacca.html">Trump's success has paved the way</a> for other entrepreneurs to challenge for the highest office in the land. The same could be argued for Celebrities in general, rapper Kanye West one of the earliest to float a 2020 run before fellow self-promoter Donald <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000004819728/kanye-west-meets-with-trump.html">Trump cut him off at the pass</a>.<br />
Along with politicians Elizabeth Warren and Ted Cruz, the likely Presidential field also includes celebrity powerbrokers Oprah Winfrey and <a href="https://medium.com/punditfight/alex-jones-and-owen-shroyer-on-the-ticket-of-mark-zuckerberg-and-the-rock-ba811062479?source=collection_home---4------0-----------">Mark Zuckerberg</a>. As guest on the 'Chapo Trap House' podcast, Matt Taibbi explains the appeal and advantages of running for office as a celebrity candidate.<br />
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<a href="https://soundcloud.com/chapo-trap-house/episode-77-no-country-for-gorilla-men-12917">Episode 77 — No Country For Gorilla Men feat. Matt Taibbi (1/29/17)</a><br />MATT CHRISTMAN: (32m 52s) It basically boils down to the fact that there's a symbiotic relationship between traditional politicians and the media, right? Because most people especially if they’re running for President on a National scale has never heard of these a**holes. So it's basically the media's job to — in collaboration with the candidate — shape a version of them for people to be introduced to and give them an idea of who they are<br />
MATT TAIBBI: Right<br />
CHRISTMAN: Trump because he's a celebrity had a prefabricated brand that he didn't need the media to help him create so that relationship just broke down because he wasn't a politician.<br />
TAIBBI: That's 100% correct. What people need to remember -who are politicians? Most of them before they enter congress are 4th rate lawyers who get elected from these little... towns who gradually get built up and then they have profile and then in order to be turned into these mythic God-like characters they need the overwhelming attention of lots and lots of media people. But you don't need that if you're Donald Trump, he just bypassed that entire exercise. He's a celebrity by himself, without all the help of these sycophants.</blockquote>
Wrestling <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianMaxMann">journalist Brian Maxwell</a> expands the case for the logical pairing of celebrities and Presidential elections. Arguing elections are basically Reality TV talent shows that incorrectly test the competencies truly needed for the job.<br />
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<a href="http://fightnetwork.com/law/review-america-with-brian-mann-nate-milton-episode-1-the-rnc/">Review America with Brian Mann & Nate Milton — Episode 1: The RNC</a><br />
BRIAN MAXWELL: (25m 53s) If this whole campaign, this whole election is Pro-wrestling. The actual Presidency is 'Brawl for All'. Being a Pro-wrestling match doesn’t actually determine who the better fighter is...<br />
What’s really harmful with our politics -especially in our current media age- is that the qualifications, the hoops that we have people run through don’t in anyway line up to what it actually means to be President. At all. So we've devised this obstacle course that doesn't actually test someone's readiness for this type of position.<br />
I have no doubt as scary as it sounds- that Donald Trump might win this election cuz he might actually win the media job of converting people into voters... at the end of the day the job of the Presidency isn't necessarily a public relations job... The more that I look at it and I see we kind of opened things up. I think we’ve been doing it long enough that we can question the results.</blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SNL imagining a John Cena and Dwayne Johnson Presidency</td></tr>
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Writing on the analogy that American Politics is Pro-Wrestling for the past 10yrs, I never imagined a <a href="http://www.wwe.com/superstars/donald-trump">WWE Hall-of-Famer in Donald Trump</a> could occupy the White House. The fact the Rock, an actual Wrestler is poised to be a Presidential frontrunner is truly mind-boggling.<br />
John Cena, another marquee Wrestler also makes a compelling case as a dark horse Presidential Contender. Though divisive in the Wrestling Universe ("<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaKyGUeRd5M">Let's go Cena, CENA sucks!</a>") especially compared to the "People’s Champion". Cena offers a clearer liberal representative whilst ticking the same boxes as the Rock — charismatic action hero, positive rolemodel and supporter of the Troops. A plus on Cena's ledger, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcaw1kWXRio">he speaks mandarin</a>.<br />
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<b>VIDEO: John Cena supports #WeAreAmerica this Independence Day</b></div>
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If registered Republican Dwayne Johnson were to run, could he possibly challenge Donald Trump in a GOP primary? Could the winner between them face a Democratic nominee John Cena? Might the deciding battle in the "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubRVVLcuyss">Once in a lifetime" feud</a> between John Cena and the Rock be waged in the Political Arena? The rivalry that began for WrestleMania 28, avenged at WrestleMania 29 could possibly culminate in the election for POTUS 46.</div>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-33836426191163385712017-06-16T06:42:00.001-07:002017-07-02T19:09:22.368-07:00Mike Cernovich proposes a Left VS Right Battle Royale headlined by Keith Olbermann and Alex Jones<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I'll donate $100,000 to charity if <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithOlbermann">@KeithOlbermann</a> shows up to debate <a href="https://twitter.com/RealAlexJones">@RealAlexJones</a>. One hour. Neutral moderator. <a href="https://t.co/vMrLhAOtPM">https://t.co/vMrLhAOtPM</a></div>
— Mike Cernovich (@Cernovich) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cernovich/status/863149404475097088">12 May 2017</a></blockquote>
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Expounding on an earlier tweet, Mike Cernovich proposed a Left VS Right PPV showdown headlined by Keith Olbermann and <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/03/media/mike-cernovich-infowars-alex-jones/index.html">new boss and partner</a>, Alex Jones. I’ve been meaning to update the PunditFight roster with today’s current stars, the hype behind this hypothetical superfight might just be the inspiration.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original 'American Pundit Fighting' roster (2007)</td></tr>
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In the 10 years since it's founding, the <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Pundits">APF roster</a> has changed dramatically, escalating within the past year during the recent changeover in administrations. Jon Stewart stepped down from the 'Daily Show'. Stephen Colbert broke kayfabe to replace David Letterman on the 'Late Show'. Ratings juggernaut Bill O’Reilly was stunningly axed over sexual harassment claims. Alex Jones has arguably become the most influential pundit whilst the audacious Trump has effectively made the likes of <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/this-is-alex-jones-and-donald-trumps.html">Rush Limbaugh and traditional media obsolete</a>.<br />
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It's telling of the times that the roster Cernovich offered to represent the Right is made up of independent personalities that don't occupy mainstream news outlets.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cernovich Series PPV: <br />Team Republican (Cernovich, Weaver, Molyneux, Jones and Watson)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZifzDqUAlp3jVoT91YmPCvH1LiUllBS2CJJGdP2_hDSoZUDTdDl1S69h6NjUh9y6YY0QsDwMxKuWrtV4cVh2MeAteU_Jc3wFeQibSVHOWLCn4-5YNLmQwRnqhDeB91jXJIzsvamQoIk/s1600/apf-cernseriesdem4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZifzDqUAlp3jVoT91YmPCvH1LiUllBS2CJJGdP2_hDSoZUDTdDl1S69h6NjUh9y6YY0QsDwMxKuWrtV4cVh2MeAteU_Jc3wFeQibSVHOWLCn4-5YNLmQwRnqhDeB91jXJIzsvamQoIk/s320/apf-cernseriesdem4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cernovich Series PPV: <br />Team Democrats (Maher, Stelter, Olbermann, Harris, Tapper)</td></tr>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://rss.infowars.com/20170526_Fri_Alex.mp3">ALEX JONES — 2017-MAY-26, FRIDAY </a><br />
MIKE CERNOVICH: (3h 15m 08s) I predicted that people on the Right could do it better than people on the left. This a point that is being missed by the media. This is not a threat. I don’t want violence, I want a debate. Again, show me anyone on the left who has ever offered $100,000 to charity to debate me.<br />
Alex Jones, big name. We can raise a lot of money for charity. We can livestream it, have a superchat going. I bet you we can raise a million dollars if we had a big —like a WrestleMania. Wow! I wish Alex were here right now so we could brainstorm off each other. I envision like a major UFC event. A major boxing match promoted by CNN, co-promoted by Infowars. Maybe get Breitbart, Daily Caller, Cernovich Media. Get all of us in a room and we can have an undercard leading to a main event.<br />
<br />
So the Left, they can have Keith Olbermann, Bill Maher, Sam Harris, Jake Tapper, Brian Stelter. All these guys on the left can come in. Like a big battle royal. And then we can have people on the Right: Alex Jones, Paul Joseph Watson, Millie [Weaver], [Mike] Cernovich, Stefan Molyneux. We could have 5, 10 people on each side and this could all lead — God! Where is Alex right now when you need him?<br />
<br />
This would be an amazing, amazing event, we could cut up a promo for it. I bet you we could do a million for charity. I would put up a $100,000 of my own money from Cernovich media to see this event happen for charity. It would be the Battle Royale, the Left VS the Right. Who has the better ideas? Who can gauge with free speech with the most tenacity, the most ferocity. Who has the better argument? Who's more logical, who's more cogent? Millions of people would watch this. We could air it on every network. Air it live on CNN, air it live on NBC, ABC, Fox News, MSNBC. Air it live on everybody’s social media, on everybody's YouTube. Crowdfund donations. Livestream it. All money would go to charity. Why isn't this happening?</blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cernovich Series PPV: Team Rep VS Team Smack'Dem</td></tr>
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The 5 on 5 matchup is perfectly set up for a team showdown, <a href="http://www.wwe.com/shows/survivorseries/2016/5-on-5-traditional-survivor-series-mens-elimination-match">traditional Survivor Series style</a>. It’s worth noting that only <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/search/label/maher">Bill Maher</a> and <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/search/label/olbermann">Keith Olbermann</a> are existing APF pundits. Expect more art to come for this dream fight.</div>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-61356899929874238452017-05-28T08:58:00.000-07:002017-05-28T08:58:06.328-07:00Alex Jones on the Presidential ticket of Mark Zuckerberg and ‘The Rock<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DwayneJohnson/photos/a.448580834383.229946.406433779383/10153724250519384/?type=1&theater">Tag Team contenders Dwayne</a> "The Rock" Johnson and Mark Zuckerberg</span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/this-is-alex-jones-and-donald-trumps.html">Alex Jones</a> and Infowars counterpart Owen Shroyer discusses the <a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/447618/rock-dwayne-johnson-hero-we-need">growing push for a Dwayne</a> Johnson Presidential candidacy. Whilst not opposed to the suggestion, they're concerned he might ally with the Democrats or Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg who is a <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/2020-election-betting-odds-trump-warren-rock-kanye-zuckerberg-oprah-bush-609632">top Presidential contender</a> in his own right.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fau%2Fpodcast%2Fthe-alex-jones-show-infowars-com%2Fid175803816%3Fmt%3D2%26i%3D1000385379935&h=ATMERBGIjkO-JTvooz779uy_KKdZpIzDUTgMlYs9Gmvc34dO_aVB0_zts39Ezv3_3zS4P11MCSAf28QBknqjCRhUWYRoLZlWnHeMJ1_Oz3ylYVGu0_izRxSa2XByOT2MSBw2fG_wXxdtPA">The Alex Jones Show (Friday May 12, 2017) </a><br />
ALEX JONES: (3h 23m 12s) Can you imagine if the Rock [aka Dwayne Johnson] runs with [Mark] Zuckerberg?<br />
OWEN SHROYER: Its interesting Alex, I know you've talked to people within the WWE. Its pretty well known the WWE is a pretty conservative group, politically. Considering the people who go out to the media and do interviews. You've got Linda McMahon who's in as the Small Business Administration adviser, Vince McMahon's wife.<br />
JONES: The billionaire strut<br />
SHROYER: And like you said earlier, I don't have a problem with the Rock. I think the Rock is a genuine guy. I think he genuinely cares about people.<br />
JONES: I just know I like all the shows he's on. I mean I won't watch a lot of TV, he's just really funny to watch. I like him and I can't — If he runs with the Democrats, oh huh please don’t do that. SHROYER: Apparently they say he's a registered Republican, I don't know if that's true or not. JONES: I hope that's the case because the word is Zuckerberg is getting him to run.<br />
SHROYER: Well I think that’s what they're gonna try and do Alex. They know the Rock has people power. I mean he's the People's Champion, that's what they call him. They know he will draw a lot of attention. He's already drawing attention just for the notion he might run and the Democrats have nothing. They literally have nothing...</blockquote>
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PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-38296360653501553172017-04-19T17:48:00.001-07:002017-04-19T17:57:14.318-07:00"Culture Warrior" Bill O'Reilly and Fox News part ways<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />
Wow! Bill O'Reilly, the biggest pundit of all time has been <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-20/fox-ends-ties-with-top-rated-host-bill-oreilly/8456426">stood down by Fox News</a> over sexual harassment claims.
