Trump Wasn't Mocking Paul Ryan In West Allis. He Was Just Playing The Saps Again

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After Donald Trump's visit to West Allis, Wisconsin, there was some banter around the Web about Trump's somewhat bizarre comments made towards Rep. Paul Ryan. Some folks think Trump was trying to publicly humiliate or dominate Ryan by purposely making over him. I can understand why some may think that, but I don't believe it.

For one, Trump knows the numbers. He knows that after a year of bluster and threats by Wisconsin's so-called "alt-right" to primary Paul Ryan, the best they could muster against him was a paltry 15% in the August 9th primary. They needed 51%. He also knew that at least half of the crowd booing Ryan in West Allis were members of that same 15% Ryan had easily defeated.

When Trump visited Ryan's hometown Janesville in March and mentioned Paul Ryan's name, the crowd booed just as strongly as they did in West Allis. Appearing confounded by the Janesville crowd's reaction and thinking they were democrats, Trump had to ask them if they are republicans and/or conservatives.

Even back then, despite the contentious differences manufactured by Trump and Ryan for public display and their respective supporters consumption, Trump said Ryan was a "good man." It's essentially the same thing he said, but more glowingly in West Allis. Little has changed.

Now if you watch the West Allis video closely, milliseconds after Trump told Ryan, "We're going to work on the wall, Paul," Trump gave an uneasy one-sided crooked smirk meant only for Paul Ryan to see.

Trump could just as equally have said, "We're gonna lock her up, Paul" or "We're gonna drain the swamp, Paul." Trump's "wall" remark to Ryan was mocking appeasement meant for the audience chanting any one or all of those ridiculous reasons why they voted for him.

Besides signaling to Paul Ryan that's he's got his back on this, Trump's crooked smile was the split second it took him to slam the brakes on going into a full-throated parody mocking his blusterous red-neck audience - as he sees them. Trump had to stop himself from doing what he loves to do: Insulting and mocking those he perceives as saps. It was that close.

You know this is true. Sure, Trump and Ryan might be playing a game of political cat and mouse with each other, that's only natural. But I see two people with a strong and genuine admiration for each other from the very beginning. Trump wasn't trying to humiliate Paul Ryan by likening him to "fine wine" or calling him a genius. He. meant. every. word. of. it.

Trump was merely playing all the voters who believe him and came out to see him. "I'm with them, Paul. We're going to build the wall." LOL, the saps! *wink-wink*

Watch it again: