Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop
I'm sorry, I know that you're trying to make a point about how corrupt business as usual is, but this is nuts. Putin is categorically different from someone with a lot of money. There are a lot of people with a lot of money, and the President is often making some of them unhappy, but usually because he is making other Americans happy. Putin is not an American. If Putin were to reveal that Trump had done something covert for him, it would have a stench of betrayal that is different. Putin also is different because he has the resources of a whole 'nother country.
Corporate donors get play partly because the political parties don't have to betray their principles much to do it. They can find a way to give a favor by doing something they were elected to do (tax cuts!). But Trump's weird relationship with Russia seems like a personal thing with Putin. It's not like he has some special affinity for the Russian culture or people. It's very personal.
|
Putin is an extreme example, true. But not terribly much more powerful than Rupert Murdoch. I’d surmise Rupert can manipulate Trump almost as much as Putin. Putin’s distinction is he can do it more easily. He just threatens to call loans and drop dirt on Trump. Murdoch has to cause public opinion shifts to indirectly move Trump where he needs him to go.
Look at how Murdoch pushed Trump to kill the Sinclair deal that would’ve created a competitor against Fox. That was the mother of all arm twists.
