Putin's emissaries illegally taped their interlude with Trump in the Oval Office with no American Press allowed. Now Putin claims he has the official unaltered transcript for our viewing.
Of course all the classified stuff is probably blacked out due to professional courtesy among fellow tyrants.
You can't make this stuff up.
Of course all the classified stuff is probably blacked out due to professional courtesy among fellow tyrants.
You can't make this stuff up.
Had trump considered pulling a nation together and moving on from the election results, he would have:
a) Stopped his incessant shaming/bullying tweeting
b) Released his tax returns,
c) Not hired Flynn in the first place,
d) Come forward with all campaign paperwork to resolved many questions
e) Not delivered that divisive address in Pennsylvania on 4/29
Instead, he continues to pick fights and tweet, hide his returns, hired the worst people anyway, stall releasing documentation, and call anyone out who crosses him at every opportunity he gets. trump is the one dividing the country, on purpose.
a) Stopped his incessant shaming/bullying tweeting
b) Released his tax returns,
c) Not hired Flynn in the first place,
d) Come forward with all campaign paperwork to resolved many questions
e) Not delivered that divisive address in Pennsylvania on 4/29
Instead, he continues to pick fights and tweet, hide his returns, hired the worst people anyway, stall releasing documentation, and call anyone out who crosses him at every opportunity he gets. trump is the one dividing the country, on purpose.
48
Who was the speech writer for The Coast Guard Academy graduation? Lock him up?
26
It is not comforting to finally have the old adage proven undeniably true--Yes, literally anyone can grow up to be president. In fact, you need not grow up at all.
42
Re "Since Sessions recused himself from any investigations relating to Russia and the Trump campaign ..." Now, if Sessions told Mr. Rosenstein to WRITE that letter ... How much trouble would Mr. Sessions be in? Anyone?
17
I don't care about his "endless verbal errors." In a column on "Trump's version of keeping us safe," you're still stuck on his unprofessional speech and gauche pride? Are you paid to know anything about the military-industrial complex and its relationship to the intelligence community, or just to make fun of low-class gaffes?
2
he doesn't have pride-- he's a narcissistic infant--fine if you're a real estate developer-but not so much if you are POTUS
27
Yet another example of what we all know: everything is about Trump.
You mentioned Jeff Sessions' recusal with regard to the Russia investigation, a recusal that clearly means nothing since he took part in the meeting in which the decision to fire Comey was finalized and the ridiculous excuse of the Clinton emails was decided on. What remedy do we have to get rid of an Attorney General who lies about his recusal? Why isn't Congress talking about this?
And for those progressives jumping on the impeachment bandwagon, of course he should be impeached but not yet, not yet! The longer this circus goes on, the longer we don't have Mike Pence working effectively with a Republican Congress to accomplish their despicable goals!
You mentioned Jeff Sessions' recusal with regard to the Russia investigation, a recusal that clearly means nothing since he took part in the meeting in which the decision to fire Comey was finalized and the ridiculous excuse of the Clinton emails was decided on. What remedy do we have to get rid of an Attorney General who lies about his recusal? Why isn't Congress talking about this?
And for those progressives jumping on the impeachment bandwagon, of course he should be impeached but not yet, not yet! The longer this circus goes on, the longer we don't have Mike Pence working effectively with a Republican Congress to accomplish their despicable goals!
37
Trump is a big baby whiner- a big cry baby. Wha Wha, I'm being mistreated more than any one ever ever has. Instead of bearing down, putting his shoulder into the wind in the face of adversity, Trump whines and complains. He lashes out at everyone around him and his perceived adversaries, blaming everyone but himself for his troubles. He hired Michael Flynn knowing that President Obama had fired him and receiving warnings from several others that Flynn was compromised, but then had the temerity to blame President Obama for having given Flynn a security clearance prior to firing him! This is all beyond tedious and embarrassing. It is sickening, disturbing, and appalling.
I understand that there is a lot to create fear about the disastrous Trump Presidency thus far, and that his unfitness for the Presidency is serious, but the best way to thwart him is to ridicule the ridiculousness of his frequent self serving statements and tweets.
11
If our President is as derelict as it appears he will be removed from office unless of course those in the House are creatures cloned from the same pool of DNA, and what is the likelihood of that?
6
Honestly. If I were a white man I would be mortified.
Being a pistachio loving peon I'm horrified.
Being a pistachio loving peon I'm horrified.
8
In yet another shameless and pathetic but characteristic display of entitlement, Trump turned the United States Coast Guard Academy commencement into his own Personal Pity Party yesterday. It's funny that all the misogynists who voted against Hillary Clinton on account of her gender nevertheless ended up with their very own Sob Sister. Just goes to show that Trump the Bully, who branded Ms. Clinton as "crooked" and vowed to "lock her up," can dish it out but he can't take it.
38
About the " Witch Hunt": can we please see if he floats???? Bigly.
30
What HAS Trump accomplished? Hmmm. Oh, I know! He did get a lot more Twitter followers than he ever would have had if he hadn't run for and become the President of the United States.
And isn't it possible, given that pathologically inadequate ability of his to feel good about who he is and what he does that goads him incessantly into tweeting and spewing so pathetically, when it's all said and done that that's enough for Donald?
I mean, c'mon. Lincoln didn't have all those Twitter followers.
And isn't it possible, given that pathologically inadequate ability of his to feel good about who he is and what he does that goads him incessantly into tweeting and spewing so pathetically, when it's all said and done that that's enough for Donald?
I mean, c'mon. Lincoln didn't have all those Twitter followers.
6
I am former Australian military. To see a Commander In Chief whining downwards to his subordinates about how life is so unfair on him is disgraceful. Whining goes upwards, not downwards. Another example of this man's total lack of leadership skills.
63
Now that Trump, besieged, bitter, and babbling, looks to spread his wings and export the dubious tenets described above abroad, he is providing allies and enemies alike with pragmatic probabilities with which they can exploit the United States diplomatically and materially. Netanyahu will be mulling how to best manipulate the maddening president for Israel's best advantage - he's already forgiven Trump for revealing shared secrets to the Russians but this forgiveness will no doubt be tempered with a little debt to be leveraged to fully compensate for his staggering indiscretions. Trump weakens the US with each passing day of Trump's vertigo inducing vortex of governance as other austere and right winged nations seek to manoeuvre the US into compromising positions that will provide the opportune complicity for policies backed by the most powerful but, also, the most ineptly led nation in the Western Hemisphere.
15
If anyone read or heard the preceding speech by the commander of the Coast Guard Academy, they would have heard an indictment of Donald Trump. The commander beseeched the cadets to embrace honor and integrity, for quality of character makes up the core of a good leader. He could easily have concluded his speech with an introduction of Donald Trump--"Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you a man who embodies none of these characteristics, the President of the United States of Amercia, Donald J. Trump."
27
Seems like the “law and order” politicians, such as Joseph McCarthy, Richard Nixon, and Donald Trump, are only okay with the “law and order” they provide. For the party of Trump, that’s Good Old Plunder.
Sessions is more than happy to help by pushing other people down to rise their group up. An old practice called bigotry.
Sessions is more than happy to help by pushing other people down to rise their group up. An old practice called bigotry.
11
and while your at it Meuller....check out Session's finances..
10
I think Trump is a sociopath. Everything - EVERYTHING - is about himself. This is why he's genuinely bewildered by all the questions and scrutiny. He cannot put himself in the position of others who reasonably smell a rat in his campaign and his man-crush on Putin. He does not understand, cannot comprehend, refuses to see that his own actions are precisely the reason(s) why he's in hot water. The man is clueless. Perhaps the Special Counsel will be able to determine whether Trump is intentionally criminal, a bumbling fool or a naive waif being victimized in a witch hunt. I know which option I'd bet on - and it's not the latter. By the way, the most benign motive I can assign to Trump's hiring of Flynn AFTER he'd gotten good advice not to do so, is that Trump decided he'd do the opposite of whatever Obama cautioned him not to do. I wish the former President had advised Trump not to hit himself on the head with a mallet. It would be a hoot to watch Trump beat himself silly while declaring that Obama couldn't order him around...
28
“No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.” - Trump (Is there a Trump property on the Island of Elba?)
9
I would love to hear his eulogy at Roger Ailes funeral.
"Great man, good guy, he was always nice and respectful to me. With my luck, next thing you know O'Reilly kicks the bucket and there's no one left that likes me."
"Oh, and yes my condolences. Do they serve chocolate cake at these things?"
"Great man, good guy, he was always nice and respectful to me. With my luck, next thing you know O'Reilly kicks the bucket and there's no one left that likes me."
"Oh, and yes my condolences. Do they serve chocolate cake at these things?"
28
So, I'm willing to give Rosenstein the benefit of the doubt. He saw that Comey was going to be fired anyway, and perhaps he thought he should keep his job at least until he could appoint a special prosecutor. Perhaps he though that, by signing the letter and keeping his job, he could be one sane person left at that level of Justice. Perhaps he thought he could keep Justice running true. I hope so. I'd hate to see another man of integrity go down in flames
8
Rosenstein should have the courage to resign his position based on the revelation that he wrote his letter after knowing that Comey was to be fired. Does not speak well regarding his integrity and character.
12
I wonder if each family there got one of Trump's maps showing all the counties ( with hardly any population) that voted for him. I hear he keeps a stack in the oval office for visitors.
5
The cry of "Unfair! It's so unfair!" is usually heard in the grade school playground and sometimes at home when a child or adolescent has been thwarted by mean parents.
Thank you, Coast Guard ensigns. You deserved a better speaker.
Thank you, Coast Guard ensigns. You deserved a better speaker.
19
The Republicans are the party of Lincoln in the same way that the Dodgers are the baseball team of Brooklyn.
13
“No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.”
This quote comes from a man who mocked a reporter's physical disability, who belittled a POW, who ridiculed the family of a dead soldier, who boasted about sexually assaulting women, who tenaciously, and with not one shred of evidence, challenged the nationality of a president (and, just as tenaciously and with not one shred of evidence, accuses him of wiretapping and, just today, "illegal acts), who led chants of "lock her up" and suggested that gun owners pursue a second amendment course of action against his opponent.
Many this week have drawn parallels to Nixon. I'm afraid Caligula would be more appropriate.
This quote comes from a man who mocked a reporter's physical disability, who belittled a POW, who ridiculed the family of a dead soldier, who boasted about sexually assaulting women, who tenaciously, and with not one shred of evidence, challenged the nationality of a president (and, just as tenaciously and with not one shred of evidence, accuses him of wiretapping and, just today, "illegal acts), who led chants of "lock her up" and suggested that gun owners pursue a second amendment course of action against his opponent.
Many this week have drawn parallels to Nixon. I'm afraid Caligula would be more appropriate.
26
Instead of impeachment, I want to wait it out till the mid-term elections. I know there may not be enough alcohol to sustain me. But, I want to see the house out of its republican stranglehold and with the democrats in control we can watch 45 unravel into a pile of orange goo and Pence won't be able to do diddly squat. Add to that the demise of the Republican Party. Really, come on, drinks are on me!
17
Keep the faith. Pence got caught today in one of his lies about Flynn. He said that he didn't know about Flynn's legal problems until the day Flynn was fired, but there is now evidence that the transition team, of which Pence was the head, was warned by Flynn himself on Jan4.
Impeach Flynn first then Trump after the Dems take control of Congress in 2018.
The strategy worked for Nixon and Agnew -Agnew out first.
Impeach Flynn first then Trump after the Dems take control of Congress in 2018.
The strategy worked for Nixon and Agnew -Agnew out first.
9
Who would have guessed Donnie would turn out to be a fragile snowflake? Better get Alex Jones in STAT to help him man up.
9
“No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.”
Wow. A slight case of the truthful hyperbole and alternative facts, there.
Poor baby. Maybe this job isn't really for him.
• new tweet: "With all of the illegal acts that took place in the Clinton campaign & Obama Administration, there was never a special counsel appointed!".
How about that, ladies and gentlemen! Now he's complaining because he broke his own promise to get a special prosecutor to deal with Hillary. So unfair to himself.
Comey had no information to support Trump's wiretapping fantasy -- and the press reported it! SO unfair!
Wow. A slight case of the truthful hyperbole and alternative facts, there.
Poor baby. Maybe this job isn't really for him.
• new tweet: "With all of the illegal acts that took place in the Clinton campaign & Obama Administration, there was never a special counsel appointed!".
How about that, ladies and gentlemen! Now he's complaining because he broke his own promise to get a special prosecutor to deal with Hillary. So unfair to himself.
Comey had no information to support Trump's wiretapping fantasy -- and the press reported it! SO unfair!
27
Thanks, Ms Collins. Your first sentence was my first thought too.
14
Perhaps the gong show that is the Trump presidency will usher in some testing requirements for future would-be candidates. At the very least a psychiatric assessment, IQ or other test of mental faculties and general knowledge, and a limit on age when running would be useful filters that would have kept Trump out of politics.
