>>> JOINED BY THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES.
>> IT IS AN IRON LAW OF DONALD TRUMP’S PRESIDENCY AND HIS IMAGE
MANAGEMENT THAT HIS STAFF MAKE
SURE HE IS NEVER BROUGHT INTO
DIRECT CONTACT WITH MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC WHO DO NOT LIKE HIM.
HE DOES STAGED EVENTS WITH
HANDPICKED SUPPORTERS, ENORMOUS
RALLIES WITH HIS MOST ARDENT
BASE.
BASE. IF THERE’S A BRIEF PROTESTER
THAT PUNCTURES THE ATMOSPHERE,
THEY GET SHOUTED DOWN.
THE RARE INSTANCES WHERE HE DOES
VENTURE OUTSIDE HIS SAFE SPACES,
LIKE HIS APPEARANCE ON FRIDAY AT
BENEDICT COLLEGE, A HISTORICALLY
BLACK COLLEGE IN SOUTH CAROLINA,
HIS PEOPLE WORK EXTRA HARD TO
MAKE SURE ALL CRITICISM WILL BE
KEPT AWAY.
KEPT AWAY. ACCORDING TO THE STATE
NEWSPAPER, "STUDENTS WERE TOLD
TO STAY IN THEIR DORMS WHILE
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS ON
CAMPUS."
CAMPUS." THE "WASHINGTON POST’S" JOSH
DAWSEY REPORTED ON THE NUMBER OF
STUDENTS WHO SHOWED UP TO THE
EVENT, "NINE STUDENTS WERE
CONFIRMED.
CONFIRMED. TWO HAD ROTC TRAINING MEANING
SEVEN ATTENDED."
SEVEN ATTENDED." THE MOMENT AT LAST NIGHT’S WORLD
SERIES GAME IN D.C. WAS SO
REMARKABLE.
REMARKABLE. THE RAREST OF INSTANCES IN WHICH
THE VERY UNPOPULAR PRESIDENT,
LIKELY SOON TO BE IMPEACHED, HAD
DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC
THAT DOESN’T LIKE HIM MUCH.
IN ADDITION TO ALL THE BOOS,
SOME PEOPLE UNFURLED "IMPEACH
TRUMP" BANNERS IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE GAME, SO DONALD TRUMP HAD
LAST NIGHT AN UNSCRIPTED MOMENT
IN FRONT OF THE APPROXIMATELY
55% OF THE COUNTRY THAT IS NOT A
FAN.
FAN. [ CROWD CHANTING "LOCK HIM UP" ]
>> JOINING ME NOW TO DISCUSS THE
PRESIDENT’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE
MAJORITY OF THE COUNTRY THAT
DISAPPROVES OF HIM, WASHINGTON
CORRESPONDENT FOR "NEW YORK" NAG
DEAN,
DEAN, MAGAZINE, A GREAT STORY TITLED
"THE ZOMBIE CAMPAIGN" OUT THIS
WEEK.
WEEK. SAM SIDER.
SAM SIDER. SINCE YOU’RE HERE, SAM, LETMY
START WITH YOU.
IT’S STRIKING.
IT’S STRIKING. ALL POLITICIANS HAVE MANAGED
EVENTS.
EVENTS. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> PART OF BEING A POLITICIAN,
PARTICULARLY PRESIDENTS.
PARTICULARLY PRESIDENTS. THERE’S ALMOST A KIND OF
TRUMAN-SHOW-LIKE QUALITY.
TRUMAN-SHOW-LIKE QUALITY. IT WAS TRUE ON THE CAMPAIGN,
OTHER PEOPLE WERE DOING ROPE
LINES, TAKING QUESTIONS AT TOWN
HALLS, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER
INTERACTS WITH THE MAJORITY OF
THE COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT LIKE
HIM.
HIM. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. THIS IS NOT EXACTLY A ONE-TO-ONE
SITUATION.
SITUATION. HE’S IN A SKY BOX AND THERE’S A
STADIUMFUL
STADIUMFUL STADIUM FULL OF PEOPLE.
YEAH I MEAN, I THINK IT WAS
PRETTY HEALTHY.
PRETTY HEALTHY. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS
OBVIOUSLY AN ORGANIC THING.
