His brand is built around winning.

In his world—where cheating and breaking rules are fine as long as you come out on top—he's been able to spin himself as a winner.

Soon he won't be able to do that. https://twitter.com/TheBeatWithAri/status/1253867545024761856
I agree. But he's persuaded a cult base that he's a success, where success means
🔹accumulating wealth (it doesn't matter how)
🔹"saying it like it is,"
🔹breaking rules,
🔹doing battle with the "enemies" (Democrats, minority communities)
and. . . https://twitter.com/lacomedywriter/status/1254052684811743234
🔹dismantling what they see as an illegitimate federal government.

What does he do when he can no longer wrap himself in the trappings of success?

The answer, of course, is that he (and his base) will see him as a victim, because they are hierarchical thinkers . . .
. . . but a hierarchical leader (like Trump) sells himself as the guy who can "win."

Mussolini did the same thing.

When it was clear that Mussolini was losing, he was doomed.

Stand by for a quotation . . .
"Even the best propaganda cannot conceal constant political failures."

Quotation from Schulze-Wechsungen, a Nazi propagandist,
https://research.calvin.edu/german-propaganda-archive/polprop.htm

By his standards and the standards of his followers, he's about to face a historical electoral defeat.
I have long argued that people underestimate Trump. I've argued that he's a master manipulator. He knows how to keep people spinning. He controls the news cycle. He has the GOP leadership reduced to lapdogs.

But he isn't invincible.
Soon the "I am a winner" veneer will come off.
Looks like Trump knows that #TrumpPressBriefing were a fiasco for him.

During his work day (watching cable news, mostly) he doesn't think about how to control the virus.

His goal is to control the narrative, to appear successful. It's just about winning and power.
H/t @JoZPina
https://twitter.com/cristinagargoyL/status/1254175955507126272

Agree. In Trump talk, this was an admission of defeat, but designed to shift the blame, to make himself the victim, and keep his base believing his every word.
Trump knows how to read the polls. During the 2016 election, he often said he was "winning" the polls.

He's not "winning" the polls 👇

For perspective, there was about 9 point difference between approval and disapproval at the time of the midterms, and the Dems won by 8 points.
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