Commander in Cheat: When Golf (or Sports) and Despotism Go Hand in Hand

Trump's rhetoric draws alarming comparisons to autocratic leaders and dictators.

We've seen odd behaviors from such types. And remember, how much Trump cozies up to these types (Putin, Kim Jong Il, Xi, etc.), and not out of any political cleverness, but merely for a desire to be one of them. 

We’ve seen odd behaviors from autocratic despots and dictators throughout history—leaders who manipulate, exaggerate, and bend the truth to maintain control. What’s striking is that Trump doesn’t simply align with these figures for political gain or out of strategic acumen; he cozies up to them because he admires their style of leadership. 

Trump's relationship with figures like Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un, and other strongmen isn’t based on common ideological ground but on a shared desire for unchecked power. Trump's attraction to these leaders goes beyond diplomatic interests—it’s rooted in his own yearning to emulate their ability to dominate, control, and defy established norms. Instead of challenging their methods, he seeks to be one of them, reflecting an authoritarian impulse more than a pursuit of democratic principles.

Kim Jong-Il was a dictator who went to great links

Then the day Kim Jong IL became the world's best golfer. Kind of laughable, right? WE don't do that kind of thing...right?

I mean, who DOES that? OK sure, North Korea? But who else? Sure, it's just NK lies & Nonsense...but ON our American Despotic front?

"Donald Trump admits it was 'probably' his last golf tournament." OK, he's old, so hanging up his (faux) Pro-clubs in "playing" in golf "championships". One's he sponsors, so one HE "Wins".

Although this championship "win" wasn't THAT surprising. After all, Trump has claimed "Victories" at this event for the past several years.

Donald Trump likened to Kim Jong Un by tennis legend over outlandish golf claim" Irish Star - and this from a country known for tall tales.

"The U.S. President appears to have developed a knack for over-exaggerating his success on the greens and has recently come under fire for something he claimed to have achieved in 2022." Overexaggerating? These are outright lies anyone who has ever played with him knows about. Though his supporters and Republicans do lie about it: "Another user backed the cheating claims, tweeted: 'Trump has been known to pick up the ball and put it in the cup so…��‍♀️' "

In fact, Trump's fantastically claimed "Wins" are notorious throughout the golf world. This type of lying behavior by a despot is often referred to as "megalomaniacal propaganda" or "cult of personality fabrication.

Jimmy Kimmel Remixes North Korean State Media to Mock Trump’s Golf Tournament Claims | Video

Martina Navratilova criticizes Donald Trump with Kim Jong Un comparison over US President's old golf claim.

Multiple individuals who have played golf with former President Donald Trump have publicly claimed that he engages in cheating during rounds. Notable accounts include:

• Rick Reilly, a sportswriter who has played with Trump, authored the book Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump, detailing various alleged cheating tactics. Reilly claims Trump uses a "turbo-charged golf cart" to get ahead of his competition, allowing him to move balls before others catch up.

  People.com

• Suzann Pettersen, a professional golfer with 15 LPGA Tour wins, stated in a 2018 interview that Trump "cheats like hell" on the golf course.

  The Guardian

• Mike Tirico, a sportscaster, recounted an incident where he hit a near-perfect shot, only to find his ball mysteriously in a sand trap later. He was later informed that Trump had thrown his ball into the bunker.

  GolfDigest.com

These accounts provide firsthand perspectives on Trump's alleged behavior on the golf course.

This type of lying behavior by a despot is often referred to as "megalomaniacal propaganda" or "cult of personality fabrication." More specifically, it can fall under several psychological and political concepts, such as:

1. Pathological Lying (Pseudologia Fantastica) – Habitual or grandiose falsehoods intended to create an exaggerated image of greatness.
2. Mythmaking Propaganda – Creating absurd or superhuman myths to reinforce the ruler's divine or infallible status.
3. Authoritarian Gaslighting – Manipulating public perception to make people question reality and accept the leader’s version of events.
4. Omnipotence Illusion – Presenting the leader as all-powerful and superhuman to discourage dissent and solidify loyalty.

