"What penalties?": A visibly confused Trump seems unaware he just lost $83.3 million
“Wisdom and goodness to the vile seem vile; Filths savour but themselves...” ― William Shakespeare, King Lear
Trump’s mental decline is patent. You can see it. I can see it. And it has become so marked that even the mainstream media has commented on it. His mental gaffes are now of the sort that cause concerned families to take the car keys away from Grandpa. And make parents warn their children that paw-paw will not always make sense when they visit him in his assisted-living facility.
Never an intelligent man, Trump has forgotten who he is running against and misidentifies the current President. He confuses Nikki Haley with Nancy Pelosi. We all make mistakes, but at some point, his mental decline can no longer be dismissed as ‘no biggie.’
Yesterday, a subdued Trump faced questions from a reporter asking how he planned to pay for the penalties already on the books — and the big one about to be announced by Judge Engoron. Trump had no clue what she was talking about as he peered myopically at the source of the inquiry.
Reporter: “Do you plan to use campaign funds or some of the PAC monies to pay penalties in the New York fraud and defamation cases?”
Trump: “I don't understand, what?”
Reporter: “Are you thinking of potentially using campaign money to pay the penalties that you [indecipherable].”
Trump: “What penalties?”
Reporter: “The New York fraud case, the defamation case.”
At this point, it seemed to finally dawn on the sad old man what the reporter was asking. However, Trump dodged her questions and turned to his reflexive position, “I am a man more sinn'd against than sinning.” Although, in comparison, he makes King Lear look like the voice of reason and a man of even temper.
Trump then explained that in his opinion — the only opinion he listens to — it had been proven he was a good boy. Further, higher legal authorities had determined he was “largely” guilt-free. And where they had not, the charges against him were without merit.
Trump: “I didn't do anything wrong. I mean that's been proven, as far as I'm concerned. And actually we won in the Court of Appeals. You probably saw that. That case has been largely won in the court of appeals. That was a political case, coordinated with the White House by the attorney general, I assume is what you're talking about. And we won that case, largely in the Court of Appeals.”
Reporter: “Carroll .. the defamation case.”
Trump: “That’s a ridiculous case.”
I try to stay au courant with Trump’s legal odyssey, but I do not know what he means when he refers to his victory in the Court of Appeals. And that is where it gets scary. Once, I would have attributed his fantasies to an amoral disdain for the truth. Now, I think he truly believes his own bullshit.
In his inner dialogue, he has convinced himself that the “Court of Appeals” has absolved him of his sins — which he did not commit in the first place. It jibes with his behavior during his trials. When he denies knowing E. Jean Carroll, he may be telling the ‘truth’ as he experiences it. When he says that Mar a Lago is worth $1.8 billion — he does not think he is lying. When he looks in the mirror, he sees a 215-pound man.
He has added insanity to immorality — which is frightening. And millions of Americans will still vote for him — which is terrifying.