That moment the most loyal Trump fans have feared and prayed against may have come this week in Florida. Is Trump just play-acting a role?
The idiomatic phrase “the worm has turned”, derived from an old proverb, has been in English language usage for more than 450 years, since 1546. Shakespeare included it in his history play “Henry the Vi, Part III” (1593), poet Robert Browning in “Mr. Sludge the ‘Medium’ (1864) and novelist Agatha Christie’s in her work “The Mirror Crack’d” (1962).
From Wikipedia:
Even a worm will turn is an expression used to convey the message that even the meekest or most docile of creatures will retaliate or get revenge if pushed too far. The phrase was first recorded in a 1546 collection of proverbs by John Heywood, in the form “Treade a worme on the tayle, and it must turne agayne.” It was used in William Shakespeare’s play Henry VI, Part 3. In the play, the phrase is uttered by Lord Clifford, killer of Rutland as, “To whom do lions cast their gentle looks? Not to the beast that would usurp their den. The smallest worm will turn being trodden on, And doves will peck in safeguard of their brood.”
The phrase broadly means even the humblest creature (or person) will resent being badly treated and eventually revolt. See the longer explanation from the Word Detective column of March 23, 2005 by Evan Morris:
Dear Word Detective: What is the origin of the saying “the worm has turned”? I’ve heard it all my life here in the South to indicate that something has done a complete turnabout or that the “shoe is now on the other foot,” but can’t figure out what a worm has to do with all that. — Susan Layton.
Big worms, little worms, fat worms, skinny worms, I’m gonna go … turn worms? Doesn’t really work. I’ll tell you one thing, though. Worms get no respect, even though they (I’m talking earthworms here) do all sorts of wonderful things to the soil with their little tunnels and excretions and stuff. Why, if it weren’t for worms, the grass wouldn’t grow, and I wouldn’t get to spend six hours per week mowing it every summer. Hmm. Anyway, all I know is that I feel lucky to live in rural Ohio, where you can actually buy live worms from vending machines in case you run short of pets.
But while the lowly worm definitely gets no respect, even the lowliest critter has its limits, which brings us to the saying that’s been puzzling you all these years. It comes from a very old proverb, “Tread on a worm and it will turn,” meaning that even the humblest creature (or person) will resent being badly treated and eventually revolt. The first written form of this adage yet found comes from 1546, and Shakespeare invoked it in his 1593 Henry VI, part II: “The smallest Worme will turne, being troden on.” The poet Robert Browning gave the sentiment a bit more pathos in his dramatic monologue “Mr. Sludge the ‘Medium'” in 1864: “Tread on a worm, it turns, sir! If I turn, Your fault!”
Just what a worm can hope to accomplish by turning on its tormentor is a bit unclear, but in this case it really is the thought that counts. Extended to human beings, “the worm will turn” speaks of the indomitable human resistance to tyranny, and “the worm has turned” warns of chickens coming home to roost. Many CEOs in the past few years have wished they had treated their subordinates better as little worms with long memories (and usually reams of documents) turn on them in front of juries or congressional committees.
There is a second sense in which the phrase can be used, the actual physical change of direction of a worm’s movement. See the illustration below.
This video is from the New York Times and James Gorman (2015) about a Salk Institute study of the precision effect of ultrasound and bubbles on neurons:
Thus, the phrase “worm turn” can apply both to a reaction from Trump’s followers who have been deceived, and to the suddenness of Trump’s own reversal of promises to them. A linguistic twofer.
What Did Trump Do Now?
There has been a high -level spring meeting of the Princes of the national Republican Party (RNC) in Florida this week. The three Republican presidential candidates came to pay court to them. Well, anyway, two of the candidates showed up in person. Donald the Usurper was two busy jetting around the country, so he sent his new Golden Boys, Paul Manafort (Chief Strategist) and Rick Wiley (Political Director), as his personal emissaries.
The Washington Post captured the moment with some excellent reporting and the help of a 30 minute audio recording, obviously smuggled out of the private closed- door meeting Thursday, where the Trump representatives let it all hang out, campaign wise.
Here’s the straight dope from two Washington Post articles on April 21.
From the Washington Post, April 21:
Trump’s chief strategist Paul Manafort told members of the Republican National Committee in a closed-door briefing here Thursday afternoon that his candidate has been playing a “part” on the campaign trail, but is starting to pivot toward presenting a more businesslike and presidential “persona.”
“He gets it,” Manafort told RNC members. “The part that he’s been playing is now evolving into the part that you’ve been expecting. The negatives will come down, the image is going to change, but ‘Crooked Hillary’ is still going to be ‘Crooked Hillary.’”
“Fixing personality negatives is a lot easier than fixing character negatives,” Manafort said. “You can’t change somebody’s character, but you can change the way a person presents himself.”
In other words, Trump has been lying to the voters and presenting a false front, and he will pivot and be more politically acceptable, once he is the nominee. It’s a ploy, and Trump is a master gamer.