<br />
- Find all my <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/search/label/O%27Reilly">Bill O'Reilly posts here</a>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-86698256223771228532017-02-22T22:02:00.000-08:002017-03-17T00:10:52.690-07:00How the 2000 tag team of Donald Trump and Jesse Ventura set the stage for a "wrestler in the White House"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAuOC8vjKzdwSGcoGHniqbsFzmKlZjMJm6WBynU1QP5SaC6_MxVvHXjijVrPnDlalf0lb3YJsHO6ysspXIilwDDj9bhlV6sE2jPc3TySlSr2IxhdB0Ptgwn1YCYjKtJe5Gietyg3EBwc/s1600/cmtrump2000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAuOC8vjKzdwSGcoGHniqbsFzmKlZjMJm6WBynU1QP5SaC6_MxVvHXjijVrPnDlalf0lb3YJsHO6ysspXIilwDDj9bhlV6sE2jPc3TySlSr2IxhdB0Ptgwn1YCYjKtJe5Gietyg3EBwc/s400/cmtrump2000.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wrestler CM Punk from the indies to the "Big League".<br />
Trump, teasing a run in 2000 to officially announcing his Presidential bid in 2015.</td></tr>
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Wrestlers hone their stagecraft as they develop, perfecting their lines and shaping their personas. As they move up the ranks from the indie circuit to the big stage, storylines may get rehashed as they reintroduce themselves to bigger and bigger audiences. The same goes for politics.<br />
Presidential candidates who may have been popular or influential in their districts or States, mount campaigns using the playbook that served them well on the regional stage. Deploying familiar lines and refining their message, a look into one's Gubernatorial or Senate races might telegraph a candidate's arc.<br />
That being said, often times the wider public only see the latest and grander incarnation. Unaware of the recycled messaging and the winding road to becoming the character they see in front of them.<br />
<br />
You'd be forgiven for thinking that Trump left no such trail as he became the first person to assume the Presidency with <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/11/politics/donald-trump-businessmen-presidents-history/">no prior political or military</a> experience. Donald Trump has been a public figure for several decades and has hinted at becoming <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEPs17_AkTI">President as early as 1988</a> and signaling serious bids from 2000.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2016/02/13/that-time-donald-trump-and-jesse-ventura-talked-campaign-strategy/">That Time Donald Trump And Jesse Ventura Talked Campaign Strategy</a><br />
Donald Trump's "outsider" campaign for president is nothing new to Minnesota voters — it's very similar to the one that elected former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura in 1998.<br />
<br />
In fact, Trump once came to Minnesota to find out from Ventura himself exactly how he did it while he was considering a run for public office himself.<br />
<br />
"It's almost like he's reading our playbook," said Dean Barkley, Ventura's campaign chairman, who Ventura later appointed to the U.S. Senate. "Ventura had very, very high negatives. Nobody took him seriously. What he had going for him was his personality, and his ability to connect with people."</blockquote>
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<b>VIDEO: Donald Trump Jesse Ventura press conference</b></div>
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Watching Trump and Ventura's <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0001/07/se.03.html">news conference on the Reform Party</a> presidential race of 2000, you'll find talking points that foretell storylines for Trump's winning campaign 16 years later. Those who followed the campaign closely might recognise now-familiar phrases from this event, including the iconic Trumpism - "<a href="http://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/01/25/bag-the-bigly-moos-pkg-erin.cnn/video/playlists/wacky-world-of-jeanne-moos/">Big League</a>".<br />
<br />
Below are selected transcripts of that 2000 speech accompanied by mirroring headlines from 2016.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MSNBC: <a href="http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-campaign-a-cover-for-moneymaking-scheme-710188099545">Trump campaign a cover for moneymaking scheme</a></td></tr>
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Trump addressing the charge that his Presidential campaign <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2016/03/donald-trump-arrive-raise-hell-leave.html">is a publicity stunt</a>, a glorified book tour<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
REPORTER: (17m 06s) Is this more of a book tour promotion than a Presidential Campaign?<br />
DONALD TRUMP: ... All 3 of my books have been No.1 Bestsellers. I don't need this for that. New York City's the hottest selling city in the World. I'm selling condominiums and buildings like crazy. I don't need it for that. I'm doing this very seriously. The book whether it goes to No.1 as the other 3 have or whether it doesn't is not a major factor economically. It's not a lot of money in a book no matter how successful it is.<br />
<br />
I am looking very seriously as to whether or not it can be won. Very much like Jesse, you go out and you run. If I go out and get 20% of the vote. Big deal! People say "Great Job" for 24 hours, Great Job. And not that its a bad place I'm back in my office at Trump Tower the following Wednesday. So I'm looking as to whether or not I can win. If I can win I believe I can do a very good job otherwise I wouldn't be running. It's as simple as that.</blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HARTFORD COURANT: <a href="http://www.courant.com/politics/hc-hartford-trump-speech-20160414-story.html">Trump brings fiery message to thousands in Hartford</a></td></tr>
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Donald Trump on the support he's gotten by way of the thousands in attendance at his rallies<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
REPORTER: Mr Trump, on that point you had a packed house here today. How have you done elsewhere in the Country. What kind of feelings are you getting, what kind of vibe...?<br />
<br />
TRUMP: Well its been amazing. As I think you know its been amazing. We've had 17,000 people show up in California. We had 14,000 show up in Hartford, Connecticut you know its a little disconcerting when you leave and you say "How many people am I speaking in front of?", your secretary says "17,500 people". And you never sort of heard of that.<br />
We have had a tremendous response. On television we've gotten the highest ratings, on Larry King and virtually every show. 60 Minutes is doing a big piece on January 11th where I speak very brilliantly of him [Jesse Ventura]... so its been very strong.</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJALaGCAtr65rudprOKiidzFTzpWjtM1B_hv2mZcAvqmiOGIKLzIAw5QREpSlAW71lMPI5UtQ3s9UfXvQKJ7GMTuQ3EGuL6l9MAwbSAdex8V3aYyQGB1QuizpzvUpgaGu2cf4TRHQf2Y/s1600/trump2k-polls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJALaGCAtr65rudprOKiidzFTzpWjtM1B_hv2mZcAvqmiOGIKLzIAw5QREpSlAW71lMPI5UtQ3s9UfXvQKJ7GMTuQ3EGuL6l9MAwbSAdex8V3aYyQGB1QuizpzvUpgaGu2cf4TRHQf2Y/s320/trump2k-polls.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">POLITICO: <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/how-did-everyone-get-2016-wrong-presidential-election-231036">How did everyone get it so wrong?</a></td></tr>
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Jesse Ventura describing how the voters defied unanimous polls that pegged him to lose his 3-way Gubernatorial race in 1998. Echoing Donald Trump's unlikely Presidential win of 2016.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
JESSE VENTURA: ... You can't focus on a particular market but certainly if you can have a dynamic campaign that inspires young people. Those are voters that aren't polled which is another great disservice to the 15% we're talking about that we're supposed to get because I never once -- to show you how fraudulent polling can be. I never once, not at one point in my election was I polled to be the winner. There was not one poll that indicated that Jesse Ventura would be the next Governor of the state of Minnesota yet when that November 3rd came, who won? And the polls didn't dictate who won, the voters dictated it and I ended up winning that election when no poll indicated that in the first place and that's why it was fraudulent that they would set that type of thing up based upon polling results</blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WASHINGTON POST: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/02/17/heres-why-trumps-attacks-on-fake-news-succeed/?utm_term=.90d70edac5d7">Here's why Trump's attacks on 'fake news' succeed</a></td></tr>
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Donald Trump and Jesse Ventura pushing back on reporters who were mischaracterizing them<br />
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REPORTER: (15m 31s) Governor, Donald Trump said earlier that he thinks if he decided to run for President that you would probably endorse him<br />
TRUMP: I didn't say that. When did I say that?!<br />
VENTURA: Aah you see, we caught you Press<br />
TRUMP: He's the New York Post, don't worry. It's the New York Post (pointing lightheartedly)<br />
VENTURA: You see if Donald wasn't here now, they would have gotten away with that question.<br />
TRUMP: Now look at him, he just hides his head. He doesn't even dispute it. That's alright, New York Post<br />
<i>*room laughs*</i><br />
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REPORTER: (26m 15) Do you seen anyone else, do you know of any other [candidate you could endorse]?<br />
VENTURA: I haven't been searching for anyone<br />
REPORTER: Has anyone spoke to you and asked for your endorsement?<br />
VENTURA: No<br />
REPORTER: So you're probably going to endorse Donald Trump if he runs?<br />
TRUMP: (interjects) Again -- New York Post Governor. Don't worry about it.<br />
VENTURA: I know, I like the New York Post. They write all sorts of fabrications<br />
<i>*laughs*</i></blockquote>
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Its worth noting how cordial the press' relationship with Trump is was, known then as a political freelancer and folksy celebrity businessman. Compared to today, where President Trump has a <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/320670-q-poll-trump-approval-hits-new-low">sub 40% approval rating</a> and is resisted by a <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-faces-not-my-presidents-day-impeachment-rallies-on-national-holiday-a7588046.html">large swathe of the population</a> despite retaining his populist appeal.<br />
The conference was held 4 years prior to the success of NBC's '<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apprentice_(U.S._TV_series)">The Apprentice</a>' and Jesse Ventura declaring "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTLGkQeUjTs">we may need a Wrestler in the White House</a>" alongside the Donald at WrestleMania XX.<br />
Jesse had coaxed Trump ringside that day to endorse him but it would be Trump who would go on to occupy the highest office in the land 12 years later.</div>
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PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-52379942020241657032017-02-17T20:47:00.001-08:002017-02-20T05:31:29.341-08:00The #TrumpMeetsTrudeau handshake: The Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump showdown<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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US President Donald Trump met Canadian PM Justin Trudeau for the first time last week. It was a cordial affair between neighboring leaders featuring a roundtable discussion of <a href="http://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/2017/02/13/president-trump-ivanka-and-pm-trudeau-promote-women-in-business.html">Women in Business</a> alongside Ivanka Trump and several females CEOs from both countries.<br />
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However the enduring narrative from the visit were the handshakes, a <a href="http://www.wwe.com/classics/art-of-the-handshake">commonplace but time-honored</a> tradition. <a href="http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/donald-trump-justin-trudeau-handshake-memes-truth-behind-awkward-photo/news-story/fdedd18fe3b8fa42017b2b07c83c8dbe">Memes circulated</a> about how adeptly Prime Minister Trudeau maneuvered against Trump's infamous handshake style.<br />
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<b>VIDEO: Trump's awkward handshakes with World Leaders</b></div>
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What do we make of the fascination behind the showdown. Why were so many people invested in a handshake?</div>
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<a href="http://time.com/4669566/justin-trudeau-donald-trump-washington-handshake/">That Viral Photo of Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump Is Not What It Seems</a><br />
… We live in a new normal of misinformation sharing, one where falsities are pushed as truths by the highest levels of power. And so people are grasping for images that either back up their preexisting notions or turn the mainstream narrative on its head, and then sharing with their followers to further the reach.</blockquote>
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In this case, a confrontation between western democracy's top babyface (hero) and top heel (villain). The dreamboat liberal, Justin Trudeau against divisive celebrity mogul, Donald Trump. Both men are evenly matched and have overlapping qualities despite their philosophical differences. They're similarly privileged sons who've capitalised off their father's name and have a keen understanding of <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/the-trudeau-manipulation-behind-the-most-image-conscious-campaign-in-canadian-history">stagecraft</a> to bypass traditional media.</div>
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<a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/is-trudeau-the-ultimate-image-manipulator-not-quite/article31695742/">Is Trudeau the ultimate image manipulator? Not quite </a><br />
Traditional media are weakening, social media and online media strengthening, and the latter feast on image and celebrity. Of course, the Prime Minister’s Office counts on new media to counterbalance the traditional skeptical coverage of old media.</blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Justin Trudeau headlining ‘Fight for the Cure 5' (2012). <br />
Donald Trump in the Main Event of WrestleMania 23 (2007)</td></tr>
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Interestingly both men used blockbuster fight events <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/the-trudeau-manipulation-behind-the-most-image-conscious-campaign-in-canadian-history">as a springboard</a> for their Presidential ambitions. With their outsized personas and rabid following as champions for diametrically opposed world views. A showdown between these bordering leaders is a promoter's dream, the ultimate matchup. Even the thought of a clash provides catharsis.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AAOwMZe25pAmDxJn3pmGMfDcTsWn6NEMohjB8B25JgDMMVMTYbMhoxsYzihsttI1yMG4hAuqOGYrcw9PIXBgh2LOZOY9WXXHbyxTuIaK-ZuDCZWxoyCegumwufGiJQNtKze6-_Vtkb0/s1600/apf-trumpdeautwt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AAOwMZe25pAmDxJn3pmGMfDcTsWn6NEMohjB8B25JgDMMVMTYbMhoxsYzihsttI1yMG4hAuqOGYrcw9PIXBgh2LOZOY9WXXHbyxTuIaK-ZuDCZWxoyCegumwufGiJQNtKze6-_Vtkb0/s400/apf-trumpdeautwt.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The audience knows what they want </td></tr>
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To best sell a fight its ideal that both fighters come in strong and to have juice behind them. In wrestling the positive reaction a fighter gets is called a "Pop". The negative reaction,"Heat". This was evident on Twitter timelines with varied reactions to #TrudeauMeetsTrump depending on one’s political leanings.<br />
