slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Dylan Stableford

President Trump declared his trip to the G-20 summit a “great success.” Chris Uhlmann, the political editor for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, saw it a bit differently.

“We learned that Donald Trump has pressed fast-forward on the decline of the United States as a global leader,” Uhlmann said on air in a segment that has gone v***l. “He managed to isolate his nation, to confuse and alienate his allies, and to diminish America.”

Uhlmann described Trump as “an uneasy, lonely, awkward figure” at the gathering of world leaders in Hamburg, Germany.

“And you got the strong sense that some of the leaders are trying to find the best way to work around him,” Uhlmann said.

The U.S. president has a “particular sk**l set,” Uhlmann said. “He’s identified an illness in Western democracies, but he has no cure for it and seems intent on exploiting it.”

“He has no desire and no capacity to lead the free world,” Uhlmann continued.

The president had an opportunity to put pressure on Russia and China by delivering a G-20 statement condemning North Korea’s nuclear provocations, he said.

“Other leaders expected it,” Uhlmann said. “They were prepared to back it, but it never came.”

Uhlmann acknowledged that Trump’s speech in Poland ahead of the G-20 summit was well received, but argued that it didn’t reveal Trump’s true feelings about the world because it was written for him.

“There’s a tendency among some hopeful souls to confuse the speeches written for Trump with the thoughts of the man himself — he did make some interesting, scripted observations in Poland about defending the values of the West,” Uhlmann said. “And he’s in a unique position. He’s the one man who has the power to do something about it. But it’s the unscripted Trump that’s real.”

Uhlmann pointed to Trump’s tweets as the real window into the president’s unvarnished self.

“[He is] a man who barks out bile in 140 characters, who wastes his precious days as president at war with the West’s institutions — like the judiciary, independent government agencies and the free press,” Uhlmann said.

“Donald Trump’s a man who craves power because it burnishes his celebrity,” Uhlmann added. “To be constantly talking and talked about is all that really matters, and there is no value placed on the meaning of words — so what’s said one day can be discarded the next.”

“Some will cheer the decline of America” on the world stage, Uhlmann concluded, “but I think we’ll miss it when it’s gone.”

Loki Loc: Georgia

Uhlmann makes a point to mention that Trump has a speechwriter. He neglects to mention the last president to write all or most of his own speeches was Woodrow Wilson; in the early 1900's. In other words, Uhlmann's biased and slanted diatribe is not reporting; it is merely an expression of a very parochial-minded Aussie Liberal's poorly informed opinion.
As far as Uhlmann's opinion of Trump diminishing the US; we are the world's only superpower. What would a snarky little Aussie with a poison pen and political myopia know about being a superpower?

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

I figure at least as much as all the other snarky little people with poison pens and political myopia who write for various publications or forums such as OPP. After all, it is just another opinion...but, in this case, from 'down under,' not Europe or the U.S. Let's face it, poison pens and political myopia are not uncommon, while coming from any/all perspectives. It is common and expected in open discussions.

An on-line assessment of this article...

"Without question, Uhlmann's report has garnered attention. What impact it will have is a matter of debate.

America is becoming more and more of an echo chamber.

Uhlmann's tough but thoughtful analysis of the US President will be shared on social media by those who agree with his withering assessment of the US President. It will be ignored by those who disagree.

Perhaps what we all need to take away from Uhlmann's report is the ability to watch television that makes us ask questions and become uncomfortable.

To be challenged in our assessments and assumptions. That's what makes news, news."

Loki Loc: Georgia

This one is simply regurgitating the same worn out tripe that we have heard over and over again. He doesn't speak for all Australians any more than I speak for all Americans.

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

Most Presidents read the speeches before delivering them, making changes or rejecting them outright. Then again, most Presidents recognize that their words have power and understand that they'll have to live with them forever. Trump, on the other hand, sees words as TV scripts that can be edited after the fact, or denied outright - even though they are indeed inscribed in stone - forever.

The statement " That's not what I said " when there's video and sound recordings of you saying that, makes you look insane or stupid. That statement " that's not what I meant " ( the most favored by politicians ) makes you look incoherent and dumb. Stating that you've changed your mind only days after crowing about something you did, makes you look like a conman - or a moron. Did I miss anything?

