Op-ed: Naming slights

  • By Bob Franken
  • Wednesday, August 2, 2017 10:13am
  • Opinion

Maybe Donald Trump needs help with his cognitive ability. That might explain his need to assign derogatory labels before recalling someone’s name. Perhaps that’s why he refers to “Crooked Hillary” Clinton. Otherwise, he would struggle. Same for “Little Marco” Rubio, or “Lyin’ Ted” Cruz. Given his obsession with CNN, you’d think he wouldn’t need “Fake News CNN” to jog his mind. The same goes for the “Failed New York Times,” or recently “Amazon Washington Post,” which has to do with the fact that Amazon honcho Jeff Bezos also owns the Post. That’s kind of obscure, but it would be consistent with the explanation that his synapses aren’t snapping like they used to.

Another possibility is that he’s plain old nasty, that he just needs to bully people, particularly those who might scratch his incredibly thin skin. Taunting can be fun. Come to think of it, taunting is fun, particularly for someone like our president who has such a fragile ego. That’s right, fragile ego. His bravado is transparently phony, revealing a frightened little boy in a large man’s body. How’s that for armchair psychology?

Name-calling is such a simple tactic. It’s a real shame that Trump has cornered the market. So the time has come for some blowhard blowback — time to play the same malicious game. Where do we begin? Actually, the question is, With whom do we begin? (No sentence-ending preposition for us.) It’s not an easy choice. Let’s face it, Donald Trump has brought along a cast of characters who are straight out of a freak show. And communications director Anthony Scaramucci is out before he even officially started the job, after just 10 days of demonstrating his total lack of qualifications or temperament. Maybe we can take advantage of the fact that he likes to call himself “Mooch.” From here on out, he will be “Mucho Embarrassed Scaramucci.” His profane tweet containing accusations against Reince Priebus, who had been chief of staff, charging that he leaked public documents showed that Scaramucci truly didn’t understand how Washington communicates. So “Mucho Embarrassed Scaramucci” is history.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Certainly Priebus deserves his own designation, along with his longtime associate Sean Spicer, both of whom were collateral damage after “Mucho Embarrassed Scaramucci’s” diatribe. Both had been constantly humiliated by their boss the prez. So now, as Priebus escapes, he could become “Relieved Reince,” and Spicer, who had become such a laughingstock as press secretary but now stands to make lots of money, can be designated “Raised Middle Finger Sean.” It kind of has a ring to it, doesn’t it?

Obviously Kellyanne will go down in history as “Alternative Fact Conway,” and strategic adviser Bannon could be labeled “Fascist Steve,” although if the speculation is correct and he’s soon out of a job, he might become “Banned Bannon.”

And that brings us to the main man himself: POTUS, The Trumpster. What sobriquet describes someone who is a bigot, a demagogue, misogynist, crass and impetuous? How do we capture the essence of a man who is obviously unqualified to lead this country, but does? And no, I’m not talking about Vladimir Putin, but rather Donald Trump. He has proven to be a constant source of outrage and, might I add, entertainment, if you like crude slapstick. As such, in many ways he has made the lives of us journalists easier, as long as you overlook the fact that we can never sleep easy, knowing that while we do, he might say or tweet something ridiculous and therefore newsworthy. Still, we definitely never want for something to report and analyze. That being the case, Donald Trump will hereafter be “Gift That Keeps Giving President Trump.” Or “Unreal Donald Trump.”

Let’s be completely fair and balanced about this, and include me. For those haters who are pondering what I should be called, how about “Know Nothing Bob”? Surely many will have other ideas; perhaps we’ll hear a few from “Mucho Embarrassed Scaramucci” now that he has time. Unfortunately, they’ll be unprintable.

Bob Franken is a longtime broadcast journalist, including 20 years at CNN.

More in Opinion

Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska) speaks to reporters about his decision to veto an education funding bill at the Alaska State Capitol on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: The fight for Alaska’s future begins in the classroom

The fight I’ve been leading isn’t about politics — it’s about priorities.

Dick Maitland, a foley artist, works on the 46th season of “Sesame Street” at Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York, Dec. 15, 2025. (Ariana McLaughlin/The New York Times)
Opinion: Trump’s embarrassing immaturity Republicans won’t acknowledge

Sullivan should be embarrassed by the ignorance and immaturity the president is putting on display for the world to see.

Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna, speaks in support of debating an omnibus education bill in the Alaska House Chambers on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024 in Juneau, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Capitol Corner: Choosing our priorities wisely

Rep. Justin Ruffridge reports back from Juneau.

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, speaks in support overriding Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto of House Bill 69 at the Alaska Capitol in Juneau, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini/Juneau Empire)
Capitol Corner: As session nears end, pace picks up in Juneau

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman reports back from Juneau.

Alaska Department of Education and Early Development Commissioner Deena Bishop and Gov. Mike Dunleavy discuss his veto of an education bill during a press conference March 15, 2024, at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini/Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: Strong policy, proven results

Why policy and funding go hand in hand.

Former Gov. Frank Murkowski speaks on a range of subjects during an interview with the Juneau Empire in May 2019. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Opinion: The Jones Act — crass protectionism, but for whom?

Alaska is dependent on the few U.S.-built ships carrying supplies from Washington state to Alaska.

Cook Inlet can be seen at low tide from North Kenai Beach on June 15, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Opinion: Solving the Cook Inlet gas crisis

While importing LNG is necessary in the short term, the Kenai Peninsula is in dire need of a stable long-term solution.

Sockeye salmon caught in a set gillnet are dragged up onto the beach at a test site for selective harvest setnet gear in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Capitol Corner: Creating opportunities with better fishery management

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman reports back from Juneau.

The ranked choice outcome for Alaska’s U.S. Senate race is shown during an Alaska Public Media broadcast on Nov. 24, 2022. (Alaska Division of Elections)
Opinion: Alaska should keep ranked choice voting, but let’s make it easier

RCV has given Alaskans a better way to express their preferences.

The Alaska State Capitol on March 1. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Opinion: Keep Alaska open for business

Our job as lawmakers is to ensure that laws passed at the ballot box work effectively on the ground.

Image provided by the Office of Mayor Peter Micciche.
Opinion: Taxes, adequate education funding and putting something back into your pocket

Kenai Peninsula Borough taxpayers simply can’t make a dent in the education funding deficit by themselves, nor should they be asked to do so.

Brooke Walters. (Courtesy photo)
Opinion: A student’s letter to the governor

Our education funding is falling short by exuberant amounts.