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A change in orientation (turn) from hero to villain or vice versa is commonplace in wrestling. Not so in politics as flip-flopping is ordinarily viewed as political suicide. Reinvention is integral to wrestling, characters change gimmicks and switch allegiances to keep audiences engaged. There's also the opening for a glorious return to form, a reboot of their persona. Interestingly this mirrors the transformation of public figures like Trump and successful celebrity cum politicians before him. Such as Governors, Jesse <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2008/10/answering-critics-jesse-ventura-al.html">Ventura and Arnold Schwarzenegger</a>. It's worth noting all three are in the WWE hall of fame.<br />
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In today's partisan times its rare for politicians to cross the aisle to get matters resolved, let alone switch parties. Those who do are generally <a href="http://conservativeamerica-online.com/the-six-most-powerful-rinos-in-the-united-states-senate-john-mccain-1-of-5/">viewed with skepticism</a>, seen as pariahs from both sides. The antidote to this is having the support of the people. To fashion yourself as a "maverick", an outsider taking on the establishment. With the correct gimmick and the unwavering support of your fans you can get away with anything. The same in <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/search/label/wrestling">wrestling goes for Politics</a>.<br />
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Irreverent wrestler "Stone Cold" Steve Austin had license to assault <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3RwmdeD92E">respected celebrities</a> and an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEIVzBvK3Cw">elderly woman</a>. Likewise, Trump’s popularity and charisma inoculated him from scandals that would have felled previous politicians. Inexplicably, stoushes with <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/trump-attacks-mccain-i-like-people-who-werent-captured-120317">war heroes</a> and <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/donald-trump/12163935/Donald-Trump-v-Pope-Francis-Trump-wins.html">the Pope</a> only strengthened <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2007/04/aura-part-1-of-2.html">his aura</a>.</div>
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The media are fantasy booking a would-be epic, between Face <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau">@JustinTrudeau</a> and Heel <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">@realDonaldTrump</a>. Don't force it.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrudeauMeetsTrump?src=hash">#TrudeauMeetsTrump</a> <a href="https://t.co/wKyBGDvaq2">pic.twitter.com/wKyBGDvaq2</a></div>
— jim stark (@PunditFight) <a href="https://twitter.com/PunditFight/status/831576920185647104">February 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Whilst a duel between Trump and Trudeau would be a major draw, it will unlikely yield what political partisans are after. Especially the <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/national-review-against-trump-wallpaper.html">#NeverTrumpers</a> longing for a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2vJN3st5T4">bogeyman to finally dethrone</a> the Donald. Annihilation is only possible through the erosion of public support, the key is preserving relevancy. As main event fighters and image savvy personas, Trump and Trudeau understand this. If both men remain standing, the rival fanbases would only become further entrenched rather than converted by defeat.<br />
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In wrestling, the <a href="http://www.thesportster.com/wrestling/top-15-wrestling-feuds-that-started-for-the-stupidest-reasons/3/">slightest event</a> can trigger a program. A <a href="http://www.thesportster.com/wrestling/top-15-wrestling-feuds-that-started-for-the-stupidest-reasons/3/">stolen action figure</a> or a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aYV6pEpGeE">spilled coffee cup</a> could foreshadow a future rivalry. Donald Trump is not known for his subtlety, he telegraphs his <a href="https://youtu.be/P0sPidpwYCA">intentions through tweets</a> and isn't afraid to make enemies. Conversely, Trudeau takes after Barack Obama. The former top babyface and Trump's predecessor, a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nspj-CxHuZE">sensible diplomat</a> who'll be <a href="http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/307365-will-obama-hold-fire-on-trump">restrained in his engagement</a> with the <a href="https://twitter.com/PunditFight/status/624989657017643009">World's Most Powerful Man</a>. The social media response over the handshake teases the excitement that would come off a Trump/Trudeau face-off. I just wouldn't force it.</div>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-36583048245448043442017-02-03T23:05:00.000-08:002017-02-06T05:10:15.427-08:00Introducing @NicoDenoir, the finest Politics is Wrestling Twitter account today<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Politics is Wrestling meme went <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2017/01/this-is-alex-jones-and-donald-trumps.html">mainstream in 2016</a> with Donald Trump's ascension and ultimate conquest of American Politics. As the #1 resource for the analogy, I've tracked the growth of 'Politics is Wrestling' since 2007. In the early days it was easier to find mentions of the meme as it wasn't in vogue yet. Prior to Trump, the original meme torchbearer was Jesse Ventura. The WWE Hall of Famer turned Minnesota Governor taught classes at <a href="http://www.everythingharvard.com/classified/harvardventura.htm">Harvard in 2004</a> on how <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4777jiyWLhc">Pro-Wrestling prepares you for Politics</a>. In <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2010/03/jon-stewart-wyatt-cenac-and-mick-foley.html">2010 the Daily Show</a> brought the meme to the mainstream in a segment featuring <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2010/06/marc-marons-wtf-podcast-ep-23-wyatt.html">Wyatt Cenac</a> and wrestler Mick Foley. </div>
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Today we're inundated with a deluge of stories and blog posts on how Politics is Wrestling. Taking hiatus from the blog when there were murmurs of a Trump <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/to-readers-of-punditfight-sorry-for.html">Presidential run in 2011</a>, I'd been out of the loop as far as storylines went. </div>
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That was until I discovered <a href="https://twitter.com/nicodenoir">@nicodenoir</a> on Twitter, he's been my biggest source for keeping up to date with 'Politics is Wrestling'. Nico introduced me to Brandon Wetherbee and Chris Kelly, co-authors of 'The Donald: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Donald-Turned-Presidential-Politics-Wrestling-ebook/dp/B01LXURNN7">How Trump Turned Presidential Politics into Pro Wrestling</a>' and the '<a href="http://www.youmethemeverybody.com/">Great American Bash</a>' podcast. He connected me with the '<a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/review-america-limited-podcast-series_65.html">Review America' podcast</a> with Brian Mann and Nate Milton. Both podcasts discussing American Politics through the prism of Pro-Wrestling and founded July, 2016.</div>
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I got in touch with Nico to find more about him and get his take looking back on 2016. I'd hoped to release this by Inauguration Day but decided I wanted to crank up my animations again. Expect to see more Pundits added to the existing roster of PunditFighters and changes to some of the original cast. I'm toying with the idea of creating a stable for the best champions of the 'Politics is Wrestling' meme.</div>
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<b>1. What's your relationship with Wrestling and Politics, how long have you been engaged with both?</b><br />
After graduating from Concordia University in Political Science, I spent over a decade in Canadian federal politics as an executive in communications, while also having been involved in the American 08’ New Hampshire presidential primaries.<br />
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My expertise is in public relations, speech writing and campaign management.
My first wrestling memory is walking under the hot and arid Stampede Wrestling tent at the age of 5 in Calgary. At my first live wrestling event, I saw WWF Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat in a No DQ Match, at the Montreal Forum in 1987.<br />
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I've been with the International Wrestling Syndicate since its inception in 1999, holding various roles with them behind-the-scenes over the years, while being currently involved as a public relations and social media consultant.<br />
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<b>2. Explain your interest in the Politics is Wrestling analogy. How did you first come up with or come across the idea? </b><br />
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I first noticed the relationship between pro wrestling and politics while studying speech writing in College and falling onto the famous Dusty <a href="https://youtu.be/9py4aMK3aIU">Rhodes 'Hard Times' promo</a>. To this day, I still think that promo may arguably be the greatest political speech ever.<br />
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<b>3. What were your 5 favorite Politics is Wrestling links for 2016, providing some background?</b><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Linda McMahon picked to be Small Business administrator <a href="https://t.co/hP2jEXk3F7">https://t.co/hP2jEXk3F7</a></p>— Nico Denoir (@nicodenoir) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicodenoir/status/806663110517997574">December 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
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After Linda's failed senatorial races representing the Republican Party in Connecticut, once Chris Christie dropped out of the presidential race, the McMahon’s rallied behind their old friend Trump. The McMahon donation to the Trump campaign assured Linda's candidacy for appointment.<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Vote for Rhino - Tommy Dreamer Endorsement <a href="https://t.co/ALiLLpAy6p">https://t.co/ALiLLpAy6p</a></p>— Nico Denoir (@nicodenoir) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicodenoir/status/796056964795080705">November 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
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While everyone's focus was on Trump, Rhyno also ran for politics this year, doing a great job in his campaign which was highly substantial in local policies. He also continued to perform as a wrestler on the SmackDown brand throughout his campaign.<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">• Rock's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOP?src=hash">#GOP</a> supporter<br>• Presidents last 2 terms<br>• He won't go vs Clinton<br>• Hollywood 💰 to make<br><br>= <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Johnson2024?src=hash">#Johnson2024</a> <a href="https://t.co/7HJyTEJHGc">https://t.co/7HJyTEJHGc</a></p>— Nico Denoir (@nicodenoir) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicodenoir/status/758436202437574656">July 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Dwayne Johnson has alluded in passing to entering politics, but this year was his coming out in affirming his interest in running for the highest office. Ironically, US politicians generally deny until the last minute their intentions to run for President, but obviously for The Rock, "it doesn't matter what you think".<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Two kinds of apologies... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DNC?src=hash">#DNC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RomanReigns?src=hash">#RomanReigns</a> <a href="https://t.co/c3Tovjd94K">pic.twitter.com/c3Tovjd94K</a></p>— Nico Denoir (@nicodenoir) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicodenoir/status/757700744686567425">July 25, 2016</a></blockquote>
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I used these two incidences as an exercise to demonstrating the different ways a mistake can be publicly confronted, as the Democrats denied wrong-doing by deflecting the blame, Reigns faced his situation head-on by admitting fault and apologising.<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Donald Trump Talks RNC Entrance, McMahon, WWE on Meet The Press <a href="https://t.co/X40DeG5YH8">https://t.co/X40DeG5YH8</a></p>— Nico Denoir (@nicodenoir) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicodenoir/status/757275014605438976">July 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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While many speculated that Trump was using the professional wrestling playbook during his campaign, it was this Meet The Press interview that confirmed this reality, most notably from Vince McMahon's congratulatory call for the Republican National Convention entrance.<br />
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<b>4. How would you best describe 2016? </b><br />
2016 was the year where the analogy of politics as wrestling was legitimized by the Trump candidacy. While Jesse Ventura has been playing this up all along since his mandate as Governor of Minnesota, it hadn't hit the American mainstream until now. By the end of last summer, politics as wrestling was on everyone’s mind.<br />
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Looking forward, it remains to be seen what effect the Trump campaign will have on others in the wrestling industry who have future political aspirations including Glenn Jacobs (Kane), Booker T, Cody Rhodes, Dwayne Johnson and quite possibly John Cena.
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PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-75687123368781833662017-01-29T08:58:00.003-08:002024-01-20T03:54:53.145-08:00Remember the Rumble: Donald Trump, Election 2016 wallpaper<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donald Trump and Election 2016 wallpaper<br />
and why we should "Remember the Rumble"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Only a week into the Trump presidency and many people remain in a state of disbelief and denial that there's a new sheriff in town. Trump is the first President to arrive into power with a <a href="http://fortune.com/2017/01/24/donald-trump-approval-ratings/">sub 50% approval rating</a>, his second day in office met with a wave of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/01/22/us/politics/womens-march-trump-crowd-estimates.html">oppositional marches that overshadowed</a> the crowd figures at his inauguration. Not one to take disapproval lying down Trump snidely tweeted:<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election! Why didn't these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly.</p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/823150055418920960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The President's senior counselor <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/26/business/media/stephen-bannon-trump-news-media.html?action=Click&contentCollection=BreakingNews&contentID=64842647&pgtype=Homepage&_r=0">Steve Bannon adding</a> "The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for a while". Whilst it appears like weeping and gnashing of teeth from Trump's detractors it's best described as blind fury. In pugilistic fashion, Trump has worked his opponents into a frenzy with goading rhetoric that aims to <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/27/media/steve-bannon-media-reaction/">distract and debase them</a>.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/this-is-why-it-doesnt-matter-when-donald-trump-lies/news-story/06349b798ee6f6c3044828ddb87eebe9">This is why it doesn’t matter when Donald Trump lies</a> by Joe Hildebrand<br />
Unfortunately many in the American left and liberal media still seem wholly incapable of seeing what drove Donald Trump to power and are thus hopelessly ill-equipped to remove him from it. The only trick in the playbook seems to be to dig up one more scandal, one more "gotcha" moment, and hope that this will be the one that sinks him.<br />
<br />
If Einstein is right that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result then it’s not Trump who is the crazy one...