27
"...a limit on age when running ," is an excellent idea. I agree Trump would have been even worse in his 40s.
You should be at least 50 before you run for President.
You should be at least 50 before you run for President.
2
One of the reasons Trump is president and thus able to whine about how tough his life is to the Coast Guard cadets is Fox News. Today, Roger Ailes passed away. I will not speak ill of him. He is gone, as we all will be someday.
But I will say this: “birtherism,” that attempt to cast doubt on the validity of Barack Obama’s presidency, is fake, tabloid journalism at its worst. No one exploited it better than Fox News. They provoked racist hatred of the man. They convinced many Americans that Mr. Obama is secretly a Muslim terrorist. It’s bad enough fabricating nonsense about entertainment celebrities; it’s a lower level of indecency to spread venom against a man with the integrity of Barack Obama, a person who led the world in an intelligent and dignified manner, a person who loves this country and did his best to serve it.
I’ve been reading tweets and testimonials from those who loved Ailes, hated him, or had a love/hate relationship with him but called him a “friend” nonetheless. The emotions are all over the place. Regardless of how anyone felt about him personally, the “news” organization he created is an abomination, and that so many in this country eat the garbage up is demoralizing. Trump, and a nation of intolerance, anger, and hatred: that’s the legacy Ailes leaves.
And all the while, Fox News laughed, and is still laughing in our faces. There is no high-mindedness behind it; only profit. Ailes became a very rich man. What good is it to him now?
But I will say this: “birtherism,” that attempt to cast doubt on the validity of Barack Obama’s presidency, is fake, tabloid journalism at its worst. No one exploited it better than Fox News. They provoked racist hatred of the man. They convinced many Americans that Mr. Obama is secretly a Muslim terrorist. It’s bad enough fabricating nonsense about entertainment celebrities; it’s a lower level of indecency to spread venom against a man with the integrity of Barack Obama, a person who led the world in an intelligent and dignified manner, a person who loves this country and did his best to serve it.
I’ve been reading tweets and testimonials from those who loved Ailes, hated him, or had a love/hate relationship with him but called him a “friend” nonetheless. The emotions are all over the place. Regardless of how anyone felt about him personally, the “news” organization he created is an abomination, and that so many in this country eat the garbage up is demoralizing. Trump, and a nation of intolerance, anger, and hatred: that’s the legacy Ailes leaves.
And all the while, Fox News laughed, and is still laughing in our faces. There is no high-mindedness behind it; only profit. Ailes became a very rich man. What good is it to him now?
42
Trump has been very loyal to Flynn. Loyalty has not been a prominent feature of Trump's relationship with other officials. So why has he been so loyal to Flynn - appointing him when he knew he was under investigation, ignoring notice that he was compromised and apparently trying to find him a new post after his resignation? Is it perhaps that Flynn has something on Trump that Trump does not want revealed. Loyalty, on Trump's behalf, would seem to be insufficient motivation for Trump to have put himself in such a vulnerable position over Flynn.
22
On the topic of keeping us safe, you forgot to mention his biggest contribution - alienating our allies by leaking classified data to ingratiate himself to Russians. Why would Israel and others put their agents at risk again by sharing further information with us?
19
“No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.” - President Donald Trump
I have a feeling President Lincoln, President Garfield, President McKinley and President Kennedy would feel differently.
I have a feeling President Lincoln, President Garfield, President McKinley and President Kennedy would feel differently.
24
"(“Most people don’t even know he was a Republican,” he informed a fund-raising dinner recently.)" I'm sure that is true of the people that voted for Trump.
10
Our standards have sunk so low that we now celebrate the day he doesn't tell a ridiculous and easily disprovable lie. Far from becoming a credible president, he has yet to demonstrate sufficient honesty, character, intelligence, knowledge, or resilience to be a credible used car salesman.
If he hadn't been born on third base, he would have whiffed three straight pitches.
If he hadn't been born on third base, he would have whiffed three straight pitches.
15
It is hard to believe that no one in the entire WH or administration can advise him on the right thing to do, or say, or defund, or ban, or invite, or praise, or admonish, or FIRE!!!! He has and probably never had a sense of cause and effect, consequences, feeling shame-ridicule-embarrassment as he rose to the top of his golden dreams. I believe that his election was a mistake because nothing and no one has ever unleashed such toxicity, venom and detritus.
He is totally detached from reality-a mental aspect of narcissism-incapable of empathy or sympathy. And when he is gone and the country can get back to the relative calm and security of the past presidential eras, I think that we may try to take hot showers to try to rid ourselves of the slime that is called Trump but we will live with this experience forever.
AS a teacher I often wonder what the history books will-and they will-say about the Trump presidency. I cannot think of one good thing he has said-or done-that can make any citizen proud or secure or hopeful.
He is totally detached from reality-a mental aspect of narcissism-incapable of empathy or sympathy. And when he is gone and the country can get back to the relative calm and security of the past presidential eras, I think that we may try to take hot showers to try to rid ourselves of the slime that is called Trump but we will live with this experience forever.
AS a teacher I often wonder what the history books will-and they will-say about the Trump presidency. I cannot think of one good thing he has said-or done-that can make any citizen proud or secure or hopeful.
26
I have little doubt that, based on his performance in the first 100 or so days that Trump will go down in history as the worst President, ever. (Let's hope he isn't the last) Despite competition, it isn't even close. So, in some twisted way that makes him a "winner". The Best of the Worst.
7
When given a script to read Trump is awful. When he goes off script he is unpredictable and awful. His limited vocabulary is 'fantastic' for anything he likes, and 'horrible' for anything he hates, repeated continuously because he simply cannot think of alternatives. Lately he looks so tired and depressed that it is a struggle for him to even read a short speech, such as the one he gave after meeting with Columbia's President, Juan Santos. Trump is ill and our democracy needs to be rescued from this man and his cohorts.
25
Of course Trump's abuse is the best, er, worst, er, most abusive abuse! Nobody knows how to get abused like The Donald. How he suffers for us! Each of his carefully worded, cannily penned insults, idiocies, and atrocities are part of his cunning plan to make it easier for all those stupid reporters to abuse him. All they have to do is write down what he says, no interpretation or nuance required.
And, oh, that idea about giving a commencement address to the one branch of the military that he wants to gut so he can really make the country safe by building a hugely beautiful wall along the Mexican border? Well, that was his really great idea too, of course. You're just not smart enough to understand it. But believe me, it was the best idea anyone has ever had.
And, oh, that idea about giving a commencement address to the one branch of the military that he wants to gut so he can really make the country safe by building a hugely beautiful wall along the Mexican border? Well, that was his really great idea too, of course. You're just not smart enough to understand it. But believe me, it was the best idea anyone has ever had.
20
Trump thinks he's been treated unfairly? This is the Trump who insults, fabricates, and lies on a regular basis about anyone and everything. This is the Trump for whom ethics and morality are alien concepts. This is the Trump whose only concern is to himself and Mammon. Treated unfairly? How is that even possible?
20
No head of FEMA. If there is any sort of large scale emergency, Americans are on their own.
24
So, a man of no discernable talent or skill reaches the end of an easy life as a billionaire AND the US President, and feels life has been unfair to him??
There's truly no limit to the absurdity that passes that man's lips.
There's truly no limit to the absurdity that passes that man's lips.
161
Trump is a crybaby.
After he has endured his 'mistreatment' for as long as he was spreading the birther nonsense on Obama, then I'll listen to his whining.
Until then, Donald:
Man up!
After he has endured his 'mistreatment' for as long as he was spreading the birther nonsense on Obama, then I'll listen to his whining.
Until then, Donald:
Man up!
26
He also forget to mention to the newly minted Ensigns that his budget proposal cuts the Coast Guard funding by 8%, This will surely improve security for us.
27
Trump didn't serve. I did. Four years as an Army officer. In Trump's world, it's all about ME ME ME. In the military, it's all about WE WE WE. Any leader in the US military who thinks it is all about him or her is not a leader. We're sending off these young Ensigns to "serve at the pleasure of the President" (any President, not just Trump). But they swear their oath of allegiance to the Constitution, not Trump. He doesn't understand this, and he never will.
30
Hey Donald, let me fill you in on something: life is only fair to guys who play fair. You have been a bully your entire life and even a stint in a military school did not correct your defective personality. You need to shut up and let us grown ups work without your whining interference.
28
It's beyond belief Gail that this continues. That there actually are Trump supporters and so many of them is also hard to believe or at least understand. I didn't think there were that many angry white uneducated misinformed racist misogynist people in this country. Silly me. It's this New York bubble I live in (and I thank the heavens every day for that).
21
He established his political career by insulting a sitting President for six years and every Republican he ran against during the primaries and his Democratic opponent in the Presidential election. Now he's complaining he's being mistreated. He can dish it out but he can't take it. Poor President Snowflake.
37
It is astonishing how self-centered this man-child Trump is. It is as though he whines to the nation that "It isn't fair...!" like my 5 year old used to do when he couldn't have his way. Add to that the mendacity, the boorishness, the lack of self discipline, the disinterest in policy, in books, in education itself, and finally the objectification of women....
To reflect that just 80,000 people in three Midwestern states put this person in the Oval Office is more than I would prefer thinking about but every sane American needs to do precisely that. And then ACT!
God save us all.
To reflect that just 80,000 people in three Midwestern states put this person in the Oval Office is more than I would prefer thinking about but every sane American needs to do precisely that. And then ACT!
God save us all.
22
“No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.” said the "president".
Gail, show some sympathy! You're going on about national security, of all things, when faced with such suffering? I think all of us should let him know that if he resigned tomorrow, we'd perfectly understand.
Gail, show some sympathy! You're going on about national security, of all things, when faced with such suffering? I think all of us should let him know that if he resigned tomorrow, we'd perfectly understand.
16
I am so tired of the sniping of the know it all liberals. You are lucky you have your pinyatta, because you surely do not represent the thinking
of a majority of Americans. You should all stay on the coasts
of a majority of Americans. You should all stay on the coasts
We ARE the thinking Americans.
8
Piñata!! (you know, because: we know it all liberals).
19
Bryan: I beg to differ. The majority of Americans DID NOT vote for Trump and DO NOT share his thinking! ( And by the way, what "thinking" would that be?)
20
I think I am one of the few people who wants this phony of a president to shoot his mouth off and tweet like his life depended on him, because that is the only way that Americans can understand what they chose: an etsel, a lemon, con artist, an orc. Yes Americans, be embarrassed so much so that you want to hide in deep shame and guilt. After living for thirty years in this country, which I have come to love for many things and not like for some, I find that the only time you will listen and actually work on change across the board is when you are hit over the head with a mallet. Now that you are on a daily basis, please, feel free to ask for help from fellow human beings in your community and keep in mind that the emperor's new clothes are a fantasy. Good luck. I am with you....
18
A fine Trump whine; vintage Quisling.
14
Trump's right about a double standard. The Obama Administration and Sec. Clinton were accused of several fake scandals; the Trump Administration voluntarily creates real scandals that threaten our democracy and national security. The GOP promoted the former and ignores the latter. So yes, there's a double standard.
18
American culture has always held up 'The President of the United States' as a cultural role model. America's culture has always promoted the ideal that the president embodies the selfless public servants who serve in our government out of patriotism, sense of duty, and upright character. Well, not so much any more. But Trump can still serve as a great example to our next generations, and future leaders. We can point at Tump's life, his actions, and his personal behavior and say "Don't do that! Don't be like Trump!" and we will have a great future generation. The less they are like Trump, the better they, and we all, will be. For this, and this alone, and I mean -only- this, should we be thankful to Trump.
3
Wasn't Trump exempted from service in order for him to go skiing?
10
Five deferments for Donald.
9
“We can’t have someone in the Oval Office who doesn’t understand the meaning of the word ‘confidential."
-- Donald Trump campaigning in September 2016
Any remaining Trump supporters have to be twisting themselves into pretzels as if mindless contortionists if they still believe he is suited to this job.
--In Israel, the talk is that Trump’s leak of Israeli secrets threatens the entire intelligence relationship.
--Israeli officials fully realize the commander-in-chief of their American counterparts is a highly compromised man.
--The information that came from Israeli had been considered a 'most valuable source of information' on ISIS.
--Trump's leak to Russia is not sitting well with Netanyahu or his associates.
--Trump's highly negligent revelation of an ally's intelligence on matters of ISIS to Russia raises intense concern about damage, fall out and the future.
Instead of lawyering up, preparing, or learning the job, Trump is busy tweeting.
Here's the fully up to date Trump Archive of Tweets:
http://www.trumptwitterarchive.com/
-- Donald Trump campaigning in September 2016
Any remaining Trump supporters have to be twisting themselves into pretzels as if mindless contortionists if they still believe he is suited to this job.
--In Israel, the talk is that Trump’s leak of Israeli secrets threatens the entire intelligence relationship.
--Israeli officials fully realize the commander-in-chief of their American counterparts is a highly compromised man.
