Trump Says Civil War Could Have Been 'Negotiated' in Bizarre Iowa Speech - eviltoast

Donald Trump continued his push on Saturday to win the Republican presidential nomination with a pair of caucus rallies in Iowa, beginning at the DMACC Conference Center in Newton and then culminating in Clinton. His speeches come on the third anniversary of Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and a little more than a week before the Republican Iowa caucus commences on Jan. 15.

As for commemorating the solemn anniversary of Jan. 6, Trump lauded the insurrectionists, while labeling some immigrants as “terrorists” and prisoners and gang members. “And terrorists are coming in also. What they’re doing to our country is not — it’s it’s, when you talk about insurrection, what they’re doing? That’s the real deal. That the real deal — not patriotically and peacefully, peacefully and patriotically” he said, contrasting those who rioted as “peaceful” and “patriotic” against immigrants, who the four-time indicted former president continually paints as criminals.

“I’m so attracted to seeing it,” Trump said. “So many mistakes were made. See, there was something I think could have been negotiated to be honest with you. … I was reading something and I said, ‘This is something that could have been negotiated … that was a that was a tough one for our country… If you negotiated it, you probably wouldn’t even know who Abraham Lincoln was … but that would have been OK.”

  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    The three presidents before Lincoln all tried negotiating. They ended up capitulating to the south. They’re considered three of the worst presidents in US history. After Trump

    • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works
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      10 months ago

      But Andrew Johnson, who was president after Lincoln, is absolutely up there in terms of terribleness, seeing as he kneecapped any real punitive action on the vast majority of major confed leaders and the south in general, leading directly to Jim Crow, as well as making the “southern strategy” a viable tactic, and ultimately leading to the mutation of the GOP into what it is today - including Trump.

      • Chainweasel@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        Boothe is getting exactly what he wanted albeit almost 160 years later.
        He assassinated Lincoln in an effort to destabilize the union and liberate the south. He wasn’t aware that the war was essentially over at that point and that only a few Confederate militias remained.
        Well, putting Johnson in office ended reconstruction and put into motion everything listed in the above comment.
        Now we’re in real danger of losing our democracy and we’ve got a neo-confederate guerilla force that’s already trashed the Capitol once and is ready to do it again in 11 months.
        And none of this would be happening without Boothe.

        • BeautifulMind ♾️@lemmy.world
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          10 months ago

          And none of this would be happening without Boothe.

          It’s soo interesting that Kennedy’s assassination (which also elevated a VP from the south named Johnson) wasn’t ever talked about like it was more of the confederacy being ungovernable over desegregation and civil rights

          • grue@lemmy.world
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            10 months ago

            Speaking of assassinations, MLK had been leading the campaign for civil rights since 1955, but didn’t get assassinated until 1968. What else happened related to him in 1968? Well, he had just started pivoting towards the Poor People’s Campaign.

            Maybe you’re right that Kennedy was assassinated because of his support for civil rights (even though MLK was tolerated for another half-decade), but considering all the other leftist domestic policies he was trying to push through in addition to the civil rights stuff, it makes me wonder.

    • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      There’s a lesson to be learned here about capitulating to evil.

      Those abolitionists and their purity tests, never thinking about what abolition will do to the economy.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    If you negotiated it, you probably wouldn’t even know who Abraham Lincoln was

    What he actually means by this is that he knows most people think Abraham Lincoln was a better president than he was and he can’t stand it.

  • eran_morad@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    Fucking christ, how can anyone take in this verbal diarrhea and think that trump is suitable to work a glory hole, let alone do a serious job? On top of being traitor swine, republicans are dumber than dogshit.

  • conditional_soup@lemm.ee
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    10 months ago

    The fact of the matter is that slavery was negotiated endlessly. The north and south argued about it ferociously, and there were dead ass fist fights in Congress about it. Remember that the US was hardly the first, and closer to the last, nation in the west (I’m only making this distinction because I know significantly less about this time period outside of the west) to ban chattel slavery, and by a pretty good margin. It wasn’t for lack of trying by the north’s politicians, but the south had evolved the question of slavery into an existential matter for themselves, and basically said that “without slavery, there is no south”. This made it so that every political attack on slavery was framed as an attack on the very existence of the south itself, which made the subject impossible to negotiate on. There’s a lot more detail that can be got into here, like the insane performative concessions for slavery (that is, in favor of it) that the south demanded that are reincarnated in the braindead performance politics of MAGA today, but that’s a story for another day.

