October 2, 2016

The prospect of a woman at the town hall debate asking Donald Trump: "Do you think I'm fat?"

On "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" today, the panel got to talking about the next presidential debate, which will be in a "town hall" format:
JOHN HEILEMANN (of Bloomberg): It is a harder debate than the first debate in some respects, because you've got real voters asking questions...

ROLAND MARTIN (of TV One): What happens if a size 12 or 14 woman stands up and...

(LAUGHTER)

MARTIN: No, no, no. I'm serious... What if a size 12 or 14 woman who's the average size in America stands and says, Donald Trump, I have two daughters and look at me. Do you think I'm beautiful? Do you think I'm fat?

(CROSSTALK)

MARTIN: -- question comes, Donald Trump is going to stand there with a deer in the headlights look and....

(CROSSTALK)

MARTIN: -- but, no, no, but in this format, you have to answer that question. You have to answer to all that you've said in the past. That's going to be a problem for him.

STEPHANOPOULOS: And you can't dis -- you can't dis the questioners on this one.
I thought this was pretty obtuse — except as Sunday morning entertainment. It's easy to talk about getting fat and the sensitivities attached to that totally down-to-earth mundane worry. It has nothing to do with the presidency, but it's easy to understand. Martin himself is fat. Trump is fat. Most Americans are fat. But do Martin and Stephanopoulos seriously believe that Donald Trump — with all his experience with women — wouldn't know how to talk to a woman who asked him "Do you think I'm fat?"? Frankly, I think it would offer him an easy opportunity to show the warmth and social skill that we have every reason to know that he has in his private dealings with individuals.

100 comments:

Sprezzatura said...

I'm not fat. I wear fitted, tight cloths (but not loser hipster stuff, nice high end stuff) which acts like an alarm bell, because they're visually unforgiving.

But I know fat people. I like them, and I never hint at disapproval of them, because I don't disapprove. Different folks for different folks.

MayBee said...

We are so schizophrenic.

On the one hand, we have to embrace the beauty of fat.
On the other hand, we have a health crisis because we are overweight as a country.

Why does everything have to be so stupid? Why does everyone think women are so stupid that we'll vote based on this crap?

Sebastian said...

"It has nothing to do with the presidency" Since showing proper regard for the sensitivities of women is essential to winning a majority, which for the Dems includes insecure single women who need Big Brother and moderate white women who wouldn't want to be associated with an uncut lout, it has everything to do with the presidency.

"Why does everyone think women are so stupid that we'll vote based on this crap?" Because binders full of women and ACA pill coverage and Obama-will-pay my-mortgage worked before as prog propaganda. Because politics and MSM coverage now are staged as a soap aimed at female audiences. No, not "women" as in every single woman, but enough to make the difference.

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
YoungHegelian said...

Do you think Hillary's asking Bill right now "Does this campaign make my butt look fat?"?

Rob said...

Size 12 is fat?

MayBee said...

How do you get a job as a pundit? I want Roland Martin's job. How much do you think he gets paid to come up with stuff like this?

Seriously, pundits are the scourge of our political system.

Unknown said...

LOL, Trump the husband. "Honey, do I look fat?"

I think somehow, this question would ensure that 99% of all heterosexual males vote for Trump.

Michelle Dulak Thomson said...

I thought it interesting that CNN was caught saying about Machado basically what Trump said at the same time. But now CNN is attacking Trump. I mean, she expanded right along with the universe? If Trump had said that, it might actually be a headline.

Friedrich Engels' Barber said...

Should this woman compete as Miss Universe? Or maybe she should take on Michael Phelps in swimming? I wonder if Phelps coach ever encouraged him to get into shape.

rhhardin said...

Dark energy is the problem.

Wince said...

Rather revealing how fervently Clinton minions hope they can take Trump out early with a gaffe on a tangential issue.

They are still afraid of going to the wire on substance.

rhhardin said...

They're after the women's anti-trump vote.

Because, they're really saying, women are idiot voters.

Crimso said...