<br />
<br />
Instead of getting outraged by everything he says over and over again or protesting his very existence, Trump's opponents should find out why people voted for him in the first place and offer them a better alternative.<br />
<br />
After all, if he's as bad as they say he is how hard can that be?</blockquote>
Its worth noting that Trump successfully divided and conquered opposition from his right flank, from <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2016/10/05/media/megyn-kelly-sean-hannity/">Fox News</a> to the <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/national-review-against-trump-wallpaper.html">National Review #NeverTrumpers</a>. He also gave the last rites to both the Bush and Clinton dynasties. Trump has deftly <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMRm6BHOuhw">fashioned friends and enemies</a> across multiple, often unorthodox lines. Successfully repurposing the broad, bipartisan discontent on issues (trade, voter registration) and groups (congress, the media) to suit his ends. Redefining the playbook for modern politics, overlooked is how Trump revealed that voters weren't as monolithic as previously thought. Demonstrating it's possible for a leader to convince supporters to <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2016/08/16/when-did-russia-become-our-enemy/">accept sworn enemies</a>, welcome"<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scQy-cOqcyo">alternative facts</a>" and forgive <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/01/donald-trump-conflicts-of-interests/508382/">conflicts of interest</a>.<br />
<br />
A potpourri of policies offered by the right salesman may be dutifully adopted especially if one is content to win only marginal support. Brandon Wetherbee and Chris Kelly, authors of '<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Donald-Turned-Presidential-Politics-Wrestling-ebook/dp/B01LXURNN7/">The Donald: How Trump Turned Presidential Politics into Pro Wrestling</a>' frames Hildebrand's prescription thusly<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://soundcloud.com/thegreatamericanbash/episode-20-heel-president-november-9-2016">The Great American Bash "Heel President" (Nov 9, 2016)</a><br />
CHRIS KELLY: (18m 25s) That's the thing, we just miscalculated that the heel would get his comeuppance now. Cuz there's still "<a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2007/03/punditfight-glossary-of-terms.html">heat</a>" to get.<br />
BRANDON WETHERBEE: I got a text last night saying -- What happens to the heel when he wins? Well he just keeps winning.<br />
KELLY: He just keeps winning until there's a good challenger that you actually want to be the face of the company...</blockquote>
We need to be reminded that Trump vanquished a gauntlet of opposition from both sides of the aisle. His audacious boast that he "could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody" without losing voters chillingly proved true. It'll be a tall order finding a challenger as teflon as the Don but the candidate pool has broadened, rival <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2016/05/billionaire-investor-chris-sacca.html">billionaire Mark Cuban indicating</a> "I think it did open a door, I think he's set a path for entrepreneurs, for business people".<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road to the White House starts at the Rumble</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Using the upcoming WWE PPV as inspiration, I've made a new wallpaper to remind voter's of the alternatives paths offered and what Trump's conquest in spite monumental doubts signifies. Reminiscent of Colbert's '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7RaPfxcL2w">Hungry for Power Games</a>', I've appropriated the tagline for this year's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOxHAQtPj78">Royal Rumble in San Antonio</a>. Whilst the theme is "Remember the Rumble", I have a feeling the aftershocks of this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg1KgMX5asE">political earthquake</a> will remain a constant until the big one returns in 4 years.<br />
<br />
- National Review "Against Trump" wallpaper: <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/national-review-against-trump-wallpaper.html">The GOP 2016 Royal Rumble</a></div>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-53757112101821826802017-01-15T07:17:00.002-08:002017-01-28T07:38:21.826-08:00This is Alex Jones and Donald Trump's America now: Hannity and Tucker on the rise. Glenn Beck and MSM on the decline<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's been months since my last post and obviously a lot has happened. We have a new President, one that no one expected outside of the few true believers. With that comes a shift in the power structure of the Pundit Class. Anyone who <a href="https://twitter.com/PunditFight">follows me on Twitter</a> would have noticed my fixation on <a href="https://twitter.com/RealAlexJones">Alex Jones</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">Donald Trump</a>. Both epitomize the Politics is Wrestling analogy. They <a href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/02/how-donald-trump-did-it-213581">understand showmanship</a> and the cult of personality and have capitalised on it to emerge as the most influential voices in American Politics.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Politics is Wrestling' on major News publications in 2016:<br />
The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, NY Times, Washington Post etc...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Whilst I've tracked the 'Politics is Wrestling' analogy for 10 years, the rise and conquest of Donald Trump and Alex Jones took me by surprise. Donald Trump was the undisputed star of the Election cycle. Overlooked in Trump's deftness at bypassing the MSM was how he <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/07/22/time-for-rush-limbaugh-to-smother-trump.html">mollified Rush Limbaugh</a>, the traditional gatekeeper for the Right. Trump also boldly challenged Fox News, fracturing them into two factions. The Sean Hannity and Megyn Kelly wings, the <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/10/06/fox-fight-sean-hannity-calls-megyn-kelly-clinton-supporter/91649830/">Champions and skeptics respectively</a> of the Trump movement. <a href="http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2016/12/19/sean-hannity-media-politics">Hannity's winning gamble</a> for Trump positions him as the official media surrogate for POTUS45. Megyn Kelly, destined for a payday regardless <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2017/01/03/why-megyn-kelly-is-leaving-fox-news-for-nbc.html">takes her talents to NBC</a> where she'll have to resettle her footing with different stablemates and a broader audience.<br />
<br />
Another pundit whose fortunes have been shaped by Trump is Glenn Beck. He put his stock on Ted Cruz for GOP nominee and was the defacto <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/national-review-against-trump-wallpaper.html">figurehead of the #NeverTrump</a> resistance. Beck fashioned himself as the voice for principled Conservatism, poised to pick up the pieces after the seemingly inevitable Trump and subsequent GOP collapse. Trump's improbable victory made the public wary of Pollsters and News Media but Beck did something Pundits never do, show contrition. He flagellated himself on various News programs, making a show of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuSDfVRGI54">aligning with Satirical News host</a> Samantha Bee. After rising to the top of the Pundit power rankings a few years previous, a humbled Beck explores a new gimmick to face the Trump era.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuE_dSOI44vZ6vfOzZkzMDGc2cEcNgbD6SIb4uelZ8T7AyBsa-jWzHq0D0F5wifyNARuN9RQKDOjv9jzVG2cHl2XQ6bS2N4yilAlE7WXe5U6V8HLDwC8SvwbWynjB6hACpwj-aGGOBjz0/s1600/taibbi-alex.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuE_dSOI44vZ6vfOzZkzMDGc2cEcNgbD6SIb4uelZ8T7AyBsa-jWzHq0D0F5wifyNARuN9RQKDOjv9jzVG2cHl2XQ6bS2N4yilAlE7WXe5U6V8HLDwC8SvwbWynjB6hACpwj-aGGOBjz0/s320/taibbi-alex.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt <a href="https://twitter.com/mtaibbi/status/802992159460913152?lang=en">Taibbi weighing in on Donald</a> Trump's tweet. <br />
Not to be outdone, Alex <a href="https://twitter.com/RealAlexJones/status/803425503512100864">Jones shot back</a> at Matt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One media personality ascendant with Trump's rise is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuSDfVRGI54">Alex Jones, an outlandish broadcaster</a> with fringe ideas. Entertaining but otherwise innocuous, his program taps into the worst imaginings of libertarians. These views amplified and validated <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7SNIDr25Ds">as Trump echoed</a> them and began winning over crowds. "Birtherism" was the <a href="http://entertainment.time.com/2011/04/07/presidential-apprentice-donald-trumps-birtherism-sponsored-by-nbc/">springboard for Trump's candidacy</a>, this and conspiracies like them had been Alex Jones' stock and trade for over 20 years. Hillary Clinton and President <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB8GtNaCvKU">Obama often referenced Alex</a> and aimed to discredit Trump by pairing them together.<br />
<br />
Whilst other Right-Wing pundits vacillated during the primaries, checking the pulse of the masses before supporting a candidate. Alex Jones with the endorsement of Trump was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIaWnSftVuc">becoming the zeitgeist</a>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="text-align: center;">VIDEO: Alex Jones exposes Beck/Savage/Limbaugh (2010)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j9BMHkUpFm8" width="420"></iframe>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
ALEX JONES: Here's the deal, I'm an alternative, grassroots radio host that isn't part of the Left-Right paradigm. I don't let myself be put in a box, OK. It would appear that I'm allies with <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Limbaugh">Rush Limbaugh</a>, <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/search/label/beck">Glenn Beck</a>, <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/search/label/savage">Michael Savage</a> and others right now... because I'm opposing everything Obama is doing. Limbaugh, Beck and others aren't opposing Obama on the War, they're saying he's not doing enough...<br />
<br />
But as soon as they're in power, unless we really we get real leadership in there it is only going to continue, the Democrats will suddenly be Anti-Establishment. I'm Anti-Establishment and a constitutionalist no matter whose in power... I'm into facts, I'm into issues. I'm into how things actually work, OK. And I know the Government gets bigger and we lose freedoms no matter who's in there because of Global, private interests.
Again I don't sit up here bashing these guys all day, of the three you mentioned I think Savage has always been the best...<br />
<br />
All I'm saying is in three years when you get a Republican you're gonna hate me. A lot of you Republicans now love me just like when Democrats liked me when Bush was in. And then when Republicans get in you're gonna hate me. Liberals hate me now Conservatives love me. Folks you gotta grow up. I mean c'mon, some how you've got to grow up and get the facts. Somehow you've got to shatter the Left-Right paradigm. Please!</blockquote>
Jones and Trump represent a paradigm shift, the rise of Alternative and Independent Media. Not beholden to decorum and the rigours of Mainstream politics, they command a sizeable audience that they communicate to directly. Operating outside the traditional ecosystem of Pundits and Politicians, they have noone to answer to but the people who brought them to power.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYX3zzMzjqkdgJ64gYthnWcmsVveAmVgN4LYw8661JXl8hu6VJ96PA49goRCE7RXv0ZRtyz0lO5GN2pcGSFS2039u6Qe6UON0x2oka4lvnwFzIhe-GI4mmgDbdvCjWeJiRutdo8VY4Kr4/s1600/extrules-billyclintonalex.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYX3zzMzjqkdgJ64gYthnWcmsVveAmVgN4LYw8661JXl8hu6VJ96PA49goRCE7RXv0ZRtyz0lO5GN2pcGSFS2039u6Qe6UON0x2oka4lvnwFzIhe-GI4mmgDbdvCjWeJiRutdo8VY4Kr4/s320/extrules-billyclintonalex.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">APF Extreme Rules: Billy Bush, Hillary Clinton VS Donald Trump and Alex Jones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I originally crafted this graphic to highlight the popularity of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, a year when voters were clamoring for an outsider. After Bernie was ousted, I tweaked it for my <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/search/label/PPV">series of PPV posters</a> hyping each debate. This was for the second showdown, on the heels of the <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/trumpcast/2016/10/will_the_leaked_video_finally_sink_donald_trump.html">lewd leaked video</a> that seemed to be the elusive silver bullet to fell the Trump campaign.<br />
They say "What doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger". After overcoming the gauntlet from the Left and the Right, Alex Jones and Donald Trump are incredibly powerful and by all accounts thus far - impervious.</div>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-78856124074925863672016-10-15T20:39:00.001-07:002016-12-26T16:33:00.939-08:00Daniel Horowitz on how "Republicans VS Democrats is as real as Pro-Wrestling". How the fake fight is debasing American Politics.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://twitter.com/RMConservative">Daniel Horowitz</a> laments to his audience how Conservatives have forsaken their ideals, engaging in rhetorical fights that have the appearance of conviction whilst not actually standing up for traditional principles.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" height="90" mozallowfullscreen="" msallowfullscreen="" oallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/4705237/height/90/width/640/theme/custom/autonext/no/thumbnail/yes/autoplay/no/preload/no/no_addthis/no/direction/backward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/87A93A/" style="border: none;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
CONSERVATIVE CONSCIENCE | <a href="https://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2016/09/conservative-conscience-republicans-vs-democrats-ep62">Republicans VS Democrats is as real as Professional Wrestling</a><br />
DANIEL HOROWITZ: (1m 27s) What we have going on nowadays is a phony conservative party, a phony Presidential nominee, a phony conservative media... where you basically have a false flag operation where everyone's yelling and fighting. There's a lot of acrimony but when you peel back what's going on they're fighting over nothing...<br />
That's today's topic -- Republicans VS Democrats is as real as Professional Wrestling. WWE!<br />
You see the bodyslams and the chairs, knocking the guy's heads in. This and that, all the noise but its fake, there's nothing going on. That's exactly what today's political discourse is. Today's political reality is. And I want to go through the news of the day, what's really important for Conservatives to focus on and through that we'll come to the conclusion that the Republican Party on the Presidential level, the Congressional level and at the Conservative Media level engage in a fake fight with the Left when it really matters and how it debases who we are and moves the contours of the political debate inexorably to the left and also into the gutter...<br />
We are everything the left is, minus some change. Minus some pennies... this is not just on fiscal policy. This is on who we are as people. This is on morality, this is on culture. This is who we are. This phony, binary fight where everyone gets wrapped up in -- "Oh man, everything's going to hinge on what happens". Its all fake. Its all fake wrestling... lots of fireworks in that debate. How many policy statements were really in contention? How much did they really disagree on?<br />
Lots of insults traded. But over what? Because you're the Red Team and I'm the Blue Team so we have to fight...</blockquote>
The phoniness accentuated this Presidential Election as both parties promote deeply flawed and unfavourable nominees. Policy wise both candidates are more centrist than their base would prefer whilst conversely representing the most partisan figurehead imaginable for their opposition. A tricky balancing act for any would-be supporters.<br />
<br />
The gravitational force this election has undoubtedly been Donald Trump, a unique political animal. A celebrity businessman with wrestling bona fides. He has leveraged his sturdy following and "Crash TV" appeal to commandeer the GOP and the media. Arguably the entire political process. Writer Virginia Heffernann offers her take on how a seasoned statesman like Hillary has had to bend to this pehnomenon albeit a political novice<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/trumpcast/2016/10/will_the_leaked_video_finally_sink_donald_trump.html">TRUMPCAST | The Boys on the Bus</a><br />
VIRGINA HEFFERNAN: (5m 23s) In this great book from years ago called the '<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistemology_of_the_Closet">Epistemology of the Closet</a>' by Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick... There's this wonderful moment where she talks about bilingualism and the dominant position of someone who only speaks one language, even one dialect the way Trump does. This coarse dialect that he has.<br />
<br />
She cites [US President] Reagan and [French President] Mitterand. Mitterand was super-worldly and spoke French and English. Reagan only spoke English and so they always negotiated in English, so Mitterand's always in his second language. And Trump always gets to talk like this and everybody else -- because most women are familiar with this idiom. Hillary Clinton is certainly familiar with this idiom but has had to completely abandon her way of talking and her way of comporting herself to have a conversation on this level<br />
JACOB WEISBERG: Right, he defines the terms of the debate</blockquote>
Jacob Weisberg expands on the point in a later episode, citing how Trump's competitors resorted to mimicry as his brash presentation proved a winning formula for the primary<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://podtail.com/podcast/slate-s-trumpcast/trumpcast-extra-the-grabfest-post-debate-spec/">TRUMPCAST Extra: The "Grabfest Post Debate Special" Edition</a><br />
