Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: RNC 2016: A literal shitshow

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  • Russell Brown,

    From Piers Morgan's Twitter:

    Yes, I have had numerous email exchanges with her since March 2013, Her title on emails: 'Staff Writer, Media.'

    And:

    For clarity's sake she's emailed me for 3 years on behalf of Donald Trump, including 5 minutes ago.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Russell Brown,

    We've gone beyond strange when Piers Morgan is a reliable source ;-)

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Dylan Reeve,

    If I’m following correctly it went something like this:

    You missed one step – the NY Times report, which named Matthew Scully and John McConnell as the original speechwriters:

    This account of how a speech written by professionals was transformed into the problematic version delivered on Monday night at the Quicken Loans Arena is based on interviews with more than a dozen people involved in and close to the Trump campaign. Many of them spoke on the condition of anonymity to disclose details that were supposed to remain confidential.

    It reinforces dominant themes of Mr. Trump’s campaign that still linger from the primary, which his team has struggled to change: a deliberately bare-bones campaign structure, a slapdash style and a reliance on the instincts of the candidate over the judgments of experienced political experts, like Mr. Scully and Mr. McConnell.

    The two original speechwriters were not aware of how significantly the speech had been changed until they saw Ms. Trump deliver it on television Monday night, along with the rest of the country.

    We're still left with the unlikely proposition that McIver, having had Michele Obama's speech read to her over the phone, reproduced chunks of it verbatim in in her substitute speech. Would a professional writer really do that?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Okay the Facebook page is dated six hours ago, the same time as the Trump statement was released. Quick fake, imo.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • linger, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Would a professional writer really do that?

    Assuming McIver actually had anything to do with the process, it’s only plausible if (i) McIver was unaware of Michelle Obama’s speech, and
    (ii) Mrs Trump, speaking over the phone, did not attribute her quotes.
    (Indicating scope of quotations, in speech, is admittedly difficult.)

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Dylan Reeve,

    So possibilities I see:

    - McIver is real, and did in fact ghost-write the speech that Melania claimed she wrote herself.

    - McIver is real, and is being put out as a lightning rod to take the heat off Melania or speechwriters Trump needs.

    - McIver is a composite personality - a pen name used within the Trump organisation by multiple people to create a sense of continuity? The persona is now being sacrificed.

    ...other?

    Whoever she is, she has a consistent history within the Trump organisation, but that's all.

    Auckland • Since Aug 2008 • 311 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    The power to cloud men's minds...
    The Shadow was written by many people under the publisher's house name of 'Maxwell Grant' - originally coined by Walter B. Gibson but used by four other writers as well...
    ...Shadow stories probably rival Trump's hero Horatio Alger for output...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Dylan Reeve,

    Or possibly, she's real and an "Alan Smithee". Loyal employee and all that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • william blake, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Trump the bright reflector of their image

    Pond scum?

    Septic tank.

    Since Mar 2010 • 380 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming,

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming,

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Alan Perrott,

    wow, looked like things were about to kick off as Cruz got to the standard god blesses kiss off without an endorsement. top telly.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 438 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie,

    As you might expect from a party getting behind the orange misogynist, the RNC has some tasteful merchandise on offer.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Alfie,

    It's a long way to November...

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I feel I should quote Trump's Razor in full:

    "Ascertain the stupidest possible scenario that can be reconciled with the available facts"

    I really think Josh has captured something here.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Moz,

    that is not atypical, nor is it “a small effort”.

    It's a small effort compared to trying to overthrow a fascist regime. Which could be what is at stake here.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Trump's ghostwriters thought they were too goodthinkful to end up in Miniluv. But just as Newspeak erases all Oldspeak, so unpersoning erases the people who invented it.

    Now, back to the Hate Week.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Joshua Arbury,

    I thought the plagiarism was nothing compared to the rick-rolling, which seemed obvious evidence of sabotage.

    How does that fit into our conspiracy theories?

    Auckland • Since May 2009 • 237 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    Worse (for Trump) than the plagiarism was the reporting of it, with all visual media spending over 24 hours showing a split screen of two speeches – a confident, impressive speaker on the right and a stiff autocue reader on the left. Michelle Obama looked and sounded like somebody you’d want in the White House, not the scary fist-bumping monster who’s been Destroying America.

    As for Cruz today, Patrick Gower versus Jack Tame was an amusing contrast for local eyes. One exploded with excitement, the other barely noticed the story. (But then, TVNZ have always been hopelessly slower than TV3 at responding to events, they seem to put the bulletin to bed hours before show time).

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to simon g,

    Patrick Gower versus Jack Tame was an amusing contrast for local eyes. One exploded with excitement, the other barely noticed the story. (

    Patrick Gower looked like a closet Republican, stepping out at last!
    I find his gleeful 'reportage' unbalanced and disconcerting...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to simon g,

    One exploded with excitement, the other barely noticed the story.

    Paddy actually wrote a hot take demanding that Trump must now resign or be dumped. Bless.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    The story of today was Cruz’s coded (but very obvious to the faithful) encouragement for people to “vote your conscience” (i.e.: not Trump). He was jeered off the stage and the crowd seemed surly thereafter. The Trump camp then went through a variety of responses, first claiming that they knew what he was going to say, then that it was an outrage, then that it was no big deal.

    The rest of Cruz’s speech was unremittingly vile and deceitful. I genuinely can’t tell whether these people actually believe what they’re saying (the part about Obama letting in refugees who were Isis terrorists was a particularly nasty falsehood), but the rubes lap it all up. It’s clearly dangerous. But, then, Christie’s witch-trial routine yesterday was probably worse. It just seems like a real lowering of the bar on what’s acceptable.

    Trump’s VP pick, Mike Pence, later gave the most coherent speech of the convention, steering clear of his creepy views on abortion, science and the like. (This is a man who signed a law requiring that funerals be held for miscarried and aborted foetuses.)

    Ironically, Trump had left the building.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Russell Brown,

    BREAKING!

    Porn viewership hits all-time high in Cleveland during RNC after GOP declares it a public health crisis

    /me Points upstream and laughs

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming,


    For those who haven't seen it yet

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

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