As we briefly reported last night, Jonathan Swan’s HBO interview of Donald Trump was groundbreaking television for the Trump era. Not only did someone finally have Trump seated for a significant period of time for an interview, but Swan didn’t give Trump a grading curve and refused to, even as Trump struggled. Swan asked Trump hard questions of the type that one expects a president to be able to answer, leaving Trump wholly exposed as an idiot, and Swan didn’t let go. Trump tried to draw Swan into a fight, where Trump is more comfortable. Swan wouldn’t do it.

Trump: "There are those that say you can test too much, you do know that."
Swan: "Who says that?"
Trump: "Oh, just read the manuals. Read the books."
Swan: "Manuals? What manuals?"
Trump: "Read the books. Read the books."
Swan: "What books?"
Trump: (Does not answer)

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 4, 2020

Swan exposed Trump in a way that no one has, at least not to this degree, since Trump’s been president. It was refreshing, compelling, and needed. People went to sleep with Twitter lit with a conversation about the interview and the pace has only intensified this morning.

This was deplorable in ways of which not even Hillary Rodham Clinton could have dreamed. It was an offense against reason, against wisdom, and it rendered every compliment ever directed at the American experiment into a sad, bedraggled parody. https://t.co/WN2t8Nswjs

— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) August 4, 2020

Watching this @jonathanvswan interview with Trump. Swan is not a TV host, but this is hands down the best TV interview of Trump during his presidency. It’s not even close. Swan displays a masterful grasp of the facts & how be confronts Trump with them is remarkable to watch.

— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) August 4, 2020

It isn’t hyperbole. Swan exposed Trump.

He's an idiot who thinks he can talk his way out of responsibility for his disastrous response to COVID-19. It's all fun and games, until the reality of people dying hits. His mushmouth blather won't save us from his failure. https://t.co/FjBI3NsBtc

— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) August 4, 2020

The discussion on COVID deaths will be played from now until the election, providing we have one, because it was with the U.S.’s failures with COVID that Swan most exposed Trump’s incompetency.

It’s like an episode of Veep but real. https://t.co/xAIgtDK4yd

— Justin Amash (@justinamash) August 4, 2020

All too real. But Swan used hard data and put it straight to Trump, “South Korea, fifty-one million people, 350 deaths, the United States has 350 million people and has over 150,000. Trump has no place to put the fact so he just claims “no one can know that, how do you know that?” To Trump, the entire world makes no sense unless everything is lined up in his favor.

The discussion about John Lewis provided more compelling and headshaking statements:

Swan on John Lewis: "Do you find him impressive?"
Trump (long pause): "Uhh…I can't say one way or the other. I find a lot of people impressive. I find many people not impressive. But no. But I didn't know – he didn't come to my inauguration." https://t.co/h0hzw64b9u

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 4, 2020

Yes, and that’s not the worst part. Trump thinks the Civil Rights Act might have been a mistake:

This might be the craziest part of the whole interview… https://t.co/wSzZdSs8dp

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 4, 2020

Wow.

You cannot convince me that this isn’t satire or a sick joke oh my god pic.twitter.com/xAZTbV5QiV

— Meena Harris (@meenaharris) August 4, 2020

It is shocking. We will report on reaction throughout the day.

I don't normally say anything about stuff like this because really, what is there to add? But I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS REAL!! 😨 https://t.co/aK2EqSz02V

— Jenée (@jdesmondharris) August 4, 2020

****

Peace, y’all
Jason
[email protected] and on Twitter @MiciakZoom