JACOB WEISBERG: (14m 46s) There's the Marco Rubio example, I mean he's [Trump] trying to drag you down to his level. If you respond to him at his level, although it could be satisfying in the moment and everybody kind of wants it. Its almost definitely a mistake because at that point people are saying "Oh, the problem is both candidates -- its this campaign, the campaign is disgusting." and to refrain from being disgusting and respond to someone who's treating you vilely is really hard and takes a lot of discipline</blockquote>
Jacob and Daniel have divergent political interests but raise similar concerns about the lowering standards of American Politics<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
DANIEL HOROWITZ: (20m 18s) Imagine if all of Talk Radio, if all the internet sites, if all the concerns people are focused on would focus on what's important. Would lead a movement that's important. Would lead a movement that we can be proud of. Instead this is what we've become. Its all this, this is WWE. Its all an entertainment now. Its all entertainment business. Complete nonsense, this whole thing is immoral. But this is how you shift the contours of the debate permanently... If we don't fundamentally change the movement, if we don't fundamentally change the game we've already lost anyway...<br />
<br />
We've become desensitized because again the Left is so evil and immoral but the more immoral they get we can always point to the fact we're one or two steps less immoral than them so you can create a fake fight over that. "You're this and I'm that. Well you did this". Meanwhile the more immoral and evil they get, the more immoral and evil we get. Cuz we keep getting schlepped over with them. So by engaging in that fight you're almost validating and consummating that degree, its like that ratchet theory we talk about. You hone in, you lock it in. You can only keep moving forward but not backwards. You already lost it.</blockquote>
Sadly the spectacle and team sports aspects of American Politics are big drawcards for casual watchers. Trump has capitalised on his name recognition and showmanship to deliver an engaging product, electrifying his populist base and enthralling everyone else. Whilst the debasing of political discourse has depressed <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/20/politics/donald-trump-gop-donors/">donor funding</a>, the "Trump effect" has increased public engagement and become a <a href="http://fortune.com/2016/03/21/tv-debates-trump-media/">boon for News Networks</a>. In Combat Sports anything goes when you're selling a fight, competitors are forgiven for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_WWMTR9LU">throwing missiles</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_WWMTR9LU">brawling at Press</a> Conferences because promoters know all publicity is good and whets the audiences' appetite.<br />
<br />
Trump has been a perfect ratings vehicle, his thirst for attention driving his popularity, the "<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/page/ct-donald-trump-washington-post-media-page-perspec-0615-md-20160614-story.html">fight" between Trump and the Media</a> mutually beneficial. Tapping into the Reality TV zeitgeist, if a Presidency doesn't pan out the "Trump Show " could <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/31/donald-trump-tv-media-empire-ailes">spin-off into a Media Empire</a>. Wyatt <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2010/03/jon-stewart-wyatt-cenac-and-mick-foley.html">Cenac once said on the 'Daily Show</a>' -- "You think politicians wanna win their arguments when all they really wanna do is keep having them. They know arguments are interesting, they energize voters, they keep the money flowing in.".<br />
<br />
Some have played "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B83kkE6nIWQ">chicken" with Trump</a> because he represents a foil for the GOP. As people like Jacob Weisberg and Daniel Horowitz have asserted, we might be allowing the "Trump Show" to take down American Politics altogether.</div>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-84913063392175479552016-10-06T21:49:00.002-07:002024-02-04T20:53:05.145-08:00The 2016 Vice Presidential Debate Wallpaper: Tim Kaine VS Mike Pence<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7RAGFHCQVlE2_SdZmu9H_tWOCXl4tviSRYN3_t_4eWl8MENu6akjtuIFPdOvoWxT9bWkAkwtJ88LTy6HY8YyzjZ84RPoWPr_agCMe64CakMiPCBzWLXdObN0R5hZgmtHli37iLNG_JJA/s1600/apf-nxtarr2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7RAGFHCQVlE2_SdZmu9H_tWOCXl4tviSRYN3_t_4eWl8MENu6akjtuIFPdOvoWxT9bWkAkwtJ88LTy6HY8YyzjZ84RPoWPr_agCMe64CakMiPCBzWLXdObN0R5hZgmtHli37iLNG_JJA/s400/apf-nxtarr2.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NXT Arrival: Mike Pence VS Tim Kaine</td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Keepin' it 1600 | Ep. 38: VP Debate React and State of the Race</b><br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/286111334&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
JON FAVREAU: (16m 50s) It was jarring to see normal candidates talking right?<br />
TOMMY VIETOR: In full sentences about issues<br />
FAVREAU: The same way that watching the Clinton debates in the Primaries against Bernie were sort of boring and a totally different feeling than that involving Trump. This had that feeling again. Normal Politics was suddenly back. We were talking about issues. It was almost depressing because as entertaining as the other thing is, its horrible.<br />
VIETOR: What it makes you realise is that there is hope for us after Trump. We can get past Trump. Politics is still really f*cked up but we can go back to debates like that. Except there is a lot of lying, lying with impunity is still a problem</blockquote>
The <a href="http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2016/10/full-video-watch-pence-and-kaine-in-the-vp-debate/">only Vice Presidential debate</a> took place Tuesday, sandwiched between the First and Second Presidential showdowns. Most political watchers see the VP debates as only marginally consequential especially in contrast to the outsized personalities involved at the top of the ticket, the Main Event. Being that both Hillary and Donald are the oldest nominees to contest for the Presidency some lip service was paid. The VP debate offered a seemingly singular opportunity for the public to be introduced to Mike Pence and Tim Kaine head to head with under 40 days left before voting.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Kaine is trying to win the argument, Pence is trying to win the audience.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
— Marc Duvoisin (@MarcDuvoisin) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarcDuvoisin/status/783482810325622784">October 5, 2016</a></div>
</blockquote>
The general consensus among pundits was that Mike Pence won, largely on presentation. He was measured in his tone, sidestepping many of the charges Tim Kaine laid at his feet. Kaine whilst being more substantive was mostly dismissed due to his constant interruptions of Pence and the moderator, a mishandling of the permitted "discussion" format. Mike Pence' credentials as a former Radio Talker often cited for his deftness on the stage.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePIHqGFvRYn-IufH18WOyA4WwedHUWDsc5bNwpbBfTbFqfFk7iR6t0EWxwzLdLv_eccaK1eqFKVec32nyOPLYxFpKZUtqwwukdQrE0_29y0MHyzd90SV6aHlNnZA6QTaGovaqz0zxtl0/s1600/apf-infowarspvk3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePIHqGFvRYn-IufH18WOyA4WwedHUWDsc5bNwpbBfTbFqfFk7iR6t0EWxwzLdLv_eccaK1eqFKVec32nyOPLYxFpKZUtqwwukdQrE0_29y0MHyzd90SV6aHlNnZA6QTaGovaqz0zxtl0/s320/apf-infowarspvk3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inforwars: <a href="http://www.infowars.com/infowars-vp-debate-live-coverage-share-this-link-infowars-comshow/">Live feed of the VP Debate</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH99AfdfQvJZ5iUy_V-cFX5SxDdtiBINd1xNWkKdd859ZLWkX7ql5drBSxwKcmNqX8u6ri5C5kyp9WktV1gSAlaRN-NBQZPYIwS59VQCapFRRwko9BFANMQVYnj8wSXDNt86y3NQqn-_Y/s1600/apf-latimes2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH99AfdfQvJZ5iUy_V-cFX5SxDdtiBINd1xNWkKdd859ZLWkX7ql5drBSxwKcmNqX8u6ri5C5kyp9WktV1gSAlaRN-NBQZPYIwS59VQCapFRRwko9BFANMQVYnj8wSXDNt86y3NQqn-_Y/s320/apf-latimes2.JPG" width="271" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LA Times: Scoring the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-na-pol-vice-presidential-debate-scorecard/">Vice Presidential Debate</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Several outlets employed the Combat sports analogy, de rigeur this election season and moving forward I suspect. Infowars used a boxing graphic to accompany their live election feed. The LA Times went with a Greco-Roman wrestling motif, complete with Judges' scorecards.</div>
</div>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-43800158342659903572016-09-21T10:37:00.002-07:002017-02-26T16:39:33.303-08:00First Presidential Debate Wallpaper: PAYBACK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn74xUoJQVi3pxBAhFHn06aKD1Fhu7aFMMeaYR3FUvh1flh2VAbkNDtXuit0AmsAOWDpz-vqJFR32y2IrlHV9z2JoSzQsDeT1ZLYMYMzcocwPnu3Nr1gsc33WmQkSFHGWCTbOhDCuBHYk/s1600/apf-debate2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn74xUoJQVi3pxBAhFHn06aKD1Fhu7aFMMeaYR3FUvh1flh2VAbkNDtXuit0AmsAOWDpz-vqJFR32y2IrlHV9z2JoSzQsDeT1ZLYMYMzcocwPnu3Nr1gsc33WmQkSFHGWCTbOhDCuBHYk/s400/apf-debate2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 12.8px;">
APF presents 'PAYBACK':</div>
<div style="font-size: 12.8px;">
Presidential Debate I. Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY)</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
There's an adage in combat sports, "Styles make fights". Not unlike Rock–Paper–Scissors, attributes become advantages or impediments depending on what they're matched with. Trump's striking VS Clinton's resilience. His passion VS her poise. The Unorthodox VS the Seasoned. Business Outsider VS Political Insider. Reflex VS Preparedness. In the upcoming Presidential Debate, we'll finally see what shakes out from the "Styles Clash" between Republican Nominee Donald Trump and Democratic stalwart Hillary Clinton.<br />
<br />
In the inaugural episode of the '<a href="http://ussc.edu.au/news-room/Race-to-the-White-House-Episode-1">Race to the White House</a>' podcast, Associate Professor <a href="http://ussc.edu.au/people/brendon-oconnor">Brendon O'Connor</a> summarises the competing styles and why It's difficult to predict how it'll go down.<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/282954447&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://ussc.edu.au/news-room/Race-to-the-White-House-Episode-1">Race to the White House - Episode 1</a><br />
BRENDON O'CONNOR: (18m 53s) There's two ways of approaching Politics. One way is to be very policy-oriented, which forces you to think about process and costings... and there's another way of seeing Politics as a symbolic business. That you're about making people feel good about themselves, that politics is very therapeutic. That you talk about America being a great place or making America great again. You talk about things that are to some extent fantastical, like "Change" or putting up a wall between United States and Mexico. And there's no real possibility that you could bring about a process really to get these things into action. They're about reassuring Americans, I like to call it Public Self-Help talk. They're about soothing people and saying that everything's going to be OK. We're still going to be a great or exceptional nation. Politics has gone along that path, every election in America since the 1970's. It's just gone along more and more in that regard.<br />
<br />
Trump in some ways is the extreme end of that Therapeutic Politics that really overpromises on a sense of something that is illusionary, something that is a fantasy but its gonna soothe the American public. That is gonna sound reassuring or different.<br />
Where Hillary Clinton is a throwback in some regards. She's a Policy wonk. She's someone where her clear strengths are when she talks about details and process and so you have quite the contrast...<br />
<br />
How you campaign against Donald Trump as Hillary Clinton is very challenging and when you debate him as we'll see in the coming weeks is even more challenging because you're speaking a totally different language. You're not working on the same assumptions. You're not attempting to engage in Politics in the same way.</blockquote>
A strangely overlooked aspect of the upcoming showdown is the shared history between the Clintons and Trump. Whilst <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/history-donald-trump-bill-clinton-friendship-464360">photos and stories</a> surface about Trump's cordial relationship with Bill and Hillary, this history has been overshadowed by the polarised rhetoric of Election season. The Clinton's have been such an enduring force in American Politics that although they've become institutional punching bags for the masses, they've also calcified into <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaBDgPMzLuE">allies amongst the elite</a>. Hillary released an Ad quoting Donald <a href="http://time.com/4417151/hillary-clinton-donald-trump-ad-praise/">Trump's praise for her</a> before they were pitted as opponents.<br />
<br />
You can peruse Trump's Twitter timeline for a trail of his enemies, anyone who's wronged him gets mentioned and pilloried. In person however, he remains affable and conciliatory. Trump and Jeb <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5bE8jJgeb8">chummily low-fived</a> despite relentless attacks in the Debates. Though he launched his campaign with contentious rhetoric towards Mexico, Trump was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYaOZzbX3rg">gracious towards Mexican President</a> Nieto during their face-to-face. Trump employed a winning defense during the GOP Primary, reversing his coziness with Hillary into a spiel about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1MQNVxdNZA">Business buying Political access</a>. Everything's fair game when you're selling a fight. It'll be interesting to see how real the bad blood is when they finally step in the ring.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiz1hiWpGTg8eJgLOso6jmOKGxgdvNNNMX-oZEgLKPpKCiZLnz-n1_bzOqxM88cFqjwDcDzSyerPguWCCXwwsBW5mr8IlyHo1uDcvTujiMVtbEz_-uwai_SsHj8QFISR_fZ2KJsiBycgI/s1600/dthc-friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiz1hiWpGTg8eJgLOso6jmOKGxgdvNNNMX-oZEgLKPpKCiZLnz-n1_bzOqxM88cFqjwDcDzSyerPguWCCXwwsBW5mr8IlyHo1uDcvTujiMVtbEz_-uwai_SsHj8QFISR_fZ2KJsiBycgI/s320/dthc-friends.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best friends, Bitter enemies: <br />
Donald Trump & Hillary Clinton. Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens</td></tr>
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Watch how Wrestling sells a feud between former best friends, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. The shared history heightens the drama and raises the stakes for their match. Their intimate knowledge of each other offers the possibility of deeper cuts and tangled motivations. In the Wrestling example we're keenly aware of the theatre in repurposing their relationship into a compelling feud. I wonder how much we'll sense from Hillary and Donald's friendship once they finally clash.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>VIDEO: NXT Champion Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens tell their history
</b><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="253" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XBgbI35memU" width="450"></iframe>
</div>
<br />
Mirroring the showdowns between Sami and Kevin. I'll be making Presidential Debate Wallpapers using the WWE PPV timeline, starting with '<a href="http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwepayback">PAYBACK</a>'.<br />
<br />
Update:<br />
After Trump rival and Businessman, Mark Cuban tweeted he had front row seats for the First Presidential Debate. Trump, in <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/gennifer-flowers-trump-presidential-debate_us_57e6e3f9e4b0e28b2b5459b0">true heel fashion</a> threatened to put Gennifer Flowers alongside him. Flowers had an affair with Former President Bill Clinton whilst he was Governor of Arkansas.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hw4aHea2jDVu4kW9uqJx6fY-_H9sOuSmsru3aS-rQV4-BUP_ioqvBMZITtjNxDcnPO0a3o_2nEf4FWrJPZyRojoFZVHg8wRtWbhyWDwG8nnINg5_TK5LKZAL_9Xv-eHSrhEORMSVBAQ/s1600/apf-ringside2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hw4aHea2jDVu4kW9uqJx6fY-_H9sOuSmsru3aS-rQV4-BUP_ioqvBMZITtjNxDcnPO0a3o_2nEf4FWrJPZyRojoFZVHg8wRtWbhyWDwG8nnINg5_TK5LKZAL_9Xv-eHSrhEORMSVBAQ/s320/apf-ringside2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Gennifer Flowers and Mark Cuban ringside at #HofDebate16</span></td></tr>
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Update: <a href="http://www.hannity.com/articles/election-493995/gennifer-flowers-is-out-but-heres-15143890/">Gennifer Flowers won't be attending</a> the Debate. Trump's guests include a Benghazi attack survivor and Gold Star mother among others.</div>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-68083036768575034702016-08-11T01:28:00.005-07:002017-07-02T20:13:07.458-07:00'Review America' a limited podcast series on American Politics through the prism of Wrestling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wrestling fans have a unique way of viewing the world. A perspective with elements from media studies or observational comedy, they see the superficial presentation whilst taking into account the layers of meta-reference and insider jargon. The culture has moved towards a better understanding of this through the popularity of '<a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Daily%20Show">The Daily Show</a>' and the rise of independent media challenging and unpacking mainstream news.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkHkhRF-sztITWvA9FkyZvDOoul-czvFMN9BSk64WKuN6k5xSGf9bULshyphenhyphen13RP6Fj1R4PHt7TPNymHFPoBCFg0ujwuiJ6xAwnuqvRDlwr6GuawXLttmuyWqiDWmZ1vbdPCf0pntewwDc/s1600/Review-America-Episode-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkHkhRF-sztITWvA9FkyZvDOoul-czvFMN9BSk64WKuN6k5xSGf9bULshyphenhyphen13RP6Fj1R4PHt7TPNymHFPoBCFg0ujwuiJ6xAwnuqvRDlwr6GuawXLttmuyWqiDWmZ1vbdPCf0pntewwDc/s320/Review-America-Episode-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Review America – Episode 1: The RNC</td></tr>
