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PeaceWave

(1,264 posts)
Fri Jan 17, 2025, 11:14 PM Jan 17

Tonight at dinner my sister's otherwise fairly quiet 13 year old grandson randomly piped up and said "Trump is awesome!"

Last edited Sat Jan 18, 2025, 12:22 AM - Edit history (1)

Needless to say, conversation at the table ground to a halt. I found myself wishing that my sister's IBS afflicted dog would audibly fart so that we could all exclaim "Ewwww" - a conversation altering response that would have been equally appropriate for both what would have been emitted from the dog and from the 13 year old. Finally, after what seemed like forever, my sister's daughter asked "Excuse me. What did you just say?" To which the kid responded "All my friends say Trump is going to save Tik Tok and make the internet great again." The boy's dad - clearly not yet skilled at cross-examination of a teenager - responded with "Is that right?"

At this point, I knew this was going sideways fast. But, what the hell was I, the invited uncle, supposed to do? This train wreck was happening and all I could do was admire the intensity of the flashing warning signals. Somehow though the kid exceeded all damage estimates. "Absoooolutely. Trump's our hero," he responded. While everyone else at the table tried to wrap their heads around that solid gold nugget, it was all I could do to keep from busting out laughing. When I was growing up, the worst thing you could tell your parent was "I hate you." Today, in a Democratic family, the worst thing a kid can tell their parent is "I love Trump."

By now, Mom, the 91 year old matriarch of our family was staring at my sister, who made the mistake of asking "What are you looking at me for?" Mom and my sister have a relationship that is best described as a strawberry field littered with landmines. One wrong step and you're likely to lose a leg rather than find something sweet. That said, Mom's response was the kind of Molotov cocktail that only a nonagenarian can bake up, a secret recipe blend of sugar and acid. "Your daughter raised him and you raised her. I didn't raise you this way though. You did this all on your own." Bam! Now it's on. Cause that's how we roll on a Friday night in this politically passionate family.

Now, I'd like to think my sister's grandson - a bright kid who gets straight A's - is smarter than to honestly be beguiled by Trump. He knew exactly what he was doing tonight. Call it Messing with Adults 101 in the age of Trump. Good on you kid. You got us. Once you get a job though, you owe me a dinner.

34 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Tonight at dinner my sister's otherwise fairly quiet 13 year old grandson randomly piped up and said "Trump is awesome!" (Original Post) PeaceWave Jan 17 OP
Wait, was he really messing with the adults? sakabatou Jan 17 #1
Your experiance there is truly deserving of your wonderfully written little essay. Kudos, sir. EarnestPutz Jan 17 #2
I was just about to comment SickOfTheOnePct Jan 17 #6
It was exquisitely written and no surprise that I wasn't the only one to admire it. It did paint a picture. EarnestPutz Jan 18 #21
When I was 14 I thought Reagan was great, but... Jacson6 Jan 17 #3
Whether the kid is joking or not, LuvLoogie Jan 17 #4
... Prairie Gates Jan 17 #5
Young people were TOLD Trump will save TikTok for months now. GOP strategists worked that angle blm Jan 17 #7
I did not know that. LeftInTX Jan 18 #13
gee Skittles Jan 18 #18
Of course it does, but Dems still need counter campaign strategies blm Jan 18 #33
Whether he meant it or not genxlib Jan 17 #8
Moot Point Now Roy Rolling Jan 17 #9
TikTok is going to help Trump SickOfTheOnePct Jan 17 #10
Wherever you got that info, the masses WON'T ever know it. They'll blame biden and thank trump. Nt lostnfound Jan 18 #26
The guy who owns it is sitting next to Trump at his coronation. He pays Trump travelingthrulife Jan 18 #34
I hate TikTok. LisaM Jan 17 #11
omg Skittles Jan 18 #19
Could have said if they take Great Grandma's SS away she'll StarryNite Jan 18 #12
He appeals to the 13 year old in way too many. tishaLA Jan 18 #14
"Trump is going to save Tik Tok" speak easy Jan 18 #15
Grandson will never be the man that Trump is usonian Jan 18 #16
When I was thirteen, 1964 boonecreek Jan 18 #17
A fabulous post on many levels malaise Jan 18 #20
My sincere condolences. B.See Jan 18 #22
OTOH, the kid *could* mature and later rue that he even said that outloud. no_hypocrisy Jan 18 #23
LOL...I thought he looked creepy LeftInTX Jan 18 #24
I want the rest of the story! mainer Jan 18 #25
Dancing without moving his feet seems very important to the young man. Think. Again. Jan 18 #27
Letting the ban take hold in the final day of Biden's presidency was a massive unforced error. bearsfootball516 Jan 18 #28
Great post. Emile Jan 18 #29
There is medication. I bet grampa paid him him a fin to say that randomly at the table ... marble falls Jan 18 #30
Hey, you GusBob Jan 18 #31
My teenaged daughter announced that she wanted to be a republican because they are RICH. ihaveaquestion Jan 18 #32

