One thing is clear from Stormy Daniels' testimony in Donald Trump's New York “hush money” trial on Tuesday. It's not like she's doing it for herself.
From recounting his adult film career to a courtroom full of strangers to being fired from a podcast for not talking enough about Trump, this has done little for Daniels.
In fact, I have been outraged for years on her behalf that she was only paid $130,000 to keep her story quiet before the 2016 election. He always wastes far more money (for example, on Don Jr. and Eric's college education).
Trump's hush money trial peaks in Manhattan
No, Daniels isn't in this for money or publicity. She's doing this for us. For the American people. To bring Trump to justice.
And Trump certainly isn't having fun either. Maggie Haberman wrote in the New York Times: “Mr. Trump often closed his eyes during his disturbing testimony in this trial. So far during this testimony, he has been open about its content.” Also in the Times The paper's reporter Jonathan Swan wrote, “Trump leans back and closes his eyes as Stormy Daniels details her career in adult films.”
For a man as prolific as Trump, body language may be the only truth we can glean from him. Trump was miserable, Daniels wasn't getting anything, and even Judge Juan Machan looked displeased during his testimony.
The thing is, if Trump had dialed down his toxic excitement just a little bit, he might have saved everyone a lot of trouble. And he's probably not likely to be convicted of a felony (at least in this particular jurisdiction).
Everything Daniels said about Trump sounded vile from the moment they first met. He was about 60 years old and she was 27. She responded with an expletive-filled “no” to his dinner offer. Her publicist then convinced Ms. Daniels to date the married man and father of her newborn.
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Daniels then described a dinner party where Trump kept interrupting her, pulled out a magazine with his face on the cover and asked her to appear on NBC's “The Apprentice.” (he never accepted this offer) and said she remembered it. his daughter's boyfriend. It's no secret that Trump is attracted to his daughter Ivanka, but we didn't know that was one of his standard pick-up lines.
Things got even worse when they were in his hotel suite. Daniels said Trump said he and Melania Trump slept in separate rooms, called Melania the “Honey Bunch,” was nearly naked in the bathroom, and couldn't leave his room. The thought of blocking my way made my skin crawl. . I instinctively react to the description of how she lost consciousness after President Trump stopped her from leaving, or how she hurried away once it was over. did.
Everything Daniels described was the screams of a woman trying to avoid sex, but she admitted she never actually objected because she “didn't say anything at all.” When I'm with someone in a hotel room and I want to have sex, I don't have much trouble saying that. Just because she didn't verbally say “no” doesn't mean it's not a clear example of President Trump taking advantage of a much younger woman he wasn't interested in.
And now, 18 years later, his toxic agitation has gotten to him and he may be on the verge of being convicted.
That could and should be his last, but I can't say I was satisfied after reading Daniels' testimony.
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To be honest, I wish he had left Daniels alone like she wanted. My wish for all women around the world is that men will leave us alone sometimes. I can't say I was surprised. As disgusted as Daniels' testimony was, the only part that really shocked me was that Trump married Melania in 2006. I didn't expect him to stay married for this long.
But I feel a little bit of pride. Mr. Trump's lawyers tried to prevent Mr. Daniels from testifying today, just as they tried to prevent Mr. Daniels from leaving the room that fateful night in Tahoe. Now, unlike back then, they failed and she was finally able to hold him fully accountable in the light of day. It turns out that President Trump's inability to put up with it could actually have consequences.
Trump is bad in an unusual and unprecedented way. There are many other straight men who are just plain bad. If you think a woman doesn't want to have sex with you, she probably doesn't either. You'll find someone else, I promise. The internet is a big, naughty place. And you may end up saving yourself (and many other people) a lot of trouble.
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