Make America Wait Again! Donald Trump’s Reddit AMA scrubbed of dissent, toddled along and wasn’t much

In the top ten during the AMA were such gems as:

• “How to make low cal donuts”
• “Mother and daughter strolling, NYC 1970”
• “I let my GF go first on hikes, she thinks that it’s so that she’s setting the pace”
• “My professor standing on a brand new floor in an art museum looks kind of like a painting”

All was not lost, however, as media information for the AMA poked its way to #15. Soak it in and pay special attention to the “mark of pride” comment.

Unless you were pro-Trump, your question wasn’t going to make it through, with a moderator writing “For this AMA we have temporarily taken extra security measures to keep our community free from troublemakers. We built the wall 10 ft taller, you might say.” Even conservative bad boy and awful Leslie Jones troll Milo Yiannopoulos posted questions that were bounced — though he was, apparently, able to get one through (see below).

The rules were equally as welcoming.

Once Trump finally got going, the anticipation was palpable. But like the last episode of Seinfeld, one was left with an empty feeling.

Sure, we could deal with balky WiFi. We could even deal with this thing running 18 minutes late. But, wow, the answers. Guess he really takes that Twitter 140-character-or-so thing to heart — short of characters and substance, though I will admit I did veer over to Trump’s site (please don’t retarget me with that) to see what he had to say on H-1B reform because it smacked of being something tangible, something I could learn a little something from. And, to his credit, he did get in an answer that was 298 characters long.

But overall? Meh.

In case you’re curious, and I’ll save you the time, here were the first eight questions he answered:

(Update: Trump did end up answering 12 questions. I honestly thought it was over after eight and the "thanks for coming, you've been a great audience" message. Unless, there is something nefarious afoot.)

Reddit:

Mr. Trump, on behalf of /r/asktrumpsupporters we would like to ask you the following questions:

Question 1: We firmly believe Hillary will try and steal this election through vote fraud, especially given recent events. What is your campaign doing to ensure that we have a fair election?

Question 2: What role should NASA play in helping to Make America Great Again?

Question 3: How do you feel about WikiLeaks? Does it change your opinion on Snowden?

Question 4: What is your opinion on Net Neutrality?

Question 5: Has your campaign ever gotten any ideas from the_donald?

Thank you for taking the time to join us today and we look forward to continuing to Make America Great Again with you.

Sincerely,

/r/asktrumpsupporters- A subreddit dedicated to explaining to non-supporters why we are Trump supporters and why they should be too.

Trump:

1 - Voter fraud is always a serious concern and authorities must be vigilant from keeping those from voting that are not authorized to do so.

2 - Honestly I think NASA is wonderful! America has always led the world in space exploration.

(Didn’t quite get to 3 through 5.)

Reddit:

Mr. Trump,

Reports estimate that 90% of US media is owned by 6 companies. The US mass media has fused into a gross alliance with big business and big government as this election has shown more than any other. The dishonest media is rigging our democracy with a radical agenda that divides Americans and causes nothing but sensationalism and hatred at the expense of the USA. They are killing our country for ratings and profit, with impunity. How will you, as president, tackle this protected class of media elites without stepping on the first amendment rights of average Americans?

Trump:

I have been very concerned about media bias and the total dishonesty of the press. I think new media is a great way to get out the truth.

(Love the depth.)

Reddit:

Mr. Trump

What is your plan for reducing or removing the influence of money on politics?

Trump:

Keeping Crooked Hillary Clinton out of the White House!

(Anything else?)

Reddit (Milo!!):

America has a proud tradition of stealing the most brilliant and talented people from countries around the world for ourselves. Albert Einstein, Wernher von Braun, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Melania Trump... the list goes on and on. In recent years, however, H-1B visa abuse has become rampant.

A program meant bring truly exceptional talent to America has been twisted by globalist politicians and corporations, allowing low-cost, short term labor to steal jobs from everyday Americans and take everything they learn back to their home countries. Will you curb H-1B abuse and make sure visas are going to people who want to become American, stay American, and make America great?

Trump:

I have put forward a detailed plan for H-1B reform to protect American workers which can viewed on the immigration paper on my website. My plan is the exact opposite of Crooked Hillary Clinton.

(You got me. I went to your site.)

Reddit:

Mr. Trump, as a self-employed young American, my health insurance costs have skyrocketed under Obamacare. Paying close to $300 a month with a $6,000 deductible is a challenge as I try and grow my business. What will you do as President to ensure that myself and others can not only enjoy the security of having health insurance, but also afford to keep it?

Trump:

One of the first things I will do is to repeal and replace disastrous Obamacare. I will put forward an amazing new plan, which will include many reforms, such as letting people buy insurance across state lines, increasing choice and competition, and bargaining for better, cheaper drug prices.

(This one is complicated. That’s for another site, not this one.)

Reddit (Avatar was a gun. USA!):

During your rapid fire Press Q&A this morning, you mentioned the hundreds of days it's been since Hillary's last press conference. What do you think is/are the reason(s) for Hillary refusing to hold any press conferences for such a huge amount of time?

Trump:

Crooked Hillary Clinton will not do press conferences because she cannot explain her illegally deleted 33,000 emails, or her disaster in Libya, or her role pushing TPP (which she would 100% approve if she got the chance), or her support for a 550% increase in Syrian refugees, etc.

(I’m curious about the “etc.”)

Reddit:

You’ve expressed your support and appreciation for police. What would say to a young college student like myself who is considering a job in law enforcement, but might have been discouraged by the recent attacks on police?

Trump:

We will always stand with and support our nation's amazing police. There is nothing more honorable then serving your community and your country as a law enforcement officer. My administration will protect those who protect us. Thank you to all the incredible police officers in our country tonight.

(Absolutely it’s honorable. But I also want to support the communities that are being served as well.)

Reddit:

Which US president do you admire the most?

Trump:

There have been many amazing Presidents in American history, including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan, all of whom I greatly admire.

(Why is that?)

There you go. It’s an hour that I’ll never forget.

Or ever get back.

In the meantime, compare this to the AMA from Obama three years ago. You’ll see a vast difference. Or, enjoy what Twitter, a place that Trump should just stick to, had to say about it.