--The information that came from Israeli had been considered a 'most valuable source of information' on ISIS.
--Trump's leak to Russia is not sitting well with Netanyahu or his associates.
--Trump's highly negligent revelation of an ally's intelligence on matters of ISIS to Russia raises intense concern about damage, fall out and the future.
Instead of lawyering up, preparing, or learning the job, Trump is busy tweeting.
Here's the fully up to date Trump Archive of Tweets:
http://www.trumptwitterarchive.com/
11
Gail, you have a wicked sense of humor and reading this gave me a true belly laugh, especially the part about Lincoln. Thank you
9
My son, a 2015 graduate of Dartmouth, had you very own David Brooks as a commencement speaker. While listening to Mr. Brooks discuss the challenges that these young people were to face and give his thoughts on how to do so, one had to employ one's intellect.
Now, having given two commencement speeches of his own, Trump has made it easy. Graduates no longer have to think about how they will venture into the world or reflect upon what college has taught them. They need only turn their minds to thinking about how tough things are for the "Woe is Me" President. And how great he would be if everybody just got off his back.
Now, having given two commencement speeches of his own, Trump has made it easy. Graduates no longer have to think about how they will venture into the world or reflect upon what college has taught them. They need only turn their minds to thinking about how tough things are for the "Woe is Me" President. And how great he would be if everybody just got off his back.
16
I'm Donald J. Trump, President of this great nation and everything is about me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me.me.
Oh and did I mention me?
Oh and did I mention me?
16
Witch hunt - as in HUAC, Joe McCarthy and Roy Cohn?
You betcha - only this time it's about collaboration with Russia and carnage on America.
You betcha - only this time it's about collaboration with Russia and carnage on America.
4
Truly the most shocking thing is that Trump was elected. It makes the United States look like a nation of idiots. Because our constitution kowtows to the slave owners in the less populated states we have the undemocratic Electoral College. It was obvious that he is a self centered narcissist and our popular vote shows that a majority of the population recognized that.
20
The other commencement address was at Liberty "University" a bible school with about as much credibility as his own "university". And the message: poor me, I'm always the victim. While his entire business career was built on shady deals and stiffing contractors his political career was built on slandering President Obama and Hillary Clinton, all the while consorting with Russians and their money laundering bankers. But he's always the victim, and a whiney one at that.
21
According to the gospel of liberty preached at this ludicrously named school, one has to get past the Pearly Gates to experience it.
4
I am sure trump told the Coast Guard cadets that he cut $1.3 Billion from the US Coast Guard's budget.
23
Think he forgot to mention it.
11
Where to begin? Trump's shoot himself in the foot attitude will never change as long as there is someone nearby to blame or a former administration for that matter. He can never accept responsibility for anything and that attitude plus his out of control rants can bode only bad things for anyone in his orbit.
I keep hoping that he will like Saudi Arabia enough to want to stay there. There's plenty of gold and it's real not tacky!
Short of that I pray for this country because the way it's going we will have no friends, no intel we can rely, no knowledgeable adults in government and no security mostly from our own POTUS.
Most of all, the reputations of people who deserve better will go down in flames with this administration. His paranoia and me, me, me only filter does not make us safe.
I keep hoping that he will like Saudi Arabia enough to want to stay there. There's plenty of gold and it's real not tacky!
Short of that I pray for this country because the way it's going we will have no friends, no intel we can rely, no knowledgeable adults in government and no security mostly from our own POTUS.
Most of all, the reputations of people who deserve better will go down in flames with this administration. His paranoia and me, me, me only filter does not make us safe.
6
Maybe it is time for a real medical/psychological examination. Trump does have a family history that may be relevant.
8
You forgot to mention the obvious - that while he gave generous words of encouragement to graduate seamen, he was slashing the budget for the very service they provide. President Paranoia has gall, that's unquestionable, but I think it's a sign that he is still mugging for the camera at the expense of a nation's stability - any nation.
14
Trump, you're no politician. You're a con. You're a puppet of an enemy state. Lincoln and JFK were treated much worst. Stop your whining.
18
May the new ensigns not blame the rest of the world for anything Trump does.
12
This was surely a Trump moment these USCG Academy Graduates will never forget!
6
Honest to God, what a whiney baby. If it weren't for his interfering behavior and suspicious connections, there would be no investigations. And if he hadn't treated his predecessor so despicably, I might have some sympathy. Sad.
9
Gail, all I can say is:
Trump down; Ailes dead; Mueller on the case.
Oh my.
Trump down; Ailes dead; Mueller on the case.
Oh my.
10
It would make sense to agree with Trump if (like Trump) you believe that the world began the day he was born, history started the first time he got lucky and Presidential history began in January 2017.
17
If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.
4
The most damning thing to come out of the Trump administration (let's say, within the last 12 hours, OK?) was the reported fact that Trump asked Pence and Sessions to leave the Oval Office before he asked Comey to end the Flynn investigation. Evidently, he had to tell Sessions twice (Jeff, is not a quick study, it seems) to leave. Trump obviously wanted to keep what he said as secret as possible.
16
I'm happy that Congress has finally come to its senses and that we may finally learn what's been going on in the White House. However, I still have plenty of concerns and will have until Trump has been removed from his position in our government. Indeed, I have become paranoid. Trump clearly has no interest in our national security and cannot be trusted to lead the nation.
Is there any way possible to constrain him—most importantly keep him from trying to stir-up those of his followers who remain faithful to him via his tweets? While most of us realize his tweeting is a continuation of his whining about how unfairly mistreated he is, I'm not entirely sure that he isn't also trying to incite unrest in his followers. I've questioned his motives ever since he began his campaign, and every action he has taken has confirmed my misgivings. One of the few national protections he has seen to is making sure the America citizenry is armed to the teeth with weaponry our founding fathers never dreamed of.
Our so-called president is not going to go down without a fight, and he's not one to fight his own battles. We can't believe him, nor can we trust him. We might also be wise to be very wary of what he's capable of doing. He does not consider the possible consequences of his actions.
Is there any way possible to constrain him—most importantly keep him from trying to stir-up those of his followers who remain faithful to him via his tweets? While most of us realize his tweeting is a continuation of his whining about how unfairly mistreated he is, I'm not entirely sure that he isn't also trying to incite unrest in his followers. I've questioned his motives ever since he began his campaign, and every action he has taken has confirmed my misgivings. One of the few national protections he has seen to is making sure the America citizenry is armed to the teeth with weaponry our founding fathers never dreamed of.
Our so-called president is not going to go down without a fight, and he's not one to fight his own battles. We can't believe him, nor can we trust him. We might also be wise to be very wary of what he's capable of doing. He does not consider the possible consequences of his actions.
14
If Mr. Trump thinks he is being unfairly treated he would do well to view a photo of John Kennedy slumped on the bloodied shoulder of his horrified wife, an assassins bullet in his head in the back seat of a car in Texas. Or Robert Kennedy lying in a pool of his own blood after being shot in a Los Angeles hotel in full view of hundreds of people.
Or perhaps he should recall his own incendiary remarks about Barak Obama a sitting president. Or the stated obstructionist policy of the Republican Party that dogged Mr. Obama from the first day of office.
If he perceives bias, perhaps he might consider on how his own insults to the CIA, State Department, NSA, FBI, the judiciary, and the press may be the root of said bias.
But it takes a certain level of emotional maturity to consider more than oneself.
Or perhaps he should recall his own incendiary remarks about Barak Obama a sitting president. Or the stated obstructionist policy of the Republican Party that dogged Mr. Obama from the first day of office.
If he perceives bias, perhaps he might consider on how his own insults to the CIA, State Department, NSA, FBI, the judiciary, and the press may be the root of said bias.
But it takes a certain level of emotional maturity to consider more than oneself.
14
With the lid about to come off the pressure cooker and with AG Jeff Sessions recusing himself, Rod Rosenstein made an appropriate decision. By appointing Robert Mueller, he clearly stated he was not going to be the one to "take one for the Gipper"
6
Careful, America! Be very careful! If we end up with a "President Pence" we could be in "deeper Doo-doo" than Bush ever imagined. Think, People. Think. And Hope!
9
We can only hope that the Republicans lose the House before there is a President Pence
5
Thank you Gail Collins!
I loved the paragraph you wrote:
"Also on the top of the Trump food chain when it comes to protecting our security: Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a right-wing former senator whose greatest achievement so far has been to return the federal criminal justice system to a brain-dead policy of imposing long mandatory sentences on people convicted of nonviolent drug crimes."
I loved the paragraph you wrote:
"Also on the top of the Trump food chain when it comes to protecting our security: Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a right-wing former senator whose greatest achievement so far has been to return the federal criminal justice system to a brain-dead policy of imposing long mandatory sentences on people convicted of nonviolent drug crimes."
15
Trump whining to the Coast Guard Academy graduates offers yet another testament to the fact that you can wrap yourself in all the gold in the world and still not have an ounce of class.
31
DJT's focus is always on DJT. That is a good predecessor to depression. He should see a counselor. Seriously.
10
Trump complains that he's being treated unfairly because his predecessors' illegalities didn't entail any special prosecutor. Where to begin? What illegalities? What is he talking about?But apart from that, is his argument that his illegalities should be treated like those of his predecessors? Or is the argument that if he's being accused, then so should they, or if they were not then he should not? Because what? I'm sorry, but this guy pretending to be president does not have the mental capacity needed to run anything, never mind the Federal Government. If he's acknowledging illegalities, then he ought, to quote his pal Mr. Bannon, just 'shut up' and resign. And then again why the heck is he addressing this swill of self-pity to a Coast Guard graduation - has he forgotten? That's the service he promised to cut by 14% in order to raise funds for his useless Great Wall of Mexico.
22
I can say this with great SURETY that one good thing about everyone talking about his usual pity party, that a lot of people aren't paying attention to the fact that he once again also proved himself an idiot when it comes to his native language.
19
A lot of people have had their lives and careers ruined by this man, and many more are going to before this is over.
He can't see the damage he's done (and keeps doing) to people and institutions outside himself, but, at some point, it's going to dawn on even Donald Trump that by continuing as president, he's going to wind up losing or destroying everything (and the only things) he does care about - - his name, his wealth, his company -- and perhaps even his childrens' future.
When that happens, maybe he'll resign. Let's hope so.
I almost feel sorry for him.
Nah - I don't.
He can't see the damage he's done (and keeps doing) to people and institutions outside himself, but, at some point, it's going to dawn on even Donald Trump that by continuing as president, he's going to wind up losing or destroying everything (and the only things) he does care about - - his name, his wealth, his company -- and perhaps even his childrens' future.
When that happens, maybe he'll resign. Let's hope so.
I almost feel sorry for him.
Nah - I don't.
8
I think Jeff Sessions--AKA Jim Crow--should recuse himself as the AG. I don't feel save with him in any leadership position. He looks like, sounds like, and acts like the leader of some third world country. Come to think of it, that's where Trump, and the rest of his "brightest and best" appointments seem to be taking the United States as quickly as they can.
It took us 240 years to get to where we are as a country. Just look at the ground we've lost in just a few weeks.
It took us 240 years to get to where we are as a country. Just look at the ground we've lost in just a few weeks.
16
It is unfortunate that Pres. Trump can't keep his mouth shut and his fingers off his phone keyboard. The more he talks and attacks the more he sounds like a child arguing with another kid in the play ground. The more he whines about how he has been abused the more he sounds like he is making excuses to Mama, especially when he tries to pass the buck to Obama and Clinton. It is too late for him to change for the better but there is still time for him to get worse since he behaves like he is senile.
15
If a man can't be humble after being declared the victor when 3 million more people voted against him, there is no hope for him.
10
Thanks as always for the wit and insight. Your column is helping me get through all of this.
4
Mr. Trump had Mr. Erdogan of Turkey visit him in the White House. During the visit, the strongman's body guards brutalized American protesters outside. If diplomatic immunity applies to those thugs, police need to confine or otherwise limit entourages of future thugs visiting the occupant of the White House.
17
Speaking of Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, I see where they've removed statues of two of his namesakes in New Orleans in the last couple of days. One can only hope a similar fate happens soon to this little, in every sense of the word, man.
28
Sessions dreams of shutting down the legal cannabis industry in the US. He believes cannabis ruined his own generation.
4
I often wonder why accomplished, intelligent, ethical people fall into the trap of covering for a buffoon. H.R. McMaster came in to the administration with a sterling reputation, and has already lost it in defending someone who would never do him the same favor. Get out while you can, with your credibility intact.
21
McMaster is an active duty general ordered to take a job who follows the directions of his Commander in Chief, Donald Trump. It is what active duty officers do.
2
Mary,
I wouldn't like to see any of the relatively sane folks leaving this administration. What does that leave?
I wouldn't like to see any of the relatively sane folks leaving this administration. What does that leave?
2
He can always retire, eh?
