GingerDec 31, 2022
Steven Beschloss
Would there be a George Santos without a Donald Trump modeling pathological lying—and getting away with it?
Dec 30, 2022 at 8:41pmWeb
Show threadRobert DenbyDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss Probably. He isn't the first congressman to get caught fabricating his resume.
Show threadJohn GoveDec 30, 2022
@Bullix @StevenBeschloss But would that lying politician have been given a free pass without any political consequences? Doubtful.
Show threadRobert DenbyDec 30, 2022
@johngove @StevenBeschloss Who knows, but it doesn't benefit us in any way to pretend trumpy ushered in the corruption and rot that allowed him to win a primary in the first place. The GQP is the rot. Trumpy is just a symptom.
Show threadJohn GoveDec 30, 2022
@Bullix @StevenBeschloss True. I would never attribute corruption in politics to Trump. That corruption has existed forever. But I think a case could be made that Trump has done more than any other modern politician to normalize corruption and the acceptance of it among the Republican electorate.
Show threadRobert DenbyDec 30, 2022
@johngove @StevenBeschloss A case could definitely be made for that. However, my case to make is that Reagan did that damage by literally declaring the government the enemy of its citizens. Also by getting away with selling missiles to Iran, which it used against Iraqi tanks...who used chemical weapons we sold THEM against Iran...the proceeds of which funded death squads in south and central america. And no one went to prison for it. Trumpy just capitalized on the brain worms Reagan seeded.
Show threadRobert DenbyDec 30, 2022

@johngove @StevenBeschloss

Reagan made it fashionable, even patriotic, to want to overthrow our own republic. To cheat on our taxes. To blame the poorest minorities for everything. To slash public services far beyond their ability to function, or completely destroyed them altogether.

And, because he had perfected a bullshit aww shucks persona, and bc he could lie with a smile, he is STILL celebrated for things he never did while given a pass for shit he did that was illegal.

Show threadEyalLDec 30, 2022

@Bullix

I believe his repeal of the Fairness Doctrine that led to radical propaganda networks taking over the minds of ~40%+ of Americans - is his worst harm.

@johngove @StevenBeschloss

Show threadRobert DenbyDec 30, 2022

@EyalL @johngove @StevenBeschloss
Absolutely. And it was no coincidence that Druggie Limbaugh rose to power on the AM Hate Radio circuit immediately thereafter and Fux "News" less than 8 years after Reagan confusedly shuffled off the presidential stage for good.

Also no coincidence that news stopped being boring and became infotainment either.

Reagan remains a metastatic cancer of the republic.

Show threadJohn GoveDec 30, 2022
@Bullix @StevenBeschloss I can’t argue with any of that. Spot on!
Show threadRobert DenbyDec 30, 2022
@johngove @StevenBeschloss
That said, I think trumpy still could be looked back upon as ushering in a new era of fascism. Jury is still out on that one. Sadly.
Show threadJohn GoveDec 30, 2022
@Bullix @StevenBeschloss The midterms at least provided a glimmer of hope in terms of the Republican electorate seemingly pumping the brakes on how much extremism they were willing to embrace.
Show threadRobert DenbyDec 30, 2022
@johngove @StevenBeschloss I hope you're right. It looked to me more like the rest of us finally decided to pump the brakes.
Show threadJeffDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss not a republican alive that knows truth from lies
Show threadJohn GoveDec 30, 2022

@StevenBeschloss So true. Before Trump, politicians on the Right paid a political price for lying egregiously. Trump built a cultish base that couldn't care less about lies, and that taught Republican politicians that there is no political price to pay for lying (or for many other negative behaviors that used to end political careers).

Thankfully, the Left still seems to care about integrity – mostly.

Show threadDaniel SwartzDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss And would there be a Donald Trump without a Twitter, the platform to magnify those lies? I use social media, but if I knew it would come to this, I likely would have passed on it.
Show threadTQdemocratDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss No, DJT set the example to be followed
Show threadTomDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss surely even the republicans won’t allow Santos to get away with it?
Show threadDerekDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss
Was Bush Jr. a truth teller?
Was Dick Cheney?
Is Cruz not a pathological liar?
Is Mitch not a pathological liar?
Rick Scott?
tRump's a symptom, not the disease.
Show threadDaniel SwartzDec 30, 2022
@DLROhlms @StevenBeschloss A symptom, a tumor and a cancer all rolled up into one.
Show threadGiddey_upDec 30, 2022
@DLROhlms @StevenBeschloss True. Only the truly elite are allowed to lie that much without consequences. And that doesn’t include TFG and Santos.
Show threadToadman628Dec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss Without Trump, he most likely might be selling cars/timeshares/spamming.
Show threadJucaDec 30, 2022

@StevenBeschloss

It wasn't that long ago, being caught in a lie could derail a campaign. Now it's standard, and completely unsurprising in the GOP. It's what they do.

Donald Trump continues to spew the most outrageous lies, and has proven to be a national security risk--- and Republicans will put him right back in the White House if they can.

Show threadPJT NorthDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss I thought about this earlier today too. I think Santos would not have happened without him.
Show threadWilliam C. AtkinsonDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss
There wouldn't be a Santos without a somnolent and compliant Press.
@NYTimes @NYCScribe
cc: @Froomkin
Show threadLizGDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss no
Show threadTanziersDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss probably not
Show threadtwitter expatDec 30, 2022

@StevenBeschloss

Answer. No

Show threadTonyTrink1969 🏳️‍🌈Dec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss Trump isn't the only model. The entire senior GOP leadership reportedly laughed and jokes about Santos' resume. Lying is literally a running joke for the party of integrity and honesty. 🙄
Show threadJan ThieDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss
Probably, yes; Trump didn't create himself either, after all.
Show threadGGDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss pretty sure our last PM, Scott Morrison, also a pathological liar, modelled himself on Trump as well.
Show threadTwoifbyDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss Exactly. DJT taught other republicans that contrition is unnecessary. When caught, deny it, never apologize and keep on going.
Show threadMarcDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss there have been narcissistic lying politicians since the beginning of time.
Show threadBoomerDec 30, 2022
@StevenBeschloss let’s remember the dirty money behind both
Show threadGinalolajupiterDec 30, 2022

@StevenBeschloss

The new norm

Show threadPankhurst2Dec 31, 2022
@StevenBeschloss
The big picture arent these individual grifters and pathological liars and narcissists; its the foreign powers putting them into play into our electoral process to destroy America.
Show threadTom LoganDec 31, 2022
@StevenBeschloss A: Yes. But they would have been marginalized (as custom within GOP) and not recognized by the party, probably forced to withdraw or resign.
Show threadJana Lynne SanchezDec 31, 2022
@StevenBeschloss there wouldn’t be a party that valued winning so far above all else that they would be willing to embrace such a liar
Show threadNancy M RuffDec 31, 2022
@StevenBeschloss Yes.
Show threadDHaDec 31, 2022
@StevenBeschloss ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Show threadTrishDec 31, 2022
@StevenBeschloss
No “lots of little lies” without the “big lie”.
Show threadThe Real Newt ScamanderDec 31, 2022
@StevenBeschloss Quite likely. Trump chose to run as a Republican for a reason.
Show threadChrisUJan 1, 2023
@StevenBeschloss
America has been rotting from within for decades, so he might well have arisen spontaneously.