Loki Loc: Georgia

"That's not what I meant" is not only the most favored of politicians, it is also the most taken out of context. Cherry-picking of statements to change the intent of the statement is a favorite tactic of many political writers.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

All true enough. But, as stated earlier, the same can be pretty much said about most political discourse. As I've written numerous times on this forum, I am open to all opinions but reserve the right to glean what I choose from what is said/written...and, toss the rest at my discretion. Respect while considering anothers opinion does not automatically signal agreement or adherence to the same.

As one of mine & OPP's most respected posters, you well know that I don't adhere to your every opinion/belief (nor you, mine) but hold them as valuable...coming from an educated/knowledgeable perspective. I always learn from you...but, reasonable men will have reasonable differences on occasion.

PeterS

I do like how Cons continually slammed Obama for failure to lead the world and here this is exactly what Trump is pulling back from. So without leadership just how does Trump plan on forcing either NK or Syria to capitulate? By singing--"All By Myself--All By Myself" That's about all he's going to have...

PeterS

Bias? His point was that the "REAL" Trump comes out 140 characters at at time and it's the real Trump that's important not the one reading from a script.

I will say this, you are certainly on script--attacking the messenger instead of the message. What is that called "ad-hominem?"

I my humble biased opinion the Aussie nailed it. You should try listening to the message in the future--then maybe the 80% plus democrat finding about you won't be wrong...

Carol Kelly

Who cares what the Muslim loving Aussies think?

Carol Kelly

Haven't you ever said anything and had it taken as something which you didn't mean. I certainly have.

. Every human being with a voice and especially those with enemies have experienced this situation. With rebellious news media at your throat it would be difficult not to have


this happen. Cut the man some slack, he's your President and he's brilliant, not insane.
No moron, this.

bylm1-Bernie

son of witless

You post a commentary from a political reporter and act as if it is a profound unbiased gem of wisdom. Why would anyone be made uncomfortable by anything Uhlmann says? We already know that there are a lot of media who h**e Trump. So you have highlighted this guy. So what?

" America is becoming more and more of an echo chamber. "

That comment is why I love debating left wingers. You can always count sooner or later on blatant hypocrisy. Go to liberal discussion forums and you will find echo chambers. The owners rule them like a North Korean dictator. If you do not tell the host that he is the most brilliant mind in the universe or you challenge their liberal views or worse yet, you best them in an exchange, you are deleted.

The press ran an echo chamber to protect President Barak Obama. Dissent was punished. To dare oppose the one and only Obama was to be a r****t. To dare question G****l W*****g was to be called an unscientific moron. How dare anyone disagree with the press or the Democrats during the Age of Obama.

Your echo chamber has been shattered by Donald J. Trump's victory.

robmull Loc: florida

A "lefty/reporter," 49, in the world-wide MSM (D), saying something (D)erogatory and (D)emeaning and (D)efamatory about our President Trump (R)? Well I never. Hummmmmmmm. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PRESIDENT "45" DONALD J. {BORN AGAIN} TRUMP (R); now on a nearly sleepless mission to "MAKE AMERICA SAFE, PROSPEROUS AND GREAT AGAIN," is (D)riving "lefty," WORLD-WIDE, to r**t, l**t, vandalize, burn, k**l "PIGS," violently protest, (D)eclare "jihad" on the WH, and continually, obnoxiously (D)emonstrate, with murderous intentions. And "Uhlmann concluded, {B}ut I think we'll miss IT when IT'S gone." The "femin**i's should be tearing Uhlmann to pieces for calling America {her}, "IT." That's worse than referring to Hillary as "IT." Where ARE the "femin**i's when we really need them??? Ashley? Madonna? Sarsour? Rosie? LOLOLOL.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

I know this is off-topic, but"Muslim loving Aussies?"...

From Wikipedia: "According to some scholars, a particular trend of anti-Muslim prejudice has developed in Australia since the late 1980s. Since the 2001 World Trade Center attacks in New York, and the 2005 Bali bombings, Islam and its place in Australian society has been the subject of much public debate.

A report published in 2004 by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission pointed to many Muslim Australians who felt the Australian media was unfairly critical of, and often vilified their community due to generalizations of terrorism and the emphasis on crime. The use of ethnic or religious labels in news reports about crime was thought to stir up racial tensions."