Don't Talk Politics with Strangers

I went to the gym days ago and walked around the track to warm up. To be clear, I hired a personal trainer in the past who stressed that stretching my arms, shoulders, hips, and legs would provide more benefits after the workout. Her idea was that a one-mile walk around the track would give me enough opportunity to begin my workout. Once done, I could spend fifteen minutes stretching before completing my workout.

After walking my mile with moderate breathing and feeling somewhat limber, I went to the elliptical for aerobic work. As I built my momentum, I saw a familiar stranger watching Fox News on a machine near me. Because he's a little familiar to me but still a stranger, I've seen him in the past on exercise machines watching Fox News. For whatever reason, I mustered up the courage and had a strong urge to take his pulse on the new administration.

Years ago, my mom recommended that I never talk about politics or religion with strangers. Still, due to the tumultuous times in DC and the potential reversal of our opinion internationally, I ignored that lesson – I was interested in his perspective. What attracted him to Fox News? If he reads online, what does he gravitate towards? However, I knew if someone watched this type of news while working out, they may have some intransient views that I'd have to inquire about and then maybe ultimately accept.

I asked him his name, and he said, "You can call me Ray." I then inquired about how his workout and he said, "OK." He appeared to be more interested in the news coverage from Murdock's network than hearing a different perspective. I realized I had a very tall mountain to climb, but I continued to pursue it.

"What were they saying about today's news?" I asked.

He said, "President Trump is very interested in electric cars. Look at all the fancy Teslas displayed in front of the White House."

I suggested that Trump had railed against electric vehicles in the past. He hated that technology (maybe preaching to his base), and as President, he doesn't think any government subsidies should be given to electric car manufacturers (Before Musk created DOGE).

Ray said, "President Trump never hated electric vehicles – he just wasn't familiar with the technology, and being close to 80, it wasn't ever part of his generation."

I mentioned to him that our President said dozens of times that he hated electric cars. I suggested that he may have been against electric vehicles because they were primarily loved by liberals and loathed by his supporters. This isn't about improving technology to help with climate change but appears to be retribution for how he's been treated by his adversaries.

Ray said nothing. But then mumbled, "I hate liberals."

I asked him about Trump's speech to Congress several weeks ago. During the speech, he said that he alone would grow the auto industry like nobody's ever seen it. I asked, "Do you believe that will happen?"

He nodded in the affirmative as though everyone should know Trump was a miracle businessman.

I said sarcastically, "Of course, someone with a lot of money must be a successful businessperson." Perhaps he's never heard of Trump's seven bankruptcies over the years. Or he may not care. He also didn't consider that Trump's father financially helped him out in business. Trump claims his father gave him a small loan of $1 million to start in real estate, but according to the New York Times, Fred Trump lent him over $60 million ($140 million in today's dollars) – much of this amount was never repaid.

I began to peddle slowly, trying to digest what I just heard about growing the auto industry. I asked, "Will he grow the auto industry better than Henry Ford?"

His response: "Why not? I know he will create an economy where automobile plants in America will open up everywhere." He suggested that if Trump said this, it would happen."

I pivoted to another topic, knowing Ray appeared unaware of Trump's failures as a businessman. Regarding geopolitical issues, Trump said in that speech to Congress, "We've had serious discussions with Russia and have received strong signals that they are ready for peace. Wouldn't that be beautiful?"

My Fox Viewer shook his head and said, "I'm sick of Ukraine; all they do is ask for money. Europe has hardly contributed, and we're suckers because we're the ones giving most of the money."  And besides, "Ukraine started the war, so they shouldn't have any say in how it's resolved."

I said, "This is complicated, USA has contributed about $150 billion (and not $350 billion which Trump has incorrectly repeated) while Europe has contributed around $140-145 billion in aid." I emphasized that just because false information is repeated regularly, doesn't make it a fact.

As I continued to focus on my breathing, my initial thought wasn't to argue with someone so brainwashed. He couldn't be convinced, so I took another angle. I asked, "What strong signals did Russia provide that they are ready for peace? And why would our commander in chief in this speech use an adjective such as "beautiful" when describing that Russia is ready for peace?" I thought maybe Trump's vocabulary was shrinking.

I continued, "Are you at all familiar with Russia's history? Are you familiar with the fact that Putin was part of the KGB at one point, working on behalf of Russia in the former East Germany? Have you ever seen Putin smile? A rational person might be suspect to an individual who never smiles."

I couldn't contain myself and said, "Russia and peace should never be in the same sentence. Didn't Trump repeatedly say he would end the Ukrainian war in one day?" I think quietly that this administration is too busy trying to dismantle the government and certain civil rights to have the capacity to end the war in one day. 

He seemed to indicate that the corporate American media supports and promotes anti-Russian propaganda. He countered, "Russia isn't the bad guy, especially if Trump says he gets along with Putin."

I pressed him on the anti-Russian theme, saying, "Does it make a difference to you that most American historians and those in geopolitical academia think that Putin and his direct reports do not support freedom for their people? Have you ever contemplated that?"

Ray started mumbling, but it appears he said, "According to what I've heard on Sinclair Broadcasting and Fox News, those media folks think that these historians are the anti-Christ."

"What proof do they have to support their opinion?" I ask.

Cricks came from that individual on that adjacent elliptical machine.

He also thinks the first month of the Trump presidency is the most successful in our nation's history.

I said, "It's good that Trump never exaggerates or over-inflates things. Otherwise, this country would be in a world of hurt." I don't think he picked up on my sarcasm.

Towards the end of this conversation, I heard Trump say during the speech, "We will never let anything happen to our beloved country." I wondered then why it appears he's targeting people who attempted to prosecute him during the last few years. And why does it seem that he's going after people who didn't vote for him, those with a different skin color, or don't agree with him? I believe this is called retribution. And isn't it ironic that Republicans preach "law and order" but early on his administration pardons those who illegally entered the capital on January 6.

My mom would scold me if she heard me say, "Authoritarians strongly dislike education. An ignorant public is like a fox to a hen-house.  There's a reason it's called Fox News."

In my short meeting with Ray, it appears he's indoctrinated with the Fox News propaganda, thinking that Trump is trying to "Make America Great Again" for all Americans.

I shook my head in bewilderment as I clumsily climbed off the treadmill. I was so surprised at the tenor of the conversation that I forgot to engage my Apple Watch during the workout. 

I asked why Trump often uses vague terms. For example, "They will pay a lot of money," "Many of them are murderers or gang members," or "We will build many, many power plants now."

I inquired, "Why isn't he more specific and exact with his statements? Why doesn't he articulate his specific plans on a given topic?" No reply.

One last thing: I recently read that several linguists evaluated Trump's vocabulary between 2016 and 2024/25, and it has significantly decreased (about 40%) in the last eight years or so. Has he stopped reading books on social events, biographies, history, and politics, causing his vocabulary to dip (like the stock market)? "Could he indeed be suffering from dementia?"

I emphasized that kings are also mortal and age like the rest of us. A castle may stand for hundreds of years, but the king is only a resident for a finite time.

He shot a mean stare as I walked away from my machine. As I showered, changed, and climbed into my car, I realized there was a reason my mother recommended that I never discuss politics with anyone. She'd be disappointed in me if she were still around to see my interaction with Ray. Next time I will remember -- Don't Talk Politics with Strangers. Regardless, I couldn't help but engage with a familiar stranger who frequently watches Fox News while on exercise machines.