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Which brings us to today, where we can have an audience receptive to a show discussing American politics through the prism of wrestling. 'Review America: Wrestling with democracy' is a limited series podcast hosted on the '<a href="http://fightnetwork.com/about-us/">Fight Network</a>', a Canadian media station dedicated to combat sports. Hosted by Americans <a href="https://twitter.com/brianmaxmann">Brian Mann</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/N8Mozaik">Nate Milton</a>, its a spin-off from a 2012 episode where Canadians John Pollock and Wai Ting departed from their regular format of reviewing Wrestling PPVs to investigating the compelling presidential showdown between nominees Governor Romney (r) and Senator Obama (d). Not unlike my own fascination with America's brand of politics as an outsider all those years ago. Host Brian describes the zeitgeist which birthed the show in the show's opening address:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://fightnetwork.com/law/review-america-with-brian-mann-nate-milton-episode-1-the-rnc/">Review America with Brian Mann & Nate Milton – Episode 1: The RNC</a><br />
BRIAN MANN: (2m 37s) This really does feel like a convergence this year where a lot of the world is kinda becoming hip to the Pro-Wrestling way of doing things unfortunately. You and I, we obviously have no shame when it comes to liking pro-wrestling but its interesting how our entire society has kind of unknowingly adapted to the same framework of thinking. A couple of months ago the New York Times wrote a really great article... and I just want to share a quote from it...<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
'<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/27/magazine/is-everything-wrestling.html?_r=0">Is Everything Wrestling</a>' by <a href="http://airgordon.tumblr.com/">Jeremy Gordon</a><br />
If a story is told well, if its history seems consistent, then the machinations putting it into place can be temporarily overlooked or turned into a fun story of their own. And why not? In the end, we're all marks for a world we want to believe in.</blockquote>
And I think that really puts this election into focus, the reason Nate and I are going to spend a couple of weeks and really months until this wraps up in November is because I think there is a uniquely pro-wrestling way of looking at this entire election. So this isn't going to strictly be a political show, we are going to be tying it into that. We will be viewing this through the framework of "Marks" and "Smarks" and "kayfabe"* and everything that I think our audience is conditioned to think and that's why we want to bring the show to you on this platform (<a href="http://fightnetwork.com/about-us/">The Fight Network</a>) rather than putting it out through a different party. This is a show about Politics but for Wrestling fans even though we're not necessarily going to be making Ted DiBiase jokes every second. <br />
<br />
<i><b>*Glossary for wrestling jargon:</b></i><br />
<i>Mark - Fan who enjoys and consumes Wrestling at face value</i><br />
<i>Smark - Fan aware of Wrestling's artifice and appreciates its meta layers. Short for "Smart Mark". </i><br />
<i>Kayfabe - Preservation of the illusion that Wrestling is real</i></blockquote>
My blog's initial focus on the pundit class was because they were more compelling (read: entertaining) political personalities with arguably more influence on voters. They were unfettered as private citizens and not beholden to the usual journalistic constraints of objectivity and decorum. Pundits were establishing fiefdoms through their media empires, effectively fashioning their own voting blocs to leverage or rival the politicians.<br />
This election, the rise of Donald Trump as the "rogue" nominee for the Republican party represents the convergence of wrestling, punditry andpolitics. With 10.8 million Twitter followers, coupled with his unrivaled ability to engulf "free media", Trump is a one-man noise machine.<br />
Nate Milton expands:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://fightnetwork.com/law/review-america-with-brian-mann-nate-milton-episode-1-the-rnc/">Review America with Brian Mann & Nate Milton – Episode 1: The RNC</a><br />
NATE MILTON: You talk about relating in the way you and I... look at pro-wrestling you can easily apply it to the world of politics and I think in this election in particular where you have two oversized characters. One in Hillary Clinton on the Democratic side and Donald Trump, the guy we're gonna be focusing on most this week on the Republican side. Someone who has dabbled in the world of pro-wrestling. He's a <a href="http://www.wwe.com/superstars/donald-trump">WWE Hall-of-Famer</a> so he's no stranger to the world of "kayfabe" but I think its gonna be an interesting journey for us because as you've mentioned politics is something that we often talk about and to our credit its something we enjoy talking about and to the listeners' credit something that they didn't mind when we went down that road so I think we're gonna have a lot of fun and get to some insightful places... and I think the tagline "Wrestling with democracy" is very appropriate.</blockquote>
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I founded this blog in 2007, at the close of George W Bush' presidency and gearing up to the 08' presidential race. The politics is wrestling meme had been <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2010/08/politics-is-wrestling-quote-roundup-ann.html">forwarded in sprinkles</a> but the "Pundit Fight" premise of the blog was only possible with the advent of Air America Radio. The Progressive radio network provided a stable of liberal talkers to counteract the "Right Wing Noise Machine". This allowed me to pit Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter against the likes of Jon Stewart and Rachel Maddow, the incubation of the politicised media marketplace today.<br />
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Its a telling state of affairs that a presidential nominee has usurped all of the pundits combined, not only in bombast but his ability to manipulate the media and the masses. Its worth noting that 'Review America' never had to mention the pundit class in relating American politics to wrestling. Donald Trump has seemingly made PunditFight obsolete by becoming the living incarnation of it. Sad.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pundits <a href="https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/764064821000056832">TRUMPED</a>!</td></tr>
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Links to the 3 'Review America with Brian Mann & Nate Milton' episode so far:<br />
- Episode 1: <a href="http://fightnetwork.com/law/review-america-with-brian-mann-nate-milton-episode-1-the-rnc/">The RNC</a><br />
- Episode 2: <a href="http://fightnetwork.com/law/review-america-the-dnc-with-brian-mann-nate-milton/">The DNC</a><br />
- Episode 3: <a href="http://fightnetwork.com/law/review-america-episode-3-diagnosing-donald-with-brian-mann-nate-milton/">Diagnosing Donald</a></div>
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PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-25206417585445332702016-06-10T00:41:00.000-07:002016-06-11T05:33:14.677-07:00Was Donald Trump booed at the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame induction for his politics?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/trump-booed-wwe-hall-of-fame/2013/04/09/id/498506/">Trump Booed at WWE Hall of Fame Induction in Madison Square Garden</a><br />
Donald Trump had to cut his acceptance speech short Saturday night during his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame after fans booed him at Madison Square Garden.
Trump, a real estate mogul and longtime WWE supporter, was one of the five inductees into the prestigious WWE Hall of Fame during Saturday's ceremony. He was the only one to be booed.
</blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Donald Trump's 2013 Hall of Fame speech</td></tr>
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The WWE has considerable history with American Politics. Presidential Candidates have appeared in <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2008/04/hillary-clinton-to-appear-on-wwe-raw.html">video packages addressing</a> their coveted demographic. The White House also partnering with WWE for 'Get out the Vote' campaigns. Wrestling legend and former Minnesota Governor <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2008/10/answering-critics-jesse-ventura-al.html">Jesse Ventura plotted to leverage WWE's</a> ground game for Ballot access on his idle Presidential bid. Vince's wife and WWE President <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2008/10/answering-critics-jesse-ventura-al.html">Linda McMahon mounted an unsuccesful</a> campaign for a Connecticut Senate seat as a Republican.<br />
<br />
Considering Wrestling's populist appeal you might think Trump was warmly welcomed at his 2013 WWE Hall of Fame induction. In fact he was booed. It's an unfair sample, the Hall of Fame Celebrity Wing is an <a href="https://ringthedamnbell.wordpress.com/2015/11/11/icons-of-wrestling-26-drew-carey/">absurd concept</a> ripe for ridicule for fickle Wrestling fans. Whilst the ceremony was held in Trump's Liberal hometown New York, it wasn't immediately clear that a clash of politics was behind it.<br />
<br />
When <a href="http://www.tvguide.com/news/donald-trump-booed-1063828/">TV Guide pondered why Trump was booed</a> at the Hall of Fame event, the handful of commenters offered that it was due to his idiocy. An incredulous charge as the foundation of Wrestling and Reality TV is taking High status idiots seriously. Even if that were the case with charisma being the currency in Wrestling, Trump should've been able to win the crowd over with his rhetoric. As former WWE commentator <a href="http://www.foxsports.com/wwe/story/donald-trump-vince-mcmahon-wrestlemania-republican-presidential-candidacy-031616">Jim Ross wrote</a> "Trump is a natural-born communicator, a showman who seamlessly integrated into the WWE lexicon..."<br />
<br />
Many sites at the time pondered as to why Trump was booed during their reporting of the event. The <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/celebrity/blogs/celeb-news/donald-trump-booed-wwe-hall-fame-induction-ceremony-175200434.html?ref=gs">comments from 2013</a> offer a time capsule of the perceptions people had about Trump as a celebrity figure before this newfound gravitas as the Republican nominee.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You're not even gonna let him [Trump] come out here before you boo him"<br />
- Vince McMahon</td></tr>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>WWE Hall of Fame 2013 (April 6th)</b><br />New York MetLife Stadium as part of WrestleMania 29<br />
<br />
VINCE McMAHON: (2h 37m) There's so many ways I can describe Donald Trump. One that you may not be thinking of... Donald Trump is a Wrestlemania institution. It all started over a quarter of a century ago, it started when Donald hosted Wrestlemania IV at Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino...<br />
When you think about it, second only to me Donald might very well be a great President of the United States<br />
<i>-- pause for a smattering of boos mixed with tepid applause --</i><br />
Would I be a better President?<br />
<i>-- instant cheers followed by a "YES!" chant --</i><br />
Donald's gonna find out soon that this is a very partisan crowd.<br />
To show you how Magnanimous I am and how I never carry a grudge, its my distinct honor to introduce you to the newest member of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2013<br />
-- murmur of boos --<br />
You're not even gonna let him come out here before you boo him<br />
<i>-- "No!" chants --</i><br />
I can assure you Donald Trump knows exactly what he's getting into so Ladies and Gentleman, my friend Donald Trump<br />
<i>-- no reaction as Trump's "Money, money" entrance theme hits. Slight boos as he approaches mic --</i></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Woah!? Tough, tough people."<br />
- Donald Trump</td></tr>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
DONALD TRUMP: Woah! Tough. Tough people. Thank you very much everybody... Now Vince has been trying for the last 6 years to break our PPV record. He's had some great people on but you know what, it's not gonna happen. The same enthusiasm and love you have for me tonight, I feel it. That's why you all came down to watch me get my ass kicked and my head shaved but it didn't happen so we're happy about that.<br />
Now I have to introduce a few you really great people. My son Eric Trump, stand up Eric.<br />
<i>-- boos begin to which Donald nervously laughs --</i><br />
My daughter and a really big Television star she's become. Ivanka!<br />
<i>-- cheers from the crowd--</i><br />
Aaaay! Come here, come here Ivanka. Oh finally they like somebody in the Trump family. Well this is Ivanka, we're very proud of Ivanka and she does great on the 'Apprentice'. Do we agree? Aaaaaiee, good. Ivanka you turned the tide, thank you...<br />
This is a major honor... and I consider this my greatest honor of all. I do, I really do. So for Vince, Linda and the whole family I just want to thank you all and I really do love you people. Even the ones that don't like me so much. Have a good time, thank you so much.</blockquote>
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PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-27584264131800443572016-05-16T08:32:00.001-07:002017-01-29T13:55:02.509-08:00Billionaire Investor Chris Sacca predicts Mark Cuban will one day be American President, ushered by the Trump phenomenon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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BATTLE of the BILLIONAIRES:</div>
<div style="font-size: 12.8px;">
Mark Cuban VS Donald Trump</div>
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Venture Investor <a href="http://www.forbes.com/profile/chris-sacca/">Chris Sacca</a> as guest on the <a href="https://soundcloud.com/the-bill-simmons-podcast">Bill Simmons Podcast</a> posed an interesting theory about what the Donald Trump phenomenon has ushered for Politics moving forward. Whilst most speculate on the fissure in the Republican Party, little has been written about the sudden viability of "Moneyed, Entertainment" candidates for future Presidential runs.<br />
<br />
<b>Ep. 95: Billionaire Investor Chris Sacca
</b><iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/261357438&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%"></iframe></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
CHRIS SACCA: (1h 15m 10s) Can I make a prediction for your audience, I think he will be the President of the United States<br />
BILL SIMMONS: Mark Cuban?<br />
<br />
SACCA: Mark Cuban will be the President of the United States. I think Hillary wins this election and probably holds on for two terms and I think its an open field and Mark Cuban runs as a very moderate Republican and wins.<br />
So think about it, Donald Trump. One of the things I've learnt that's just been wild from my own personal journey, watching Cuban and watching Trump. Is that the minute you're labelled a Billionaire in this country everyone takes everything you say as Bible. It's just you can do no wrong. They just think that guy's smart, he made a bunch of money, he must be a genius. And it's completely untrue obviously. You know a lot of Billionaires who are wrong about a lot of things, like I love Mark Cuban but he happens to wrong more than he's right and that's why we've become good friends.<br />
But you listen to people who support Donald and you see that they eat the trough of his Bullsh*t but they think it's all inherently true because look the guy is a Billionaire because of these businesses.
United States is a Country, it should be run like a business so let's hire a really successful businessman to do it. Cuban has all that. Watch the engagement <a href="https://twitter.com/mcuban">he has in Twitter</a> and you'll see that people take what he says as Gospel completely.<br />
<br />
SIMMONS: So he's a benevolent Trump?<br />
SACCA: That's exactly right. He's not an idiot and he actually does care. And he does read and he is convincible on some things.<br />
I think America loves that guy. He's not an idiot. America takes him at his word cuz he's a Billionaire. I think he's got crossover appeal. He's the American dream. I'm putting it right out there, right now. Mark Cuban will be President of the United States.</blockquote>
Mark Cuban is a Tech Billionaire best known as the outspoken owner of NBA team, the Dallas Mavericks. He is featured on Reality TV series '<a href="http://www.tv.com/shows/shark-tank/">Shark Tank</a>' where entrepreneur-contestants pitch to "shark" investors like Cuban and Chris Sacca in hopes of getting assistance for their projects.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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Sorry folks, but Donald Trump is far richer and much better looking than dopey <a href="https://twitter.com/mcuban">@mcuban</a>!</div>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/314075902541713410">March 19, 2013</a></blockquote>
Mark Cuban and Donald Trump have a complicated relationship, they've <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/twitter-wars-donald-trump-vs-mark-cuban-183542949--nba.html">sparred in the past via Twitter</a>. A feud as fanciful an inciting incident as that <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/trump-and-obama-a-night-to-remember">prescribed to Trump</a>'s own Presidential motives. Supposedly stung by President Obama's Birther counterpunch at the White House Correspondent's dinner, Trump as the theory goes is striving to get the last laugh by seizing control of the ultimate bully pulpit. Would Cuban run for President to one up Donald Trump?</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>VIDEO - Mark Cuban: Donald Trump 'Hasn't Learned And That's A Real Problem' <br />| MTP Daily | MSNBC</b></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rouZx44lWYg" width="420"></iframe> </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
MARK CUBAN: (6m 16s) He's not the type of person that gets in there and grinds. Most entrepreneurs to be successful, most CEOs to be successful you have to grind. You have to get in there and do the work. 24 by 7 you always have to be learning, always be contributing. Always finding better ways. I just don't get that sense from Donald. 10 months later after he announced, he's just not the candidate where you just say "Wow. This guy has really picked up an in-depth understanding of the issues" and that is a problem.
