Grant Cardone is a big fan of Donald Trump like his big Scientology donor friend Trish Duggan.
Cardone recently flew to California to speak at Trump’s Coachella rally.
He is now promoting his appearance at an upcoming Madison Square Garden rally.
I usually try to steer clear of things political here as it is generally off topic and tends to descend into back and forth name calling. But this stuff if putting it front and center, so here goes with my observations.
As I have said before, many Scientologists are one issue voters — the fear and hatred of psychiatry tends to make them steer clear of anything that might support mental health – thus the left’s support of healthcare is abhorrent.
They also tend to be anti-government in general following Hubbard’s well-documented lead.
Of course whales like Cardone and Duggan appreciate the promised tax breaks for the millionaire class that Trump offers.
A lot of people who will vote for Trump say they don’t like him or his personal choices or even what he says, but they like his “policies” — something I think is a very fallacious premise. You cannot separate the man (or woman) from their intentions and actions, something I learned the hard way through personal experience — and since reinforced by a lot of reading by those far smarter than me.
Many tend to gravitate to Trump because he “isn’t part of the political establishment” — he is not the status quo. This is something Hubbard said about himself often. But not being part of the establishment doesn’t make you either good or competent.
I am not oblivious to the fact that I fell for the Hubbard/Miscavige bs for a very long time — and excused the obvious less than desirable, even horrific truth about them. But eventually I did wake up and I feel compelled to note these things in the event it might help others. There are a lot of similarities between Trump and Hubbard/Miscavige. Plenty of politicians on both sides display some if these characteristics — but no other runs the table quite like Trump.
Consider these things:
Hubbard and Miscavige measure their success by how much money they make.
They claim they are for the benefit of all people, and have done more for everyone than anyone before them in history.
They thrive on being on stage in front of adoring audiences who hang on every word.
Surround themselves with the “best people” until they’re not — and then suddenly they are brain-dead, incompetent and failed suppressives who had to be gotten rid of because they were trying to bring the great men down.
Grandiose claimed accomplishments which never happened.
Lots of “stats” plucked out of nowhere or just made up that are presented as “proof” of accomplishments but mean nothing.
Incomprehensible word salad speeches.
Assert their superior knowledge/expertise in virtually every field.
Constantly trying to sell their followers overpriced items.
Never wrong about anything. Never apologize for anything even when the truth is easy to see.
Persecution complex (especially targeting the government for their problems) – anyone who isn’t with them is an enemy trying to get them.
Fanatical followers who march against, smear and threaten those they don’t like.
The media are merchants of chaos who lie about everything scientology/Hubbard/Miscavige.
Courts, opposing lawyers, prosecutors, judges and juries are unfair, biased and out to get them.
Extreme self aggrandizement — Hubbard proclaimed himself Buddha 2.0, Miscavige a super human and Trump the greatest president in history. Let that one sink in.
Apologies if this offends anyone. There are plenty of criticisms to be made about Harris too — but big time, prominent scientologists are not out supporting her like Cardone and Duggin.
It reminds me that having a lot of money doesn’t mean you are smart — but you can buy your way in to whatever you think is the cool club that makes it seems like you are.
Scooter says
Just to add a bit to your comparison between the two redhead Yankee fabulists:
I came across this last week in a review of “the Apprentice”, a movie about Trump’s “rise” as a business person.
Roy Cohn (Trump’s mentor and a leading prosecutor for Joseph McCarthy in the reds-under-the-bed saga) had 3 fail-safe rules of business:
“1/ Attack, attack, attack
2/ Admit nothing, deny everything
3/ No matter what happens, you claim victory and never admit defeat”
Sounds to me suspiciously like “Always attack, never defend etc. etc.” that we all know issued from the pen of Hubbard. Makes me wonder if this was yet something else the Fat Fraud took from elsewhere then wrote up as His own. A friend who’d worked on the Apollo told me Hubbard would read books constantly then write up His policy that was His take on the book He’s just read, twisted to suit His “needs”.
Briget says
Disgusting. Supporting someone who is a convicted felon to have access to The White House and to be in charge of our (admittedly broken) country is something I cannot understand. Much less condone.