Has it not occurred to them that a questioner may ask Hillary: "Now why was it you conducted all of your State Dept. email correspondence through an illegal covert server? And since the President emailed you at your covert illegal email address, when did he first know you had this covert server?"

What? A guy can dream...

Sprezzatura said...

Dark energy is the problem.

Even though there's a lot less of it, dark matter seems like it could be the problem.

Dark energy may be the reason many (most) folks are repelled by HRC's face and voice.

Sprezzatura said...

Why wouldn't one of the folks be just as likely to ask HRC if she thinks she should workout more so that she can walk around w/o collapsing, which seems like something that should be on the list of characteristics for an effective POTUS?

Or, they could just ask her why she's fat.

Sprezzatura said...

Why not ask HRC why she thinks Ginsberg can do push-ups and weight lifting, but HRC struggles w/ lifting her own body, w/o any additional weights?

Freeman Hunt said...

God, help us if anyone asks anything as stupid as that.

Wince said...

In suitably ambiguous answer to Roland Martin's Laugh-In questions: Do you think I look beautiful? Do I look fat?

"You bet your sweet bippy!"

...from Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, a zany television show from the late 1960s. The word bippy, by the way, means “butt.” The phrase “You bet your sweet bippy” is a linguistic descendant of earlier versions that go back to at least the 1880s...

eric said...

How do these guys get their jobs?

I want to say really stupid things for a living and get paid big money for it.

Sprezzatura said...

BTW, I'm laying down a marker. If DJT uses any of my anti-HRC stuff in his 3 AM tweets, I get credit.

Anonymous said...

Trump has far greater problems than anything having to do with women. As he says, follow the money...to Russia.

Anonymous said...

Ask about his pay for play relationship with Pam Bondi.

traditionalguy said...

What? Is this audience coming from Wisconsin? Trump can handle that size.

But TV Cameras like them thin. And Hillary's East Side gang values the skinny ladies wearing sizes that come from a high class heroin addiction.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Rob said...
Size 12 is fat?

10/2/16, 7:14 PM

In media, a woman who is a size 12 is a horse.

Megan Kelly - who has been hyperventilating about "Miss Piggy" all week - would lose her job if she gained 60 pounds.

Hari said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hari said...

Trump should answer:

"There is a government approved answer to the question based on body mass index, and by that standard, you are probably in better shape than either me or my (ahhh, never mind)."

"There is a legal answer to that question, which is that it is irrelevant and you are qualified to do almost any job, with few exceptions that are based on the direct relationship between body shape and job performance. Those few jobs (and I'm sorry to tell you if you're applying for any of them) include US military special forces, most professional sports, and Miss Universe."

"By the way, I'm not only fat by government standards, but I'm also too short to play professional basketball. Do you think I'm short?"

Michael K said...

"Have you gained 60 pounds in a year ?"

Easy.

Michael The Magnificent said...

When a woman asks you if the clothes she is wearing make her look fat, the correct answer is to look carefully and then exclaim, "Oh my God! Your ass is YUGE! My eyes! My eyes!"

She will never ask you again.

Also, if Donald were to do this, every man in America would be rolling on the floor, laughing, while secretly vowing to vote for Donald in November.

Anonymous said...

Dear God this is stupid. Clown World can't be destroyed by fire and flood soon enough.

Birkel said...

Clinton Foundation taking bribes from Russians... super cool.

Trump doing business with Russians... super uncool, probably illegal and troubling problematic.

There, Unknown. You are free from this thread.

David Begley said...

So we pick the leader of the free world based on THIS?

The fact that the Left and MSM focus on this issue just shows what a bankrupt campaign Hillary has run.

FullMoon said...

Michelle Dulak Thomson said... [hush]​[hide comment]

I thought it interesting that CNN was caught saying about Machado basically what Trump said at the same time. But now CNN is attacking Trump. I mean, she expanded right along with the universe? If Trump had said that, it might actually be a headline.

There is viseo of CNN. The only vid I have seen of Trump(at that time) is him with reporters and Machado, making nice remarks about Machados difficulty in maintaining weight in such a diFficult situation.

rcocean said...