THIS IS NOT A SITUATION WHERE,
YOU KNOW, NANCY PELOSI IS
STANDING IN FRONT OF THE CROWD
ON THE FIELD SAYING, YOU KNOW,
TRYING TO WHIP UP --
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> I MEAN, BECAUSE THAT’S REALLY
WHAT HE’S BEEN COMPARED TO --
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> -- IN CERTAIN INSTANCES AND
SEEMS LIKE A FAIRLY RIDICULOUS
COMPARISON.
COMPARISON. I MEAN, THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT
DONALD TRUMP IS MOST POWERFUL
MAN IN THE WORLD, AND THE FACT
THAT HE COMES OUT OF THE KINGDOM
AND THE CASTLE AND GETS SOME
TOMATOES THROWN AT HIM,
POTATOES, THAT’S JUST, YOU KNOW,
COMES WITH THE TERRITORY.
BUT IT IS STUNNING THAT HE’S
NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
>> NEVER.
>> NEVER. I MEAN, THIS IS THE THING,
OLIVIA, WHEN READING YOUR PIECE
ASHT THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN AND PART
OF IT IS ABOUT HOW THE BIDEN
CAMPAIGN IS FAIRLY DIFFERENT
THAN SOME OF THE OTHER
CAMPAIGNS.
CAMPAIGNS. HE’S A FRONT-RUNNER.
HE’S FORMER VICE PRESIDENT.
HE DOES FEWER EVENTS AND DOES
LESS OF THE RETAILING
CAMPAIGNING, BUT STILL, HE GOESS
TALKS TO PEOPLE, TAKES PICTURES
WITH PEOPLE.
WITH PEOPLE. THERE’S STILL A WORLD IN WHICH
JOE BIDEN HAS TO INTERACT WITH
CITIZENS WHICH IS PART OF THE
WAY HE GET POLITICIANS IN A
DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY --
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> -- THAT DONALD TRUMP NEVER
WENT THROUGH.
WENT THROUGH. >> NO, HI NEVER DID.
EARLY ON IN THE CAMPAIGN BEFORE
DONALD TRUMP HAD SECRET SERVICE,
BEFORE IT WAS SUCH A BIG THING,
PEOPLE STILL THOUGHT IT WOULD
NEVER WORK AND HE STILL THOUGHT
THAT, THEY WERE A LITTLE MORE
NIMBLE, WOULD TRAVEL IN ONE CAR.
A FORMER WHITE HOUSE AIDE TOLD
ME ONCE DONALD TRUMP LIKED TO
STOP AT RED LIGHTS AND HAND
PEOPLE $100 BILLS WHICH IS A
WEIRD THING TO DO.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> LIKE TO GO THROUGH THE
DRIVETHROUGH AT McDONALD’S.
THAT IS HAWHAT HE ENJOYED.
NEVER WENT ACROSS A ROPE LINE,
NEVER TOOK A THOUSAND SELFIES
WITH PEOPLE HE DIDN’T NEED
ANYTHING FROM IN THAT MOMENT
BESIDES THEIR
BESIDES THEIR ESSENTIALLY.
ESSENTIALLY. HE GETS VERY TIRED OF THAT.
I REMEMBER BACK AT
CHRISTMASTIME, I REPORTED A
STORY ABOUT HOW HE HATED
CHRISTMAS PARTIES.
CHRISTMAS PARTIES. BECAUSE HE HATED HAVING TO STAND
THERE AND TAKE PICTURES AND
SHAKE HANDS AND PLAY NICE FOR
TWO OR THREE HOURS AT A TIME.
SO THIS IS JUST NOT WHAT HE’S
GOOD AT.
GOOD AT. IT REALLY STRUCK ME LISTENING TO
THOSE BOOS, WATCHING HIS FACE,
THAT WHEN YOU’RE AT A TRUMP
RALLY, THERE’S A VOICE THAT
COMES OVER THE LOUDSPEAKER
BEFORE IT BEGINS AND IT TELLS
HIS SUPPORTERS WHAT TO DO.
IT SAYS, IF THERE’S -- I’M
PARAPHRASING, BUT IF THERE IS A
PROTESTER, SHOUT THEM DOWN,
DON’T GET VIOLENT.
SOMEBODY WILL COME AND TAKE THEM
OUT.
OUT. IF YOU SHOUT AT THEM ENOUGH AND
YOU RAISE YOUR TRUMP SIGNS IN
THE AIR.
THE AIR. AND IN REAL LIFE, THAT DOESN’T
HAPPEN.