Kim Jong-il (not Kim Jong-un) was famously reported to have shot 38 under par, including 11 hole-in-ones, during his first-ever golf game, a claim that fits within these categories of despotic deception.

Accusations of despotism against former U.S. President Donald Trump stem from several actions and statements perceived as authoritarian:

1. Expansion of Executive Power: In February 2025, Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport 261 alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador, despite a federal judge's order to halt such deportations. This unprecedented use of a wartime law during peacetime was viewed by legal experts as an illegal misuse of power and a direct threat to the rule of law.

   The Australian

2. Defiance of Judicial Authority: Trump's administration proceeded with deportations even after court orders blocked such actions, challenging the judiciary's role as a check on executive power. Critics argue this defiance undermines constitutional checks and balances, posing risks to American democracy.

   Times Union

3. Rhetoric Suggesting Authoritarian Intentions: During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump remarked he would act as a dictator only on "day one" to implement specific policies, such as closing the border. While some dismissed this as rhetoric, others viewed it as an indication of authoritarian ambitions.

   Wikipedia

4. Dehumanizing Language and Threats of Violence: Trump's campaign employed increasingly dehumanizing and violent rhetoric against political adversaries and immigrants. Historians and scholars have described this language as populist, authoritarian, and fascist, raising concerns about its implications for democratic norms.

   Wikipedia

5. Challenges to Constitutional Checks and Balances: Trump's actions, such as defying court orders and expanding executive authority, have been characterized as a "bald power grab," leading to fears that the U.S. could be on a path toward dictatorship. Legal experts warn that unchecked executive authority undermines the foundational principles of American democracy.

   The Guardian

These actions and statements have contributed to perceptions of Trump as exhibiting despotic tendencies, prompting debates about the resilience of democratic institutions in the United States.

Trump’s alleged golf cheating fits a broader pattern seen in authoritarian leaders who fabricate personal greatness to reinforce their image. Just as despots throughout history have exaggerated their achievements—like Kim Jong Il claiming to shoot 38 under par—Trump has been accused by sportswriters, professional golfers, and playing partners of bending the rules to maintain a myth of dominance. 

Rick Reilly’s Commander in Cheat details how Trump manipulates the game, while LPGA pro Suzann Pettersen and sportscaster Mike Tirico recount firsthand instances of him moving balls and falsifying scores. These behaviors reflect a deeper authoritarian tendency: the need to control narratives, even in trivial matters, to project infallibility and superiority.

One last thing...

We have an entire cohort of co called "conservatives" who for decades have believed themselves to be that, while the party which serves that group have moved consistently into the extreme and the Fascist.

A statement that is largely accurate when looking at the political trajectory of the Republican Party in the U.S. over the past few decades. Many self-identified conservatives still see themselves as supporting traditional conservative values—such as limited government, free markets, and individual freedoms—while the party itself has increasingly embraced far-right populism, authoritarian tendencies, and nationalist rhetoric.

This shift has been noted by historians and political analysts, who highlight that the Republican Party has moved away from traditional conservatism (e.g., as represented by figures like Dwight Eisenhower or even Ronald Reagan) and toward more extreme positions. The embrace of Trumpism, conspiracy theories, election denialism, and policies that undermine democratic norms has led some former conservatives to break away, while others remain within the party, either unaware of or unwilling to acknowledge its transformation.

This kind of deception isn’t just about golf—it’s a hallmark of despots who manufacture their own greatness to maintain power and admiration. From claiming impossible athletic feats to rewriting history, authoritarian leaders rely on lies to craft an image of superiority. Whether on the fairway or the political stage, the need to cheat to win reveals not strength, but insecurity—the defining flaw of every despot.

Compiled with aid of ChatGPT

Disinformation, or what we now call, Social Media

First, I'd like to share this. Marc Maron's WTF podcast opening commentary on the Right's "Wokeism" oft disingenuous rants, in dissecting & explaining the reality of it all, is one of the best I've heard: Episode 1590 - Jessica Lange

Moving quickly on...(but seriously, if you've ever had trouble countering the Right about "Wokeism", because some "Woke" types are a bit extreme, this is a good listen)...

