Back in 2016, any sentient person vaguely familiar with the grifting career of Donald "Person, woman, man, camera, tv" Trump knew what would be in store in a Trump presidency. The pattern of diversion, distraction, spinning and attacking has played out in every one of the multitude of scandals that Trump has bluffed or bullied his way through during his time in office. As this article focused on his Trump University (motto: Caveat emptor) grift reminds us, the pattern seen in his defense of his many grifts in private life is playing out now with deadly consequences.
Trump University, which shut down in 2011 after multiple investigations and student complaints, was treated as a joke by many of Trump’s political opponents — much as they treated Trump Steaks or Trump Vodka. But to those who knew the school well, it wasn’t a joke.
It was a premonition.
Under a barrage of lawsuits in multiple states alleging fraud and false and deceptive practices in over- promising great results (a "fulfillment problem"), Trump attacked the prosecutors, much as he and his hacks have attacked the public health professionals and Democratic officeholders who are trying to control the pandemic. Then there were the promises of the virus magically disappearing, of miracle treatments and cures, of a vaccine just around the corner, etc., etc. But, it seems we've learned a lesson from watching how Trump operates:The saga of Trump University showed how far Trump would go to deny, rather than fix, a problem, they said — a tactic they have now seen him reuse as president many times, including now, in the face of a worsening pandemic. For months, President Trump promised something wonderful but extremely unlikely — that the virus would soon disappear.
In the Trump University case, opposing lawyers said, they learned how to deal with Trump’s eruptions. Ignore them. Keep digging. Let Trump talk to himself.
“As difficult as it is, you can’t get distracted with the mudslinging or name-calling,” said Rachel Jensen, one of the attorneys in the California class-action cases. “You have to remain disciplined and focused on the substance. Over time, it pays off.” [snip]
Trump is again struggling to fulfill a promise and again facing a growing backlash. His presumptive opponent in the 2020 election, Democrat Joe Biden, seems to have learned the lawyers’ lesson, ignoring many of Trump’s attacks instead of amplifying them with tit-for-tat responses.There are still people who were suckered by Trump University who, sadly, are still fans of the grifter. They might even contract coronavirus and still be fans of the grifter. But, the greater population has seen what happens when a nitwit carnival barker occupies the presidency during a deadly pandemic; when lying, bluster, spin and distraction isn't working the same as it was when he was over- promising great results from his cut- and- paste courses.