Wiley, a former political director at the RNC, praised the work of the committee under Chairman Reince Priebus and said the party’s nominee and its candidates for Senate and House will benefit from a vastly improved voter identification and get-out-the-vote operation. He said the RNC team has “taken the Obama ’08 model and turned it into a Republican model.”
Manafort sounded a similar note to the RNC, seeking to soothe tensions after Trump has spent several weeks bashing what he has called a “rigged” system of selecting delegates to the convention.
Manafort said Trump is “totally committed” to “carrying the brand of the Republican Party” in the fall. He reassured RNC members that Trump would view them as “partners” in the general election.
In other words, you Republican leader guys have what the Trump campaign needs and can’t produce itself (a ground game), and his attacks about a rigged convention are just a negotiating smokescreen for the gullible public. Trump is totally committed to the Republican brand, even though he has torn up his solemn written pledge not to run as an independent, that was all over the news.
Donald Trump, in happier days, proudly displaying his signed Republican Only Pledge
“You bring the local knowledge and we bring our piece of the pie and we will work together to [develop] our campaign plan that will look to using the unique magic of Trump,” Manafort said.
Part of his case was financial, arguing that the avoidance of a contested convention would enable Trump to do more to help the party raise funds for down-ballot races.
“The other concern I know that some of you had was, ‘Will he help the party raise money?’” Manafort said. “The answer is, he’s expecting to.”
In other words, Trump wants to liberally apply still more ‘unique magic’ on the voters, and he absolutely intends to ask for other people’s money (and then he won’t have to spend more of his own). There could even be some left over for all the other Republicans running in November. Self-funding was always a short-term scam, don’t you know?
And the second story from Matea Gold and Jose A. Del Real, Washinton Post, April 21:
Is it too late for a Donald Trump makeover?
The battle to define the Republican presidential front-runner comes as Trump has sought to professionalize his campaign and persuade party leaders that he is capable of mounting a credible general-election fight. On Thursday, Trump’s chief strategist told a group of Republicans behind closed doors that Trump has been playing a “part” and is “now evolving.”
The attacks underscore the difficulty that Trump and the Republican Party will have in softening the potential nominee’s rough edges for a general-election campaign, particularly when brazenness is central to the candidate’s appeal to his followers.
“One thing you learn very quickly in political consulting is the fruitlessness of trying to get a candidate to change who he or she fundamentally is at their core,” said Republican strategist Whit Ayres, who did polling for Rubio’s presidential campaign before he dropped out of the race. “So is the snide, insulting, misogynistic guy we’ve seen really who Donald Trump is? Or is it the disciplined, respectful, unifying Trump we saw for seven minutes after the New York primary?
“None of us can give ourselves a personality transplant,” Ayres added.
Trump is in a much more precarious position than Romney was at this point in the race. Trump has a 67 percent unfavorable rating — the lowest since 1984 of a candidate who went on to be a major party’s nominee, according to a Washington Post-ABC poll released last week. At this point in 2012, Romney was seen unfavorably by 48 percent of the general public — 19 points better than Trump.
But Trump is dismissive of the idea that his provocative comments have inflicted permanent political damage.
When pressed Thursday by NBC’s Matt Lauer on how he can win over voters offended by his rhetoric about women, Mexicans and Muslims, Trump essentially shrugged.
“I did some things and I’ve said some things in fun,” said the former reality television star, comparing his comments to language he used on NBC’s “The Apprentice.”
“A lot of that was entertainment,” he said, adding: “I think that women will be big fans.”
Trump also promised that his tone would soon shift. “At the right time, I will be so presidential, you will be so bored,” he said. “You will say, ‘Can he have a little bit more energy?’ But I know when to be presidential.”
Will this meeting become the Trumpian equivalent of Mitt Romney’s infamous 47% remark in 2012 that caused so much trouble for his campaign? Manafort even refers to evolution, as well as acting, in order to explain Trump’s changing posture. The question that leaps to mind is whether Trump’s supporters will turn when they learn he has been stringing them along, intending all along to pivot into regular politician mode as soon as he is nominated.
Listen to the full 33 minute audio recording from the closed meeting with RNC leaders (the audio is not the best quality and requires careful listening).
Oh, dear. Will no one live up to their stirring promises to help frustrated Americans? Even Trump is just mouthing the words folks want to hear in public, while his minions cut political deals behind closed doors.
Just for the record, for those keeping score, former number one campaign man Corey Lewandowski has been scarcer and scarcer lately. He has been pushed aside, isolated, and functionally demoted by Manafort, presumably with Trump’s blessing. Poor Corey is circling the proverbial drain.
Can you hear the hollow gurgling sound?
Glug, glug, glug….nearly gone.
Final Note for April 21,2016:
Millions of music fans around the world were saddened at the sudden death on Thursday of Prince Rogers Nelson, aged 57.
Prince was a songwriter, musician, producer, choreographer and performer, seemingly in equal measure. He crossed musical genres, from classic rhythm-and-blues to hard rock, funk and jazz, seeking a vision of originality with each incarnation. His primary canvas was, in effect, the studio, where he produced his music with a meticulous eye toward pop perfection
The Washington Post reports in another story:
A musical chameleon and flamboyant showman who never stopped evolving, Prince was one of the music world’s most enigmatic superstars. He celebrated unabashed hedonism, sang of broken hearts and spiritual longing and had a mysterious personal identity that defied easy definition.