Yuri Andropov, former Soviet KGB chief and later General Secretary of the Communist Party, is often associated with the concept of disinformation ("дезинформация", pronounced dezinformatsiya).

Yuri Andropov

He reflected on his view on disinformation (and propaganda) when he reportedly said:

"You can take some of it once in a while, but if you get too much of it too often, it becomes addictive."

He was talking about how social media works, without even knowing it, back in the late 1970s/early 80s. But not just about those who are fed disinfo, but also those who utilized it for political, or other purposes.

The concern Andropov had regarding those using disinformation can be broken down into a few key points:

1. Loss of Credibility

Andropov, despite his reliance on disinformation, likely understood that excessive use could erode the credibility of the government or institution employing it. If people became aware of the manipulation or falsehoods being spread, it could backfire, leading to mistrust and skepticism, both within the targeted population and internationally. This could damage the credibility of Soviet leaders and the KGB, making it harder to maintain control over the narrative.

2. Backlash and Unintended Consequences

Another concern Andropov might have had was the potential for disinformation to spiral out of control. Once false information spreads, it can be difficult to manage or retract. As disinformation takes root, it can grow and take on a life of its own, leading to unintended consequences. People might start believing and spreading the misinformation further, and the truth might be obscured to the point where it’s challenging to regain control over the situation. This "addiction" to disinformation could create a cycle that was difficult to break.

3. Overuse Leading to Predictability

The repeated use of disinformation as a tactic could make it predictable and less effective over time. If a government or organization becomes known for spreading false information, its efforts could lose their impact. People might become more adept at recognizing and questioning the information they receive, reducing the effectiveness of the campaigns. The very tool that had been so effective in the past could lose its potency if it were relied on too heavily or overused.

4. Psychological and Societal Impact

On a broader level, Andropov might have been concerned with the long-term psychological effects of disinformation. He likely recognized that constant exposure to falsehoods could distort reality and manipulate societies in ways that might lead to confusion, polarization, and instability. If a population becomes addicted to a false narrative, it might lose its ability to discern fact from fiction, weakening its resilience and ability to make informed decisions.

5. Internal Control Issues

For Andropov and the Soviet leadership, internal control was paramount. Disinformation campaigns often had to be tightly managed to ensure they didn’t spiral beyond the control of the government. If they became too pervasive or uncontrollable, it could destabilize the very political system they sought to protect. The addictive nature of disinformation could cause divisions and fragmentation within the leadership and government apparatus itself, leading to power struggles or challenges to authority.

Conclusion

In essence, while Andropov and the Soviet Union’s leadership saw disinformation as a powerful tool for manipulating perceptions and achieving strategic goals, they also recognized the dangers of overuse. Excessive reliance on disinformation could undermine trust, create instability, and eventually erode the very control they sought to maintain.

Interesting times...

Finally, let me drop this on you.

Kleptocracy update... Scoop: Elon Musk joined Trump's call with Zelensky

Scoop:

Elon Musk joined Trump's call with Zelensky

Actually? This is not good.

Scoop: Elon Musk joined Trump's call with Zelensky

And gonna do more like that with others.

We have two emotionally immature financial & political leaders who think they know how to run things.

This isn't going to end well.

We've been edging toward kleptocracy.

That wasn't my intention, though.

I hadn't expected we'd just go all-in on it.

Compiled with the aid of ChatGPT

Our State of the State: Faith, Hope and Charity

There are those even in our own government now, who wish us to be ignorant, misled and misinformed for their own benefit. We need to stop and create an environment that is toxic to those types and to those types of behavior,

I read a great book that expanded my mind when it came out. "A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous Fourteenth Century" in 1978, by the brilliant and persevering, Barbara W. Tuchman. A seminal book on how to write a history book and not just copy from previous history books. She also wrote before that, "The Guns of August" in 1962. Not the main consideration of that book was, in fighting one war, both sides believing absolutely that the knew what the other side was willing to do and capable of. But it was only after the fact, when it was all over, they all realized that they were basing their analysis on a previous world war.

