I cannot summon the words to adequately report on Donald J Trump’s speech tonight before his partisan followers in Phoenix Arizona. He had gone there to connect with his base, to reassure himself that he is adored and supported by all truly right thinking Americans at a time he is smarting from the outpouring of criticism he has gotten over his comments on the Charlottesville episode, at a time he senses he is losing the public en large in a way that may be fatal to his presidency.
Well, if the Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is privately saying as reported that he doubts the Trump presidency can survive, Trump himself gave a performance tonight that strongly supports McConnell’s assessment.
Monday night, Trump spoke to the war in Afghanistan. His speech was a collection of cliches in search of a policy. Whereas Theodore Roosevelt defined his foreign policy as one of speaking softly and carrying a big stick, Trump spoke loudly but carried a handful of kindling. Still, it was an attempt at serious discussion of a national problem.
Tonight, Donald J Trump simply lost it. His theme was one of hate and division, one of circling the wagons and lashing out at his enemies. He excoriated the press to whom he devoted the better part of twenty minutes, saying the press, dishonest as a group and totally unfair to him, hates America and wants the Country to fail. He attacked the two Republican Senators from Arizona (particularly John McCain), the Democrats, of course Hillary Clinton.
He spent about half an hour replaying Charlottesville, reading back his own words except for the words that revealed his dance with the deviltry of Nazi and White Supremacy bigotry. Does he not think that video tape exists of all the original words? Does he think it doesn’t matter? Or does he just think with his base he can get away with any lie?
You must watch this speech for yourself. Perhaps you can find the words to describe a man unhinged, out of control, egging the crowd on to join him in his hatreds, perhaps mentally ill. Watch it yourself, watch the hate, the arrogance, the ignorance. Examine the jut of his jaw as he turns his face upward and to one side, his eyes wild with egomaniac contempt for those he called out to condemn.
He said he would shut down the Government if necessary to get his Wall for our Southern border. He said no president in the history of our Country had accomplished more in the first seven months than he has. Was that a laugh I heard from a grave at Hyde Park? He lied about so many things that I gave up taking notes.
But the thing that is most frightening is that we were not watching some man who had lost control, gone round the bend in a wild public display of mind-boggling incivility and street brawling-like chaos.
We were watching the President of the United States speak to the Country and the World.
Donald J Trump must be removed from the Presidency!
Amen.
Trump is unhinged he says one thing one day full of hate and contempt. The next day something else. He is not fit to run this country. They need to get him out before he starts world war 3.
Play it again, Sam! You’re singing to the choir!
Well said, as always Sam. I hope you’re well.
THANK YOU SAM@
Hi Sam. Miss your voice madly. Glad to hear your view on this crazy President. Very unsettling, each and every day.
S.
Thanks Sam, please keep speaking out for your words help more than you will ever know. Thanks again
Yeah, Mr. Donaldson, you hit the nail on the head. We need stronger and stronger voices to keep pounding that nailhead, because we’re becoming numb to the absurdities and starting to take Trump in stride. The outrage may be wearing down.
Don – It is up to all of us to keep the level of “outrage” high and not begin to either give up or slip into an “accommodation” with this ignorant, uncaring (except for himself) man and his gang of thugs. Donald J Trump must be called out at every turn. In the end, the American spirit and dream that you and I know and love will prevail!
what can I do aas a citizen who has no representation in this presidency? I write, I call, I march, I educate, I engage. The majority of voters dont want him in office, yet there he is, giving permission to the “land of the misfit toys” another reason to lay blame, to hate, to act out in thier ignorance.
what do we do?
What do you do? You do exactly what you are doing – write,call,march,educate and engage. And do not stop, do not give up and certainly do not lose confidence that you are in an important fight on the right side. And you are certainly not alone.People say “but I’m just one voice,” yes but as you point out there are millions of other voices like yours and in the end, that weight of the American public will prevail and crush this danger.
Voices of courage and integrity will prevail. Bless you, Sam
Well put Sam. A politically divided nation must recognize we have a clear & present danger in this vengeful man; and he has the nuclear code .
Thank you for this piece. I often think of the words of Elie Wiesel. “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor,never the tormented.” Trump wants us to tire, this may be a fight for the integrity of our country.
Carla – Elie Wiesel is right. Further, read Charles Blow’s commentary in the Times today (9/14). He writes in the spirit of Churchill’s famous statement:”Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.”
In this case honor and good sense require that we oppose Donald J Trump’s meanness and ignorance and selfishness and lack or morals and strong human principles and never give up in our opposition.
One final thought on the subject is attributed to Edmund Burke:”The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
I am so glad that I found Sam’s blog. I worked for ABC TV news for 35 years and always admired Sam’s work. He say’s it like it is, never holding back for fear of being ostracized, or put down for his beliefs. A true newsman. Keep it going Sam, maybe you can straighten this f—-p great country. God Bless America !!!!