Rage

by Bob Woodward

“When’s the last time you apologized?” “Oh, I don’t know, but I think over a period—I would apologize. Here’s the thing: I’m never wrong. Okay. No, if I’m wrong—if I’m wrong—I believe in apologizing. This was a totally appropriate conversation. It was perfect. And again, if I did something wrong, I would apologize. Okay?”

The SARS virus was believed to have started in a bat, then jumped to a civet cat who was sold in a Chinese wet market to be sacrificed for a feast. SARS was deadly to its victims, but people with SARS generally were not infectious until the fifth or sixth day of their illness, when they showed serious symptoms, so the disease was considered to have inefficient human-to-human spread.

Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland. He paraphrased the cat: “If you don’t know where you’re going, any path will get you there.” The Cheshire Cat’s strategy was one of endurance and persistence, not direction.

When combined, Kushner’s four texts painted President Trump as crazy, aimless, stubborn and manipulative. I could hardly believe anyone would recommend these as ways to understand their father-in-law, much less the president they believed in and served.

Speechless

“It was difficult to understand how China had aggressive travel restrictions within China, and yet did not move to any travel restrictions” for people who wanted to leave China and go abroad, Redfield said.

Would be interesting to see how this unfolds once we are out of hot waters. Very valid theory it seems.

‘I bring out rage in people. I bring rage out. I always have. I don’t know if it’s an asset or a liability. But whatever it is, I do.’ Is that true?”

That's correct, I think my rage has mellowed down towards him after reading this book and trying to see a side from his perspective. But he has point here. There are no actions during his administration ( atleast none mentioned as a part of the book ) which has jeopardized the country/democracy the way media was portraying before he resumed office. He might be a furious tweeter but at the same time it seems he understand where to draw a line. It could be tactical thing and it seems to be working for him.

“This will be our 17th conversation for this book,” I said. “All I ask for is fairness,” Trump said. “And, you know, I’m sure I won’t get it, but that’s okay. I’m used to that. But I do ask for fairness because nobody’s done what I’ve done. Nobody. Did you get the new list of new things that were added on?” It was a long, boilerplate list of dozens of large and small matters, and I said I did receive it.

Rage - How he feels

“I have a very flexible strategy, Bob. I’ve had it for a long time. My whole life has been flexible strategy and I’ve done very well. And I had it in the last campaign, too. I was very flexible. I changed campaign managers three times.”

See Acceptance, Flexible because he is a business man who likes to make deal.

What have you learned about yourself?” Trump sighed audibly. “I can handle more than other people can handle. Because, and I’ll tell you what, whether I learned about it myself—more people come up to me and say—and I mean very strong people, people that are successful, even. A lot

of people. They say, I swear to you, I don’t know how it’s possible for you to handle what you handle. How you’ve done this, with the kind of opposition, the kind of shenanigans, the kind of illegal witch hunts.”

that Trump’s presidency was riddled with ambivalence, set on an uncertain course, swinging from combativeness to conciliation, and whipsawing from one statement or action to the opposite.

Ambivalence - This defines him accurately I believe.

Constitutional government might seem wobbly at times, and that could change overnight. Still, democracy has held. But leadership has failed.

This sums the his tenure well.

The deep-seated hatreds of American politics flourished in the Trump years. He stoked them, and did not make concerted efforts to bring the country together. Nor did the Democrats. Trump felt deeply wronged by the Democrats who felt deeply wronged by Trump. The walls between them only grew higher and thicker.

the interviews show he vacillated, prevaricated and at times dodged his role as leader of the country despite his “I alone can fix it” rhetoric. As America and the world know, Trump is an overpowering presence. He loves spectacle.

Trump is a living paradox, capable of being friendly and appealing. He can also be savage and his treatment of people is often almost unbelievable.

A president must be willing to share the worst with the people, the bad news with the good. All presidents have a large obligation to inform, warn, protect, to define goals and the true national interest. It should be a truth-telling response to the world, especially in crisis. Trump has, instead, enshrined personal impulse as a governing principle of his presidency.

This is how we want to see a President. A person with a moral compass. Truthfulness, Compassion, Empathy , Honor and Courage. He is a shrewd and street smart business man. What do you expect ?