"ROLAND MARTIN"

I saw this and immediately thought "Rowan and Martin".

Paul Ciotti said...

If a woman were ask Trump this question he should have no problem hitting it out of the park. He just says, "No. I don't think you're fat. You look beautiful to me. Terrific. Gorgeous. but you have to understand Alicia Machado had just won a Miss Universe contest. For the next she had to travel around the world to do TV interviews and appear at corporate events, political parties, all sorts of events. It costs a lot of money for her to appear. The sponsors are expecting someone who lives up to the Miss Universe image. They are paying good money. They have that right. Besides, her weight limit was right in the Miss Universe agreement. She can't use drugs. She can't drink. And she can't be grossly overweight. She shouldn't have competed if she knew she couldn't live up to the terms of her contract."

Sprezzatura said...

BTW, I've crunched the numbers and run the probability integral transformations (and Laplace, for fun): I've cracked DJT's formula.

Thigh gap + C+ = not fat pig

Of course this is elementary for a Wharton man.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Anglelyne said...
Dear God this is stupid. Clown World can't be destroyed by fire and flood soon enough."

It'll come soon enough.

Pakistan and India are close to a nuclear showdown and we're talking about fat-shaming.

I'm Full of Soup said...

"God, help us if anyone asks anything as stupid as that."

Yep the only thing more stupid is the three elitist pundits discussing this on one of our Sunday news program.

Tommy Duncan said...

Audience member: "Do you think I'm fat?"

Trump: "Could you please direct the lights and cameras to the questioner?"

Pause...

Trump: "Take a good look America. This is what we've become. This is what we've been reduced to. Next question?"

Anonymous said...

Someone should ask about his business trip to Cuba.

Sprezzatura said...

BTW, next time HRC is secretly talking about Berners who think they should get free stuff because Scandinavians get free stuff like health care, could she please point out that Scandinavians aren't fatties like Americans, and chubby people cost more to fix.

OTOH, coming from her (or fat DJT), this may be a pot-kettle sorta thing.

Anonymous said...

Someone should ask him why he accepted federal money after 9/11, seeing as he probably didn't pay federal taxes for decades. Someone should ask him if all the rest of America who paid their federal taxes are dumb.

Sprezzatura said...

"Someone should ask him if all the rest of America who paid their federal taxes are dumb."

He's hoping that a plurality is in November.

Anonymous said...

Someone should ask why the plank in the Republican platform regarding Russia was changed to be more pro Russia at Paul Manafort's behest. Someone should ask him why bashes NATO any chance he gets and praises Putin.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Someone should ask-- why is Clinton Crime family allowed out in public?

Anonymous said...

Someone should ask him why he appeared on Russian state owned TV and why he consults General Flynn who was guest of honor a A Russian banquet and was seated next to PUTIN. Someone should ask him why he brought General Flyn into his security briefings with him.

Sprezzatura said...

April,

Why isn't the "f" in family capitalized the "Cs" in Clinton and Crime?

Seems like your brilliant wisdom would be even more earthshattering if you capitalized the "f."

Sprezzatura said...

CCF v CCf

See?

Anonymous said...

Someone should ask why April ignores the Trump/ Russian crime syndicate and is OCD about Clinton.

Sprezzatura said...

Very powerful rhetoric to capitalize all three letters, not just two.

MPH said...

Oh yes, "every reason."

Sprezzatura said...

Of course, no one can deny that capitalizing two letters is extremely impressive.

But, three letters would be even more genius. That'd pretty much be almost a billion dollars and then don't pay taxes to make up for your business failure level of genius. Yuge.

Sprezzatura said...

The don't call UPS UPs.

And, we have IBM, not IBm.

And, there's PMS, but no PMs.

See?

Sprezzatura said...

This is tricky stuff so don't feel bad if this third letter capitalizing stuff is above your paygrade.

Sprezzatura said...

Almost all acronyms w/ all three letters capitalized have the third letter capitalized by fancy ad agencies w/ sleeping pod and free espresso.

It's unreasonable to expect you to capitalize the third letter in your brilliant acronym w/o this sort of pro shop in your corner.

