Jonathan Bernstein: “As I’ve said, Trump doesn’t lie like a politician, using the occasional misleading statement and exaggeration and only rarely getting a fact outright wrong — as can be seen in how Joe Biden has talked about the pandemic. Trump lies like the proverbial used-car dealer, with constant unsupported wild statements that can’t stand up to any mild scrutiny: As long as he makes the sale in the moment, it doesn’t matter what is revealed later on.”
“It may seem to go without saying that Trump’s professional reputation is in tatters and his word means nothing. But consider the evidence: Why is he not involved in negotiations over the current pandemic relief and stimulus bill? Everyone knows he can’t be trusted, so negotiating with him is impossible, and the work-around is to negotiate with his representatives and hope they can sell him on whatever they wind up with. (It’s also why McConnell stays out of the negotiations, because he can’t be sure Trump won’t undercut him.) It is not clear whether voters will punish him for all of this. But as far as weakening his ability to get anything done as president? That’s all too obvious.”