US Politics / Biden thread

Plenty of them, but the charm is (IME) always an act designed to manipulate. Consequently I don't view them as charming.

I think a similar discussion came up in relation to Boris Johnson on another thread. I do understand why people fall for it, or take the view that a person can have a charming side to their personality whilst being a tw*t in other aspects. I just don't hold this view.

Truly charming people are usually unaware of their charm and are modest and thoughtful people to boot, to me that is what real charm is.

It's like how conmen are usually "nice guys". Up to the point where you realise you've been shafted.

But you said if you met him at a party - and I've heard people who have met him socially - not allies of his - say he can be charming. You want to believe he would come across like a mad man - doesn't make it true. I mean psychopaths are known to often be capable of being very charming.

Are we all saying the same thing, that unsavoury people can be ‘charming’, and trying to make it sound like an argument?

Personally, I think it is a bit more subtle than that. I think there is a distinction to be drawn between being charmed by someone unsavoury, and someone who is or can be genuinely charming.

De Vlaeminck psychopath analogy is relevant. A psychopath will be good at mimicking charm and other positive behaviours to 'charm' people, but this is designed to manipulate them. They are not actually charming as they lack the relevant empathy to embody this as a personality trait. These are the type of people it is possible to be charmed by, but I would argue they are essentially conning you, so not really a charming person.

Whereas someone who you just happen to find genuinely charming in their personality or the way they interact with you and others is a very different thing. They will also not have a desire to get something from you through their charm.

Things might just be getting to Trump a smidge. Probably a good time to buy shares in ketchup manufacturers.

Yes i guess the difference is the psychopath is charming initially but because it's not genuine the charm will end when it no longer serves a purpose.

I watched newsnight last night and they had a section on the USA election and Harris' running mate. The pollster they interviewed seemed to think the "weird" attack the Democrats are making wouldn't land - I think for similar reasons Trumps personal attacks aren't landing. It showed a clip of Harris and said running mate at a rally - probably just my Britishness but the fake celebratory style of these things would put me right off (and i quite like her in interviews). Reminded me of Kinnock's Sheffield rally - the "ALL RIGHT" one which in retrospect is seen as a disaster.

I'm trying to work out what a liberal extremist is, feels very American that being liberal is a terrible thing.

As a non american all I see in american politics is abuse, threats, violence and abuse and more abuse

If you are not an OAP (google it) senile and worth millions you don't take part.

They all appear to be in it for all they can get out of it personally.

Has any american politician ever visited the reality of the gun crime and drug areas with the homeless wher4e all we see on facebook and youtube is tranq users and crime

To be fair, there is a very high percentage of people who want stricter gun control, but the gun lobby somehow manage to prevent even that minimal (albeit worthwhile) effort. To be fair, it's not unlike the addiction to car ownership and use there and here (don't get me started on SUVs), and the mental gymnastics deployed to try to justify the status quo, though even I will admit that the extent of the insane 'justifications' for guns in the US is on another level.

It isn't this. It is that plenty of Americans fail to appreciate that the levels of violence in their society is high.

I would imagine some Americans are looking at our problems this week and pittying us For our disintegrating society. Whereas, with the George Floyd demonstrations, people were killed.

We must be, somehow.

In other news, this is going to make Trump really mad, and the madder he gets, the more he's going to go off script.