    The gist is that when Lincoln, the candidate from the abolitionist party (the republicans. Yeah, a lot has changed lol) won the election, the south had the ultimate shit fit and decided they’d sooner reject the legitimacy of the government than live under a president who, while he probably wouldn’t fully abolish slavery, was against it enough to be part of the abolition party. There was no negotiating this; the founding fathers tried it, and people tried it for decades between then and the war, and when faced with the spectre of maybe having to negotiate some change or moderation, the south looked the north directly in the eye and shit its pants as loud and ferociously as possible. You can see this attitude in the Cornerstone Speech (incidentally, it is a wonderful speech to pull out when someone says the war wasn’t about slavery), which is a speech by the first VP of the Confederacy about how this war is absolutely 100% about preserving slavery.

    • Scotty_Trees@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      I haven’t heard of the Cornerstone Speech before, or perhaps I don’t remember it from school from many many years ago. But I do wonder how did you hear about it? Class? A book? Would love to know where you acquired some of your US history knowledge because I’d like to know and learn more about the history myself and this seems like a crucial piece of history to know so I do thank you for sharing.

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      while he probably wouldn’t fully abolish slavery, was against it enough to be part of the abolition party.

      What?

      In his inaugural address he literally said a president couldn’t outlaw slavery and he wasn’t even gonna try, and wouldn’t even if he thought he could.

      Now people are acting like it was the whole reason he became president…

      He thought it was a state issue, and there’s nothing the feds can do. Like with Joe Biden and abortion.

      Then the South started a civil war to force the North to have slavery, like current Republican are trying to force abortion into being illegal all over.

      The specifics matter, because it’s still the conservative playbook.

      You should read his inaugural address

      https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/march-4-1861-first-inaugural-address

      You should read a lot of stuff…

      But start with that.

      • conditional_soup@lemm.ee
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        10 months ago

        Maybe take a break, pal, that tone is unnecessary.

        I just did some quick homework, and it looks like my public education has failed me again. That Lincoln wasn’t going to abolish slavery isn’t a shock, but I was taught that the Republicans were abolitionists, when it looks like it’s actually the case that the Republicans wanted to moderate and contain slavery*. Which makes the South’s defcon 5 shit fit about it that much funnier.

        *There are a lot of people online talking about how the party was abolitionist, but none that provide sources, so that point is going to take more homework than I’m willing to commit to confirm or deny.

        • PugJesus@kbin.social
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          10 months ago

          The Republicans were an abolitionist party, but the moderates (like Lincoln) believed that containing it would cause it to die out, while the radicals advocated for it to be banned immediately and outright.

          • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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            10 months ago

            The Republicans were an abolitionist party, but the moderates (like Lincoln) believed that containing it would cause it to die out

            The moderates were clearly wrong. The radicals were right. I’m glad Lincoln changed his mind.

        • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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          10 months ago

          Maybe take a break, pal, that tone is unnecessary

          Were literally staring down a second civil war, and everyone is still believing the South’s propaganda from last time…

          So it’s pretty important that people understand why it happened last time, and they’re gonna lie about it next time too.

          It’s not a meaningless argument like is PlayStation better than Xbox.

          It’s worth being upset when 99% of the country doesn’t understand why we had a civil war

          And no matter my “tone” it’ll piss off conservatives because it’s pointing out they lied.

          And it pisses off moderates because it points out how the only other option still wasn’t actively against slavery.

          If the South hasn’t thrown a temper tantrum, it could have taken decades more for slavery to be outlawed, pushing back civil rights and everything.