Sprezzatura said...

Still, 94.6% effectiveness even w/o the third letter capitalized.

So, you're still hitting a home run w/ the CCf.

n.n said...
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n.n said...
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n.n said...

So, no more federal health guidelines. No more health penalty taxes (a.k.a. Obamacare)?

Martin is awkwardly, obliquely asking for advice from Trump. Does this context make me look deplorable... I mean, petty?

Open the Clinton's stable full of taxable, disposable, yet serviceable women.

n.n said...

Class diversitists who perceive people as colorful clumps of cells really are awkward individuals.

Iconochasm said...

Althouse should look into a spam filter. The CTR wannabes are just tiresome with their spew.

narciso said...

maybe someone should ask why volodya has gotten most everything he asked except perhaps in the case of libya,

William said...

I think there's something inherently comical about a Miss Universe who packs on the pounds. A fat NJ governor also has comic potential, but in my estimation there's something a bit surreal and absurd about a tubby Miss Universe that should make her a magnet for fat jokes........Why does Christie get all the fat jokes, and Ms. Machado all the sympathy. The system is rigged.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Maybe someone should ask Trump about the charge of human trafficking of these women.

“Trump Model Management, has profited from using foreign models who came to the United States on tourist visas that did not permit them to work here, according to three former Trump models, all noncitizens, who shared their stories with Mother Jones. Financialand immigration records included in a recent lawsuit filed by a fourth former Trump model show that she, too, worked for Trump’s agency in the United States without a proper visa.”

narciso said...

Mother Jones, snorfle, come on you have to try harder,

Bonkti said...

If an audience member asks, "Am I fat?" The Donald could respond "You seem lovely and I have no desire to judge you.

Let me tell you that I once owned a terrific football team. We had a great running back, the best there was. His name was Herschel Walker. He weighed about 215 pounds and was a terrific athlete, terrific, kept himself in great shape. If he came to practice 50 pounds overweight, he would have been letting the team down, and I would have said something. But that never happened. He knew being a star meant being in the best shape. He was terrific.

And you seem lovely."

Jupiter said...

Unknown said...
"Someone should ask him why bashes NATO any chance he gets and praises Putin."

Because, after the stupid fucking EuroElites have finished handing Europe over to the God-damned Muzzies, the Russians are going to be the only potential allies we have left. When my back is to the wall, I'd take Putin over that DFC Merkel any day. He may have stolen the Crimea, but at least he isn't planning to turn it into a fucking mosque.

Does that help, Unknown? Fly like a bat to Master Soros, and ask him what to say next.

walter said...

BBW?

MayBee said...
We are so schizophrenic.
...
Why does everyone think women are so stupid that we'll vote based on this crap?
--
Years of checkout lines with mag covers featuring the latest, greatest diet along with a gyn-ormous cake.

Lewis Wetzel said...

"You look fine, honey."
If a woman asks for a comment on her personal appearance, calling her 'honey' is justified.

David said...

Response: "I think you are beautiful."

Achilles said...

Unknown relies on innuendo laced garbage to come up with a Russian "connection" for trump.

There are public fucking records showing Hillary was payed millions by the Russians. And there are public records showing that hillary clearly influenced US policy on behalf of those Russians in order to give them control over much of the North American uranium supply.

There is no limit to the hypocrisy people like unknown will sink to. They are souless husks.

Achilles said...

Audience member: Am I fat?

Answer: No, but you are probably stupid enough to vote for Hillary.

With everything that is going on in this country right now many women are proving how vapid their decision making processes are. I really hope they are not as stupid as the progressives are hoping they are.

Anonymous said...

Achilles, produce those public records, from a reputable source, not WND or Drudge.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/jun/30/donald-trump/donald-trump-inaccurately-suggests-clinton-got-pai/

"First, the State Department did approve of Russia’s gradual takeover of a company with significant U.S. uranium assets, but it didn’t act unilaterally. State was one of nine government agencies, not to mention independent federal and state nuclear regulators, that had to sign off on the deal.

