The Trump and Modi rally in Texas…
…is framed by the WaPo as Prime Minister Modi of India “soothing tensions with the United States by stroking President Trump’s ego.” (Hat tip: Althouse).
Also this:
Once Trump arrived, live video of him and Modi walking down a red carpet winding through the bowels of the stadium played on the screens as a drum band played in anticipation of their grand entrance. The two strode onto the stage holding hands. As Trump stood at his side grinning widely, Modi said he admired Trump’s ‘concern for every American, a belief in America’s future and a strong resolve to make America great again… We are witnessing history in the making.’
Note the touch (which Althouse also points out) of the phrase “bowels of the stadium.” Can you imagine if this rally had occurred during the Obama administration, with Obama and an Indian Prime Minister doing the same thing? It would have been hyped to the skies, and there wouldn’t have been a “bowel” or an “ego” in sight. You better believe the biracial angle would have been played up, too (although to be technical, Indians are Caucasians, but are identified by the left as “brown” and/or “people of color” if and when it happens to suit their purposes).
I managed to evade the WaPo paywall (shhh! don’t tell) and actually read the article, which does describe the event in relatively positive terms now and then. I also learned two things from reading it. The first is that Houston is home to about 150,000 Americans of Indian ethnicity. The second is that:
In the 2016 election, Trump won the support of roughly 14 percent of Indian American voters, compared to 84 percent for Hillary Clinton, according to an analysis by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.
I had no idea that Americans of Indian extraction vote Democratic (or at least, did in 2016) almost as strongly as black Americans and even more strongly than American Jews. That’s…interesting. I think Trump sees himself being able to make inroads with Americans of Indian ethnicity, and he might be right. It’s not a huge voting bloc as voting blocs go, but every little bit counts.
I wrote about Modi before, here. His admiration for Trump doesn’t seem the least bit feigned. The WaPo doesn’t bother with this sort of background in their piece, but the following is an excerpt from a Legal Insurrection post I quoted in my earlier post about Modi’s re-election back in May:
Following his election victory five years ago, Modi has pursued social conservative policies at home, investing in rural development, sanitation, and poverty elevation. Apprehensive of China’s growing influences in the region, he sought closer ties with Western allies, building strong personal relationships with President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
That’s a big part of what’s going on here as far as Modi’s concerned. And Trump stands to gain many things, too. A strengthening of ties with an ally against China, and possible electoral help with Americans of Indian ethnicity. But the WaPo would have you think that this is about Modi stroking [see *NOTE below] Trump’s ego.
[* NOTE: Does the WaPo mean “stroking” or “stoking”? Either would work, but I actually think the author may have meant “stoke,” which seems to me to predate “stroke” used in this manner. Here’s a piece about this sort of confusion, in which the author disagrees and feels “stroke” is more correct.]
If it makes you feel better, a little probing uncovered this:
Manju:
Who knew that stadiums had such sociable bowels?
Trump is a showman, you may not like his style, but I’ll take a red carpet in the bowels over bigly fake Greek columns in the light of day. The way I see it, Trump is certainly narcissistic but nowhere near Obama’s level. Trump is thin skinned, Obama’s thin skin is usually found on a grape.
Yeah, I don’t think “the bowels of the stadium” is an unusual or negative expression.
Making inroads among Indian-American and other Asian voters is a good idea. My Vietnamese-American neighbor is a conservative voter. The stereotype of South and East Asians as hard working and business-oriented has considerable validity.
parker:
I have come to think that Trump isn’t thin-skinned, actually.
If he were, he could not function all this time in office.
No, what he is is alert to insults and willing to strike back with great vigor. It is a certain strategic mentality. And by the way, I’m not saying he’s playing 3/D chess. I just think he is telling the truth when he says that long ago he learned to strike back twice as hard. I think the insults do not penetrate his skin very far.
I had no idea that Americans of Indian extraction vote Democratic (or at least, did in 2016) almost as strongly as black Americans and even more strongly than American Jews.
My sister had dinner this year with family friends, including a couple of Indian subcontinent origin- both of whom worked as graduate-degreed professionals. Mrs-From-the-Subcontinent, though in her 90s, has a very active social and intellectual life. Reads a lot, converses a lot. During the dinner, her main topic of conversation was the array of Democrat candidates for President.