Of the many things to wonder about Trump, I've been wondering how he reads or sees the world. He's 70 years old and is never seen wearing, or even holding a pair of glasses. By his age, you either need them to read or see distances, or both. I have thought about contacts, but he'd still need them to read.
Could it be that his vanity has gotten so sensitive that he won't even don age-appropriate eyewear? It could be why he can't see the chaos he's creating.
Could it be that his vanity has gotten so sensitive that he won't even don age-appropriate eyewear? It could be why he can't see the chaos he's creating.
10
Trump probably spends more time fussing with his hair than his wife does on her's.
3
A pathetic individual. Poor us.
13
Well, The Donald will get a brief respite when he visits Saudi Arabia. They are planning a lavish 'royal' stay. They clearly have taken his measure and plan to woo him with flattery, pageantry and royal trappings. Everything The Donald had envisioned at the White House. What a disappointment that turned out to be except for red buttons for soda.
With all the royal hoopla there is the danger that The Donald will feel too comfortable and make all sorts of kingly pronouncements, proclamations, decrees and knighthoods. Something may well slip out.
"I am a king" has a nice tone for The Donald. The rest of the trip will prove a let down for The Donald. Somehow, I don't think the Pope will be as fanning and the other world leaders will not be bowing either. Will The Donald get upset again?
Yet another moment when he might lash out and spill some beans.
It is sad to read how NATO planners are dumbing down for The Donald. This will not be America's finest hour.
With all the royal hoopla there is the danger that The Donald will feel too comfortable and make all sorts of kingly pronouncements, proclamations, decrees and knighthoods. Something may well slip out.
"I am a king" has a nice tone for The Donald. The rest of the trip will prove a let down for The Donald. Somehow, I don't think the Pope will be as fanning and the other world leaders will not be bowing either. Will The Donald get upset again?
Yet another moment when he might lash out and spill some beans.
It is sad to read how NATO planners are dumbing down for The Donald. This will not be America's finest hour.
14
In my mind, George W. Bush was an embarrassment to America and the Presidency, but Donald Trump is a humiliation.
13
I hope Trump has acclimated himself to the traditional kiss of greeting in the region.
4
You know, honestly, I just need Trump to SHUT UP.
15
Appropriate it was at USCG academy, rescue not imminent, however.
3
After Trump spends 18 years in an island prison (and a total of 27 years in prison), he can claim that "No politician in history...has been treated worse or more unfairly."
16
Obama's version of keeping us "safe":
- Bomb Libya to help the "Arab Spring". Result: Turn it into an anarchy where Qaddafi's weapons caches are looted and sold to jihadists, as well as get an American Ambassador killed.
- Make an "agreement" with Iran to let it inspect its own nuclear arsenals and tell the UN whether it's violated any restrictions in the "agreement", in exchange for $100B to $150B that Iran can use to fund its training and arming of jihadists in the Middle East and beyond.
- Bomb Syria to create more recruits for ISIS.
- Allow Syrian "refugees" (mostly military-age men) to immigrate to the US
- Bomb Libya to help the "Arab Spring". Result: Turn it into an anarchy where Qaddafi's weapons caches are looted and sold to jihadists, as well as get an American Ambassador killed.
- Make an "agreement" with Iran to let it inspect its own nuclear arsenals and tell the UN whether it's violated any restrictions in the "agreement", in exchange for $100B to $150B that Iran can use to fund its training and arming of jihadists in the Middle East and beyond.
- Bomb Syria to create more recruits for ISIS.
- Allow Syrian "refugees" (mostly military-age men) to immigrate to the US
2
Karlos, there's probably a spot open for you in the Trump Administration. Get it while there still is one.
21
You forgot:
1. Took out bin Laden
2. Prevented another 9/11
Funny how the party that allowed bin Laden to slaughter thousands always forgets who got the guy responsible.
Turns out bin Laden could only run and hide from the AWOL Coward from Crawford texass.
Thankfully bin Laden couldn't hide from the Kenyan, Muslim, al Qaeda sleeper cell agent/wiretapping expert.
Now where are your draft dodging president's taxes?
1. Took out bin Laden
2. Prevented another 9/11
Funny how the party that allowed bin Laden to slaughter thousands always forgets who got the guy responsible.
Turns out bin Laden could only run and hide from the AWOL Coward from Crawford texass.
Thankfully bin Laden couldn't hide from the Kenyan, Muslim, al Qaeda sleeper cell agent/wiretapping expert.
Now where are your draft dodging president's taxes?
“No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse"
Taken as a statement of fact -- absolutely absurd.
Taken as a goal all Americans should aspire to -- perfect.
Taken as a statement of fact -- absolutely absurd.
Taken as a goal all Americans should aspire to -- perfect.
12
We've wasted millions on Trumps security while he has wasted the security of our nation! Time to stop the bleeding!
18
I'm pretty much with Gail on this one. Our President is zany, and unable to run a huge administration. His personality flaws are highlighted by the Office he holds.
Robert Mueller, as Gail agrees, was a good choice. He needs a free hand, and hopefully he'll get us a decision before the mid-term elections.
Robert Mueller, as Gail agrees, was a good choice. He needs a free hand, and hopefully he'll get us a decision before the mid-term elections.
6
John Adams and John Quincy Adams were both much more reviled in the press than Donald Trump. Trump hasn't cracked a history book in his life.
23
The Dunning-Kruger effect now has a world-class example to accompany it in the dictionary.
"Most people don't know he was a Republican."
Are you kidding me? This is an open admission that TRUMP did not know until recently that Lincoln was a Republican but because he is so stupid, he thinks that his ignorance could only be shared by the rest of us. I am a bit ashamed. I admit I didn't really think Trump was this ingnorant. The fact that he was unaware of this basic and significant fact about American History, begs the question - just how vast is his ignorance? Apparently, dangerously vast.
Speaking of unfairness, Trump might have used a more relevant example: his call to slash funding for the Coast Guard! Yes, as bizarre as that might sound given Trump's hysteria over border control, the Trumpet proposed in his budget pamphlet, a severe cut in Coast Guard funding because, you know, evildoers come by land and not by see.
Poor McMaster. Talk about unfair. Here is a man with a sterling record of service to his country who reluctantly chose to join the administration when he realized the Donald was a clear and president danger to the safety and security of the US. McMaster is plays Donald's concerned father always trying to keep the mischievous man-child-POTUS from playing with matches in the Oval Office.
I am telling you, the Tell-All books that come out of this administration are going to be hilarious. This assumes we are all alive to read them.
"Most people don't know he was a Republican."
Are you kidding me? This is an open admission that TRUMP did not know until recently that Lincoln was a Republican but because he is so stupid, he thinks that his ignorance could only be shared by the rest of us. I am a bit ashamed. I admit I didn't really think Trump was this ingnorant. The fact that he was unaware of this basic and significant fact about American History, begs the question - just how vast is his ignorance? Apparently, dangerously vast.
Speaking of unfairness, Trump might have used a more relevant example: his call to slash funding for the Coast Guard! Yes, as bizarre as that might sound given Trump's hysteria over border control, the Trumpet proposed in his budget pamphlet, a severe cut in Coast Guard funding because, you know, evildoers come by land and not by see.
Poor McMaster. Talk about unfair. Here is a man with a sterling record of service to his country who reluctantly chose to join the administration when he realized the Donald was a clear and president danger to the safety and security of the US. McMaster is plays Donald's concerned father always trying to keep the mischievous man-child-POTUS from playing with matches in the Oval Office.
I am telling you, the Tell-All books that come out of this administration are going to be hilarious. This assumes we are all alive to read them.
14
Hopefully, America has learned her lesson and never elect someone who is clueless on how government works. Trump administration is one big embarrassment. Now Trump is taking his roadshow outside of USA. All of those who keep enabling him, McConnell, Pence, Ryan should be run out of office. America deserves better!
16
But nihilists are getting such laughs out of the agonies of liberals! At least Trump leads some to a pathway to happiness.
2
Yeah, like the Hale-Bobb leader or Jim Jones?
The millenarian Heaven's Gate Cult:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven%27s_Gate_%28religious_group%29
Millenarianism still percolates in the USA.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven%27s_Gate_%28religious_group%29
Millenarianism still percolates in the USA.
1
Had Mother's Day brunch with 3 ranking Asst. US Attys, (one is my child). Moral is down BC of Jeff and Donny, but these young (compared to me) professionals are continuing to do their jobs. There is hope for us after all!
14
Now just think about how much of this mess is a result of Trump's association with a man who has his own brand of facts named after him (Flynn facts). President Trump might call this a display of loyalty, but it is really a reflection of desperation on Trump's part. He has to display loyalty because no one else other than family members and opportunists wants to put their reputation on the line by associating with him, lest that end up looking like McMaster, Rosenstein, etc.
5
"[I]f only we have a president half as useful"? How about a hundredth as useful instead?
2
Can we send Trump to his room for a very long time-out?
My friend's son, in seeing how upset his mom and I were with this whining speech, suggested a "time-out" for the "man on the TV."
Indeed....
My friend's son, in seeing how upset his mom and I were with this whining speech, suggested a "time-out" for the "man on the TV."
Indeed....
8
President Obama was known to make quiet non-photographed visits to military personnel who were patients in D.C.area hospitals. One can only hope Trump does not try to visit those injured while he is Commander in Chief. What could be worse than being confined to a bed with injuries suffered defending the US and have draft-avoiding Trump spend time telling you all the ways he is having a bad month or two. Trump's constant whining in front of surprised audiences about what a victim he is has turned into an unattractive tantrum.
16
Trump: “Time to take a shot”, but no water please.
Although the theme of the President’s graduation speech at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy yesterday was “ protecting America”, Trump spent most of the time blasting the media for treating him unfairly.
He amplified his self-wailing speech with his Thursday morning paranoid tweet by protesting the appointment of Robert Mueller, special counselor to lead the Russian probe: “This is the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!”
Trump perhaps misunderstood the line of Alexander Hamilton, founder of the Coast Guard, in the current popular musical of the same name: “Time to take a shot”.
It is a good thing that the waters at New London were calm yesterday lest the President suffer the fate of the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz who melted when Dorothy splashes a bucket of water onto her face. Both Hamilton and Pres. Washington chant: “History has its eyes on me”, and so do we all today.
-Robert Lyons, Kennebunkport
Although the theme of the President’s graduation speech at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy yesterday was “ protecting America”, Trump spent most of the time blasting the media for treating him unfairly.
He amplified his self-wailing speech with his Thursday morning paranoid tweet by protesting the appointment of Robert Mueller, special counselor to lead the Russian probe: “This is the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!”
Trump perhaps misunderstood the line of Alexander Hamilton, founder of the Coast Guard, in the current popular musical of the same name: “Time to take a shot”.
It is a good thing that the waters at New London were calm yesterday lest the President suffer the fate of the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz who melted when Dorothy splashes a bucket of water onto her face. Both Hamilton and Pres. Washington chant: “History has its eyes on me”, and so do we all today.
-Robert Lyons, Kennebunkport
6
This is off topic, but maybe not: whatever happened to Reince Priebus? Has anybody seen him lately? Wasn't he rewarded for his past stellar performance with the job of Chief of Staff? And isn't that job supposed to be to coordinate the inner workings of the White House so as not to look like a bunch of headless chickens flapping off the walls?
Well, nobody knows what their job is at the White House, only that it sucks in a major way. Starting with the thing that is supposed to be president, that counterfeit husk in the baggy suit scowling in the corner.
The disappearing-reappearing tweedle-dumbs, Kellyanne Whatsis and Breitbart Bannon sitting on their hands on those chaise lounges, and the mercurial in-and-out buggers, Jared and Ivanka, hunting big game one day, big business another when not sorting out the Israeli-Palestinian 'thing'.
They are all giving of themselves to public service, to keeping us safe and employed. I certainly feel safe with a brain dead coelacanth leading my country. Multi-tasking as he does so well, revealing highly secret secrets to an enemy with one tiny hand, while sneering at Comey and Rosie in the same breathless tweet, and with the other infant digits, laboriously signing those serial executive orders that keep appearing on his desk.
Is that what Preibus is doing? Churning out executive orders? This administration for dummies reality show surely has to be entertainment at its finest.
Well, nobody knows what their job is at the White House, only that it sucks in a major way. Starting with the thing that is supposed to be president, that counterfeit husk in the baggy suit scowling in the corner.
The disappearing-reappearing tweedle-dumbs, Kellyanne Whatsis and Breitbart Bannon sitting on their hands on those chaise lounges, and the mercurial in-and-out buggers, Jared and Ivanka, hunting big game one day, big business another when not sorting out the Israeli-Palestinian 'thing'.
They are all giving of themselves to public service, to keeping us safe and employed. I certainly feel safe with a brain dead coelacanth leading my country. Multi-tasking as he does so well, revealing highly secret secrets to an enemy with one tiny hand, while sneering at Comey and Rosie in the same breathless tweet, and with the other infant digits, laboriously signing those serial executive orders that keep appearing on his desk.
