“President Obama — he is the founder of ISIS. He is the founder of ISIS. He’s the founder. He founded ISIS”


The above Trump Quote was shared on Twitter by Rebecca Sinderbrand. Skullsinthestars replied “I really hated this particular Dr. Seuss book.

Sometimes,that’s all it takes to get me started. This isn’t particularly Seussian, but I’m not gonna let that stop me:

The nation’s in danger; the country’s in crisis;
The POTUS himself is the founder of ISIS

(A claim that I hear; such a claim will suffice us,
So panic, and take to the streets!)

Cos ISIS exists, and Obama’s the founder!
And Hillary keeps all those Muslims around ‘er!
The Donald has clues that his people have found… er,
Let’s hope they have saved their receipts

These charges are made, and accepted as valid
By people to whom they sound sweet as a ballad
(The rest of us hear it as Trump brand Word Salad
But just what we’ve come to expect)

For anyone else, this is “unpresidential”
But not for The Donald—it’s Trump-quintessential!
It shouldn’t be true, but there’s still some potential
That Trump is the one we’ll elect.

For that last stanza, I wanted to somehow say that the Overton Window was moving, “at speeds exponential”, but nothing scanned.

And finally, I am hearing various news media (NPR and CNN so far that I have noticed) talking about the quote, and adding “which he is not, obviously” in the title or opening comments to their bits. This is good. Sort of. But it feels like they consider it an obligation to find some expert somewhere who can reframe Trump’s words in different contexts to essentially say “if you squint your eyes, tilt your head, and take potent hallucinogenics, you can see Trump’s point.” Maybe. Maybe not. But in the context he said it, it’s just plain wrong, and outrageous to boot.

And it’s just another day for Trump.

Comments

  1. says

    SO Obama went back in time and told Cheney to convince Bush to knock over Iraq and kick off a sunni/shia civil war that had been simmering for decades? Damn, but he’s smooth.

  2. chigau (違う) says

    As long as we’re doing time travel, I’d like to blame Kissinger.
    No real reason.
    Well maybe to see Cuttlefish find a rhyme.

  3. machintelligence says

    It is hard to see Trump’s point. It’s on his head but is hidden in his hair.

  4. Johnny Vector says

    “exponential” is a great word! How about something like this:

    Sane voters would know this is un-presidential
    But the Overton Window’s no longer entrenched all
    I know is it’s motion is now exponential.
    Could Trump be the one we elect?

    Yes, I realize “But the” has to fit into an eighth note. I blame Lin-Manuel Miranda.

  5. Johnny Vector says

    Also also, ARRGH, stupid autocorrect that doesn’t know about the word “its”.

    sigh

  6. brucegee1962 says

    This story really is the perfect example of what’s wrong with the Trump candidacy. I’ve always thought that Obama (and by extension, HIllary) were pretty vulnerable on the “origin of ISIS” issue. Since I admire Obama generally as much as anyone does, one of the tests I try to use in politics is “If the parties were reversed, would I think this was a big deal?” And yeah, I would. ISIS grew up on his watch, and at the very least he let his intelligence agencies get blindsided — but he was their boss, so he can’t foist responsibility onto them. And there are probably plenty of things he could have done differently in terms of keeping Sunnis engaged in the government and managing the pullout more gradually. A Republican candidate who was knowledgeable on the subject could probably really make both of them look weak on the subject.

    But that’s not Trump. By reducing the whole thing to a somewhat dopey-sounding slogan with overtones of conspiracy theory (in that it’s a lot easier to make the case that someone is sloppy or incompetent than saying they are actually malicious), then doubling down, then trying to take back the entire thing, Trump has managed to completely undercut any authority he might have had on the issue. Not to mention the fact that he’s made it sound like a moderately well-read schoolkid would know more about the topic than he cares to.

  7. Pierce R. Butler says

    Why don’t Dubious and Cheney speak up to demand the credit that they worked so hard for eight years to earn?

  8. jcsscj says

    The Dutch singer Fay Lovsky wrote and sung a song about Trump. He probably denies it, because she didn’t mention his name. She had expected a song from Lady Gaga or Bruce Springsteen, but because they didn’t deliver she filled the gap.

    The Candidate

  9. StevoR says

    @ ^ Marcus Ranum : No. Also Carl Sagan and Isaac Asimov. So wish those authors were still alive & wonder what they’d make of all this.

  10. StevoR says

    Isis was an Egyptian goddess. Heck, there are women around the world with that name.

    Da’esh don’t deserve to cause more casualties and harm. They don’t deserve that name even if it is an all caps acronymn.

  11. StevoR says

    For that last stanza, I wanted to somehow say that the Overton Window was moving, “at speeds exponential”, but nothing scanned.

    Hmm ..lessee & ave a go..

    The Overton Window’s moving at speeds exponential.
    Coz gawd help that klown Trump is looking Presidential
    Well not looking and not sounding
    But too many fools are buying
    Despite the staggering obviousness of that demagogues foul lying.

    Obama founded ISIS, news to the Egyptians
    Whose goddess was much earlier and who no doubt woulda ripped him.
    The pyramids have lasted,
    Betting Daésh won’t not-so-long
    Those Islamistic wankers
    Are soon to get the gong.

    Umm ..well, yeah. I tried & see what ya mean.

  12. eddie says

    Well, it does seem that, under obama’s presidency, blackwater changed it’s name a few times, ultimately to ISIS. Dubya just used them under their old name.

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