HAPPEN. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> HE CAN’T -- YOU KNOW, HE
CAN’T JUST HOPE THAT EVERYONE IN
THAT STADIUM WHO DOESN’T LIKE
HIM IS HAULED OUT OF THERE.
>> THERE’S A DEEPER THING HERE,
WHICH IS THAT, LIKE, HE IS VERY
CLEARLY -- HE’S THE PRESIDENT OF
HIS 40%.
HIS 40%. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> HE DOESN’T PRETEND TO BE
REPRESENTING ALL AMERICANS.
HE CURRENTDOESN’T SPEAK TO THEM.
IT’S SUCH A BIZARRE ASPECT OF
HIS PRESIDENCY, THIS INSIDIOUS
SORT OF ATTACK ON THE BASIC
DEMOCRATIC CULTURE WE HAVE,
WHICH IS THAT HE DOESN’T EVEN
PRETEND -- THEY ARE WRITTEN OUT
OF THE STORY OF DONALD TRUMP
EXCEPT THIS, LIKE, THE ENEMY AND
THE FAKE NEWS.
>> THAT DYNAMIC IS NOT JUST WITH
DONALD TRUMP.
DONALD TRUMP. YOU KNOW, WE LOOK AT THE
STORMING OF THE SCIF THE OTHER
DAY.
DAY. >> YEP.
>> YEP. >> LOOK, THERE WAS A TIME 10, 15
YEARS AGO WHERE THE PLAY WAS, WE
HAVE A NARRATIVE AND THE
RIGHT-WING MEDIA AND THE KEY IS
HOW DO WE FILTER THAT INTO THE
MAINSTREAM MEDIA?
MAINSTREAM MEDIA? >> THAT’S A GREAT POINT.
>> THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT
NARRATIVES THAT ARE EXISTING.
CERTAINLY THE CONSERVATIVE MEDIA
DOES NOT NEED THE MAINSTREAM
BECAUSE THEY’VE NOW SIGH QUESTEQ
THERE -- DONALD TRUMP STEPS OUT
OF THAT BUBBLE, THE STREAM, INTO
THE NORMAL PEOPLE STREAM, AND I
WONDER -- THE REAL QUESTION IN
MY MIND IS, HOW UPSET IS HE
TODAY?
TODAY? >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> STHATIS THAT A SHOCK TO HIM?
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> WHO IS KEEPING HIM FROM THESE
PEOPLE?
PEOPLE? >> THAT’S MY POINT ABOUT THE
TRUMAN SHOW, OLIVIA, THERE’S
THIS AMAZING IMAGE OF A
RIGHT-WING COMMENTATOR, LIKE,
SHE POSTED ON TWITTER A PAGE OF,
LIKE, COMPLIMENTARY REPLIES SENT
TO THE PRESIDENT THAT ARE
CLEARLY PRINTED AND HAND
DELIVERED THAT HE MAILED HER AND
JUST MADE ME THINK, LIKE, IT IS
A TRUMAN SHOW OPERATION.
IT IS A WORLD THAT REVOLVES
AROUND TELLING HIM THAT EVERYONE
LOVES HIM.
LOVES HIM. >> YEAH, BUT I THINK THAT GOES
BACK TO TRUMP TOWER, IF ANYONE
WOULD GO VISIT HIM THERE, A
JOURNALIST, EVEN IF THEY WEREN’T
NICE, HE SENT ME A NOTE LIKE
THAT.
THAT. HE SENDS JOURNALISTS HANDWRITTEN
NOTES TO SAY THANK YOU.
I THINK IT’S MORE ABOUT MAKING
PEOPLE FEEL SPECIAL, PLAYING TO
PEOPLE’S EGO BECAUSE HE LIKES
HIS OWN EGO PLAYED TO.
I DIDN’T READ SO MUCH INTO THAT.
I DO WONDER AS WELL HOW UPSET HE
WAS TODAY IF AT ALL OR IF THERE
IS A PART OF HIM WHO THINKS THIS
IS LIKE PRO WRESTLING, HE
UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT WAS LIKE WHEN
HE WAS IN THE RING WITH VINCE
McMAN AND SHAVING HIS HEAD BUT
OPTED NOT TO BE THE ENEMY IN
THAT SCENARIO.
THAT SCENARIO. HE OPTED TO MAKE VINCE McMAHON
THE ENEMY.
THE ENEMY. I DON’T THINK HE COULD HACK IT.
SO REAL LIFE, AGAIN, ISN’T LIKE
THAT.