Shrinking Trump - Debate Edition: “They are Eating The Cats”

Debate Edition: “They are Eating The Cats”

09/13/24 • 120 min

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Dr. John Gartner and Dr. Harry Siegel discuss how Donald Trump’s cognitive decline and psychological weaknesses were on full display during Kamala’s dominating debate performance. Harris biographer Dan Morain joins the show to share his unique insights into the VP’s career, personal history, and the impact her immigrant parents had on shaping her story. You’ll also get an update on how the media and political elite, once ignorant of the dangers Trump posed, seems to have finally grown aware of Donald’s profound detachment from reality.

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We have a lot to unpack after this week’s historic debate performance by Kamala Harris and the Trump campaign’s ensuing meltdown. Our hosts analyze how Harris systematically dismantled Donald Trump on every front, showcasing her eloquence, grace under pressure, and a strong strategic understanding of her opponent's weaknesses.

Our guest today is Dan Morain, a long-time journalist and author who has spent much of his career covering Kamala Harris. His book, Kamala's Way, gives an intimate look at the Vice President’s personal journey, and charts how the daughter of two immigrants in segregated California became one of this country’s most effective power players.

Morain joins the show to help us understand how a determined mother and her immigrant heritage shaped Harris’s resilience, intelligence, and preparedness that have clearly paid off in the political arena today. Dan also shares some touching anecdotes about Kamala’s heartfelt humanity, and willingness to personally connect with people away from the cameras.

Trump’s debate debacle is just another glaring piece of evidence of his cognitive decline. Our hosts will break down how Harris's debate strategy is a part of a broader, well-executed plan to exploit Donald’s vulnerabilities and expose his broken brain. An official campaign ad features Barack Obama’s critique of Trump’s obsession with crowd sizes, and George Conway’s success in goading Donald with targeted attack ads, proves just that.

Dr. Gartner and Dr. Siegel will also dissect various parts of the debate and other recent Trump speeches to analyze the growing evidence of Trump’s deteriorating mental state. And we’ll wrap up with a reflection on the remarkable journey of Shrinking Trump so far.

Thanks for joining us. Be sure to join us for next week’s session, as we embark on this pivotal moment in American history together.

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Make sure you join us here on Patreon to support our work and gain access to exclusive perks: patreon.com/ReallyAmericanMedia

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Subscribe on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shrinking-trump/id1745797271

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Thanks for joining us. Be sure to join us for next week’s session, as we embark on this pivotal moment in American history together.

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Previous Episode

#Untruth: The Psychology of Trumpism

In this episode of Shrinking Trump, Dr. John Gartner and Dr. Harry Siegel are joined by special guest Dr. Dan Partland to analyze the latest evidence of Trump’s cognitive decline. Dr. Parland tells us all about his new hit documentary #UNTRUTH: The Psychology of Trumpism, which examines how profit-driven enablers and power-seeking MAGA politicians are purposefully creating divisions that threaten our democracy.

Our hosts demystify cult Trump’s following by analyzing them with compassion and understanding, which they explain is necessary to heal and unify our divided nation. They also discuss the rising tide of authoritarianism within the MAGA movement, and talk about Jimmy McCain’s damning statement on Trump. Lastly, this episode explores the roots of JD Vance's misogynistic commentary.

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As expert clinical psychologists, John and Harry have been ringing the alarm bells on Trump’s behavior for years, pointing out the signs of his cognitive decline. From his increasingly simplified language to outright contradictory statements, we’ll dive into some of the most recent glaring evidence of The Donald’s mental deterioration.

One striking example is the Trump campaign’s embarrassing stunt at Arlington National Cemetery. We’ll explain how the incident itself and Donald’s erratic responses to the backlash showcase his profound detachment from reality.

As Dr. Gartner and Dr. Siegel emphasize, understanding Trump’s psyche is only one small part of the puzzle. We’ll take a closer look at the psychological terrain behind the mass movement of his supporters. And that is where Dr. Dan Partland comes in to explain how the cultural and psychological state of America allowed Trump’s cult to take root in the first place.

We’ll also discuss the astonishing reach of social media algorithms, which are aimed at influencing public perception and pushing vulnerable users towards radical content and misinformation. And you’ll hear Dr. Siegel’s spot-on contrast of Trump's deteriorating cognitive state with Vice President Kamala Harris's strong psychological health.

Enjoy the episode and we’ll see you again next week for another session!

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Next Episode

Trump's Pet-Eating Claims Will Cost Him The Election

In today’s episode of Shrinking Trump, our hosts Dr. John Gartner and Dr. Harry Siegel take a hard look at the symptoms of Trump’s worsening cognitive and psychological decline. And we’re joined by Arlie Russell Hochschild, Professor Emerita of Sociology at Berkeley, who introduces a crucial new perspective for helping us understand the socio-economic dimensions of Trump’s rabid support base.

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We kick things off by analyzing Donald Trump’s visible cognitive decline and possible dementia, emphasized through a changing gait and a series of bizarre phonemic paraphasias— when someone fails to finish a word they've started. We’ll unpack several recent examples of Trump’s speech anomalies and disorganized statements that are telltale signs of a deteriorating brain condition.

Professor Hochschild shares valuable insight from her book, Stolen Pride: Loss, Shame, and the Rise of the Right, and explains how structural shame and socio-economic decline among white, non-college-educated communities have fueled the appeal of Trump’s rhetoric. She provides us with the hard truth about why these communities find solace in Trump’s transgressive, anti-establishment behavior.

We’ll talk about the TikTok phenomenon "Eat the Cat," a new viral trend making fun of Trump’s absurd statements about Haitian immigrants. Dr. Gartner and Dr. Siegel break down the multiple layers of meaning behind this meme, highlighting it as both a form of derision and a war cry of resistance.

You’ll hear highlights from Kamala Harris’s recent examples of empathetic engagement, compassion, and leadership that serve as a stark contrast with Trump.

And You won’t want to miss the supercut of Trump’s recent speech in New York, where he made seven phonemic paraphasias in one sitting. Trump’s gaffes, ranging from mispronunciations to nonsensical statements, highlight an alarming frequency and severity of these cognitive slips. As Richard Friedman wrote in The Atlantic, traditionally, such behavior would necessitate an urgent psychiatric evaluation.

Thank you for joining us. Stay tuned for our next session as we continue to explore Trump’s cognitive decline during this transformative moment in American history.

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