EarnestPutz

(2,733 posts)
2. Your experiance there is truly deserving of your wonderfully written little essay. Kudos, sir.
Fri Jan 17, 2025, 11:19 PM
Jan 17

"Strawberry field littered with land mines". Nice.

SickOfTheOnePct

(7,590 posts)
6. I was just about to comment
Fri Jan 17, 2025, 11:24 PM
Jan 17

on how exquisitely this was written - I could actually picture the entire scene/conversation in my mind!

EarnestPutz

(2,733 posts)
21. It was exquisitely written and no surprise that I wasn't the only one to admire it. It did paint a picture.
Sat Jan 18, 2025, 05:49 AM
Jan 18

Jacson6

(990 posts)
3. When I was 14 I thought Reagan was great, but...
Fri Jan 17, 2025, 11:22 PM
Jan 17

My mom died and Reagan cut my survivor benefits from Social Security. I joined the US Army for four years to attend trade school.

LuvLoogie

(7,681 posts)
4. Whether the kid is joking or not,
Fri Jan 17, 2025, 11:23 PM
Jan 17

Dems were stupid to get duped into passing this ban. They will deserve any political fallout, earned or otherwise. Epically stupid.

blm

(113,917 posts)
7. Young people were TOLD Trump will save TikTok for months now. GOP strategists worked that angle
Fri Jan 17, 2025, 11:24 PM
Jan 17

before the election.
Dems didn’t seem to pick up on it. They had no solid response as a party.
A shame since the top political figure on TikTok was a Dem. And he is now NC Attorney General Jeff Jackson.

blm

(113,917 posts)
33. Of course it does, but Dems still need counter campaign strategies
Sat Jan 18, 2025, 01:12 PM
Jan 18

for theirs. EVERYTHING is now under GOP control because of these seemingly minor details that were not countered at the time.

genxlib

(5,744 posts)
8. Whether he meant it or not
Fri Jan 17, 2025, 11:25 PM
Jan 17

This TikTok scenario is a very real concern for me. I think it is a huge trap. No matter how we got here, the democrats will look like the bad guys and TFG has the chance to swoop in and reverse it.

No way should this have been done now. It will kill us if it plays out.

Roy Rolling

(7,246 posts)
9. Moot Point Now
Fri Jan 17, 2025, 11:41 PM
Jan 17

Biden stole Trumps thunder. He announced Congress is a bunch of old and out-of-touch Republicans and he won’t enforce their ban.

Now Trump can’t save TikTok, he inherits the job of destroying it.

SickOfTheOnePct

(7,590 posts)
10. TikTok is going to help Trump
Fri Jan 17, 2025, 11:47 PM
Jan 17

They say they're shutting down TikTok in the US on Sunday, so Trump won't be able to stop it from being turned off but he'll be the one who gets the credit for turning it back.

And I wouldn't say that it's the Republicans' ban...I'm pretty sure that President Biden signed it into law, and Democrats helped pass it.

lostnfound

(16,795 posts)
26. Wherever you got that info, the masses WON'T ever know it. They'll blame biden and thank trump. Nt
Sat Jan 18, 2025, 07:33 AM
Jan 18

travelingthrulife

(1,325 posts)
34. The guy who owns it is sitting next to Trump at his coronation. He pays Trump
Sat Jan 18, 2025, 01:20 PM
Jan 18

enough, Tik tok is here to stay I suspect.

