Peril by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa examine the reddened political body | Political books

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With the exception of Donald Trump, who believes only in himself, American politicians are inveterate God-botherers, sure they are elected by their creator, not just by their constituents. As the power transfer between Trump and Joe Biden resurfaced, Bob Woodward and Washington Post colleague Robert Costa often stopped while those tracked by tires and dealers prayed, quoting the holy grail scripture or glance holy. Biden fingered the rosary his necklaces before arguing with Trump, and when Mike Pence fulfilled his constitutional role by ratifying the outcome of the presidential election, a housemate congratulated him for fighting the good fight and keeping the faith. . Later, Nancy Pelosi summarizes her methodology for raising the minimum wage as Matthew’s gospel.

Yet despite such soul respects, what really matters in the showdowns and face-offs that Peril documents is his chunky body and his thuggish heft. Among Trumps executives, anti -immigrant ideologue only Stephen Miller, whose skinny frame and smooth -fitted suits Woodward and Costa recorded, has a skinny and hungry look. Otherwise, the power is demonstrated by a bloated launch. Bill Barr became the attorney general because Melania thought her overly large belly was a guarantee of gravitas. Mike Pompeo is heavy and enthusiastic, indicating that he has little tolerance for liberals. Brad Parscale, former Trump campaign manager, qualifies for his job because at six feet eight and with a beard, he looks like a professional wrestler. Consequently

In the popularist era, politics was about instant gratification

Physical quirks and kinks like this thing because they show that, in the era of popularity, politics was about instantly satisfying pleasure, not making thoughtful, good decisions. Woodward and Costa provided a revealing account of a luncheon at which Trump received the respect of Kevin McCarthy, minority leader in the House of Representatives. Trump ordered his custom cheeseburger, fries and ice-cream, which he was single to assume his guest would have both; he was surprised when McCarthy flipped over the fries, beans the bread, and asked for fresh fruit rather than an intensive dessert. Does that really work? sneers Trump, gobbling grease. What Pelosi called his fat ass, shown to have been kissed by McCarthy, announced his excessive self-satisfaction.

After the Capitol uprising on Jan. 6, General Milley, chairman of the joint chief of staff, maintained an eager vigil over the nuclear chain of command because he feared Trump had gone into a serious mental collapse. . But Trump can’t back down, because he hasn’t advanced to rational adulthood. In Peril, he will not be recognizable from Trump Baby, the diapered wolf that erupted above Westminster on his visit to the state. While he was urging Pence to deduct the election results and nullify Bidens ’win, his conversation suggested that the dialogue was heard on a primary school playground. Wouldn’t it be cool to have that strength? He asked, as if teasing the vice-president with some shiny new electronic toy. When Pence resists, Trumps escape is sad petulance: I don’t want to be your friend anymore, he’s gushing.

Joint chief of staff chairman Mark Milley, who fears Trump has gone into a serious mental collapse. Photo: Saul Loeb / AFP / Getty Images

Milley worries that Trump, who is furious after his electoral loss, could reach a compelling point and order a series of attacks on China or Iran. Adam Smith, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, is less alarmed. Smith agrees that Trump is an unstable psychopath who is narcissistic mentally, but argues that he can’t afford to start a war because he’s a coward, he doesn’t want that level of responsibility. Trumps ’laziness and inability to concentrate on blaming Woodward and Costa for his addictive television viewing saved us. To the confusion of the counselors, he switched subjects with disabilities; in a zapper where his brain must be present, he can’t help slipping through the channels to see what’s going on elsewhere. Heading out of the office, he just dropped an F-bomb, fired expletives and shouted at cabinet colleagues: I don’t care. You all fucked. You all fucked.

The versatile little word pepper of Peril’s narrative, and became indispensable in Washington DC discourse. This gives Rex Tillerson the legal right to refuse: he stays away from insisting that he didn’t call Trump a man with a soul because he actually called him a man with a prank. When Biden went for curses while getting votes for his economic stimulus, the number of fucks he uttered seemed to increase as the story went from senator to senator. Partisanship also signed its oaths in the urine, so Mitch McConnell declared his support for a Trump nominee in the supreme court by swearing: I feel stronger about Kavanaugh than pissed off sa mule. In Kentucky, represented by McConnell in the Senate, the micturition of mules appears to be positive proof of loyalty. All this does not harm the child or the best youth until you realize that these men determine the fate of a country and perhaps the future of our planet.

Their pretense of the founders of holiness when Steve Bannon, who was a devout Catholic, decided to out-Herod by suggesting that a campaign of lies about the election result would kill Biden’s presidency in the crib . Yes, politics is murder in other ways, and god, who has long retreated in despair or disgust, will not come close to saving us. The last fatalistic word must have gone to Biden, at a time when his rosary remained in his pocket. Struggling to get out of Afghanistan, he told his secretary of state: Don’t compare me to the Almighty. Compare me to the alternative. I’m not sure if he means Trump or the devil, but is there a difference?

The Peril of Bob Woodward and Robert Costa is published by Simon & Schuster (20). To support the Guardian and Observer order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply

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