Satirizing Donald Trump is a tall order
By: Mal Warwick (Mal Warwick on Books Insightful Reviews and Recommendations)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Satirizing Donald Trump is a tall order
Christopher Buckley is far and away the most accomplished political satirist writing today in America. In novels such as Thank You for Smoking and They Eat Puppies, Don't They? , he has skewered the nation's political establishment six ways from Sunday. Now, for the first time in nearly a decade, he returns to that field of battle with another of his trademark sendups of none other than Donald Trump himself. In Make Russia Great Again , he has taken on a man who might be thought immune to satire because he does such a great job of making a fool of himself . The book may not be Buckley's best effort, but it's far better than anything else in print that finds humor in The Donald's tragic misbehavior. It turns out that parodying Donald Trump requires a satirist of Buckley's enormous talent.
Make Russia Great Again by Christopher Buckley (2020) 288 pages @@@@ (4 out of 5)
The narrator writes from prison, but he's still loyal
The narrator of this very funny novel is Herbert K. Nutterman, a twenty-seven year veteran of Trump's hotels whom Trump calls "my favorite Jew. (When he was pleased with me, that is.)" The President names him Chief of Staff, much to his amazement and his wife's fear and disgust. And we know from the outset that her fear is well-considered, since Nutterman writes from federal prison, where he is serving a long sentence for some infraction unspecified until the very end of the story. He's still loyal, though. You won't catch Herbert K. Nutterman satirizing Donald Trump.
Yes, the Russians really do have something on Donald Trump
The title ( Make Russia Great Again ) telegraphs the theme of this novel. It appears that a crooked Russian oligarch (and thus Vladimir Putin himself) "has something on Donald Trump." Unless Nutterman can arrange for the repeal of a law that froze the oligarch's assets, all the evidence will come out publicly. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the White House, the intelligence establishment has set in motion an artificial intelligence ("Placid Reflux") designed to counter Russian interference in the 2020 election. And what that countermeasure proves to be is . . . well, let's just say dramatic. It's all nutty, of course, but a whole lot of fun.
Satirizing Donald Trump requires special talent
So, really, how DO you satirize Donald J. Trump? Well, for starters, you don't make up a silly name for him like those you assign to other characters. "Greta Fibberson, our chief of communications," for example. "President Attajurk of Turkey." "Mr. Fangschwaller, his top adviser on immigration." "Our chief speechwriter, Stefan Nacht von Nebel." Oh, and don't forget the "House Aryan Caucus." And after that beginning, the humor is all situational. Even Donald Trump couldn't possibly get himself into the absurd fix that Buckley describes in this charming sendup of the none-too-charming mess in the White House.
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How does one satirize a person whose reality resembles a satire? Maybe it would make him appear like an Andrew Shepherd in the movie The American President, or like a Jed Bartlet in The Wsst Wing TV series, in other words. like the PotUS one would really wish to have, who could be respected world wide instead ol internationally considered a political joke.
What kind of president would most Americans prefer? Who needs respect when you have great powers and use them effectively for the greater good?
As everyone knowledgeable and informed knows Trump is not.
"the greater good"?
For WHOM?
Let me stop you right there. We’ll all just marinate in that for a while.
WTF Dude...
"Who needs respect" ?
A true leader, needs respect, thus why the POS currently in the White House needs to push every boundary as he will never be respected by anyone with any self respect, and a moral code, cause Trump has placed US in the commode, as he a tempts to wriggle out of the predicaments his selfish perverted racist sexist ways have placed him. He is a total POS, and you claiming 'respect' is not needed....makes it impossible to respect ypur opinion, as it is ridiculous.
Donald Trump was secretly negotiating with Vlad Putin to build a Trump Tower in Moscow right up to election day in 2016. Straight up collusion...
As much as Trump deserves all the ridicule that can be heaped on him, the whole situation is really not funny.
Is there such a thing as sad humour - something SO bad that it's funny?