Does this buddy picture have any connection at all to Trump’s championing of increased numbers of visas for Indian tech & IT workers, who are displacing American STEM graduates all over the country?
Just asking for a friend…
neo,
I disagree in part. Some of the things he responds to are so minor and often silly. Why pay attention to blow hard buffoons? When the jabs he receives are of a more serious matter I do like him being the opposite of GWB.
I’m glad you haven’t defended the messiah. 😉
Under normal circumstances, there would not be more than a handful of people with Indian descent in this country. That region is a long way off, farther than China, and it already has a connection to the West through its former colonial master, Great Britain.
It’s this modern obsession with diversity and equality that could end up dispossessing our own children, and which may lead to greater social division in the future.
Trump does seem to look for those who have insulted him, so he can counter-punch / counter-insult.
Which shows some supporters how tough he is, and how he’s willing to fight.
I’m certainly glad he’s willing to fight; maybe even fight too much.
As far as I see in his tweets, he’s been counter-attacking, and going after those who first go after him. Sometimes a bit more than I think is needed; but welcome after so many Reps accept the Dem insults and lies.
With Modi, and all leaders who treat him with respect, I’ve only seen respect echoed by Trump. Including commies Xi & Kim — with many claiming such dictator tyrants don’t deserve good treatment.
Modi is the real Democratically elected leader of India, with more people living in their democracy than USA and Europe combined. They sent a lunar rover to the moon (lost contact – it’s HARD). Their growth is slower than China, but their poor people are becoming less poor.
It’s great if Modi and the US leaders get along well. No wonder WaPo doesn’t like it.
“Why pay attention to blow hard buffoons?”
I agree to some extent but in many cases I believe it is justified because even “blow hard buffoons” are part of the forces arrayed against Trump. E. g. when Meryl Streep publicly criticized him and Trump responded by calling her an “overrated actress”.
While Streep may not be exactly a “blowhard buffoon” in any normal world I would be thinking he was lowering himself by responding to her. What could be more “punching down” than for a President to criticize an actress, even a famous one like Streep? But in today’s environment she is unmistakably part of the media assault on Trump. Even if she was speaking entirely on her own, that is how her comments are taken. The MFM promotes “blowhard buffoons” as great thinkers – including especially their own staff – and Trump is justified to respond.
Nice to see an economic concordance between India, home to over a billion Hindi, and Texas, home to the world’s most succulent smoked brisket.
Yikes.
Re: Indian-ancestry voters leaning Democrat: I suspect there is an cultural hallmark here which parallels that in the Jewish community. This community has a habit of identifying the “professional class” — doctors, lawyers, professors, business-owners of the kind that lead professional organizations in certain industries — and educational and vocational expectations for the next generation target long-term acceptance into that class.
Nothing wrong with that, of course! And much right with it.
But note that in American academia and professions, voting for Democrats and parroting moderate-left talking points are a big part of forming friendly relationships in, and being accepted by, that economic class. It’s a way of advancing your career and influence. I suspect that Indian-Americans’ perception of American politics is highly influenced by the resulting culture which distinguishes between “what the educated and urbane people think” (Democrat talking points) and “what the uneducated rabble like to natter on about” (GOP/conservative concerns).
They’ve gone from emulating a certain subculture of persons in America, to forming relationships with them, to absorbing their worldview.
It is not, therefore, that they have “done the math” about the positions either party takes. It is that they would be embarrassed, and would perceive themselves to be on a downward social trajectory, if they ever found themselves to be the kind of person who thought like conservatives thought.
I was impressed by Modi’s acceptance and praise of Trump. That Houston rally was followed by one in Wapakoneta, Ohio with the Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison. When Trump asked Morrison to say a few words, it was amazing. Morrison is an Aussie version of Trump. He was very outspoken, funny, and populist. When the MSM sees developments like that, it has to drive them nuts.
FOAF on September 24, 2019 at 3:30 am said:
“Why pay attention to blow hard buffoons?”
* * *
A chess master considers the taking of pawns as well as the more formidable pieces.