So I don't see him as a reflection of a CEO, a reflection of an entrepreneur. He's good at what he's good at but I don't know if that's applicable...<br />
<br />
STEVE KORNACKI: I imagine though you've looked at Trump the last year, you've talked about all the rules of politics he's rewritten. Somebody of your background, its gotta look doable now maybe more than it did a year ago.<br />
CUBAN: Without question. I think it did open a door, I think he's set a path for entrepreneurs, for business people. I just hope he doesn't shut it through his actions <i>*laughs*
</i></blockquote>
Just like Trump did by challenging President Obama to reveal his Birth certificate, Cuban's labeling of Trump as the "<a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2016/05/10/mark-cuban-trump-supporters-dont-care-about-the-issues.html">Seinfeld candidate</a>" (a candidacy about nothing) is a play for No.1 Contender status. The backhanded compliment distances him from negative aspects of the Donald whilst not alienating his "flock". As an aspirational future contender, just being mentioned in the same breath as presumptive nominee Trump and the "American Presidency" sets up storylines for a Mark Cuban Presidential run down the track.</div>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-52808637524249471172016-03-22T20:02:00.002-07:002018-08-19T18:17:20.571-07:00Bill Simmons & Jon Favreau on Trump as a performer and American Politics as Pro-Wrestling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I came up with the American Politics is pro-wrestling analogy in 2007, finding commonality in the showmanship and psychology in both.<br />
I primarily made comparisons in the world of punditry where similarities were more ripe. Personalities were larger and less constrained, the hours of daily TV and radio time providing a forum for <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/war-is-over-sean-hannity-and-mark-levin.html">feuds and angles to develop</a>. Politicians cut their <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2008/04/politician-promos-top-political.html">promos on the senate floor</a> and on cable news shows, election season being the political equivalent of the <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/search/label/PPV">run-up to Wrestlemania</a>.<br />
<br />
In the near decade since starting the blog, I've tracked instances where the <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2010/08/politics-is-wrestling-quote-roundup-ann.html">media has used the analogy</a>. For a time former wrestler and Minnesota Governor Jesse <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/search/label/ventura">Ventura was the perfect representation</a> of the meme. This election cycle, the politics as wrestling analogy has turned into conventional wisdom as Donald Trump rampages his way to the GOP nomination. A <a href="http://www.wwe.com/superstars/donald-trump">WWE Hall-of-Famer</a>, reality TV star and political influencer, Trump as Presidential candidate has distilled the meme into a winning formula for ratings and votes.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://soundcloud.com/the-bill-simmons-podcast/ep-75-jon-favreau-and-dan-pfeiffer">The Bill Simmons Podcast | Ep. 75: Jon Favreau and Dan Pfeiffer</a><br />
JON FAVREAU: (10m 24s) My theory on Trump is, he's basically what you'd get if you had someone who just watched cable news all day, specifically FOX and listening to right wing radio<br />
BILL SIMMONS: Like if TV created a candidate or had a baby<br />
FAVREAU: He knows just enough. Because its all surface level, its all bad news. Its all about how everyone in Washington on both parties are a bunch of crooks and liars. Its all punditry. Its all talking about poll numbers. This is what he does. He's better at political punditry and reciting poll numbers and reciting who's up and who's down and all that kind of stuff than he is talking about issues. And you could see like in the debate last night, every time you press him past... He's like an inch deep and a mile wide on knowledge on just about everything. So you press him more than 5 or 10 seconds on any given issue. He can't, cos he doesn't know.</blockquote>
'Sports Guy' <a href="https://twitter.com/billsimmons?lang=en">Bill Simmons</a> is a wrestling fan with the privilege of recording the <a href="http://grantland.com/the-triangle/b-s-report-barack-obama/">first podcast with a sitting</a> U.S. President (<a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/president-obama-in-conversation-with.html">Maron later recorded</a> the first long-form podcast). In conversation with fellow Holy Cross alumni <a href="https://twitter.com/jonfavs">Jon Favreau</a>, former director of speechwriting for President Obama they illustrate the politics as wrestling analogy and how Trump perfectly embodies it.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6rQiR4EcSM2W2VBpNoXrYmiFi8AXefSaEJyR8IsSwYQkQgW1xuWrgBtTkELh7l9v7cSZm5Co5uhIBf0W5IHDtikjK761Q606NoafIMWSXWyLSjPwbkcmP6riZaL4IlZ5Uq8lCMVV_dY/s1600/apf_bswrestlepol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb6rQiR4EcSM2W2VBpNoXrYmiFi8AXefSaEJyR8IsSwYQkQgW1xuWrgBtTkELh7l9v7cSZm5Co5uhIBf0W5IHDtikjK761Q606NoafIMWSXWyLSjPwbkcmP6riZaL4IlZ5Uq8lCMVV_dY/s320/apf_bswrestlepol.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bill Simmons at SummerSlam 2015,<br />
with President Obama recording a podcast in the White House.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
BILL SIMMONS: (20m 15s) I'm not positive what the debates are supposed to accomplish because its a totally unnatural interaction and somebody like Trump who's a performer, he's such a better performer than anyone else on stage and he's just blowing everyone away in these debates until they finally started coming back at him. But in the first couple of ones, he was just being a bully and it worked<br />
JON FAVREAU: Trump has realised what most candidates, including my old boss Barack Obama never realised which is that they are complete performances, these debates. Obama was terrible in debates for a long time. He got better during the primary the more he did them...<br />
<br />
SIMMONS: Why was he terrible? Was he overthinking it?<br />
FAVREAU: Because he thought they were on the level. And he told us that. I though you get up there and debate issues with other people<br />
SIMMONS: ...And it's pro-wrestling<br />
FAVREAU: *agreeing* And it's pro-wrestling<br />
SIMMONS: You're grabbing the mic and you're yelling at Stephanie McMahon, getting the crowd going<br />
FAVREAU: and the way you have to, the way you're taught to answer a question in the debate is soundbite first, main message and then you sort of go backwards. So its not like you answer a real question where you build a logical argument from beginning to end which is what Obama does. He's a professor, a lawyer. In a debate you yell, scream, you ignore the question. It's WWF.<br />
SIMMONS: *imitating Trump* "That's why Marco, that's why you're losing". Its like your opener. "That's why Ted Cruz is a liar". This is my point on that.<br />
FAVREAU: That's like Trump the pundit again too right? The best moments in the debate is when he just says what everyone on cable has been saying anyway. "You're at the end of the stage Jeb because you suck".<br />
<br />
SIMMONS: That's one of the few defensible things about what Trump's done these last few months. The debates are ludicrous anyway. They are pro-wrestling and everybody kinda danced around it and Trump was the first one that was like - This IS pro-wrestling!<br />
FAVREAU: Right, I'm just gonna go with it.<br />
SIMMONS: Insulting everyone and that's how you win this. His messages are basically just this big, black and white headline. This, that, this. You're a liar, You're a jerk. You're losing<br />
FAVREAU: Low energy<br />
SIMMONS: You're low energy. Its really tough. Poor Jeb Bush he just didn't know what to do<br />
FAVREAU: Well Jeb is just -- he looked like a candidate from another era... the last time he had campaigned was a decade ago maybe. So he had been out Politics for so long he hadn't realised how much it had changed. So he still thought that people were having debates like they used to back in the day. He was so not prepared for what Trump was...</blockquote>
</div>
Donald Trump has been welcomed by some as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B83kkE6nIWQ">Frankenstein's monster</a> revealing what the GOP has become. In a similar vein, Trump's rise has also laid bare the values of News Entertainment. The Presidential Donald persona birthed from the resentments of the Tea Party and the bombast of cable news. Both astutely manipulated by Trump as an apparatus to deliver him to the White House.</div>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-13295548412873418422016-03-15T08:56:00.002-07:002017-01-21T17:23:21.114-08:00Is there a Donald Trump exit strategy?: "Arrive, Raise Hell, Leave." Twitter Wallpaper<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twitter Header graphic:<br />
Donald Trump "Arrive, Raise Hell, Leave."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As soon as Donald Trump threw his hat in the ring, some speculated whether his campaign was a publicity stunt.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmWqwKkaGjw">Would You Rather: GOP Edition</a><br />
STEPHEN COLBERT: That's right, Trump's voters will not leave. I think that represents a huge problem for one person - Donald Trump. Cuz when I hear this man say nothing can stop me from winning, not even shooting people. I don't hear appeal to voters, I hear a cry for help. Let's remember here's a guy who ran for President to promote probably a Reality show or his mattress brand or his line of premium ex-wives and now he looks like he might actually win... cause Donald Trump can't possibly want to be President. Its the hardest job in the world.</blockquote>
Whilst Trump has expressed his desire to be President and "Win for America" <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEPs17_AkTI">as far back as '88</a>. Some contend his primary fixation is on winning, garnering the acclaim that comes with it but not undertaking the job itself. Donald has run an unprecedentedly autonomous campaign, seemingly <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2015/09/does-donald-trump-send-his-own-tweets">writing his own tweets</a> and speaking extemporaneously on the stump. Could Trump sidestep the shackles of bureaucracy and become Kingmaker instead?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD6yG9D1qIM">The Donald Trump / Ted Cruz Love Affair</a><br />
SAM SEDER: (1m 04s) What's even more likely in my mind is that Trump may essentially all throw it behind Cruz<br />
CLIFF SCHECTER: I can see that. I don't think he really wants this. I think he wants it right until he gets nominated and has to worry about traveling around with the Secret Service and stuff that he has no control over and he doesn't have the freedom to be as much of a jackass as 100% Donald Trump could be and I think you're right. You could see him right at that moment saying, if you supported me and you believe in what I believe - you have to support Ted Cruz.<br />
SEDER: I mean who knows? One thing Trump is determined to do is that Jeb Bush does not become the nominee. He seems to have a genuine, deep-seated dislike of this guy... It's all speculation at this point... I think Trump would much rather appoint the President essentially than actually have to do the work<br />
SCHECTER: ... and not have to bother with all the crap himself but he could be the guy the TV asks about it constantly</blockquote>
Sam and Cliff's suggestion of anointing Ted Cruz was well before Donald's success in the debates and subsequent Primary victories. This was also at a time when both current frontunners were still amicable with each other. Running with the theory that Trump is after an exit strategy, Comedian Louis C.K. offers his own target for a possible Trump handoff.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/03/05/read_louis_c_k_s_anti_trump_letter_to_fans_the_guy_is_hitler.html">Louis C.K. Slams Trump: "The Guy is Hitler," "We Are Being Germany in the '30s"</a><br />
A vote for Trump is so clearly a gut-vote, and again I get it. But add a little brain to it and look the guy up. Because if you vote for him because of how you feel right now, the minute he's president, you're going to regret it. You're going to regret it even more when he gives the job to his son. Because American democracy is broken enough that a guy like that could really fuck things up.</blockquote>
Former APF Pundit cum Late Night Talk show host, Stephen Colbert continues to offer the best psychoanalysis on what might be driving the mogul.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q33sHC_tYc">VIDEO: <span id="goog_1504473961"></span>Trump, Pile Of Meat 2016</a><br />
STEPHEN COLBERT: I think if we're honest, I think I know what's going on here. Donald is just insecure. I don't know if Donald even wants to be president. The guy just needs constant validation, that's clear and isn't that what all of us want? Love. Just love and maybe steak. And if we just give that to him maybe he'll go away. So Mr Trump, Mr Trump, Mr Trump and I know you're watching because I said your name three times I just want you to know that everyone thinks you're cool. OK. You're smart, you are good at companies and business-ing and no doubt you're hung like a pool noodle...</blockquote>
Whilst offering no prescription, Bill Maher imagines how Donald Trump's reign might end. No doubt to the delight of many from both sides of the aisle.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/">Maher Fantasizes About Trump Dying on Stage, Jokes About Cheney Dying</a><br />
BILL MAHER: Although, here's a little bit of hope, you know. I know, nothing ever seems to stop this guy no matter what you throw at him. You ever see the movie War of the Worlds, Tom Cruise movie, right? That gives me hope because, if you remember the movie, the space invaders are just totally kicking our ass. I mean, they got their tripods, they got the forcefields around them, nothing can stop them, and then they just die.<br />
They just die. Nobody does anything. They just f***ing die. I mean, it's like they just got to page 100 in the script and went, "F*** it, they just die." Have Morgan Freeman come and do a voiceover. They get the flu or something.</blockquote>
Update: (March 30)<br />
Trump is winning far too much for him to find a clean exit. Could a likely brokered convention be his last out?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2016/03/30/new-theory-among-anti-trumpers-hes-deliberately-sabotaging-his-campaign/">New theory among anti-Trumpers: He's deliberately sabotaging his campaign</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14.592px; line-height: 21.888px;"><br />That theory, the "honorable exit," worked out well, didn’t it? Markay’s version is really just the "honorable exit" in the form of a brokered convention. </span></blockquote>
Update 2: (May 26)<br />
Now that Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee, what now for "honorable exit"? Why not just license the Trump brand to a Republican White House and get the VP to do the heavy lifting:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/05/26/trump_adviser_says_trump_s_vp_will_handle_the_day_to_day_job.html">Trump Adviser: Trump Will Outsource Being President to His VP</a><br />
Being president of the United States of America is, to put it mildly, hard work. It's an incredibly taxing job that involves making an untold number of decisions—a few big and splashy, the vast majority small-bore and likely to go unnoticed unless something goes catastrophically wrong—that will impact millions and millions of people. Setting aside the power and the prestige, the day-to-day job doesn't sound like one Donald Trump would actually want. And, according to his top campaign strategist, he doesn't.</blockquote>
Update 3: (June 22)<br />
Rachel Maddow expands on Colbert's premise that Trump is doing all this to promote his brands and line his pockets<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
