Patrick Carlyon: The meaning behind Trump’s ‘truthful hyperbole’ revealed
In his 1987 book, The Art of the Deal, Donald Trump outlined his approach to business and life and revealed hints for his future presidency. If only someone had been paying attention, writes Patrick Carlyon.
Patrick Carlyon
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When the secrets of Donald Trump were revealed, no one listened.
In his 1987 book, The Art of the Deal, Trump outlined his approach to business and life.
Hurtful publicity was good press, he declared. You can con people, but only for so long.
Here were the hints for his future presidency.
“The final key to the way I promote is bravado,” he said.
“I play to people’s fantasies. People may not always think big themselves, but they can still get very excited by those who do. “That’s why a little hyperbole never hurts.”
Trump called it “truthful hyperbole”, an innocent form of exaggeration, and a very effective form of promotion.
Some people call this “lying”.
Applying this insight, we can interpret what Trump has said about the virus that has ravaged his country (and jeopardised his own life), as opposed to what he has meant.
“It’s one person coming in from China, and we have it under control. It’s going to be just fine.” (January)
It’s not going to be fine. But I don’t know how to fix it. Can someone else fix it?
“It’s also more deadly than even your strenuous flus.” (February)
“I’m being truthful, Bob (Woodward), and I know I’m being interviewed by a famous reporter, but you won’t tell anyone, will you, Bob?
“Looks like by April, you know, in theory, when it gets a little warmer, it miraculously goes away.” (February)
“No way the virus will disappear, as I told Bob the other day. But ignore the panic about hospital ventilators. You see what you want to see, and I see golf courses and Big Macs.”
“I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.” (February)
“I’m not sure why I’m opening up to you like this, Bob, but you know I’ll attack you if you write this.”
“One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.” (February)
It will be like the parting the Red Sea if the virus recedes, which it won’t. I may not be Moses, but the crazies did genuflect when I called myself “the chosen one”. How many skyscrapers did Moses build, anyway?
“We’re prepared, and we’re doing a great job with it. And it will go away. Just stay calm. It will go away.” (March)
Hundreds are being infected, and all these pesky doctors keep saying inconvenient things. I’ll fire those losers, one by one. Can we talk about something else?”
“This is a very contagious virus. It’s incredible. But it’s something that we have tremendous control over.” (March)
We don’t have any control at all. But I am playing my con strategy, as detailed in my book, and I’m sticking with it.
“I’d love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter.” (March)
It won’t be. But saying it sounds nice, like when the girls in my Miss Universe pageants would say they wanted world peace. Now, let’s find something to distract 140 million voters.
“WE WILL WIN THIS WAR.” (March)
“Ah, my masterstroke, to personify a quirk of nature as not just an arch killer, but also unAmerican.”
“We’ve been doing more tests than any other country anywhere in the world. It’s one of the reasons that we have more cases than other countries.” (March)
“This is twaddle, and I know it, but who cares? As I like to say, one person’s fake news is another person’s ‘truthful hyperbole’.”
“Right now, I think it’s under control.” (August)
It’s not, but can’t you take my word on it?
“A political hit job.” (September)
So Bob Woodward wrote a book that accurately quoted my honest observations. Bad Bob.
“Don’t be afraid of COVID. Don’t let it dominate your life.” (October)
Some people who test positive receive a team of 10 doctors. They are given experimental drugs and the virus goes away. When I say “some people”, I mean me. The triumph of me helps voters forget the lonely deaths of all their Grandma Sues. Did I mention I was awesome?
“THE BIGGEST OF ALL POLITICAL SCANDALS (IN HISTORY)!!! BIDEN, OBAMA AND CROOKED HILLARY LED THIS TREASONOUS PLOT!!! BIDEN SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED TO RUN — GOT CAUGHT!!!” (October)
When I tweet in capital letters, with exclamation points, some voters see me as maniacal, or off my head on prescribed steroids. But they won’t vote for me, anyway. Other people confuse my rages with might and power, and they vote, too.
“I feel great, I feel like perfect. I think this was a blessing from God that I caught it, this was a blessing in disguise.” (October)
Got to love my religious mumbo jumbo, just like the four in five white evangelicals who voted for me in 2016.
“Far less lethal” than flu. (October)
I may be contradicting myself, but I must keep up the con until November 3. Afterwards, you can read my presidential memoirs, The Art of the Steal.
Patrick Carlyon is a Herald Sun columnist