Is that what Preibus is doing? Churning out executive orders? This administration for dummies reality show surely has to be entertainment at its finest.
10
"Fungus from the corrupt womb of bigotry and fanaticism." Sounds like the writer was 150-something years ahead of his time.
5
Having devoted so much time to perceived personal slights and imaginary personal achievements, President Trump did not have time to tell the Coast Guard cadets that he proposes cutting $1.3 billion from the Coast Guard's budget.
Priorities... priorities... priorities...
Priorities... priorities... priorities...
30
By chiseling some contractors, Trump promises that it will still be possible to pay them their salaries, no doubt.
5
When you have a personality disordered individual in the White House expect everything to be in his best interest. This is the crux of the problem. It is not public service but self service. Not only for himself, but for Ivanka. Russia is the Trump expansion plan compliments of Putin. Trump has made his billions on the backs of contractors and banks; now its Ivanka's turn and Trump is paving the way. - billions
Putin wants territory and Trump can do the job - but it will cost money. As would be expected, anyone getting in the way is of Trumps' ability to accumulate wealth as a function of his power is "erased." Lets be grateful he just "fires" all the "losers."
As we move forward in these troubled times we cannot afford to underestimate the genius of Trumps' psychopathy.
Putin wants territory and Trump can do the job - but it will cost money. As would be expected, anyone getting in the way is of Trumps' ability to accumulate wealth as a function of his power is "erased." Lets be grateful he just "fires" all the "losers."
As we move forward in these troubled times we cannot afford to underestimate the genius of Trumps' psychopathy.
13
His remarks made me think he was delivering his speech from a therapist's couch.
17
We all have our various hypocrisies, of course, but when the most public face of the "birther" movement whines about being the victim of a witch hunt--well congratulations to us all, for being alive to witness the absolute perfection of hypocrisy.
43
It is ironic that President Obama exacerbated the wounded ego who would show HIM how a CEO operates, when he lavished Trump in well-earned mockery at the Washington Press Club event that Trump will never attend again.
5
When Trump says things like. "most people don't even know..." we immediately know it is a piece of information, correct or not, he himself has only recently become more or less familiar with and it reminds us that his ignorance, coupled with his hubris knows no depths.
29
What's all wrong about this is that this is a captive audience who cannot show opposition to his comments or walk out. This is not a campaign rally. This man is so inappropriate in everything he does!
11
People who have endured through hypocritical commence speeches will empathize with the newly graduated ensigns.
1
"No politician in history — and I say this with great surety — has been treated worse or more unfairly.” All Trump cared about was "winning" and being president. He never cared about the country or anyone other than himself. He acts like a whiney fifth grader.
If only.
We could send Trump out on a CG cutter in the middle of a hurricane. Just to see how real work is done.
We could send Trump out on a CG cutter in the middle of a hurricane. Just to see how real work is done.
10
Trump isn't the kind of boss who builds empathy with workers by understanding what they do and why they do it that way.
2
It is beyond sad that this miserable excuse for a human being is president of our country. I doubt there is little respect for him in the Coast Guard or any other government entity. The repulsive repubs in congress, who have put self-interest over country, will hang on just to see how much they can get out of him.
If we survive this administration, we need to get rid of the electoral college.
If we survive this administration, we need to get rid of the electoral college.
17
Last I looked, commencement speeches given by notables and dignitaries are supposed to share well, hard-earned insight and advice to those about to embark on their life jouneys. With Trump, graduates get a whiny, self-indulgent pity party.
But grads, take Trump's mere presence before you as a cautionary tale on how not to conduct yourselves publicly or privately, and use that to aspire to greater things.
But grads, take Trump's mere presence before you as a cautionary tale on how not to conduct yourselves publicly or privately, and use that to aspire to greater things.
16
Anyone else wonder at the strangeness of Trump proposing a budget savaging the Coast Guard and then coming to cry on the shoulders of the ensigns who will be land-locked or serve on vessels that are old and under-maintained thanks to Trump.
Trump so wants his useless wall, he is willing to give up the Coast Guard to get it. But he does make them an audience who is required to clap at his pathetic words to complete the humiliation.
Sad, but oh so typically Trump.
Trump so wants his useless wall, he is willing to give up the Coast Guard to get it. But he does make them an audience who is required to clap at his pathetic words to complete the humiliation.
Sad, but oh so typically Trump.
202
Maybe Trump has plans to lease icebreakers for petroleum development and shipping in the Northwest Passage from Russia. Vlad Putin thinks it is important for Russia to have a presence in the melting Arctic. Shipyards are busy in Russia building an Arctic fleet.
Ms. Collins wrote, "He’s just another spokesman trying to cover up the president’s messes with carefully worded statements, only to be contradicted by a Trumpian tweet." To me this is at the heart of the problem with this President whose manic-depressive behavior is not only an embarrassment to our country as much as it is a danger to our security and political system.
How can those people that work for him in the Administration not see this and just revolt? How can they continue to defend this man? Certainly he doesn't appreciate the service they could provide to his Government and the people.
So, in listening to part of his speech, I was dumbstruck about how our Narcissist in Chief made it all about him. Sure, he referred to and thanked the graduates for their dedication and future service. It would be great to know how the graduates felt about what he said to them. Even if we found out, that's what was missing from the President's address to the Coast Guard Academy graduates. Unfortunately all they got was sour grapes. Sad.
How can those people that work for him in the Administration not see this and just revolt? How can they continue to defend this man? Certainly he doesn't appreciate the service they could provide to his Government and the people.
So, in listening to part of his speech, I was dumbstruck about how our Narcissist in Chief made it all about him. Sure, he referred to and thanked the graduates for their dedication and future service. It would be great to know how the graduates felt about what he said to them. Even if we found out, that's what was missing from the President's address to the Coast Guard Academy graduates. Unfortunately all they got was sour grapes. Sad.
9
Their whole system of character judgment is at stake in this fiasco.
"How can those people that work for him in the Administration not see this and just revolt?"
That reminds me of the old joke "Have you heard about the Pontevedro Revolution? No, but they are revolting!" That applies to most of Donny's gang - would you invite them to your dinner party? Probably not, and worse, they're trying to govern the country.
That reminds me of the old joke "Have you heard about the Pontevedro Revolution? No, but they are revolting!" That applies to most of Donny's gang - would you invite them to your dinner party? Probably not, and worse, they're trying to govern the country.
"And today we’ve got a new crew of Coast Guard ensigns, ready to serve."
Trump's draft budget proposes billion dollar cut to Coast Guard ...
www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/politics/coast-guard-cuts/ Mar 7, 2017 - Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump's budget proposal includes a $1.3 billion cut to the US Coast Guard, congressional sources told ...
Trump had to walk this budget cut back but can you imagine how the Coast Guard grads felt having to listen & applaud the Liar-In-Chief.
Trump's draft budget proposes billion dollar cut to Coast Guard ...
www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/politics/coast-guard-cuts/ Mar 7, 2017 - Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump's budget proposal includes a $1.3 billion cut to the US Coast Guard, congressional sources told ...
Trump had to walk this budget cut back but can you imagine how the Coast Guard grads felt having to listen & applaud the Liar-In-Chief.
15
...and this draft dodging coward is going to strip over one billion in coast guard funding so that charles and david koch can feel better.
I know rightists hate America, but they respect the men and women who serve don't they?
Maybe not.
They seem to always nominate draft dodging cowards to represent them
Reagan, W, Cheney, Romney and now president bone spurs.
I will say this, rightists do have a type.
I know rightists hate America, but they respect the men and women who serve don't they?
Maybe not.
They seem to always nominate draft dodging cowards to represent them
Reagan, W, Cheney, Romney and now president bone spurs.
I will say this, rightists do have a type.
17
I just wish mr. trump would stop whining.
I mean my three year has fewer tantrums than The President of the United States of America and that should scare even koch owned republicans.
I mean my three year has fewer tantrums than The President of the United States of America and that should scare even koch owned republicans.
12
“Look at the way I’ve been treated lately, especially by the media,” he went on. “No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.”
And this from our own self-serving, self-pitying, hypocritical Whiner-in-Chief, who treated Obama horribly and more than unfairly with his outrageous "birther movement" relentlessly carried out in the media for years by Trump.
See: "Donald Trump Clung to ‘Birther’ Lie for Years, and Still Isn’t Apologetic" https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/17/us/politics/donald-trump-obama-birthe...
As we hold up our great presidents, such as Washington, Lincoln, and FDR as role models for our children, what can we possibly say to our kids about President Trump? Hey kids, don't ever do what President Trump does! I guess Trump is a kind of role model, of sorts, for our children—a negative role model. Very sad really.
And this from our own self-serving, self-pitying, hypocritical Whiner-in-Chief, who treated Obama horribly and more than unfairly with his outrageous "birther movement" relentlessly carried out in the media for years by Trump.
See: "Donald Trump Clung to ‘Birther’ Lie for Years, and Still Isn’t Apologetic" https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/17/us/politics/donald-trump-obama-birthe...
As we hold up our great presidents, such as Washington, Lincoln, and FDR as role models for our children, what can we possibly say to our kids about President Trump? Hey kids, don't ever do what President Trump does! I guess Trump is a kind of role model, of sorts, for our children—a negative role model. Very sad really.
15
There were reports the audience cheered Trump, which must have made him feel better. Here for comparison is the text from President Obama's address in 2015
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/05/20/remarks...
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/05/20/remarks...
4
I live less than hundred miles from a nuclear power plant.
Trump recently greatly enhanced my security by appointing Mr. Perry to the job of energy secretary. Same Perry who once called for the elimination of the Energy Department and evidently believed that “Energy” in its name meant oil and gas industry:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/us/politics/rick-perry-energy-secreta...
Government response to Hurricane Katrina will look great in comparison to response of present “administration” in any emergency situation.
Trump recently greatly enhanced my security by appointing Mr. Perry to the job of energy secretary. Same Perry who once called for the elimination of the Energy Department and evidently believed that “Energy” in its name meant oil and gas industry:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/us/politics/rick-perry-energy-secreta...
Government response to Hurricane Katrina will look great in comparison to response of present “administration” in any emergency situation.
9
I have good news for you--Rick Perry's DOE is responsible for military weapons nuclear material, not commercial nuclear power nuclear material. The NRC, which is an independent agency, is responsible for commercial nuclear power.
Dr. Moniz, nuclear scientist at MIT, used to head the DOE. Those were the days, huh? When smart people who knew what their agencies did headed them. Smart people who also understood nuclear reactions and stuff like that. Sigh.
Dr. Moniz, nuclear scientist at MIT, used to head the DOE. Those were the days, huh? When smart people who knew what their agencies did headed them. Smart people who also understood nuclear reactions and stuff like that. Sigh.
6
Thank you, CF, it is an excellent news for me.
Let's decide if Trump has been treated more vile than any other president. He has been in office 5 months and most of his problems are of his own making.
I would say the following presidents would have much more to complain about their treatment than Trump ever will.
Four sitting presidents have been killed, all of them by gunshot: Abraham Lincoln (the 16th President), James A. Garfield (the 20th President), William McKinley (the 25th President) and John F. Kennedy (the 35th President). Two presidents were injured in attempted assassinations, also by gunshot: Theodore Roosevelt (the 26th President) and Ronald Reagan (the 40th President).
I would say the following presidents would have much more to complain about their treatment than Trump ever will.
Four sitting presidents have been killed, all of them by gunshot: Abraham Lincoln (the 16th President), James A. Garfield (the 20th President), William McKinley (the 25th President) and John F. Kennedy (the 35th President). Two presidents were injured in attempted assassinations, also by gunshot: Theodore Roosevelt (the 26th President) and Ronald Reagan (the 40th President).
6
Yes other nations know Trump is a windbag buffoon and already by this point are ready to discount any nonsense he proclaims either here or on his world tour. And yes they understand that he did not win the popular vote, that Hillary won 3M more votes, and that he is only in office due to an archaic system rooted in a compromise between states necessary 200 years to pull sovereign entities together to a single nation. But the fact that such a buffoon could even prove a strong competitor much less a winner of the election as a result of the people's voice has given these nations pause as to our national character as well it should.
10
First, Trump is keeping us safe by letting Erdogan's security detail beat US citizens in our capital for no reason. Awesome!
Second, I love it when super rich white guys complain that things aren't fair.
Third, there are 60 million toothless oxy addicts who believe him and will vite for him again!
Second, I love it when super rich white guys complain that things aren't fair.
Third, there are 60 million toothless oxy addicts who believe him and will vite for him again!
25
There may be 60 million oxy addicts who will vote for him -- but that may readily change if the G.O.P. helathcare bill passes, and they're suddenly thrown off their coverage plans.
1
Who writes these speeches?
