The Trump Script

As allegations of wrongdoing by Trump, his campaign, and his administration become public, a script for dealing with these allegations has emerged. In general, the script follows the following steps:

1. Negative story or allegation comes to light
2. Complete denial
3. Claim "Fake News"
4. Attack the accusers
5. Claim "Fake News"
6. Less emphatic denial
7. Claim "Fake News"
8. Attack the accusers
9. Claim "Fake News"
10. Discredit the investigators
11. Claim "Fake News"
12. Maybe the accusation is partially true
13. Claim "witch hunt"
14. Discredit the accusers
15. Claim "witch hunt"
16. Admit the accusations after corroborating evidence comes to light
17. Offer confusing reasons and alternative stories
18. Claim "witch hunt"
19. Fully admit the accusation
20. Contend that the actions in the accusation are not a crime
21. Continue to claim "witch hunt"
22. Continue to discredit accusers and investigators
23. Create a new crisis as a diversion

Not every step is invoked for every allegation. Sometimes steps are repeated multiple times. These steps are carried out via Twitter, Trump statements, Sarah Sanders, Kellyanne Conway, Rudy Giuliani, or numerous other administration apologists.

It is a pattern that has been repeated often enough that even Trump supporters should recognize. 

Every negative story or report about Trump, his administration, and the GOP is not "fake news". In fact, very few from the mainstream media have been even erroneous let alone fake. 

While I don't pretend to know what the next big story or allegations will be, I can confidently predict that the above "wash, rinse, repeat" scenario will be employed. 

wjh

Winning - July 2018

Keeping track of the GOP and Trump Administration:

• 7/3 - Trump's "Pakistani mystery man" and Democrats cleared of conspiracy and illegal information access. Trump had already decided they were guilty. 
• Scott Pruitt's aides reveal more details of his excessive spending and management abuse at EPA. King of the Swamp.
• 7/5 - Corrupt EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt resigns, finally.
• 7/6 - Trump starts the trade war with China.
• China retaliates with tariffs on US goods.
• 7/6 - Russia imposes tariffs on certain US goods. 
• Trump's Mar-a-Lago applies for 61 foreign worker visas. Guess you can't find cooks and servers in the US.
• North Korea contradicts Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's assessment of the denuclearization negotiations. He says good, they say regrettable.
• White House legislative affairs director, Mark Short, resigns.
• Trump completely botches the Helsinki news conference with Putin. His "would - wouldn't" explanation is laughable. 
• Appeals Court nominee Ryan Bounds withdrawn because of writings that ridiculed multiculturalism and groups concerned with racial issues.  
• There is a recording between Trump and Michael Cohen discussing payoffs to Karen McDougal. You know, the Playboy model and mistress who Trump knows nothing about.
• Trump wants to revoke security clearance for his dissenters. Very dictatorish behavior. 
• The Department of Agriculture will pay farmers hurt by Trump's tariffs $12 billion. "Tariffs are the greatest!"
• Ivanka shuts down her fashion brand.
• Putin's visit to the US pushed out to next year, after elections.
• Federal judge allows emoluments suit against Trump to go forward. 
• North Korea continues to enrich nuclear material and build ICBMs according to satellite evidence. This despite Trump's agreement with Kim Jong-un when he said Pyongyang was "no longer a Nuclear Threat." 

wjh