Either bored or because he was bluffing, Trump blinks on State of the Union

[Cyber Liberty]

To make a really, really bad concession in a negotiation merely to chalk up a "win" in the larger matter of the negotiation is to lose, not win.  However, making an ultimately inconsequential concession might very well be a very shrewd tactic for winning everything.  An inconsequential concession can actually strengthen one's overall position quite a lot, as I suggested in #8.

In that case, I would not use the colorful word "cave"--which only expresses our disappointment that Trump is daring to do what the media likes to style as "blinking."  Heck, I think he is just batting his eyes at Lovely Nancy.  I think Trump is probably very good at this junk.  And yeah, I think Nancy is way over her head on everything nowadays.

If he had not said, "...until after the government is reopened" it would have been shrewd.  That phrase makes it a cave, because that's word-for-word what Pelosi has been demanding.  Nice way to pull the rug out from under your base, Mr. President.

[Cyber Liberty]

The one thing they tell you over and over in Contract Negotiation 101 is NEVER piss off your counterpart to the point they become emotionally invested and will not agree to give you anything. If that means making a concession here or there then go ahead as long as you keep your eye on what it is you intend to ultimately get out of the deal.

So...Pelosi and Schumer saying "Not one dollar for a wall" should not piss us off?

[Sanguine]

 

[Polly Ticks]

The one thing they tell you over and over in Contract Negotiation 101 is NEVER piss off your counterpart to the point they become emotionally invested and will not agree to give you anything. If that means making a concession here or there then go ahead as long as you keep your eye on what it is you intend to ultimately get out of the deal.

If that was his thinking, then he probably should have thought about that before he pulled her plane out from under her for her trip to Brussels/Egypt/Afghanistan last week.

[the_doc]

If he had not said, "...until after the government is reopened" it would have been shrewd.  That phrase makes it a cave, because that's word-for-word what Pelosi has been demanding.  Nice way to pull the rug out from under your base, Mr. President.

All he has to do is start building the wall with the Corps of Engineers [likely his plan all along] and simultaneously tell McConnell to go ahead and send him the infamous bill that has no funding for the wall--and then use the SOTU address to present the done deal to the American people.

I think Trump will have choice words for the Dems in the SOTU speech. I believe that the scenario that I have outlined will be the worst of worst cases for the Dems. The Dems will get no DACA concessions and will look really bad to an ever-growing number of people.

[Cyber Liberty]

All he has to do is start building the wall with the Corps of Engineers [likely his plan all along] and simultaneously tell McConnell to go ahead and send him the infamous bill that has no funding for the wall--and then use the SOTU address to present the done deal to the American people.

I think Trump will have choice words for the Dems in the SOTU speech. I believe that the scenario that I have outlined will be the worst of worst cases for the Dems. The Dems will get no DACA concessions and will look really bad to an ever-growing number of people.

The game ain't over yet.  Move over...

 

[XenaLee]

All he has to do is start building the wall with the Corps of Engineers [likely his plan all along] and simultaneously tell McConnell to go ahead and send him the infamous bill that has no funding for the wall--and then use the SOTU address to present the done deal to the American people.

I think Trump will have choice words for the Dems in the SOTU speech. I believe that the scenario that I have outlined will be the worst of worst cases for the Dems. The Dems will get no DACA concessions and will look really bad to an ever-growing number of people.

Hey, doc.... I would like to think that is what's gonna happen.   Thanks for the mood uplift!   

[roamer_1]

He underestimated Pelosi and he caved....

YUP.

[aligncare]

So...Pelosi and Schumer saying "Not one dollar for a wall" should not piss us off?

I understand the point you’re making. But you must remember Pelosi and Schumer are negotiating from decades in government. They haven’t had experience negotiating against a business entrepreneur. There’s a qualitative difference.

Besides, Nancy sucks at this game.

[Cyber Liberty]

I understand the point you’re making. But you must remember Pelosi and Schumer are negotiating from decades in government. They haven’t had experience negotiating against a business entrepreneur. There’s a qualitative difference.

Besides, Nancy sucks at this game.

For somebody who sucks at this game she sure looks pretty good at it today.  But...it's still not over so we'll see.  If he sheepishly gives the SOTU after not getting the funding for wall, he'll look like the loser all the way to his loss in 2020.  He will not succeed in building it by handing it off to the Army Corps of Engineers because it will be stopped in the Courts.

[Right_in_Virginia]

He underestimated Pelosi and he caved....

Do you know this man at all @mystery-ak ?  You're reacting to the President as you would react to every other politician.  We both know this has never been right.   

[Cyber Liberty]

Do you know this man at all @mystery-ak ?  You're reacting to the President as you would react to every other politician.  We both know this has never been right.   

Let's just see how it turns out before we try to spin this as a Trump victory.

[mystery-ak]

Do you know this man at all @mystery-ak ?  You're reacting to the President as you would react to every other politician.  We both know this has never been right.   

