Rope A Dope --- The Breaking Of The Powerful

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  1. Sharlee01 profile image82
    Sharlee01posted 8 days ago

    https://hubstatic.com/17570351.jpg

    I’ve been closely following the Epstein saga, and I’ve started piecing together some patterns that are hard to ignore. When Trump first ran for president, he promised transparency and even said the Epstein documents would be released. Later, when AG Pam Bondi finally received those documents from the 9th District of New York, she publicly stated they were on her desk and would be shared with the public. That seemed like a step toward fulfilling the promise.

    But then came the sudden shift. Bondi and the team went quiet, and Trump himself, for a brief period, started suggesting people move on from the Epstein issue entirely. Now, after significant public pressure and outcry, Trump is back demanding that the documents be released, and a judge is involved in reviewing them before anything goes public.

    This has me wondering: is this a strategic move, a classic “Trumpean ploy”? Is he setting the stage to say, “I didn’t want to bring scandal to respected individuals, but the public insisted on transparency”? It would give him the perfect platform: release the names, but frame it as something he was hesitant to do out of respect, only proceeding because the people demanded it. In doing so, he’d come off as the reluctant truth-teller, someone who tried to shield reputations but was “forced” to act in the public interest.

    Given how politically savvy Trump can be, I wouldn’t be surprised if he already knows exactly who’s on that list, and that many of them are enemies or critics of his. This situation might actually give him a clean way to expose damaging information without looking like he was out for blood. I’d bet he’s not on the list himself, but there are likely some names he wouldn’t mind seeing dragged into the spotlight.

    As the Epstein documents are under review and possibly heading toward public release, there’s a broader picture forming, one that could deal a serious blow to the Democratic Party’s credibility heading into 2026. We now have the potential for two damaging stories colliding at once. On one side, there’s renewed focus on the alleged abuse of power surrounding the 2016 Russia investigation. Figures like former Barack Obama, former DNI James Clapper, and former CIA Director John Brennan are facing scrutiny for their roles in what many believe was a politically motivated effort to undermine Trump’s first presidential campaign and presidency. If wrongdoing or manipulation is further substantiated in that case, it would shake public trust in how our intelligence agencies were used under Democratic leadership.

    At the same time, the Epstein scandal, especially if the full documents are released, could name prominent Democrats, elites, and even those who publicly claimed moral authority in politics and media. If names tied to the Democratic establishment appear on those flight logs or in victim statements, it will be hard to maintain the narrative that this is a party fighting for justice and decency. The damage wouldn’t just be legal, it would be moral and cultural. Voters don’t forget betrayal, and the combination of intelligence corruption and elite scandal could paint the Democratic Party as not just dishonest but complicit in covering for predators and politicizing justice.

    If Trump plays this correctly, appearing reluctant but “forced by public pressure” to release documents, he gets to expose his enemies while looking like the one who tried to spare reputations. That contrast could be devastating to the Democratic brand. At this point, we may be looking at a true double whammy that not only brings individual figures into question but leaves the party as a whole struggling to defend its moral standing. In an election cycle where trust and transparency are already on the line, this could be the tipping point.

    Trump is well known for his "rope a dope". Could we witness this technech working once again?  In my view, this picture is becoming clearer as the days pass.

    What if it’s all connected, just a thought, coincidence, or something bigger? I’m all ears

    1. Credence2 profile image81
      Credence2posted 8 days agoin reply to this

      Interesting hypothesis, but I bet that if Trump knew that only prominent democrats or even Republicans would only be hurt by revealing what is found in the Epstein’s list he would advocate making the list available immediately. I believe the more likely explanation and why Trump wants to squash the revelation is either he or his close allies are involved in a way damaging to the Administration and himself. Trump is not the type to give consideration to anyone but himself, anyone else is collateral damage.

      It is not that he is not that devious, he simply isn’t that clever…
      So, I say reveal the list and let the chips fall where they may.

      1. wilderness profile image76
        wildernessposted 8 days agoin reply to this

        What I don't understand in this whole thing is the "Why?" part.  Who cares?  Is it to be published in The Enquirer, because "enquiring minds want to know"?

        Mostly it just seems like another witch hunt, trying to convince ignorant and stupid people that someone is "bad".  It is really sad and pathetic that American politics have fallen that badly.