VIDEO: <a href="https://youtu.be/xe99v8_ODNQ">Donald Trump's Campaign A Cover For Moneymaking Scheme</a> | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC<br />
RACHEL MADDOW: (4m 26s) These are not the kinds of expenditures you would expect to see from someone who's actually running a campaign for President who intends to win the Presidency. The expenses, when you look at what the Trump campaign is actually spending its money on. What they're actually spending time doing. Its more like a Concert Tour. Its more like a promotional tour for a Celebrity who's hawking something than it is a campaign where you need people to go out and vote for you in November...<br />
Its a racket. It is not necessarily designed to win the election -- I don't know if its not necessarily a problem to win the election -- think of the merchandising opportunities in the Oval Office? You can tell that winning *might* happen but its not the aim. It would be the byproduct of what is the principle effort, which is to make money.</blockquote>
<br /></div>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-1277079092031278412016-02-29T07:18:00.001-08:002016-03-06T22:54:31.966-08:00Quotes compilation: GOP Debates as Pro-Wrestling matches<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
VIDEO: Trump Turns GOP into Pro Wrestling
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H3bfRfR6isM" width="420"></iframe> </div>
MICHAEL SMERCONISH: (0m 18s) What went on in Houston Thursday night gave me a flashback. Early 1970s, Saturday mornings, our Family rec room. My brother and me on bean bag chairs watching Pro-Wrestling... Good guys VS Bad guys, mudslinging and foreign objects. Well, guess who learned on those mats too, Yes the classy Trumpinator. And so it was in Houston, Rubio and Cruz tagteamed the villainous Trump but their victory was short-lived as the Trumpinator pulled someone else into the ring thankfully not wearing tights. Former arch-rival Chris Christie was suddenly his sidekick but can anything stop Trump's ascent before this episode of Wrestlemania wraps up on Tuesday?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://youtu.be/Go7GarFDEqc">Kurtz: Trump controls the media (and bumps me!)</a><br />
HOWARD KURTZ: (1m 52s) The debate was fascinating because even though Rubio finally did what the press wanted him to do and attack Trump. They went toe to toe and Cruz did some attacking as well. There was so much yelling and so much crosstalk and these guys talking over each other. It was one eccentric moment after the other, Wolf Blitzer had utterly lost control of the debate at several points. I think that blunted the whole thing. I think many of these attacks cancelled each other out <i>because it was such a professional Wrestling match</i>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQfqdcj5cGs">Carson: Moderators didn't want to gain control of GOP debate</a><br />
ERIC BOLLING: We just got out of a raucous debate sir. What are your thoughts? How did you do tonight?<br />
BEN CARSON: Well I did fine with the few questions I was asked and the few opportunities I had to weigh in. But <i>it was clearly a debate that was aimed at World Wrestling Federation</i>. There was no interest in hearing about the actual issues and what the solutions are<br />
BOLLING: Boy there was a lot of fighting. The middle three especially Trump/Rubio/Cruz going back and forth. Did the debate moderators lose control of that a bit?<br />
CARSON: I don't think they wanted to gain control because I think they were enjoying the fight. They probably figure it was increasing their ratings<br />
BOLLING: Let me call you on that sir. At one point, I think it was you that said "Could someone please fight with me?"<br />
CARSON: It seemed that was the only way you were going to get airtime if somebody attacked you. It's pretty sad that we've gotten to this point in our Country. Where we're talking about a Presidential debate. Where we're talking about electing a President and we're not talking about people's real policies. What do they believe? Why do they believe that? Don't the people deserve to know that?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sNvQwkZ4oQ">Rubio changes tactics, tries to 'out-Trump' Trump</a><br />
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN: (2m 04s) Everybody in Stevens Point is watching and thinking "We're all nuts here". They watched that punching back and forth. I wonder if they're thinking this is great democracy working or this is just a bunch of nutty people yelling insults at each other going way off the rails.<br />
CONGRESSMAN SEAN DUFFY: I think this is where the debate is today and <i>if you wanna win and you're going to wrestle with a pig you're going to get dirty</i>. Marco Rubio got dirty last night wrestling with Trump but he came out the winner and ate his lunch...<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mrctv.org/videos/morning-joe-south-carolina-debate-crowd-was-offensive-and-deplorable">Deep rifts on display in 9th Republican debate</a><br />
JOE SCARBOROUGH: I tell you what that was a horrible debate, I know it was like the most watched. Not only what was going on on-stage, I'm sorry the crowd was offensive.<br />
WILLIE GEIST: I loved it<br />
(panel laughs)<br />
SCARBOROUGH: Of course you would. But it was so offensive you would have candidates halfway through their answers and they would start booing. It was like a Gladiator match...<br />
KRISTEN SOLTIS ANDERSON: <i>It made me feel like I was a watching a Professional Wrestling match</i>. These are important conflicts between these candidates that we need to tease out... it's not that these candidates don't need to be engaged in hand-to-hand combat on stage but something about the audience did give it more of a feel of watching a <i>Professional Wrestling match</i>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://youtu.be/mJ4AxiWkyTA">Rubio attacks on Trump too little, too late?</a><br />
LELAND VITTERT: (1m 10s) Rubio continues to pound on Trump, "Conman, Con-artist and everything else. Hair Force One". Too little, too late by Marco or does he have Trump rattled?<br />
PETE SNYDER: I was <i>half expecting John Cena to pop out of the back screen, classic WWE style</i>. I think this has gotten a little out of hand Leland and I think it is a little too little, too late. We had months and months to see who could be the alpha and who could stand up to Trump and noone did. I can understand the strategy of Marco trying to make it a two-person race but this thing is all but over on the Republican side.<br />
<br />
- <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2010/08/politics-is-wrestling-quote-roundup-ann.html">Politics is wrestling, Quote roundup (2010)</a></div>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-19081906364990021702016-01-28T07:59:00.001-08:002016-02-01T14:18:34.032-08:00Ducking Donald Trump with Phil and Willie Robertson of Duck Dynasty.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Not all Pay-Per-Views in Wrestling are marquee events. Most are stepping stones that serve to ratchet up storylines for an eventual pay-off. Main events for marquee PPVs will feature the dueling contenders mano a mano, the result leaving no ambivalence as to who came out on top. The placeholder PPVs leading up to this conclusion will feature gimmick matches and fights buffered by other contestants that allow for muddled resolutions leaving viewers wanting more. Examples include rivals pairing up with Celebrities, working alongside new partners and sometimes even each other. The aim, to tease proximity and conflict but delaying gratification. The clean finish, the full stop. Anticipation building is the product, when done well every moment in Wrestling is calculated to build hype.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>VIDEO: Will Donald Trump show up to the Fox News debate?</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Par9b807WeU" width="420"></iframe></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: (3m 41s) I think the prize as Trump defines it always is being the center of attention. Calculated or not -- and I think most likely it is-- is going to concentrate all the attention and all the discussion between now and when you go on the air Thursday at 9 on whether he's going to show up or not. So between now and then he's the story which he's managed to do, brilliantly since June. Always creating new storylines, look the genius of a Reality TV is that it has to constantly be changing. You can't have the same storyline week after week or the show dies.<br />
He kept his going for 14 years. He keeps changing the story, when he makes an outrageous statement and he's waiting for incoming. He makes another outrageous statement so that all the attention is focused on the second. He's used that --I think again brilliantly-- for 6 months to manoeuvre himself to the top.</blockquote>
With a week out before the Iowa Caucus, polls consistently show the GOP race is ostensibly between two people - Donald Trump and Ted Cruz with Marco Rubio a distant third. The upcoming Fox News/Google Debate, the sixth of its kind for the GOP still fields 7 contestants. At best the protracted "job interview" gives voters a large sample to gauge a Candidates' temperance and fortitude. At worst its a fatiguing ceremony that primarily serves as a cash cow for the 24 hours News Media.<br />
<br />
In the WWE, there are 5 marquee PPVs spaced out over the year. As such, storylines are paced so big events occur in time with these dates. <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/national-review-against-trump-wallpaper.html">The Royal Rumble</a> and Wrestlemania have historically been must-watch viewing for Wrestling fans to start the year. Sandwiched by these two powerhouses is the '<a href="http://www.wwe.com/shows/wwefastlane">Fastlane' PPV</a>. I've used this as the template for my latest wallpaper.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4ewghCRJIKtUEwFw-OMPKxtcvSbH4A3JsB2B6oztkkvLNVJZPxsSUfmd1hj4pVwR5wBiidx5MGccogRGnG6YpWv_94WEEXnRdA5PhZnphi7DM50SaZDu03aU5NiTyK4wsgss6BxoGwY/s1600/apf_celebduck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4ewghCRJIKtUEwFw-OMPKxtcvSbH4A3JsB2B6oztkkvLNVJZPxsSUfmd1hj4pVwR5wBiidx5MGccogRGnG6YpWv_94WEEXnRdA5PhZnphi7DM50SaZDu03aU5NiTyK4wsgss6BxoGwY/s400/apf_celebduck.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'American Pundit Fighting' presents Ducklane<br />
Celebrity Tag Team match: Ted Cruz and Phil Robertson<br />
VS Donald Trump and Willie Robertson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Chief rival Ted Cruz capitalised on Donald Trump skipping the debate by hatching a <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=donaldduck&src=typd">#DonaldDuck</a> meme with a '<a href="https://www.tedcruz.org/l/ducking-donald/">Ducking Donald'</a> page on his Campaign website. Earlier this week, conservative Reality TV stars, Phil and Willie Robertson of 'Duck Dynasty' split their vote by endorsing each of the GOP frontrunners.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>VIDEO: Phil and Willie Robertson open up about their endorsements</b></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HPB5G8M44Ps" width="420"></iframe></div>
<br />
The "Duck Lane" refers to Donald Trump's bold move to parlay his frontrunner status into a powerplay that could either catapult him into a league of his own or derail his campaign. Gleaming from another set of headline-grabbing Trump antics, former APF Pundit Stephen Colbert noted<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmWqwKkaGjw">Would You Rather: GOP Edition</a><br />
STEPHEN COLBERT: That's right, Trump's voters will not leave. I think that represents a huge problem for one person - Donald Trump. Cuz when I hear this man say nothing can stop me from winning, not even shooting people. I don't hear appeal to voters, I hear a cry for help. Let's remember here's a guy who ran for President to promote probably a Reality show or his mattress brand or his line of premium ex-wives and now he looks like he might actually win... cause Donald Trump can't possibly want to be President. Its the hardest job in the world.</blockquote>
Win or lose, Trump has controlled the narrative allowing him to spin the result to his advantage. Even giving him the opportunity to exit the entire Presidential race while <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2007/04/aura-part-1-of-2.html">preserving his aura</a>. Let's see how this plays out.</div>
PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1636694654099095933.post-60092669078046353732016-01-24T05:13:00.003-08:002016-02-01T14:18:50.037-08:00National Review "Against Trump" wallpaper: The GOP 2016 Royal Rumble<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAfPLod9rtMkrU0-5TH0l1d-n9SBDL5VDnGxKJYwyvy_8-x8hYpJtjRtsijNqxsf6ZNheSherNf6qFG4B2zI_GOCPLUb7r02XBCGiZL2Y525TaiI6zDLle5nB_cPSXbQ0UYDWoWpb7A4/s1600/apf_trumpble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAfPLod9rtMkrU0-5TH0l1d-n9SBDL5VDnGxKJYwyvy_8-x8hYpJtjRtsijNqxsf6ZNheSherNf6qFG4B2zI_GOCPLUb7r02XBCGiZL2Y525TaiI6zDLle5nB_cPSXbQ0UYDWoWpb7A4/s400/apf_trumpble.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">National Review "Against Trump" wallpaper: The GOP 2016 Royal Rumble</td></tr>
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A new Trump wallpaper inspired by the upcoming <a href="http://www.wwe.com/shows/royalrumble/">WWE Royal Rumble</a>. Dubbed '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNatvEwKqt4">One versus All</a>', reigning Champ Roman Reigns is tasked with defending his title against the 29 other entrants. A stipulation created by WWE Establishment to strip him off his power.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">National Review (Feb 2016): '<a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/430126/donald-trump-conservatives-oppose-nomination">Against Trump</a>' issue</td></tr>
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Mirroring this storyline, conservative journal 'The National Review' published a special issue arguing "<a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/430126/donald-trump-conservatives-oppose-nomination">Against Trump</a>". Featuring 22 prominent conservatives outlining their concerns for Trump as GOP nominee, headlined by APF pundit Glenn Beck and notables like <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2007/09/seder-takes-on-right-wing.html">Michael Medved</a> and <a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2007/08/william-bill-kristol-top-heel.html">"top heel" William Kristol</a>.<br />
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Donald Trump has already hit back by dismissing the relevance of the magazine whilst feigning concern. A classic Trump retort.<br />
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National Review is a failing publication that has lost it's way. It's circulation is way down w its influence being at an all time low. Sad!</div>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/690382564494839809">January 22, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Whilst Glenn Beck has been actively warning his conservative viewers and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRBLSN8biVU">counterparts</a> of Trump, this latest assault might have awakened the GOP frontrunner and spun off a potentially juicier Feud. No doubt Trump will eventually go after <a href="http://www.theblaze.com/about/">Beck's own Media Empire</a> and challenge its influence and financial standing. For now, the new program was teased with this promo on the "<a href="http://punditfight.blogspot.com.au/2009/07/jill-greenberg-makes-glenn-beck-cry-for.html">crying Glenn Beck</a>"<br />
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Word is that crying <a href="https://twitter.com/glennbeck">@GlennBeck</a> left the GOP and doesn't have the right to vote in the Republican primary. Dumb as a rock.</div>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/691068215342952448">January 24, 2016</a></blockquote>
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PunditFighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17738420661147585862noreply@blogger.com0