From Russia to Donald With Love

It doesn't take a whole lot to figure out what the rest of the world thinks of Don Trump.

Today, The Independent ran a story by Rachael Revesz which featured a poll taken in various nations around the globe. The survey, commissioned by the Handelsblatt Global Edition, was conducted by YouGov. They polled 20,000 adults per country in places as diverse as China, Mexico, and the UK.

One question posed was something along the lines of who would you prefer to be president of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton, or Donald Trump?

The United Kingdom, where the parliament seriously debated whether, or not to ban Trump from even entering the country because of his crazed rhetoric preferred Mrs. Clinton by 34%.

In Japan her advantage was 27 points and in South Korea it was 37. Both are nations which Trump has claimed are happily draining the U.S. dry because of our military support in the region. He has suggested they should be given nuclear weapons, so we can stop stationing troops in their countries. Presumably they would be free to use them on whoever they choose at their convenience. At least that's what someone like--let's say--Kim Jong-un will think. If he goes a tad more paranoid than usual, because of our dubious largess there isn't a person in either place who doesn't doubt North Korea will launch a preemptive strike, which might explain Trump's unpopularity.

The Chinese, who could be expected to vociferously object to such goings on, have Mrs. Clinton in a 12 point lead, although their Finance Minister, Lou Jiwei recently told the Wall Street Journal he considered Trump an, "irrational type." He also said El Donald wouldn't be able to deliver on the changes to trade agreements between the U.S. and his country like he's promised.

Down Mexico way Mrs. Clinton has a 54 point lead. That really shouldn't be surprising given Trump's fondness for blaming the Mexican people for nearly every crime committed in the United States during the last half century, or so.

Actually there is one place where Trump does hold a lead over the former secretary of state. That would be Mother Russia. He has a 21 point lead on the steppes and beyond. But, let's face it, those silly sons of bitches are so crazy, 74% of them believe, Vladimir Putin is the most trustworthy world leader currently around.

Meanwhile, The Guardian is reporting Cheri Jacobus, a GOP pro freelancer, is suing Trump and his campaign for $4 million. She says they deliberately and continually smeared her after she criticized Trump on TV. The suit asserts the attacks have come, "with the purpose of making her an object lesson to those who might question Trump and his fitness for office, to incite a virtual mob against her, to destroy her reputation, and to bully her."

This all came about after Jacobus claimed she was approached by a Trump staffer in 2015 with regard to a job as his communications director. Two interviews later she maintains she turned down the spot because Trump's campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski was, in her words, "unprofessional and a powder keg."

The Trump response to her appearance on cable television--which happened months later--was quick and predictable. The big man took to twitter and wrote in part, "Cheri Jacobus begged us for a job. We said no and she went hostile. A real dummy."

As the attacks mounted, Jacobus says she eventually sent Trump a cease and desist letter and he responded with another tweet. This one said, "Really dumb @Cheri Jacobus. Begged my people for a job. Turned her down twice and she went hostile. Major loser, zero credibility."

No wonder the Russians like this bozo. He's a minor league Putin with bad hair.

The Guardian story says Jacobus is claiming her career as a TV talking head has, for all practical purposes, ended because of Trump's social media attacks and others by Lewandowski on places like MSNBC. She also complains she is constantly harassed on line by Trump supporters.

The Trump people issued a statement which basically said, this is just another bullshit law suit aiming to make money off their guy's name.

And--as we go forward, the candidate has said, while he hopes there won't be violence in Cleveland if he doesn't win the nomination, such a nightmare is a distinct possibility. Yeah, could be--especially since his good pal, Roger Stone is promising to put thousands of supporters in the streets right before he publicly reveals the hotel room numbers of delegates not voting for Donald J. Trump.

Hey, as old Joe Stalin once said, "You cannot make a revolution with silk gloves."

Indeed.


Da Svidaniya, Tovarich.


4-19-16