re: #44 goddamnedfrank

My theory is that Trump is just too fucking stupid to function as President. I don’t think he thought Comey would exaggerate his testimony only because I don’t think Trump’s thought process ever got all that much further than “if I bluff about tapes that means I’ve seized the assumption of truthfulness in the public’s eye.” He’s apparently done this thing before with others, simply asserting tapes exist as a way of trying to get journalists to retract or alter inconvenient quotes. Trump was afraid of Comey saying exactly what Comey said, remember the bluff came before (and precipitated the leak of) news about Comey’s memos. Trump was just hoping it would be his word against Comey’s and that the tape bluff might cause Comey to doubt his own recollections.

My theory is that he defaults to bully/abuse tactics. This whole “tapes” things reeks of asserting power by claiming to be the objective party but with no actual evidence, just appeal to authority. Gaslighting the target by telling everyone around that they’re a liar.