        1. Credence2 profile image81
          Credence2posted 7 days agoin reply to this

          Why is a good question, why obsess over the content of Biden’s son’s laptop?

          It seems that they all should have bigger fish to fry….

          1. Sharlee01 profile image82
            Sharlee01posted 7 days agoin reply to this

            It’s political fodder, something that’s been around for as long as I can remember. But ever since Trump entered the picture, it seems to have escalated dramatically. The level of vitriol is unlike anything I’ve seen before, and the dishonesty is rampant. These days, if one party says something vile about the other, the response is often to fire back twice as hard. And it leads to countless investigations that start out with a bang but end up fizzling out, leaving more division than resolution.

            1. Ken Burgess profile image72
              Ken Burgessposted 7 days agoin reply to this

              It is because of what Trump represents... the American people saying FU to the establishment... to the endless wars... to bringing in millions of migrants and putting them on SS benefits... to NAFTA and the Paris Accord and all the other BS...

              It is the out of work factory workers who lost their jobs to companies that moved to Canada and Mexico and China... it is the young people who see no way to a better future but who see millions of migrants being let in and being put up in five star hotels in NY... it is the American people who have had enough...

              And when Trump fails to break the establishment and the economy fails... whatever comes next will not be pretty.

              1. Sharlee01 profile image82
                Sharlee01posted 7 days agoin reply to this

                I completely agree with you. Trump’s rise really tapped into a deep frustration that many Americans feel, especially those left behind by globalization and decades of political decisions that seemed to ignore their struggles. The sense that the establishment has failed ordinary people, whether through endless foreign wars, economic policies like NAFTA, or uncontrolled immigration, has created a real tinderbox of discontent. When factory jobs vanished and communities felt abandoned, it wasn’t just about economics, it was about feeling invisible and unheard. And yes, seeing resources go toward migrants while struggling Americans face hardships only adds fuel to the fire. If the economy doesn’t improve and the political system doesn’t address these core concerns, I agree that the fallout could be severe and unpredictable. The challenge now is whether anyone can truly offer a solution that rebuilds trust and opportunity for those who feel left behind.

                Just put together a thread on the downfall of liberal comedy and liberal hosts who lost their jobs. Hope you will join in.

      2. Sharlee01 profile image82
        Sharlee01posted 8 days agoin reply to this

        I do feel there is apt to be both Republicans and Democrats, as well as most likely friends. But in the long run, I have sort of spotted flaws in his character. He turns on friends.  I think this got me onto this train of thought. Jeff Sessions, Michael Cohen, Mike Pence, Bill Barr, Rex Tillerson, Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis, and Fox News, all once loyal to Trump, each eventually faced his criticism or public attacks after he was done with them.

        In Trump's world, even friendship tends to be conditional on loyalty and usefulness.

        I got to thinking about how this could have played out, how Trump might have said something like, "I didn’t want anyone to be hurt or have their reputation damaged by being on Epstein’s list." To some, that could appear as though he was trying to protect others’ good names. But in the face of public outrage, it would seem he had no choice but to do the right thing.

        I find him very clever, and he frequently uses many psychological tricks.

        Such as using victimhood and martyrdom. Releasing the Epstein list could play out as a strategic narrative where he positions himself as reluctantly doing the "right thing" under pressure, while also portraying himself as the one suffering or risking backlash for exposing others.

        "I didn’t want to hurt anyone unnecessarily or ruin reputations without cause. But the people demanded transparency, and now I’m being attacked just for telling the truth. They don’t want this out there, but I won’t be silenced.

        Both sides are now demanding that the list be released, including Speaker Mike Johnson, a strong Trump ally. Many have accused Trump of seeking revenge, and it does appear he’s begun targeting those he believes have slandered him. Is it just a coincidence that investigations are now underway involving Obama, Clapper, Comey, and Brennan? It seems likely that Trump is aiming to hit the Democrats hard, possibly to shake up the 2026 elections in a major way.

        I venture to say that the list will be released rather soon. We will all get what we asked for.I certainly would like to see the list. Hey he promised.

        1. Credence2 profile image81
          Credence2posted 7 days agoin reply to this

          Well, we just will have to wait to see how all of this is going to play out. It is just in my opinion, being brash and impulsive is not related to being clever. to get the press and the controversy off from his back he would sell out his own mother. His lack of candor on this issue can only mean that he is hiding something…. In my opinion.

 
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