LisaM

(28,885 posts)
11. I hate TikTok.
Fri Jan 17, 2025, 11:47 PM
Jan 17

Our niece, now about 20, has no interest in anything but TikTok and YouTube videos. None. She works a few hours a week in a desultory way, lives at home, is obese, her conversation is limited to what "young people think", and she lives with headphones on watching videos one after the other. We're significantly older than she is and can run circles around her physically. When she was tasked to get a ferry to a family cabin a few years ago, because she couldn't detach from the headphones and videos, she missed an announced schedule change and went to a completely wrong island at night, throwing the whole family into a tizzy of frantic texts and phone calls. She was eighteen at the time.

Aside from Chinese data collection issues, TikTok is as addicting and dangerous as narcotics.

StarryNite

(11,136 posts)
12. Could have said if they take Great Grandma's SS away she'll
Sat Jan 18, 2025, 12:00 AM
Jan 18

be moving in and sharing your room with you! That's enough to scare any teenage boy.

tishaLA

(14,430 posts)
14. He appeals to the 13 year old in way too many.
Sat Jan 18, 2025, 12:23 AM
Jan 18

Except they're fully grown adults who can vote.

speak easy

(11,056 posts)
15. "Trump is going to save Tik Tok"
Sat Jan 18, 2025, 12:35 AM
Jan 18

How long have I been beating this drum?
(three times today)

cf. We don't care; We use Facebook.

usonian

(15,371 posts)
16. Grandson will never be the man that Trump is
Sat Jan 18, 2025, 12:44 AM
Jan 18

1. His Dad didn't give him a fortune to play with.
2. He got his grades without cheating.
3. He doesn't "pump and dump" foreign brides in rapid succession.
4. He doesn't have a criminal record.
5. He doesn't know how to use people and very importantly!
6. He doesn't know how to tell people (you) what they want to hear, even if he's lying.
7. He is not a good liar. (obviously)
8. His castaways don't fall down the stairs.
9. People with dirt on him don't die mysteriously.
10. He probably packs more in his



boonecreek

(405 posts)
17. When I was thirteen, 1964
Sat Jan 18, 2025, 01:16 AM
Jan 18

I was a Barry Goldwater Republican. My parents were
Eisenhower Republicans so I just followed their lead.
Flash forward to '68, now I'm a Gene McCarthy supporter
but my parents are for Nixon. 1972 rolls around and I
cast my first Presidential vote for McGovern. My parents
ask me why I voted for somebody who was going to lose.
I pretty much just rolled my eyes and shook my my head.
Come the whole Watergate mess and Nixon's resignation
and my folks never voted Republican again. People can
change.

no_hypocrisy

(49,745 posts)
23. OTOH, the kid *could* mature and later rue that he even said that outloud.
Sat Jan 18, 2025, 06:21 AM
Jan 18

I'm still kicking myself for "endorsing" Goldwater when I was six years old because I liked his name.



bearsfootball516

(6,545 posts)
28. Letting the ban take hold in the final day of Biden's presidency was a massive unforced error.
Sat Jan 18, 2025, 07:50 AM
Jan 18

Like it or not, TikTok has 170 million users in the US, and the app is MASSIVELY popular with young voters. Biden allowing it to expire while Trump tries to save it allows him to look like a hero to millions of young Americans who Dems really need to get back in their column.

marble falls

(62,802 posts)
30. There is medication. I bet grampa paid him him a fin to say that randomly at the table ...
Sat Jan 18, 2025, 08:13 AM
Jan 18

... course at that age both Hillary Clinton and I were supporting Barry (in your heart you know he's nuts) Goldwater.

ihaveaquestion

(3,291 posts)
32. My teenaged daughter announced that she wanted to be a republican because they are RICH.
Sat Jan 18, 2025, 09:20 AM
Jan 18

She's over 40 now and we still laugh about it.

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