8
If you want proof that the President has been treated unfairly, just read these comments. How could you left-wing liberal communists say these terrible things? I’ve never heard such hatred expressed before. Just look at the words you use to describe this poor man: “Draft-dodger”, “windbag”, “this object”, “reality TV star”, “whine”, “surrogate mommy”, “onerous”, “bungles”, “shabbily, shamelessly”, “malicious clown”. And that’s only from the first 20 or so comments. For shame! Don’t think the fact that you are right justifies this either! I’m surprised not to see awful things like “over-privileged jerk”, “coward”, “liar”, “psychopath”, and “pervert”, but maybe I just need to read the next 20.
10
I disagree. I think the comments you site show an enormous degree of restraint considering the object of their scorn.
5
That poseur in the White House has now and forever only been concerned about himself. His despicable demeanor and fraud will earn him a place in history shared only by the worst men known
14
" You will find that things happen to you that you do not deserve,”
Like graduating to active duty when a lunatic is Commander-in-Chief
Like graduating to active duty when a lunatic is Commander-in-Chief
26
Not witty. Not insightful. Self serving, vindictive and unnecessary. Is this column modeled after the President's commencement speech? If so, good job!
4
Trump's a typical bully; he can dish it out (look how personal his attacks are) but he can't take it!! What a big baby!!!
14
"Over the course of your life, you will find that things are not always fair. You will find that things happen to you that you do not deserve,” the president warned..."
So true! Trump did not deserve to be born rich and inherit millions and we do not deserve this idiot as president. So unfair!
So true! Trump did not deserve to be born rich and inherit millions and we do not deserve this idiot as president. So unfair!
13
I have lived through the great republican depression and WW2. As an American I have not felt more unsafe than I do now. Have the interests of a hostile foreign power become American policy? Is Russia Trump’s bank?
Our government has been hollowed out, and the president has all of the qualifications for office of a rich spoiled brat of 14, with a god complex, used to getting his way and applauded regardless of his having no idea of that he is doing or how many he hurts.
Trump never takes responsibility. There is always blame; but never his. This man-child has never learned that the price of loyalty is loyalty and that there are legitimate interests and goals, other than Trumps bottom line.
When Adolph Hitler, also a megalomaniac and a calculated liar and the inventor of the big lie, which got Trump elected, consolidated his power in Germany, he demanded that the army and everyone else in Germany swear their personal allegiance to him personally. Like Trump he could not separate the nation from his own personality.
Until stopped by a war which he started, Hitler enslaved Europe. Trump has a similar desire but not the ability. He is going to be forced to resign or will be impeached after Congress turns blue after the midterms. Until then it is not keeping America safe, that’s impossible with Trump in office, it is damage control and this time the people will vote. The GOP, the party of Lincoln and Trump. Let's just make it the party of Trump.
Our government has been hollowed out, and the president has all of the qualifications for office of a rich spoiled brat of 14, with a god complex, used to getting his way and applauded regardless of his having no idea of that he is doing or how many he hurts.
Trump never takes responsibility. There is always blame; but never his. This man-child has never learned that the price of loyalty is loyalty and that there are legitimate interests and goals, other than Trumps bottom line.
When Adolph Hitler, also a megalomaniac and a calculated liar and the inventor of the big lie, which got Trump elected, consolidated his power in Germany, he demanded that the army and everyone else in Germany swear their personal allegiance to him personally. Like Trump he could not separate the nation from his own personality.
Until stopped by a war which he started, Hitler enslaved Europe. Trump has a similar desire but not the ability. He is going to be forced to resign or will be impeached after Congress turns blue after the midterms. Until then it is not keeping America safe, that’s impossible with Trump in office, it is damage control and this time the people will vote. The GOP, the party of Lincoln and Trump. Let's just make it the party of Trump.
18
Oh those nattering nabobs of negativism in the media!!!
3
Fox went on a rampage for days because Obama sort of mispronounced "Marine Corps" (came out "corpse"). Unfit to be Commander in Chief! they wailed. I'm not sure their guy is aware of the functions of the military branches he commands. The Coast Guard does not have aircraft carriers, you buffoon!
Surprise, surprise! What a garbage Presidency and spineless administration of hucksters, cons, and evil men the unrepentant racists and misogynists of America voted for. The foul GOP agenda, led by a malignant narcissist, who can't even address cadets properly, is a monstrosity . Let's hope Mueller's reputation is not destroyed by these ignorant hoodlums.
6
The Coast Guard has one Ice Breaker. The Russians have over 30. Trump intends to cut Coast Guard funding to build his fantasy wall on the southern border.
So he schedules a commencement speech at the Coast Guard and talks about himself.
This man is a moron.
So he schedules a commencement speech at the Coast Guard and talks about himself.
This man is a moron.
27
He's going to need the Coast Guard even more after the wall goes up because they'll all be coming by boat. He can't even think the hateful stuff through.
13
Excellent comment !
Do you like your schadenfreude served a drizzle of rich irony? In today's paper, John "Torture" Yoo resurfaces to offer his sage and welcome advice. What?!?
6
He is pathetic. I think he gets a big rush off of the criticism. He It feeds his sense of being a "tragic" hero or something.
Proposal.
Three days with out one word about Trump. Not use his name in any commentary. Ignore him, deal with his actions only, continue to point out the harm they do, but avoid using his name.
Proposal.
Three days with out one word about Trump. Not use his name in any commentary. Ignore him, deal with his actions only, continue to point out the harm they do, but avoid using his name.
5
The Coast Guard deserves better. We all do. Trump's whining complaint that he is treated worse than any other after only a couple of months of chaos is harbinger of things to come. His ignorance of history parallels his ignorance of governance. So our apologies for his proposed Coast Guard budget cut --America truly needs you even if Trump has no idea what you do. Congratulations graduates and thanks for all you will do...
He is incompetent, a liar and a crook. This was well known during the primary yet millions voted for him. We have a country with a new set of values- Rich is good, they can grope us at their pleasure.
5
I've heard nothing but great things about Robert Mueller, who was just appointed as special counsel by Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein made this appointment because his boss, Jeff Sessions, has been banned from the Trump investigation because of his probable illegal involvement with the Russians. Rod is the same guy that Trump ordered to write the famous Comey memo to give Trump an excuse to fire the FBI Director. Then Rosenstein was relegated to the role of "Presidential Puppet" when Trump decided it looked bad for the president to be acting on the advice of one of his minions.
Point is, does anyone believe that Robert Mueller's was really a decision made one of the "Presidential Puppets"?
I know, Robert Mueller is a good guy... that's what Trump said about Mike Flynn.
Point is, does anyone believe that Robert Mueller's was really a decision made one of the "Presidential Puppets"?
I know, Robert Mueller is a good guy... that's what Trump said about Mike Flynn.
Perhaps if Trump could refrain from telling lies he might be held in better regard.
5
Did he have a teleprompter or read from a piece of paper? If not, that explains everything. How could a man of such limited knowledge about anything but golf course and hotel development and reality TV shows and ratings speak for more than one minute about anything that would relate to the national defense mission of our Coast Guard? "Hey, you guys look great in your uniforms! Love those hats but you'd look better in one of my "Make America Great Again" ball caps. I'll see to you each get one. You've earned it!"
Stunning arrogance and ignorance. No politician in history has been treated so poorly? Besides Lincoln, there is, for example, Julius Caesar, Charles I, Oliver Cromwell, Marie Antoinette, Louis XIV, Benito Mussolini, the Romanovs, Nixon, Clintons (both), and Obama, among myriad others, who might all take issue with trump's claim of "being treated poorly".
Why won't the media mention that trump is a draft-dodging coward? He spends half of his time hanging around aircraft carriers and generals; yet, the military set seem to tolerate this sniveling, pusillanimous narcissist.
The families of President Kennedy (assassinated) and President Reagan (shot) would probably disagree with the Victim in Chief's assessment of his treatment.
The families of President Kennedy (assassinated) and President Reagan (shot) would probably disagree with the Victim in Chief's assessment of his treatment.
12
Hey Tweeter, to quote a real President, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen".
Tomorrow would be a good time to get out.
Tomorrow would be a good time to get out.
9
The victim mentality is what got Trump elected in the first place. A large number of his voters felt that they were victims of the elites, the foreigners, the immigrants, the feminists, the so-called PC police, and everyone not like them. The victim schtick will continue playing well with them.
224
So much for the stereotypical "rugged individualistic" American. Now, just a country of crybabies and whiners.
5
If the media had treated Trump fairly and provided his primary opponents and then Hillary, the same TV air time, print and internet coverage would he be President? I doubt it.
3
Just how do his supporters get the message that this guy will sell you out in a flash and that he is well on his way to doing it. He promised a 'great' version of a revamped ACA (you'll love it) - and what do we have? Its so bad the GOP doesn't know how to fix it. The Wall? A new expensive war on poor Hispanics, but backing off of drug enforcement? The most inept cabinet in history whose sole mission is big tax cuts for corporations, the ultra rich and the President himself. One month later there are still no details more than his one page memo, thank you. His unique approach to foreign policy - insult allies, lie and have Putin vouch for him. If this draining the swamp or building a bigger one out of quicksand.
4
Compare, for instance, the obstructionism of the "one term" Republicans when Barack Obama was our president. I think there's a case to be made for unfair treatment of the most recent occupant of the oval office -- different in focus, perhaps, but fair? Try "endless." "Relentless." (And that doesn't count the onslaught of overt racism to which President Obama and his family were subjected throughout the 8 years of his presidency, and which they handled with grace surpassing all understanding. Contrast, if you will, the utter gracelessness of the current oval office occupant who cannot abide criticism of any kind, who has the temperament and attention span of a spoiled and petulant six year old (apologies to the several terrific six year olds I know), and who lacks anything resembling or approaching what might be considered basic humility and common decency.) This sort of self-pity in the President of the United States is completely unworthy of the office, demeaning to the American people, and an international embarrassment.
18
Donald J. Trump proves repeatedly that he is not fit to lead this great country. He clearly is emotionally and intellectually unfit to be POTUS. He is weak and immature and I fear that he is incapable of guiding our country through a real crisis. How can anyone feel comfortable with him in the White House? Given the facts that Trump is not honest, not even remotely fluent in foreign affairs, prone to bragging and lying and blaming everyone under the sun for his self inflicted wounds, seemingly paranoid and narcissistic beyond belief, it is not hard to see that he is a clear and present danger to our country. He puts the American people at risk with his very un-Presidential behavior.
16
"If only we had a president half as useful."
I doubt America has ever seen a president who has disrupted the country so much in so short a time without doing anything that has forwarded the American agenda, especially immigration and foreign policy.
Not only is everything about "poor" Mr. Trump, he also fails to recognize when it's time to back away from bad ideas, like the poorly conceived and crafted immigration ban. While he's been fighting court injunctions, people are still coming to America without harming us.
"Disruption," Mr. Trump's promise to Americans, has been a chaotic failure without any useful results.
I doubt America has ever seen a president who has disrupted the country so much in so short a time without doing anything that has forwarded the American agenda, especially immigration and foreign policy.
Not only is everything about "poor" Mr. Trump, he also fails to recognize when it's time to back away from bad ideas, like the poorly conceived and crafted immigration ban. While he's been fighting court injunctions, people are still coming to America without harming us.
"Disruption," Mr. Trump's promise to Americans, has been a chaotic failure without any useful results.
10
He doesn't want to fill attorney general positions in the hope that incidents will occur do to the lack of leadership at these various offices incidents that will afford him the opportunity to declare martial law
7
If Donald truly believes he is the most persecuted politician in history, and he thinks the Russia investigation is a witch hunt, then we're in serious trouble.
I rather hoped he was only showboating for better TV ratings.
I rather hoped he was only showboating for better TV ratings.
5
How symbolic that trump made this pathetic speech in front of the Coast Guard Academy graduating class.
May be he thought they could save him from drowning.
May be he thought they could save him from drowning.
10
My fellow Republicans! (as Bill Clinton used to say) Don't wait for McConnell or Ryan to tell you what to do. Save yourself now! Seats in the impeachment lifeboat are going fast. Reserve yours NOW!.
6
Just a gem of an article. All that's missing - to my ear - is to restate the obvious - this is a man who is way beyond eccentric or egotistical or undisciplined.
He is patently deranged and unhinged. The thought that he - 2 dozen different ways - endangers both our country and the planet.
Not since Hitler or Stalin - both of whom, thank heavens, did not have armaments like the U.S. and its oh -so-pathetic President has "within easy reach" - has there been someone with so much power and so little in the way of a moral compass ... or even the likelihood of sanity.
Make no mistake - if you know someone who STILL hasn't awakened to the blunder of having voted for him - heck, many in the center & left realize that we were tricked re the Iraq War - make no mistake. They, too, are either so self-centered (willing to risk, literally, the end of the world ... so that their net worth will blip upwards some time in the next couple of years) ... or so irrational about how women and minority groups are "taking over" that to have them as "friends" becomes dubious.
He is patently deranged and unhinged. The thought that he - 2 dozen different ways - endangers both our country and the planet.