But then – look who I’m talking about here *facepalms*
Mick says
1. Politics.: When will someone ask …Heeeere’s Donny what he will and is doing to revoke the tax exempt status of scientology? And investigated the abuses and crimes.
2. Upcoming Prison: Maybe Mr “Ham Hock” Cardone can flip burgers while Donnie “Nuclear” tries to fry the fries in JAIL. And standing at 4’ 13” short, capt. davey “tiny tyrant” miscavigee can work the CASH register while standing on a step stool.
Rick says
Mike, I say this repectfully as someone who has read your book, enjoys the blog, watched many of the TV shows you did w/ Leah, etc. — I think it’s very foolish of you to mix your message with politics. If you’re truly about exposing/dismantling Scientology, it’s absurd to alienate approximately half of the US electorate. (And hello there to the commenters who will now swoop in and accuse me of being a fascist MAGA ignoramus blah blah blah — you’re proving my point.)
Mike Rinder says
Thanks. Telling the truth as I see it is more important to me than “alienating” readers.
If the reaction to this is to reject it without any thought or consideration it says a lot about the reader as this is reality not imagination. It puts such people in the same category as scientology sheeple. Something I know plenty about as a former head sheeple…
PeaceMaker says
I’ve noticed that ex-members also often seem still attracted to that type of charismatic authoritarian pathological narcissist. Such figures also use the “gish gallop” rhetorical technique (which can also be said to exploit “confusion technique”) that can seem attractive and persuasive when listened to and followed along with, even though on analysis — such as reading a transcript — it’s nonsensical and baseless.
And I’d add to the list:
Accusing opponents (real and imagined) of what they themselves are guilty of.
LoosingMyReligion says
A couple of observations from a profane of US politics and living in Italy.
Scn defines itself as apolitical by nature. However, I do not think that Cardone threw himself into this story without the consent of OSA.
He could not even have dared to think so. And the two of them without the blessing and approval of DM.
Here it’s logical to assume that scn is behind this operation in a big way.
The other observation is that Trump seems to me to be a much bigger and hungrier shark than the clownfish Cardone and the little piranha Dave.
Cindy says
If the big blowhard Grant Cardone likes Trump so much, let him put his money where his mouth is. I didn’t read that he donated a bunch to Trump’s campaign. That leads me to think Cardone is not doing as well as he boasts he is. Grant was being investigated and it was said he would go to jail, but I haven’t seen any more on it. Did the investigation turn up anything? If Trump is smart, he will distance himself from Grant Cardone and from the C of S in general.
Annie says
You have done an amazing job analyzing scientologists almost universal support of Trump. In 2016 a friend’s son in the SO told his father they were told to vote for Trump (I didn’t). Interestingly, they fail to follow Hubbard’s writing about anti-social personalities which describes Trump, Miscavige etc., although they call ex members anti-social personalities who fit none of the characteristics in their supposed “scriptures”. Almost all my former Scientology friends were Trump supporters. Many were also pretty angry, unhappy people who tended to mistreat the people closest to them. At some point I realized that most of the people in my life who treated me the worst were Scientologists. When I found out that they protected child molesters, that ended it for me. I guess guess that many if them now support a rapist for President should not a surprise. I wouldn’t support one no matter what party he was running in. I think financial gain is just too powerful and incentive for some people and that is the only thing that matters as they know he will give tax breaks to the very wealthy. With the exception of top donors like Duggan and Cardone, most Scientologists are pretty poor after all their donations, but they still want a liar, rapist, thief as President. Almost all my former closest friends in Scientology had to declare bankrupcy as a result of their donations but they still believe it is true.
PeaceMaker says
Annie, Hubbard’s definition of anti-social personalities must carefully have omitted his own type of malignant or sociopathic narcissist, with traits such as lack of empathy and underlying contempt (the opposite of admiration) for almost everyone else – thus creating a blind spot regarding other such cultish leaders, and even a tendency to admire and idolize such manipulative and amoral authoritarians.
Chris Shugart says
There may not be many Scios who support Kamala Harris, but it might make for an interesting tell to find the rare few who do.