We are in that place today. And most of us do not know it.

We have people attacking other people with new technologies while fully incapable of understanding how it all works, just knowing it will work. Not understanding the social dynamics, the meta and cyber dynamics, the historical dynamics. The other side (US basically), then needs then to try to understand it all, why they did it, what they did, how they did it and what the foundation was for it to be functional, as well as all of what it entailed, and why.

The problem there is just that. They didn't much need to understand it all in order to attack. But we, or whomever the attacked party is, who they may be, or will be... has to. They have to understand it all in order to properly counter it in the correct way. Other than through war, or ignorant other responses. And that is how our leaders are addressing all this. Through ignorance. Both in attack and in response.

We live in interesting times. Too interesting. Far, too interesting.

Hope

Russia attacked America through cyber activities in our 2016 election and before, and after. They are gearing up to alter our 2020 election. We need to more fully understand their actions and our assimilations and therefore our misdirected activities. Russia acted on something they thought would work, and it worked far better than they ever expected or projected. They do not understand fully well what happened either, but we have to. Far more then they do. Because to affect something is easier and requires less information and understanding than actually understanding that affect in practice in order to protect oneself. It is far easier to appear greater than, in destruction, than it does to appear great than in construction.

Faith

Repeating a lie will not fundamentally alter the truth, or change the reality that the lie was and remains, a lie. But it can and will alter people's beliefs, even when it goes against their beliefs. This can be countered by deepening one's ability at thinking, centering oneself in reality and facts, and being aware of one's world and environment, as well as utilizing compassion.

Charity

Regardless what our beliefs are, if we adhere to fundamentals in dealing with other human beings, and lifeforms, and our environment, all with due care and respect, even toward our enemies, much of our disrepair and responsibility in our mistakes when later realized, will be greatly softened by the fact that we were acting all along as decent beings, regardless our mistaken beliefs. Also, we may find along the way in acting on mistaken beliefs in such a way, that those beliefs are indeed mistaken. W|e will at least have the potential to find in the moment, that we are headed in an incorrect direction. We will increase our potential for becoming correct amidst our incorrect actions.

American Zeitgeist and White House Lies

I'm feeling emotionally shaken inside right now. No, not about a movie. But kind of.

I was watching the director's cut on Netflix of Fair Game about when the Bush white house outed a CIA officer, Valerie Plame and tried to destroy her husband Joe Wilson. Because Joe spoke the truth and they wanted to destroy him, through attack his wife. A CIA officer of distinction. They slandered them both. This is well-documented int heir books, both of which I recommend reading. Note that it was a Republican administration who did this.

Valerie Plame and husband, Joe Wilson

I've seen this film three times now. I've read both their books long ago. I have for decades had an understanding of the processes and history of covert ops related to American, British, Russian and world history as well as related to this particular and disgusting situation.

There is a scene where Joe and Valerie are arguing and she wants him to stop because he's considering going up against the White House. Because it is the right thing to do.

Played by actors Naomi Watts and Sean Penn

In the heat of their argument, he asks her if he shouts louder than her, does that make him right? If the White House shouts a million times louder than him, does that make them right?

Then he says the words that shook me...

"They lied, Valerie. They lied!"

The White House ... lied. Once. One lie. Many small lies really that led to one big one...the Iraq War. And 100,000s of dead. A region destabilized. And many more bad decisions in the aftermath all because... no one planned for what to do once Iraq was defeated.

It was a war where the George W. Bush White House forced our intelligence community into finding intel that would support exactly what they wanted to do. Intel, that simply didn't exist. Some of that intel that Joe Wilson tried to tell the administration and the country, simply did not exist.

Some in our intelligence community also refused and were replaced with those who wouldn't.

Until they found someone in the Middle East who would supply the lies needed to give the White House, exactly what they wanted. That, along with other disinformation and...

It was all a lie. A very big lie.