Not since Hitler or Stalin - both of whom, thank heavens, did not have armaments like the U.S. and its oh -so-pathetic President has "within easy reach" - has there been someone with so much power and so little in the way of a moral compass ... or even the likelihood of sanity.
Make no mistake - if you know someone who STILL hasn't awakened to the blunder of having voted for him - heck, many in the center & left realize that we were tricked re the Iraq War - make no mistake. They, too, are either so self-centered (willing to risk, literally, the end of the world ... so that their net worth will blip upwards some time in the next couple of years) ... or so irrational about how women and minority groups are "taking over" that to have them as "friends" becomes dubious.
8
Now the Victimizer-in-Chief is playing his self-pitying victim card as he once again turns what should be a celebratory moment into a whining, all-about-me narcissistic plea for the support he's so unwilling to give others except Russian officials. It is, as he's so fond of tweeting, "Sad."
12
Mr Trump should read biographies of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt they were "treated worse or more unfairly" than him to use his own words. Adams was accused to be a monarchist who will crown himself as John the First, Thomas Jefferson an atheist who will burn all the Bible, Roosevelt to be a Jew by the name of Rosenfeld which remain me that Obama was accused of being a Moslem. And Misses Collins did a good description of the accusations against Lincoln. And I just realize that I just waste my time. Donald Trump does not read.
14
I doubt he could make it through the Cliff Notes.
2
Wilbray, you're either too kind (as a Canadian) or you haven't been following this disaster closely enough. Mr Trump is functionally illiterate. He can't read anything longer or more complex than "The Little Engine That Could."
He struggles to read a teleprompter, which is why, even when delivering a canned speech, he interjects a few of his own words.
He struggles to read a teleprompter, which is why, even when delivering a canned speech, he interjects a few of his own words.
1
Well, I think it's true that Jefferson was an atheist, as were most of the Founding Fathers.
That's why we have a Constitution that puts religion well outside of politics, One Nation Under God, or not.
Thank God!
That's why we have a Constitution that puts religion well outside of politics, One Nation Under God, or not.
Thank God!
2
As one comment says, "Of course, the rest of the world already sees him as a buffoon..."
The problem is that they now see the entire United States as having elected a buffoon. So why should they trust us any longer? After Obama, we put Trump in office, so how can they believe we won't act stupidly from now on? Even if we elect a decent President, nothing says that the next person won't be an idiot, so our treaties and our relations with other countries will not be consistent at all.
If I were another country, I'd act as if the US can never be reliable, and make foreign and other policy according to that premise.
The problem is that they now see the entire United States as having elected a buffoon. So why should they trust us any longer? After Obama, we put Trump in office, so how can they believe we won't act stupidly from now on? Even if we elect a decent President, nothing says that the next person won't be an idiot, so our treaties and our relations with other countries will not be consistent at all.
If I were another country, I'd act as if the US can never be reliable, and make foreign and other policy according to that premise.
9
I have the highest regard for the Coast Guard, since they must be very conscious of the physical and political impacts of climate change. I once wanted to go to the Coast Guard Academy, but in the early 1970’s I was the wrong gender.
The Coast Guard is charged with preserving and protecting our coastline, under enormous threat from extreme storms, rising water, and erosion. They must keep peace, as vulnerable low-lying communities in poor countries to the south face natural disasters, unrest, famine and environmental destruction. They must cope with the complicated moral ambiguities of boatloads of dehydrated poor immigrants just trying to get to United States to work at menial jobs that Americans do not want. They must rescue wealthy idiots who take their yachts where they should not, and be polite to those demand their delivery of cocaine arrives unhindered. They are experts in the sciences of oceanography, meteorology, marine biology and information technology, adjusting to the shifting sands of political power, a restless ocean, and harsh physical realities of life at sea. All with professional dignity, endurance, restraint, and persistence, always the ‘junior’ branch of the military.
If only their Commander in Chief exhibited the same professionalism, dignity, restraint, responsibility, and scientific expertise.
There are real problems in this world.
Mr. Trump’s hurt feelings are not among them.
The Coast Guard is charged with preserving and protecting our coastline, under enormous threat from extreme storms, rising water, and erosion. They must keep peace, as vulnerable low-lying communities in poor countries to the south face natural disasters, unrest, famine and environmental destruction. They must cope with the complicated moral ambiguities of boatloads of dehydrated poor immigrants just trying to get to United States to work at menial jobs that Americans do not want. They must rescue wealthy idiots who take their yachts where they should not, and be polite to those demand their delivery of cocaine arrives unhindered. They are experts in the sciences of oceanography, meteorology, marine biology and information technology, adjusting to the shifting sands of political power, a restless ocean, and harsh physical realities of life at sea. All with professional dignity, endurance, restraint, and persistence, always the ‘junior’ branch of the military.
If only their Commander in Chief exhibited the same professionalism, dignity, restraint, responsibility, and scientific expertise.
There are real problems in this world.
Mr. Trump’s hurt feelings are not among them.
15
The world revolves around me, everything is about me.
Oh the words a person can use to describe him that wouldn't make it into print.
What a self centered narcissistic fraud and fool.
Oh the words a person can use to describe him that wouldn't make it into print.
What a self centered narcissistic fraud and fool.
10
Watch me implode! (he must be thinking if I have to go, I will do it with privileged whining)
It's funny that Trump even mentions Lincoln at a fund raising dinner or complains about things happening to people that they don't deserve. This country deserves better than Trump and Lincoln didn't deserve to be assassinated. As for persecution, what would he call what he pulled with Obama for his entire term in office: doing business as usual?
15
I would submit that no level of force is going to keep us safe.
What will keep us safe is the outreach we can all make individually to our perceived enemies. We need to understand their thoughts, feelings and fears, as much as conveying our own to them.
Perhaps then, we can all move forward as a common people.
What will keep us safe is the outreach we can all make individually to our perceived enemies. We need to understand their thoughts, feelings and fears, as much as conveying our own to them.
Perhaps then, we can all move forward as a common people.
9
To begin with, they feel threatened by us.
The declaration of intent transmitted to King George III, that put forth the motivations for the US Revolution, cited "pursuit of happiness" as the common bond of human experience that leads practically everyone to consent to be governed.
I only see one particular class of people whom Trump appears to make happy: nihilists.
The declaration of intent transmitted to King George III, that put forth the motivations for the US Revolution, cited "pursuit of happiness" as the common bond of human experience that leads practically everyone to consent to be governed.
I only see one particular class of people whom Trump appears to make happy: nihilists.
7
@Steve
Perhaps. I suspect you are right with the last part.
I believe the human experience is to be free of any bonds. ( declared or otherwise ) However, we are not as free as we tend to think we are.
Time, Race and Boundaries upon the globe being human constructs where we never have enough of the first, are always classifying the second, and our limited by the last.
Food for thought lad . Have a great day .
Perhaps. I suspect you are right with the last part.
I believe the human experience is to be free of any bonds. ( declared or otherwise ) However, we are not as free as we tend to think we are.
Time, Race and Boundaries upon the globe being human constructs where we never have enough of the first, are always classifying the second, and our limited by the last.
Food for thought lad . Have a great day .
1
Sounds good. But you do realize that any "outreach" effort is a two-way street, don't you??
But..... I thought I read in another NYT article that the Coast Guard cadets and their family and friends cheered Trump throughout his speech and gave him a standing ovation. On all matters Trump, increasingly it seems as though what you see and believe depends entirely on whether or not you like Trump.
4
They're supposed to be officers and gentlemen. They would not make a scene.
They did?
1
Things are pretty bad when Vice President Pence starts looking good. I oppose every last thing Pence stands for, but at least he's not barking mad.
27
The problem with Pence as president is not the policies he will institute. In a normal democracy, we could deal with them in the next election due to pendulum swings. It's that he will give Republicans free reign over voter suppression and redistricting, effectively neutering a large majority of Democrats in the process.
1
I can only assume that the USCGA has a very strict policy about booing graduation speakers. Imagine getting to your academy graduation and then having to listen to Trump whining and complaining. These speeches are meant to be an inspiration, and all they got was his desperation. Sad.
24
Reports are that the White House was "blindsided" by Rosenstein's appointment of Mueller....which means, obviously, that Rosenstein did so without consulting either the President OR Jeff Sessions. A smart move on his part. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in Jeff's office when he learned what happened.
Sessions was clearly chosen, in part, as someone who would protect the President at all costs. Trump is now casting around for a new FBI director and clearly wants one who would be LOYAL to him which means he wants another Sessions in that post.
Rosenstein got sucked into the whole process and my guess is was not happy with assertions that he was charged with drafting a memo justifying Comey's firing after the decision had been made.
It appears he finally realized that if he wanted to protect what was left of his reputation, he had to assume the role of the adult in the room. Thank heavens HE was willing to take on that task because nobody else in the administration OR the GOP has yet done so.
That recorded conversation between Ryan and McCarthy in the summer of '16, laughing over rumors that Trump and Dana Rohrbacher were on Putin's payroll, is just an awful indictment of the GOP. If it was only a joke then, did they still think so after the election and since then with all the rumors of Russian involvement? If so, how cynical can you get in a desire to cling to power at any cost?
Sessions was clearly chosen, in part, as someone who would protect the President at all costs. Trump is now casting around for a new FBI director and clearly wants one who would be LOYAL to him which means he wants another Sessions in that post.
Rosenstein got sucked into the whole process and my guess is was not happy with assertions that he was charged with drafting a memo justifying Comey's firing after the decision had been made.
It appears he finally realized that if he wanted to protect what was left of his reputation, he had to assume the role of the adult in the room. Thank heavens HE was willing to take on that task because nobody else in the administration OR the GOP has yet done so.
That recorded conversation between Ryan and McCarthy in the summer of '16, laughing over rumors that Trump and Dana Rohrbacher were on Putin's payroll, is just an awful indictment of the GOP. If it was only a joke then, did they still think so after the election and since then with all the rumors of Russian involvement? If so, how cynical can you get in a desire to cling to power at any cost?
23
Ah yes, the Whiner-in-Chief. Trump saw speaking at the graduation at the Coast Guard Academy as yet another opportunity to whine and brag, just as he does whenever he is speaking in public, no mater the occasion. Never mind the young men and women were now going off to bravely serve our country, something Trump certainly knows nothing about, along with a myriad of other things necessary for heading the ship of state.
I am surprised and relieved at the choice of Robert Mueller for Special Prosecutor. It brightened my day for a moment as we all view the train wreck this administration is.
I am surprised and relieved at the choice of Robert Mueller for Special Prosecutor. It brightened my day for a moment as we all view the train wreck this administration is.
13
The idea that you never give up has to be defined. Jonas Salk never gave up until he found a vaccination for polio. That is a proper goal. But most SS never gave up until Germany was destroyed. Japan (especially as evidenced by Iwo Jima and the atomic bombings) never gave up until the Emperor out maneuvered the militarists and gave up. If your goal is wrong you must go back to the starting point and begin again. To never give up when you are on the wrong road is insanity. Trump is on the wrong road.
21
Get ready folks, now comes the pity-party.
After doing everything hopelessly backwards and wrong, while thinking he knows EVERYTHING, and can do everything better-- Reality is beginning to crack through Trump's twitter-fueled world with less than glorious results.
Of course, it's everyone else's fault. Be it Obama, Clinton, or even the family dog, if there was one.
And don't let that Coast Guard speech fool you. It had nothing to do with the graduating class. It was all classic Trump.
The long-suffering and misunderstood saint who is being crucified by the evil media.
What he forgot is these are the young men and women who will be putting their lives on the line to serve and protect this country -- something so far, Trump has failed to do.
They deserved better than a speech than that.
After doing everything hopelessly backwards and wrong, while thinking he knows EVERYTHING, and can do everything better-- Reality is beginning to crack through Trump's twitter-fueled world with less than glorious results.
Of course, it's everyone else's fault. Be it Obama, Clinton, or even the family dog, if there was one.
And don't let that Coast Guard speech fool you. It had nothing to do with the graduating class. It was all classic Trump.
The long-suffering and misunderstood saint who is being crucified by the evil media.
What he forgot is these are the young men and women who will be putting their lives on the line to serve and protect this country -- something so far, Trump has failed to do.
They deserved better than a speech than that.
23
He is truly and embarrassment to our great nation, however what hurts the most. Republican congress just stands idol, how hypocritical.
12
Some sort of thought and discussion needs to be taking place as to why the military supported Trump in this election. And why Fox News is their media outlet of choice. They need to deconstruct what kind of chaos this led to. And McMasters reputation after actually writing a book about keeping one's integrity in the presence of a toxic black hole of "everyone is doing it" turns out to be prophecy. A rich guy who weaseled out of the draft with a phony "condition" is lecturing our military academies about his self-inflicted wounds. Rich.
Mission Not Accomplished.
Mission Not Accomplished.
Trump's "Version of Keeping Us Safe" looks like what Erdogan's thugs did in Washington, D.C.
16
I'm getting the impression that Ms. Collins is starting to seriously lose her sense of humor regarding this...ah, stuff, and I can absolutely understand why.
