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posted by janrinok on Sunday November 20 2016, @10:27PM   Printer-friendly
from the points-to-ponder dept.

The fallout of the American Presidential election of 2016 continues, and many are concerned about what the eventual consequences will be. One potential member of a Trump administration has many more worried than not. Observe:

As Donald Trump commences his ghastly slouch toward Washington, a coterie of sycophants snatches at his coattails: Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani, Chris Christie—we knew this particular trio would scurry after heightened relevance and authority. Unsurprisingly, all three have slavered their way to the president-elect's transition team, and possibly into the Cabinet. Less expected, perhaps, was billionaire PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel's recent appointment to the same advisory committee. And yet, an alliance between Trump and Thiel, however appalling, seems so fitting that hindsight renders it almost preordained.

One wonders about the temperament of the President-Elect, but even more about the basket of, um, unemployed, that swarm around him seeking positions in the new administration. Peter Thiel is well know for having bankrupted Gawker over the Hulk Hogan affair, but for personal reasons.

But Thiel did not bankroll Hogan's lawsuit in a show of fraternity. He had nurtured a grudge since December 2007, when Gawker published an article entitled, "Peter Thiel is totally gay, people." Thiel condemned Gawker for publicly outing him, though the site contended that he had already disclosed his sexuality to those in his social sphere. Although Thiel referred to Gawker as "a singularly terrible bully," he did not pursue legal action. Instead, his rancor smoldered until, nine years later, he landed a belated—but fatal—blow.

What might such vindictiveness accomplish with more than millions of dollars, but the full faith and credit of the United States, if it sought to silence criticism, whistle-blowing, truth-telling and journalism? Should Soylentils be worried?


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  • (Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 21 2016, @01:07AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 21 2016, @01:07AM (#430254)

    "ghastly slouch" "coterie of sycophants" "scurry after" "slavered their way" "appalling" "basket of, um, unemployed" "vindictiveness"

    If anyone had written about Gawker as "ludicrous fishwrap" that "profited of humanity's basest urges" and "fed on misery" like some kind of "voyeuristic vultures" and how "victims of journalistic misconduct" such as Peter Thiel were being given a seat at the table by an "anti-establishment titan" such as Donald Trump, the aggressive PC coalition would have been tripping over their own feet in their breathless rush to condemn them - and in fact, when Gawker was described in more or less such terms, the outrage party swung into full effect, amplified by their cheerleaders in the media who could imagine no downside to Gawker being unleashed without so much as an ombudsman to suggest that they cool their jets.

    Yeah, nice troll, try again.

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