          “Just do nothing and hope for the best” rarely works out

      • Slowy@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        What was the South’s argument for wanting the North to also have slavery?? I’m Canadian and not a history buff so idk much, but it seems a strange thing to try to enforce in other regions that don’t want it? I do see the parallel with the abortion access issue, so I can take a guess, but still, what logic did they they put forward for that argument (not just what they actually wanted but what they said their reasons were as well)?

        • Jimmyeatsausage@lemmy.world
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          10 months ago

          There were laws that required non-slavery states to return any runaway slaves they found. Eventually, the non-slavery states said “fuck that” and just stopped doing it. I imagine it was similar to when Trump was fighting with so-called “sanctuary cities” about trying to get them to round up immigrants for deportation and they refused. Eventually, the slavery states petitioned the federal government to force the non-slavery states to enforce the runaway laws, and the feds refusal or inability to do so led to succession.

          The biggest irony is that the racists still try to claim the Civil War wasn’t about slavery but states’ rights. In a way, it was, but not the way they imply…as they were trying to force other states to follow their state laws. Someone else mentioned that this was “still the Republican playbook,” and I believe this is what they were referencing, as today we see Republican states trying to enforce their state laws requiring forced pregnancy and birth laws in states that still allow women to seek reproductive healthcare.

  • Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    Reminder, people very much tried to negotiate before and during the American civil war.

    The key compromise efforts were basically all around finding a way to let the south keep slaves and continue treating people like property. Compromise efforts did not gain enough support to make it through the legislature.

      • Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        To be fair, he’s right. If he was president he would’ve totally backed the Crittenden compromise to let the south keep slaves.

  • Snapz@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    They’ll sacrifice their lives for a person who is demonstrably the actual biggest loser in history, and he just gets more loser-y, folks, okay… If any of you are starting to have your memories fade, here’s a quick refresher to read this morning and then copy and send to your aunt karen in Missouri.

    • 0 re-elections won
    • 1 term president
    • 2 times impeached
    • 3 marriages
    • 4 inch lifts in his shoes
    • 5 kids, from 3 different mothers
    • 6 bankruptcies
    • 7 US Capitol police suing him for Jan 6 terrorist insurrection and murder of police
    • 8 trillion + dollars added to the US debt in a single term
    • 9 trump lawyers sanctioned by federal judge for lying in frivolous election fraud lawsuits and ordered to pay defendant’s legal fees
    • 10 years that trump paid $0 in income taxes between 2000 and 2015. ($0 to cops, teachers, roads, prisons, disaster relief, etc)
    • 11 trump associates charged with serious crimes over the past 5 years
    • 12 million votes (the big lie) - trump claims he won the 2020 election by 12 million votes when in reality, he lost by about 7 million votes.
    • 13 of August, 2021 - one of multiple days that trump was supposed to magically become president again according to Qanon and a crack addicted pillow salesman (the two most respected information sources in the gop)
    • 14 year old girl in a youth choir that trump approached in 1992 to say, “Wow! Just think - in a couple years I’ll be dating you.”
    • 15 originally confirmed cases of COVID in the US trump said would soon be, “down to close to zero.” followed by, “like a miracle, it will disappear.” - over 1,000,000 Americans have since died of COVID and it continues to kill 4 years later.
    • 16 years old - age of daughter ivanka when she hosted “miss teen” pageant and, according to long time trump associate Noel Casler, “trump called her over in the middle of a rehearsal and had her give him a lap dance while he leered at the crew.”
    • 17 known trump and russia investigations from local, state and federal prosecutors
    • 18 gop senators that ignored trump threats / warnings and supported Biden admin’s infrastructure bill.
    • 19 as in COVID19 - trump was verified as the single largest source of disinformation on the virus, with a Cornell study claiming that 38% of the “misinformation conversation” originated with trump
    • 20 the day in January, 2021, when Biden was sworn in despite trump inciting a violent insurrection to stop election verification at the US Capitol.
    • 21 gun salute that trump ordered for himself when he left office after a humiliating defeat, even though he never served in the military, famously called military members “losers” and “suckers” and actively avoided the draft with a cowardly “bone spurs” excuse.
    • 22 date in August, 2021, when Alabama hate rally crowd booed trump for finally saying people should get vaccinated, only after 700,000 Americans have died due mostly to his failure as president
    • 23 as in wrestlemania 23 in 2007 where trump, a cartoon level failure with no other prospects, participated in a fake bet that a proxy wrestler would win a fake fight on his behalf or he would shave his wig and hair plugs off.
    • 24 day in August, 2021, when trump actually filed a lawsuit in Florida court against YouTube, a private company, demanding that they reinstate his YouTube channel like a desperate, irrelevant embarrassment with no platforms left to abuse.
    • 25 plus credible sexual assault allegations against trump, spanning decades and with accusers starting as young as 13 years old at time of assault.
    • massacre@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      A bit tortured to make that list in a numerical order, but upvoted for the effort. Also - recommend taking away opinions like “most respected information sources in the GOP” - stick to the facts - there are plenty of them.

