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my response to your staffs referal of me to your prior comments.

Reader comment on item: Blowback from Criticizing Trump
in response to reader comment: Trump v Hillary

Submitted by Ray Exley (United States), Jul 27, 2016 at 18:28

Dear Dr, Pipes,

I thank you for directing me to your more nuanced comments about Hillary and Trump, and I agree with essentially all of your observations, but my interpretations are different from yours, and I respectfully suggest you may be misunderstanding Trump's grandstanding, and all of the other things he does which anoy you, and put you off.

Consider what Trump wrote in "the art of the deal". I have not read it, but I have been told by an extra ordinarily intelligent friend, that she feels that the essence of the book is understand whom you are negotiating with and what will move them to do what you want them to do, even if it might not be in their best interest, or at least they don't see that it is.

Consider what Trump has accomplished with his antics, he got the Republican nomination without any support from the party, actually despite their interference. And, he did it primarily with all of the free air time he got because of his antics. Current estimates are that prior to the convention, he got free advertizing valued at at least2 to 3 billion dollars, because of this antics. He could not have done that in a conventional way.

And, again with Hillary spending a fortune, and Trump spending almost nothing they are even in the swing states, which is the essence of his election.

I think you should consider the fable of "Briar Rabbit", which ends with him getting what he wanted, by convincing his opponents that was not what he wanted. That is he out though his opposition, and used their limited thinking against them.

Do you think Trump might be doing that? And, if you don't think there is a method to his madness, you might be right, or you might just be selling him short, because he is much more cleaver than you think he is. Which often means something about the person drawing the negative conclusion, but I won't go into that.

Truman was vilified for many of the same things you find so distasteful in Trump, particularly what you view as irrational non though out behavior, (Truman was villified as he might use the BOMB, but he prevented General MacArthur from doing just that), and now most historian now consider him and his presidency a remarkable success, but he was not viewed as a calm considered person at the time, and he displayed in office now of the erratic behavior which his opponents attributed to him, but the use of his comments.

I don't know Trump, and initially I reacted to him as you have done. But, when I see what he has accomplished, I wonder if we are not seeing the master of the "Art of the Deal" at work.

Yours

Ray Exley

Submitting....