Second, while nine people related to the company did donate to the Clinton Foundation, it’s unclear whether they were still involved in the company by the time of the Russian deal and stood to benefit from it.

Third, most of their Clinton Foundation donations occurred before and during Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential bid, before she could have known she would become secretary of state.

The bottom line: While the connections between the Clinton Foundation and the Russian deal may appear fishy, there’s simply no proof
of any quid pro quo."

Achilles is willfully ignorant or just plain dumb.

traditionalguy said...

I worry that the The Commission is arranging another bad mike for Trump, one that is not heard on TV, so that only his strange reactions to it appear. Then he may answer the question, " Mr Trump do you think I am flat?"

jg said...

Absolutely, Ann. What you expect is obviously what any real observer would. You don't even have to be a clever student.

Why are such fake people talking on TV?

I guess it's something about the process that weeds out the impartial.

Or perhaps there's just no reward for knowing what you're talking about - you're free to plug in whatever hallucination keeps you agreeable-looking as you talk to other empty-heads.

tim in vermont said...

So they were giving money to a potential president. Taking money as a potential president? No problem! Politifact to the rescue!

Mr Wibble said...

Besides, her weight limit was right in the Miss Universe agreement. She can't use drugs. She can't drink. And she can't be grossly overweight. She shouldn't have competed if she knew she couldn't live up to the terms of her contract."

"And I believe in holding people accountable if they violate the rules that they are expected to abide by as part of their job. For example, the way Hillary violated numerous State Department and Federal Regulations when she set up an illegal email server in order to hide her activities from the accountability of the American people..."

Kirk Parker said...

MayBee,

"Why does everyone think women are so stupid that we'll vote based on this crap?"

This is a trick question, right?

grackle said...

Who chooses who are going to be in the town hall audience asking the questions? I’m sure they don’t pick them at random off the street. How does a question get selected? Who makes the selection?

The answer is ABC and CNN. This ain’t gonna be no town hall. This is not politicians addressing an audience of local voters. This is ABC and CNN and as such is guaranteed to be rigged and unfair.

http://tinyurl.com/jktsomd

http://tinyurl.com/h4zaktp

Diogenes of Sinope said...

Trump will be asked many questions about things he has said and few questions about issues. Clinton will be asked many questions about things she has said and few questions about things she has done. So expect "do you think I'm fat?", "why do you hate Muslims?", "what do you have against Mexicans?", etc......

Trump will try to answer and defend himself.

Mick said...

To think that Stephanopolis could be an objective reporter is all that is wrong with the "media" today. They are so desperate to hang onto the power that Trump threatens.

damikesc said...

When a woman asks you if the clothes she is wearing make her look fat, the correct answer is to look carefully and then exclaim, "Oh my God! Your ass is YUGE! My eyes! My eyes!"

When ending a relationship with a girl, I told her the clothes didn't make her look fat. Her ass made her look fat.

Brando said...

This is part of the problem with townhall style debates--some really dumb questions can get through. I hope they vet them. Who cares if Trump thinks some woman looks fat? The correct answer is "fat is something you can change, but you'll never be able to live down the fact that you had a chance to ask a presidential candidate a question on live TV, and you asked that one."

sinz52 said...

How Trump talks to the woman will depend very much on her religious faith and ethnicity.

If she were a fat Muslim woman, she would get a different response.

sinz52 said...

damikesc said: "When ending a relationship with a girl, I told her the clothes didn't make her look fat. Her ass made her look fat."

Actually, I've always been attracted to *somewhat* plus-sized women. Not grossly obese, mind you, but a woman who is rather Rubenesque.

I see these photos of supermodels bending backward and you can count every one of their ribs sticking out. To me, that's a real turn-off.

MadisonMan said...

It all started with the Boxers or Briefs question.

Meade said...

"It all started with the Boxers or Briefs question."

And now it Depends.

Humperdink said...

For us aged hockey fans, a quote that will live in infamy occurred on May 6, 1988. NJ Devils coach Jim Schoenfeld accosted referee Don Koharski after the game to vent his frustration ..