      You also forgot the absolute laundry list of indictements, fraud in his Real Estate business, defrauding his own charity, rape of his ex-wife, COUNTLESS contractors and lawyers left unpaid in his wake, foreign payments while he was in office, etc…

      And you don’t even have to get into conjecture like selling state secrets, being a Russian asset, Russian mob ties, or the fact that he stinks like B.O. and soiled diapers.

    • be_excellent_to_each_other@kbin.social
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      10 months ago

      Theyve realized they are not going to escape being branded with this word and this is the start of a campaign to brand everyone who doesnt return their shopping cart to the corral as an insurrectionist to take the sting out of the word. After all who hasnt committed a little insurrection on their way home from work. You know, an oopsie daisy we all do.

      This right here is 100% exactly what is happening, folks. Don’t let it.

    • Overzeetop@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      You know what’s insurrection? Hunter Biden. Clear and in direct violation of the 14th amendment by old Sleepy Joe. Is it coincidence that Benghazi also begins with a B? I don’t think so. Case closed.

  • PugJesus@kbin.social
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    10 months ago

    Trump negotiating before the Civil War: “You can keep the slaves, okay? I say you can keep the slaves, and you know what, the Supreme Court - they say - very fine people - they say that the woke ABOLITIONIST states can’t stop you.”

  • withnail@infosec.pub
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    10 months ago

    Why do they keep talking about Nikki? The Civil War? What was that? She’s getting all the attention! So much attention. I better wade in. The civil war… what was it again? Slavery? I bet they could have negotiated to keep slavery. Don’t say that part? OK, but I can say negotiation, right?

    • nonailsleft@lemm.ee
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      10 months ago

      Hahaha you just made me realize the warmup sessions or whatever he does before the rally must have even better material

  • Art35ian@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    You dummies. You know he says this shit intentionally, yeah?

    1. He knows his fan base won’t care and probably agree. They’re locked in.
    2. He knows the media with cover his outrageous statements, so that means…
    3. He gets another front page/headline/viral bump to get another small piece of the swing voters.

    He is an absolute master PR-man, and no one has ever respected that fact to their own detriment.

    Disclaimer: I hate the dickhead.

    • wildcardology@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      Yeah, they even agreed with trump saying that he’ll be a dictator for one day. If fact they want him to be dictator forever.

  • Jaysyn@kbin.social
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    10 months ago

    Fascist says stupid fashy things, Republicans eat it up like the authoritarian trash they are.

  • beebarfbadger@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    Trump’s idea of negotiating is simply giving the more evil side whatever they demand, so yeas, I fully agree that Trump would have ended that war in the most pleasing manner. For one side. And then he’d go slave shopping.

    • nonailsleft@lemm.ee
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      10 months ago

      “And then all the historians in the room with me and the books said “Sir…”, “Sir…” they told me, “… if only you had been there, Sir. You would have negotiated and everybody would have had what they wanted and then there wouldn’t have been a civil war, Sir. There would have been slavery and there would have been freedom and Lincoln wouldn’t know what to do, Sir. If only you could have been president then and now and forever then the country would be so, so great Sir. Sire.” And then they all started clapping”