In such hit songs as “1999,” “Little Red Corvette,” “I Would Die 4 U,” “When Doves Cry” and “Purple Rain,” Prince produced a musical legacy and a provocative stage presence that set him apart from most other entertainers of the 1980s and ’90s.
He won seven Grammy Awards and an Academy Award, and was named in 2004 to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
His 1984 album “Purple Rain” sold more than 13 million copies in the United States and won two Grammy Awards. He also won an Academy Award for best original song score for the semiautobiographical film of the same name — in which Prince was the central character.
In 2007, Prince gave what was widely regarded as one of the greatest Super Bowl halftime performances ever, singing “Purple Rain” and other songs in a downpour in Miami.
Watch this version of Super Bowl Purple Rain (in the rain) from the NFL. Enjoy
Football and Rock-n-Roll and Weather. You can’t beat that combination.
Here is another version performed under normal atmospheric conditions:
Prince was regarded as a consummate guitarist. Watch his solo close-ups in this video. No stubby little fingers on display with this Superstar’s performance. The hair ain’t bad either.
Rolling Stone has a review and the movie trailer for Purple Rain here.
*The Wikipedia entry for Shakespeare’s play Henry the VI, Part I tells us there is substantial scholarly disagreement about the exact dates when the three parts of the play were written, and in what order. I leave this learned debate to the experts. The date given here (1593) is a plausible one.
**There is a 1980 film version of the Christie novel titled “The Mirror Crack’d”, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Kim Novak, Rock Hudson and Angela Lansbury.
***Here are the lyrics from a darker contemporary song by the alternative metal group Faith No More called “As the Worm Turns” (1985):
One day you’re thinking that maybe you’re feeling better
And you’re probably an OK person, if only you had a job…
Through the hollow tombs can see them
Through their mouths I can hear them praying for pain
But it’s only a game
Listen, man, I know
That things are really rough
And everybody gets you
And life is really tough
But I know that deep down inside
There’s a feeling that rides
All the way to the end
Thursday you sit in your room with the lights turned out
And you don’t answer the door
Friday morning looks sunny and bright
Like it’s going to be a good day
And it would be if only you had a job
Time is on your side, you’re young
Don’t waste your time today
Listen to Faith No More perform “As the Worm Turns” in 1990 on YouTube.
****The Word Detective went online in 1995. Sadly, the columns were suspended in February 2016 due to the author’s terminal illness. There are about 1,500 columns in the archive. I recommend you visit as you can, and consider a contribution to Evan Morris.
The Word Detective began as an internationally-syndicated newspaper column called Words, Wit and Wisdom, started by my father, William Morris, back in 1954. My parents worked together on the column until my mother’s death in 1986; I joined my father as co-columnist in 1990 and took over after he died in 1994. This column will have lasted for 62 years.
I am very grateful to my parents for laying the foundations for what has turned out to be a fascinating career. The growth of the internet, which hardly existed when I started The Word Detective on the Web in 1995, has given me readers, friends and supporters from all over the world.
*****Prince was born in Minneapolis in 1958. It remained his home base (Paisley Park) throughout his life, despite his extensive travels and performing gigs worldwide. During the late 1990’s, I had occasion to travel frequently to Minnesota on business matters, often for a week or two at a time (probably 20-25 trips in all). I was based mostly in Minneapolis, but also in Hinckley, MN (2013 population: 1,781). The small town of Hinckley is 81 miles north of Minneapolis on I-35 N.
Hinckley was the site of the Great Hinckley Fire, an infamous catastrophic firestorm starting on September 1, 1894 which destroyed the town and 310 square miles of pine forests, and killed at least 418 people. It has been estimated the firewall rose more than 4 miles into the air at the fire storm peak. The heat was so intense (2000 degrees or more) the wheels of railroad cars consumed were fused to the steel rails underneath them. An heroic train engineer managed to save several hundred lives piloting the last train out of town at the end. There is a wonderful museum in the town documenting this historic tragedy. It opens for this season on May 1, 2016, just over a week from now.
Hinckley is also home to a Native-American owned casino and hotel, amphitheater, and golf course. The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe opened Grand Casino Hinckley in 1992, creating thousands of jobs and generating revenues that benefit the Band, it’s nearly 4,600 members, and its non-Indian neighbors.
Several of my Minnesota trips came in the dead of winter in January or February. For someone used to Louisiana’s mild January climate for nearly 20 years, the odd blizzard or three feet of snow and bone-chilling minus-10 degree temperatures and worse wind chill factors, were a revelation and an occasional struggle. I ended up acquiring a whole new outer wardrobe over time: parka, hat, winter scarf, heavy gloves, and snow boots, not to mention long-johns, just for my Minnesota adventures. Phlegmatic Minnesotans didn’t take particular notice of winter weather that I could see, except for their car tires and chains and to keep the engine blocks on their vehicles warmed overnight. It just was.