Donald Trump held his final Nuremburg-esque rally at Madison Square Garden in New York on Oct. 27. It was the worst one yet, a repulsive bile- and grievance-filled hatefest that even featured a comedian making appallingly crude racist 'jokes'. The event was a microcosm of everything that's gone wrong in US politics. A political rally for a presidential election that headlined Trump, Tucker Carlson, Hulk Hogan and Dr. Phil? To paraphrase one of Trump's own famous lines, they're not sending us their best.
The inclusion of Dr Phil McGraw, who had been very critical of Trump in the past, was highly instructive. Why was Dr. Phil now effusively endorsing the former president? McGraw's pathetic TV show, which barely rose above the Springer level for voyerism, purience and shadenfreude, was cancelled in 2023. Like moths to a light, all the worst hucksters eventually end up somewhere in the Trump orbit. His campaign is the holy grail of grifting, gathering millions of gullible rubes under one banner. If Trump can sucker them, anyone can sucker them.
Oprah Winfrey, well known for embracing quick fixes and quack remedies, unfortunately unleashed Dr. Phil McGraw on the world in 1998. Without Oprah, we never would have heard of Dr. Phil, and he'd likely be selling used cars in some Texas backwater. (He lost his license in 2006. ) So it was quite perverse to hear McGraw prattle on about hard work and merit and how DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) is destroying America. And he said every word with a straight face! I have a family member who is an actual psychologist, and I have zero doubt she has far more ability and knowledge than Dr. Phil could ever hope to have. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has called McGraw "unethical" and "incredibly irresponsible" and he has a long history of ethical and professional misdeeds (including running a bank con through a health spa he owned). But Oprah liked him and gave him her blessing, making him in a way one of the biggest beneficiaries of DEI. But he's so arrogant he believes he did it all on his own, and that he deserves everything he gets.
The essence of Trumpism is taking from others. Trump continually tells his followers that they've been ripped off and that he will reclaim what's rightfully theirs from the evil immigrants, minorities, elites, etc. His acolytes can be divided into two groups: the ones that know he's full of shit but think they will make money riding his coattails; and the ones that actually think he's a saviour who will help them. This second group are the victims in the con, but they won't realize it until it's too late. You could almost feel sorry for them.
Oh the irony....I heard a saying recently. "He was born on third base and acts like he hit a triple!" That's probably something Phil would say on his show to scold some entitled teenager.