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Reader comments (112) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Who might be most amenable to constructive pressure? I think it is Clinton. [105 words]Dina Grossman KjaergaardOct 3, 2016 06:40233134
The MSM shifts the balance [87 words]John HOct 2, 2016 15:22233118
Donald J Trump - Lawsuits -- Not True [584 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Nancy ASep 17, 2016 11:47232784
1Thank you! [122 words]JudyAug 14, 2016 10:27231376
2Donald Trump 1 Mrs Clinton 0 after Trump's Detroit Economic Club speech [119 words]PrashantAug 8, 2016 23:05231262
The bottom-line issue in the 2016 US Presidential Election [224 words]Michael SAug 15, 2016 18:47231262
1The coming world, with or without Trump or Hillary [948 words]Michael SAug 8, 2016 13:37231257
The RIGHT Approach [200 words]Shoshannah SomervilleAug 28, 2016 12:25231257
1Thank you :-) [10 words]Michael SAug 31, 2016 09:30231257
DONALD TRUMP'S ECONOMIC POLICY [23 words]Michael SAug 7, 2016 14:46231245
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1Trump Economic Plan Detailed [384 words]Michael SSep 4, 2016 12:13231245
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4bite the bullet [63 words]
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rwAug 4, 2016 04:24231193
1Daniel, your stance still does not appear right [327 words]Michael SAug 7, 2016 03:56231193
2How do you know that Trump will do something about [89 words]walterAug 12, 2016 13:40231193
3Hillary is good for Jihad Daniel [25 words]DavidAug 3, 2016 20:31231186
4... reasoning [134 words]pfwagAug 1, 2016 09:11231123
I agree [7 words]Michael SAug 3, 2016 06:11231123
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1Who's lonely? [698 words]
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Michael SJul 28, 2016 11:56231006
2I am at a loss, to understand your reasoning. Exactly how is Clinton of a better "character" than the Donald? This is a real mystery [109 words]Michael SAug 2, 2016 00:45231006
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3Words and facts [143 words]agJul 27, 2016 18:42230982
2I'm glad the oddsmakers don't choose our presidents [125 words]Michael SJul 31, 2016 03:05230982
1Trump? [135 words]Dan SchnittkerJul 27, 2016 17:18230977
1Armageddon's close at hand, so maybe Hillary will win after all [294 words]Michael SJul 31, 2016 03:49230977
the problem in general [335 words]vcragainJul 27, 2016 10:46230971
Ah, a person after my own mind! [305 words]Michael S.Jul 31, 2016 18:13230971
1Putin-Trump connection [119 words]FabioJul 26, 2016 14:51230906
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1RUSSIA CLINTON CONNECTION [226 words]Jill von VinkerJul 29, 2016 13:49230906
I posted BEFORE the 30k emails declaration by Trump [51 words]FabioJul 31, 2016 02:02230906
Trump's babbling not the issue [48 words]FabioJul 31, 2016 02:06230906
1The alternate reality of Obama and Clinton [587 words]Michael SAug 1, 2016 13:15230906
Your comments baffle me [186 words]Ray ExleyAug 3, 2016 13:51230906
One scandal does not annul the other [487 words]FabioAug 7, 2016 09:10230906
1Why I Just Quit the Republican Party," [19 words]Balarabe AbbaJul 26, 2016 04:40230883
Trump v Hillary [343 words]
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Ray ExleyJul 25, 2016 21:37230874
1my response to your staffs referal of me to your prior comments. [469 words]Ray ExleyJul 27, 2016 18:28230874
7My WaPo Letter In Response To Their Anti-Trump Editorial [199 words]DaveJul 25, 2016 18:31230868
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3Trump vs Clinton [402 words]
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Charles MartelJul 25, 2016 10:47230849
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SteveJul 25, 2016 10:43230848
3Baffled...? [117 words]KenMJul 24, 2016 23:23230838
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2Yeah, But. . . . [229 words]Warren MillerJul 24, 2016 10:47230808
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3Praise of Your Stance - and of Cruz [84 words]Morris HertzJul 23, 2016 17:47230792
the alternative [10 words]
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PAUL SEVERIENJul 23, 2016 17:00230788
vote [24 words]irving karabellJul 23, 2016 16:59230787
3Why not form a new Political Party? [58 words]Joshua Zev Levin, Ph.D.Jul 23, 2016 15:55230784
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DaveJul 22, 2016 20:33230759
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2 choices?! [29 words]DanielJul 24, 2016 15:12230754
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3Gary Johnson [45 words]
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Peter ChewJul 22, 2016 18:07230753
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Re: Gary Johnson [17 words]DanielJul 24, 2016 15:09230753
house and senate [120 words]Anne JulienneJul 25, 2016 17:30230753
Thank you... [11 words]Peter ChewJul 22, 2016 17:48230752
1I support you, Daniel Pipes [49 words]
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Peter ChewJul 22, 2016 17:40230751
Your blog subscribers... [97 words]
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CJul 22, 2016 16:15230742
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Trump on NATO [64 words]
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Jeffrey SheffJul 22, 2016 15:55230738
Understand your reasoning [62 words]Mary Ellen GoldfarbJul 22, 2016 15:11230733
Do right [22 words]BillRJul 22, 2016 15:04230731
1You're Right [177 words]MichaelJul 22, 2016 14:59230730
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4You are wrong. [111 words]E. W. CloughJul 22, 2016 14:24230728
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1Your threat to refrain from voting ... [187 words]
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JayJul 22, 2016 13:00230717
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3A Reply to Pipes' Reply [318 words]Stuart FaginJul 22, 2016 12:25230712
1... now and forever [112 words]Dr. TomJul 22, 2016 12:08230706
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2mistake on Trump [121 words]
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chris gallagherJul 22, 2016 10:18230685
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1Thank you Daniel Pipes [15 words]Michael SedleyJul 22, 2016 09:34230682
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2Reaction to "Its time to quit the GOP [60 words]C. E. PfeiferJul 22, 2016 09:21230677
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beckwithJul 22, 2016 08:09230668
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2The ballot in the USA does not include "none of the above" [247 words]
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1Mr Pipes, you are baffled? [42 words]
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BaffledJul 22, 2016 03:32230648
2Here's the Deal :o) [120 words]Akbar PalaceJul 25, 2016 14:08230648
1Mr Pipes, you are baffled? [53 words]BaffledJul 26, 2016 02:40230648
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2Trump and bust! [66 words]ElspethJul 22, 2016 01:06230633

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