"You fat pig! Have another doughnut! Have another doughnut!"

Vet66 said...

Ignores the obvious that obesity is a problem, possibly the most destructive disease in American today. The old Trump would, hopefully, state the obvious that obesity is one of the root medical problems in the U.S. He could actually save lives. BMI, exercise, and other taboo subjects need to be addressed with the same fervor as healthcare costs and deductibles. Cancer and fat, heart problems/exercise, diabetes and blood sugar, alcohol/drug abuse and liver problems...the list goes on. To the overweight, obese,drug addicted...get a life instead of shortening yours. Feelings get hurt? Get over it if for no other reason than you will be able to spend more time with your spouse, grand children, family.

Trump, continue speaking truth to power and save some lives and be accountable to your contract whoever holds it.

JAORE said...

OK, unknow(i)n(g), time for you to tell us you are a faithful Republican and hate Hillary again.

Known Unknown said...

I think the more interesting question is why the men immediately laughed at the thought of the size 12 or 14 woman.

jr565 said...

I think Trump would say "whether you are fat or not is irrelevant. Since you are not being called upon to maintain a weight because you are a spokesman for a company. But if you must know - yes you are fat".
He'd probably leave off the last bit. But what do people want? A husband might spare his wife the truth when she asked if she looked fat because he's her husband and he'd have to live with her after calling her fat.
but if Trump were brutally honest what would the problem be? Is stating an actual fact now an insult?
If you are in fact fat, and are asked if you are fat, what is the proper response? OTher than - yes. You are fat. That in and of itself is not an insult. If Trump said "Yes, you are a fat pig" THEN he'd be insulting her.
But she asked the question (hypothetically). Therefore I assume she wants an honest answer.

jr565 said...

Unknown seems to forget that the Clintons' had dealings with Russia, and that the Democrats have been trying for a Russian reset for the longest. And while they were saying Trumps friendliness with Russia was somehow nefarious, Kerry was trying to strike a deal with them at that very moment to deal with Syria.
So, if Trump IS friendly with Russia (and this hasn't been proven) isn't that what Dems have been trying for since Obama has been president?

After all it was Obama who insulted Romney when he said that Russia was our biggest threat. And Obama countered with his high school insult "The 80's called and they want their foreign policy back".
Ah, so that was just scare mongering on Romney's part? Noted.

isn't the problem then really a matter of incompetence on Obama's part? He kept preaching Reset, yet can't achieve the reset.


jr565 said...

"How Trump talks to the woman will depend very much on her religious faith and ethnicity.

If she were a fat Muslim woman, she would get a different response."

ITs pretty clear that Trump usually calls women fat pigs if they insult him first. Or if she works in a capacity where her looks are a requirement. Because then Trump views it as a business decision. And a fat chick who is also ms universe spokesman is a bad investment.

jr565 said...

(cont)So I don't think he would just call a muslim woman a fat pig. If she first said something that he deemed an attack, he certainly might call her a fat pig though. That's what happened with Rosie. He called a fat pig once they got into their row (which, I believe, was actually started by Rosie).
All is fair in love and war, and also the insult game.

damikesc said...

Actually, I've always been attracted to *somewhat* plus-sized women. Not grossly obese, mind you, but a woman who is rather Rubenesque.

I want curves too. And she wasn't even fat. I just got sick of the damned question all of the time and was ready to leave her anyway.

readering said...

Althouse is right here, I guess. Trump just demonstrated his warmth and social skills in his remarks to a group of veterans on those suffering from PTSD.

richardsson said...

Well all that's missing here are the powdered wigs and the silk stockings. I'll bet the Bourbons had plenty to cackle about before they lost their heads. Meanwhile illegal immigrants with priors are committing rapes and murders across the country. I don't think Steffi and Roland live in the same country as the rest of us.

Paul Snively said...

sinz52: I see these photos of supermodels bending backward and you can count every one of their ribs sticking out. To me, that's a real turn-off.

The only place pictures of visible human ribcages belong is on the cover of National Geographic.

For sexy, try this. Or this.