This has been crystallizing in my mind without my realizing it. And when I went back to Donald Trump’s Twitter feed it was more true than I realized. Trump doesn’t just tweet. He’s developed a sort of twitter-based, 140 character, insult haiku literary form. Not every one of his tweets follows the exact metrical progression. But most of them do. And those that don’t appear to be permutations or attempts at the model.
The metrical pattern is deceptively simple: Single clause declarative sentence, single clause declarative sentence, primary adjective/term of derision.
A few examples.
Ted Cruz does not have the right “temperment” to be President. Look at the way he totally panicked in firing his director of comm. BAD!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 23, 2016
Have a good chance to win Texas on Tuesday. Cruz is a nasty guy, not one Senate endorsement and, despite talk, gets nothing done. Loser!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 26, 2016
Ted Cruz should be disqualified from his fraudulent win in Iowa. Weak RNC and Republican leadership probably won’t let this happen! Sad.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 22, 2016
The failing @WSJ Wall Street Journal should fire both its pollster and its Editorial Board. Seldom has a paper been so wrong.Totally biased!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 21, 2016
Remember @JebBush wants COMMON CORE (education from D.C.) and is very weak on ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION (“come as act of love”). Not a leader!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2016
Everybody is laughing at Jeb Bush-spent $100 million and is at bottom of pack. A pathetic figure!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2016
I only wish my wonderful father, Fred, gave me $200 million to start my business like lightweight Rubio says. He didn’t – total fabrication!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 27, 2016
There are no buyers for the worthless @NYDailyNews but little Mort Zuckerman is frantically looking. It is bleeding red ink – a total loser!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2016
Lightweight Senator Marco Rubio is polling very poorly in Florida. The people can’t stand him for missing so many votes – poor work ethic!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 28, 2016
This one is a bit awkward in its wording. But same structure …
Ted Cruz didn’t win Iowa, he stole it. That is why all of the polls were so wrong and why he got far more votes than anticipated. Bad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 3, 2016
In other cases, the third section/stanza is replaced by a verb which is a call to action or threat. But the cadence remains the same.
Make sure you get on the Trump line and are not mislead by the Cruz people. They are bad! BE CAREFUL.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 24, 2016
Remember that Marco Rubio is very weak on illegal immigration. South Carolina needs strength as illegals and Syrians pour in. Don’t allow it
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 20, 2016
.@MarkHalperin showed a focus group on @Morning_Joe me using a very bad word. I never said the word, left an open blank. Please apologize!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2016
The Republican Establishment has been pushing for lightweight Senator Marco Rubio to say anything to “hit” Trump.I signed the pledge-careful
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 28, 2016
Make sure you get on the Trump line and are not mislead by the Cruz people. They are bad! BE CAREFUL.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 24, 2016
In still other cases, the structure is different. Yet the same triple cadence is unmistakable.
Lightweight Marco Rubio was working hard last night. The problem is, he is a choker, and once a choker, always a choker! Mr. Meltdown.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 26, 2016
Mitt Romney, who was one of the dumbest and worst candidates in the history of Republican politics, is now pushing me on tax returns. Dope!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2016
Have a good chance to win Texas on Tuesday. Cruz is a nasty guy, not one Senate endorsement and, despite talk, gets nothing done. Loser!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 26, 2016
Jeb Bush just got contact lenses and got rid of the glasses. He wants to look cool, but it’s far too late. 1% in Nevada!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2016
Jeb Bush spent more than $40,000,000 in New Hampshire to come in 4 or 5, I spent $3,000,000 to come in 1st. Big difference in capability!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 11, 2016
I am looking for an English professor or perhaps a linguist who can perform a more expert analysis on this.