Sorry that's the way I see it...Nancy just said there will be no counter offer..she is not budging...so that leaves Trump to make a move

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,349013.msg1898556/topicseen.html#msg1898556

[the_doc]

Sorry that's the way I see it...Nancy just said there will be no counter offer..she is not budging...so that leaves Trump to make a move

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,349013.msg1898556/topicseen.html#msg1898556

I don't think Trump expects a counteroffer, either.  I think that is how he is going to crush her.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Sorry that's the way I see it...

No need to apologize @mystery-ak …. Based on all I've witnessed through these past 3 years, I'm just waiting for the "surprise" ending.   

[Cyber Liberty]

I don't think Trump expects a counteroffer, either.  I think that is how he is going to crush her.

Scout:  "I've been to the Front, Sir, and there are millions of them!  On all three sides!"
General:  "That means we've got them right where we want them.  They're surrounded!"

 

[Cyber Liberty]

No need to apologize @mystery-ak …. Based on all I've witnessed through these past 3 years, I'm just waiting for the "surprise" ending.   

You mean like the budget last year?  I'm still surprised.   

[skeeter]

So...Pelosi and Schumer saying "Not one dollar for a wall" should not piss us off?

Sure it should. But my assumption being Trump wants some sort of positive outcome for himself/us it shouldn't dictate his actions.

A boxer who starts windmilling at his opponent the first time he gets popped in the nose will not win the bout.

BTW if Trump agrees to a CR I'll know my analysis is a pile of crap.

[Absalom]

Great Leaders have always been able to radiate fear in their adversaries/enemies;
a trait the Greeks and Romans considered a prerequisite.
Trump may be many things but most emphatically he is NOT a great leader and the
left knows this in their very bones which is why they abuse him daily and laugh about it.

[Cyber Liberty]

Sure it should. But my assumption being Trump wants some sort of positive outcome for himself/us it shouldn't dictate his actions.

A boxer who starts windmilling at his opponent the first time he gets popped in the nose will not win the bout.

BTW if Trump agrees to a CR I'll know my analysis is a pile of crap.

I assume my analysis is a pile of crap from the start, then I can be pleasantly surprised when it turns out I was correct...an idiot savant at work.   

[Cyber Liberty]

Great Leaders have always been able to radiate fear in their adversaries/enemies;
a trait the Greeks and Romans considered a prerequisite.
Trump may be many things but most emphatically he is NOT a great leader and the
left knows this in their very bones which is why they abuse him daily and laugh about it.

The leftists may also be whistling past the graveyard.  It's hard to tell the difference.

[HoustonSam]

Yeah, a great history going all the way back to LBJ.

I stand by my earlier suggestion:  Release the SOTU in a 56-part Tweet, or on whitehouse.gov.  If he doesn't give a speech, then there is no requirement for a rebuttal speech either.

There is no way to sugar-coat this:  Trump caved to Pelosi, and the Leftists are correct to gloat.

I have made a similar suggestion elsewhere on this board.  I'm sure others in positions of real influence with Trump must have made the same suggestion, to him.  My belief is that his narcissism craves the spotlight and show so much that he refuses to end this particular part of the stand off by delivering a SOTU in any manner other than the now-traditional address to a joint session.

Trump lost this round.  To suggest otherwise is to believe that giving up a touchdown is part of a winning team's game plan.

And surely we all realize the "progressive" wing of the Democrat party will insist this time next year that Nancy should again refuse to have the SOTU in the House chamber.  The precedent is now established; naughty boy Trump must be denied the dignity of the office to which he was duly elected.

[Cyber Liberty]

I have made a similar suggestion elsewhere on this board.  I'm sure others in positions of real influence with Trump must have made the same suggestion, to him.  My belief is that his narcissism craves the spotlight and show so much that he refuses to end this particular part of the stand off by delivering a SOTU in any manner other than the now-traditional address to a joint session.

Trump lost this round.  To suggest otherwise is to believe that giving up a touchdown is part of a winning team's game plan.

And surely we all realize the "progressive" wing of the Democrat party will insist this time next year that Nancy should again refuse to have the SOTU in the House chamber.  The precedent is now established; naughty boy Trump must be denied the dignity of the office to which he was duly elected.

I don't see her ever allowing him a speech in the House now, even if the "shutdown" is over.  She'll concoct another excuse.  That's how bad this cave-in is.  The loss is complete.

It's a pity he can't seem to live without doing a speech.  It gives Pelosi a hammer he'll get a steady diet of now.

[HoustonSam]

I don't see her ever allowing him a speech in the House now, even if the "shutdown" is over.  She'll concoct another excuse.  That's how bad this cave-in is.  The loss is complete.

It's a pity he can't seem to live without doing a speech.  It gives Pelosi a hammer he'll get a steady diet of now.

I agree completely.  The master negotiator, the ninja of flying, invisible, ninth-level stealth jedi chess just sacrificed the long game to his own ego.

[roamer_1]

I agree completely.  The master negotiator, the ninja of flying, invisible, ninth-level stealth jedi chess just sacrificed the long game to his own ego.

YUP.