And yet, I compare that lie and those times to today with a Donald J Trump administration and a collusive GOP. A Republican party and theirs in Congress who have turned too often, a blind eye toward what a president has done, is doing and plans to continue doing.

And so I feel now that that lie, those lies, during the Bush administration were somehow... quaint.

Almost refreshing in their level of at least attempting to appear "honest".

And it was that, which shook me to my very core.

American Belief of Equality

There is a belief in this country that we are all equal.

We are not.

Under the Constitution we are of course considered equals and that is the spirit of it and our national character. Or is it?

Originally that was not the case as landowners or those with a certain amount of land only, were allowed to vote.

Baby steps. Over time we added in more more equalities.

Until today, when we have the mistaken belief we are all now equal.

We are not.

We are treated as if we are equal in some outward appearing situations. And we should be. But we should in many cases be more equal than we are.

A white and black man are charged separately in different unrelated locations and situations. The white man gets let off or receives a few months incarceration while the black man gets months or years.

A rich man and a poor man are charged separately in different unrelated locations and situations. The rich man walks, the poor man goes to prison for life, or gets death (seriously, avoid Texas with seven executions so far this year).

It is not the system per se, it is the situation. A rich man can afford better legal defense. A white man appears to be less of a threat. Just as a rich black man appears less of a threat, or a poor white man. Which considering Trump supporters of late, could change that mindset entirely. Not to mention how many white male Christians have been involved in domestic terrorism over that of Muslims, blacks or even the poor in general.

Hidden if not blatant cognitive dissonance in either the Judge, Jury, or the Law itself?

It's wrong. Yet, it happens.

That is not where it is imminently necessary that we should  be equals, however.

It is in education or lack thereof and what you do with it. It is in power or lack thereof and what you do with it. Because if we are equal in those two things, all the others fall eventually into place.

An ignorant man wants to feel equal, powerful, and so takes only a little incorrect information from the media, from like people on social media. He will run with it, further spreading incorrect information so others believe and support it. Slander or not, it leaves him thinking how great he is, over that of others who disagree with him.

Under conservative labels if business people are "job creators", a frequent misnomer, then the people they slander are "doers", those who do for us in government. When criticism is accurate it is useful. When it is not, it adds to the burden of those who "do", and who achieve...for us all.

For those who truly are a problem in government or the media, who want to retain and gain more power, more influence, and in so doing knowingly and sometimes even unknowingly, spread more incorrect information to the media, to social media. All in order to, and which affects constituents or potential constituents, to further spread and support disingenuous information in order to stay in public office. Or those in the media may want to spin, even to lie in order to hold onto a position in the media, or to gain a foothold to a higher situation.

It's always about more with these people. When you have a billion dollars or half a billion, or a quarter of a billion, DO you really need more?

These are the kinds of things we've traditionally seen in televangelists. A mindset that has seeped into culture, our government officials.

These people, the citizens spreading lies and spin, the government official doing the same, the media pundit or mogul who works so hard to convey unreality upon what should be an unsuspecting public, to  many of whom should know better, these are the people who are unequal and should remain so.

They are not equal to those of us who are not lazy in mind and action, in our research and speech. Who are not ignorant of how to find correct and valid information. Who educate themselves through public or private institutions. Who self-learn and choose good, not poor information to share, and share it.

And so no, we are not all equal. Some of us may well never be equal. But against their best (or worst) intentions, many of us are going to be. Regardless what underhanded tactic they use against us all.

I do wholeheartedly look forward to the day when we are all playing at least, if not with the same toys, within the same playground.

I'll just leave you with this quote from George Orwell's book, 1984:

And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed – if all records told the same tale – then the lie passed into history and became truth. "Who controls the past," ran the Party slogan, "controls the future: who controls the present controls the past." And yet the past, though of its nature alterable, never had been altered. Whatever was true now was true from everlasting to everlasting. It was quite simple. All that was needed was an unending series of victories over your own memory. "Reality control," they called it: in Newspeak, "doublethink." (1.3.18)