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| The Embarrassment-in-Chief Image from source, Mediaite |
Today's Donald Trump outrage--and let's face it, there's at least one nearly every day--on the surface, seems nearly trivial. Not the subject matter, mind you, that is deadly serious. But the actual thing that sparks the outrage: the cloddishness of President Trump himself. It's not news that he's a clod. He's evidenced this for decades now. It's one of the reasons that his detractors are still baffled by his supporters. What draws people to this detestable man? Again, a subject for another day.
This particular story regards a personal phone call from Trump to a grieving war widow, and his botched attempt to handle it extemporaneously. He reportedly didn't know the deceased's name, and other details of who he was. And he is alleged to have said, “He knew what he signed up for …but when it happens it hurts anyway.” The statement, if actually uttered, is oddly enough, true. But it is of course, not a comforting thing to say. In fact, it's rather crass. And utterly believable.
Now, I don't know if the conversation really went down that way. According to Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, it did. According to the family, it did. But it's almost beside the point, in this case. Because what we do know is how Donald Trump responded to the allegation (by the Congresswoman, by the way, not "The Media"). He attacked. He accused the Congresswoman of fabricating the whole thing. The White House considers it to be a media plot. And it's of course turned into the "Thing" du-jour.
Because Donald Trump is a crass clod. A monstrously ego maniacal dolt. And dotard, can't forget that. Any other president, from Obama, to Bush to Clinton would have come out with a statement, reiterating their condolences, and imploring the widow to forgive them if they came off poorly in the initial conversation. If Trump had done that, my assessment of him would have actually budged upward (the only way it can go, frankly), slightly. But Trump can't do that.
He can never apologize, never admit either defeat nor mistake. It's only part of what makes him unfit for office. More to come. Maybe slowly, but it will come.
[Excerpt]
Trump Calls Grieving Widow of Soldier Killed in Niger: ‘He Knew What He Signed Up For’
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump was confronted during a press conference for not publicly speaking about the four soldiers who were killed in Niger earlier this month. Trump took that opportunity to not only defend his actions but to claim that Barack Obama and other presidents hadn’t called the families of slain soldiers in the past. . .
Read more at: Mediaite
