Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Keep Trump Off of the Phone

by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist

One of this week's multiple controversies involving the Trump administration is whether or not The Donald made contact with the families of the four Green Berets recently killed in Niger - or, in fact, should he contact them.   At some point in the discussion Trump alleged that he had personally telephoned the families of every American killed in action during his time in the White House.  That was quickly proven to be a lie.  Trump then tried the old "other guy" excuse saying that other Presidents had not telephoned grieving families either - and Barack Obama sure as heck hadn't.  Again, more lies.

That public shaming apparently goaded Trump into phoning at least some of the families of the soldiers killed in Niger.  A report out today based on a first hand account of a U.S. congresswoman relates that Trump called the widow of one of the dead yesterday as she was enroute to claim her husband's body.  According to the congresswoman who was listening on speaker phone, Trump told the widow, "He knew what he signed up for" and then added a scintilla of sympathy with "but when it happens it hurts anyway."

The young widow has two small children and is pregnant with the third.  She needed a bit of compassion and comfort - not a lecture.

After that story began gaining traction in the national press, Trump flew into a rage and denied it.  He said the congresswoman, Florida's Fredericka Wilson, had lied. 

Trump managed to make it all about himself and the demanding role that he has to play.  He said that making those calls was "a very difficult thing."  He added,  “Now it gets to a point where you make four or five of them in one day, it’s a very, very tough day.”  Poor Baby.

Donald Trump, whose only time in uniform was as a student at a private prep school and who vigorously dodged the draft to stay out of Vietnam, could, nevertheless, make a competent commander-in-chief if he was steeped in compassion and empathy, and if he possessed a soul, but clearly Trump lacks all of those human attributes.

Trump had it right to begin with.  He should not be calling the families of the fallen because he has nothing in common with them, not even humanity.  His time is better spent on the golf course.

1 comment:

Xobekim said...

All the while he keeps us from focusing on his collusion with Russia and violations of the Emoluments Clause.