8
The man is a disgrace and an embarrassment to the nation.
19
All this coming from a Prez who made his political chops on calling our former President Obama a secret radical Muslim born in Kenya. He paraded around Fox News and far right radio demanding to see his birth certificates for years. He and his party are despicable.
17
Disaster after disaster. God help the USA.
8
Study the twilight years of Ancient Rome, as the once great empire declined and fell. Towards the end, a series of idiots and buffoons reigned inffectively, only to be replaced by one even more incompetent. Trump is merely a symptom of a once great power in irreversible decline.
5
The clothes have no emperor.
23
Ah, Gail. You are just part of the vast left-wing conspiracy smearing a fine man. Just kidding.
As to loyal Trump supporters: There are none so blind as those who will not see.
As to loyal Trump supporters: There are none so blind as those who will not see.
15
Keep him on until the midterms. every time he opens his mouth, Dems pick up another seat.
9
I wonder if Trump still feels no remorse at the witch hunt he led against HRC during the campaign where he had all his worshippers chanting "Lock 'Er Up!" based on less convincing evidence than RussiaGate.
7
"Meanwhile National Security Adviser Mike Flynn turned out to be a mess on many fronts, and was fired for lying."
Correction. Mike Flynn wasn't fired for lying since this was already known nearly three weeks by the administration before he was fired. He was fired because the lying became publicly known.
Correction. Mike Flynn wasn't fired for lying since this was already known nearly three weeks by the administration before he was fired. He was fired because the lying became publicly known.
16
The only way to keep your job with this obvious empty suit is not to do your job.
3
"Crying like a baby."
3
If you want to know what the abomination in the WH and Congress are all about simply look at their play called "healthcare reform". A careful clinical reading of it tells it all. Parsing all it says about the character, aims, and allegiances of DJT and the R Party would constitute a tome so I'll bottom-line it herein:
What is says about DJT is that he has no philosophical compass, nor policy acuity, nor worthwhile epistemology, nor real energy for or competence in anything but performing and aggrandizing himself.
What is shows about his Presidency is that he's a tool - a means to an end - for the Rs. They feigned dissing him as a candidate but joyful was the day their "Manchurian Candidate" became President. Finally a puppet so immaturely wrapped up in his own self that they can plow through about anything without Presidential obstruction. RR was part of the team but no puppet, and GWB really cared about people too much. But DJT - well all he needs is unconditional at the moment adulation - and their base will easily supply that to him in spades . All the R leaders have to do is call him "our Leader!" and they can freely run their ball into the end zone as they like.
What it says about the Rs is this: they have no objective other than to do away with our modern Federal Government; essentially return to the Articles of Confederation. Only under that structure is their ideal possible. That being a Christofascist Plutocracy.
The AHCA says it all! Woe is us!
What is says about DJT is that he has no philosophical compass, nor policy acuity, nor worthwhile epistemology, nor real energy for or competence in anything but performing and aggrandizing himself.
What is shows about his Presidency is that he's a tool - a means to an end - for the Rs. They feigned dissing him as a candidate but joyful was the day their "Manchurian Candidate" became President. Finally a puppet so immaturely wrapped up in his own self that they can plow through about anything without Presidential obstruction. RR was part of the team but no puppet, and GWB really cared about people too much. But DJT - well all he needs is unconditional at the moment adulation - and their base will easily supply that to him in spades . All the R leaders have to do is call him "our Leader!" and they can freely run their ball into the end zone as they like.
What it says about the Rs is this: they have no objective other than to do away with our modern Federal Government; essentially return to the Articles of Confederation. Only under that structure is their ideal possible. That being a Christofascist Plutocracy.
The AHCA says it all! Woe is us!
4
What GOP operative said years ago that it didn't matter what Republican President was in the White House as long as they could sign their name to any legislation they passed in the GOP controlled Congress. They have their idiot, except they didn't count on him taking them down in the process.
2
And their total inability and lack of knowledge on how to govern when in control.
2
Still bragging and whining, and talking about himself. I'm sure the cadets were truly inspired by trump's "commencement address." He's not just a criminal. He's a real jerk.
10
Captain Queeg!
2
With his "Wowsssy, Wowssyy, Wooo, Woo" Droopy Speech to our future leaders; was he seeking donations for the Narcissistic Billionaires Society or just feeling sorry for himself?
Has he run out of Minorities, Women, Politicians, Muslims,..to denigrate, so he's moved on to self?
Has he run out of Minorities, Women, Politicians, Muslims,..to denigrate, so he's moved on to self?
2
What the president fails to "get" is that HE set this tone.
"Lock her up!" Obama's birth certificate. Mexican immigrants are rapists and drug dealers. "Lyin' Ted." "Crooked Hillary." "Losers" galore. Ad infinitum.
Just like Sarah Palin he comes out swinging, then whines about unfairness when people swing back. SAD!
"Lock her up!" Obama's birth certificate. Mexican immigrants are rapists and drug dealers. "Lyin' Ted." "Crooked Hillary." "Losers" galore. Ad infinitum.
Just like Sarah Palin he comes out swinging, then whines about unfairness when people swing back. SAD!
7
Here is some advise to Trump.
Man up or resign you whining man child.
Man up or resign you whining man child.
11
No politician in history has been treated more unfairly?
How about President Obama? Why, I can think of at least one idiot who, almost up to the time of his own 'election,' ran around claiming that Obama wasn't an American citizen and whining to see a birth certificate.
Were Trump capable of sensing embarrassment or shame, he might appreciate the irony of it all.
But ultimately, alas, Trump will not so much be impeached as flushed. Republican donors are growing impatient, financial markets are looking shaky, and it's only a matter of time until someone pulls the chain and sends this pile of walking, talking excrement back to the sewer from which it crawled.
P.S. I can't wait to see Steve Bannon and some of the other more malignant White House staffers shackled and perp-walked!
How about President Obama? Why, I can think of at least one idiot who, almost up to the time of his own 'election,' ran around claiming that Obama wasn't an American citizen and whining to see a birth certificate.
Were Trump capable of sensing embarrassment or shame, he might appreciate the irony of it all.
But ultimately, alas, Trump will not so much be impeached as flushed. Republican donors are growing impatient, financial markets are looking shaky, and it's only a matter of time until someone pulls the chain and sends this pile of walking, talking excrement back to the sewer from which it crawled.
P.S. I can't wait to see Steve Bannon and some of the other more malignant White House staffers shackled and perp-walked!
7
I find it ironic that Trump was even asked to deliver the commencement address at the Coast Guard Academy, given the fact that he has proposed drastically cutting the agency's funding, according to the initial version of his proposed budget.
Yet again, he couldn't resist going off course and making everything about him. He is still constantly talking about the size of his inauguration crowd, his "huge electoral college victory, and highlighting his dubious achievements to date (of which there are few). However, using the occasion to portray himself as the victim in the ongoing investigation into his administration and campaign's ties with Russia (which is growing arms like an octopus), and casting himself as the most persecuted politician EVER, was the most inappropriate. Has he never heard of Nelson Mandela?
Again, he has proven that he cannot concentrate on the task at hand. Given the fact that he cant carry around a teleprompter with him 24/7, I wonder how he is going to manage to get through his upcoming international trip without embarrassing himself and the country.
Yet again, he couldn't resist going off course and making everything about him. He is still constantly talking about the size of his inauguration crowd, his "huge electoral college victory, and highlighting his dubious achievements to date (of which there are few). However, using the occasion to portray himself as the victim in the ongoing investigation into his administration and campaign's ties with Russia (which is growing arms like an octopus), and casting himself as the most persecuted politician EVER, was the most inappropriate. Has he never heard of Nelson Mandela?
Again, he has proven that he cannot concentrate on the task at hand. Given the fact that he cant carry around a teleprompter with him 24/7, I wonder how he is going to manage to get through his upcoming international trip without embarrassing himself and the country.
5
As someone who has had multiple family members graduate from USMA, I felt that Trump's commencement address was downright insulting to new military officers and their families. The sacrifices and risks these young people and their family members face are ones that Trump could never fathom. His selfishness is truly a never ending pit.
321
Certainly time to end invitations to such occasions. He made it all about him before the wall of honor at, I think, the CIA shortly after the inauguration. I shudder at the thought of this person speaking after some of the events Obama had to deal with- school shootings, and so on. Comforting grieving families and a grieving nation -- don't even want to think about how that would turn out.
3
It is a mistake for you to substitute your feelings for those of your family members, PHA.
It's what they think that counts. And as far as I can determine, they are proud to serve their Commander-in-Chief.
It's what they think that counts. And as far as I can determine, they are proud to serve their Commander-in-Chief.
They should be proud to serve their country not their fake, cowardly Commander-In-Chief.
Usually, it is a major event when a President of the United States gives a college commencement speech, but what Trump did yesterday at the Coast Guard Academy was embarrassing. Commencement speeches by sitting presidents are supposed to be uplifting and inspirational. Trump's address was a variation of his campaign rhetoric with a mixture of woe is me. Trump is all about himself all the time. Trump, like all other Republicans, stands for very little and he will continue to pat himself on the back for the nothingness that his administration has done and will do. The Trump name is quickly becoming equivalent to calling someone unqualified and/or incompetent.
13
Not to mention he's proposing cutting their Budget:):):)
5
Frankly, the clichéd "go your own way" commencement speeches have been getting tired. Good thing Trump is shaking things up. Now we can look forward to a new genre of "No one is a bigger victim then Me" address. Coming soon to a middle school near you.
136
And given by someone who has not matured past middle school.
Trump is the boy who cried" wolf". He lying is unsurpassed even by Nixon. With him it is not about making America great again, but rather attempting to make the Trump brand bigger than is really is.
Americans are sometimes slow to react in a crises which is what his ignorance and bravado has led to. I think now with the appointment of the special prosecutor, attitudes are changing.
With the world awash in terrorism, nuclear weapons, unstable governments, millions of displaced refugees, and a Putin led Russia seeking to destabilize democracies around the world, we need a real leader, one with an understanding of our place on the world and domestic scenes, not someone in search of personal adulation as his primary objective.
His is a failure at governance and an embarrassment on the world stage. The sooner he is gone, the better America will be.
Americans are sometimes slow to react in a crises which is what his ignorance and bravado has led to. I think now with the appointment of the special prosecutor, attitudes are changing.
With the world awash in terrorism, nuclear weapons, unstable governments, millions of displaced refugees, and a Putin led Russia seeking to destabilize democracies around the world, we need a real leader, one with an understanding of our place on the world and domestic scenes, not someone in search of personal adulation as his primary objective.
His is a failure at governance and an embarrassment on the world stage. The sooner he is gone, the better America will be.
6
"You will find that things happen to you that you do not deserve," said President Trump to the world. "Yes, things like YOU!" the world answered back.
11
Trump's self-pity is nausea-inducing. Child of privilege, billionaire, and president -- give us a break or at least a prescription for an antiemetic. (Oops, that healthcare thing again.)
I just recently read about some of the things that Michelle Obama was called by members of the right wing. (None of which are fit to repeat here.) And that was only the last president's spouse...
I just recently read about some of the things that Michelle Obama was called by members of the right wing. (None of which are fit to repeat here.) And that was only the last president's spouse...
12
With all these depositions and investigations going on, what I'd really love to see right now would be our president taking a history test.
5
Reread "Dereliction of Duty," McMaster's wonderful book on how both military and civilian principals turned away from the truth in Vietnam, and how he was practically an outcast after it was published, I expected him to stand tall when he went to work for Trump. So much for backbone, but that's where Trump stabs you, isn't it?
The generals in our new administration perhaps see themselves as "just doing their job" or perhaps "just following orders." Maybe the others can be excused. But McMaster has lost my support . . . completely.
Maybe he can find work with McConnell.
Sorry times.
The generals in our new administration perhaps see themselves as "just doing their job" or perhaps "just following orders." Maybe the others can be excused. But McMaster has lost my support . . . completely.
Maybe he can find work with McConnell.
Sorry times.
20
As an active duty general, McMaster must do and say what Trump commands, from his command to take the job in the first place.
Good comments, Dennis.
McMaster's book was not particularly well written. Many books on Vietnam make the same points more articulately. It was the fact that he wrote it that created a firestorm in the military. McMaster was a serving Major in the US Army. Publication held up his promotions for a number of years, but the pendulum swung and the his rise was meteoric.
Dennis, your well-turned phrase is accurate: Trump stabbed him in the backbone. But I think McM is trying to reign in Trump's worst proclivities. At least it's not Flynn in that position. I still have high hopes for this man who has a history of speaking truth to power.
McMaster's book was not particularly well written. Many books on Vietnam make the same points more articulately. It was the fact that he wrote it that created a firestorm in the military. McMaster was a serving Major in the US Army. Publication held up his promotions for a number of years, but the pendulum swung and the his rise was meteoric.
Dennis, your well-turned phrase is accurate: Trump stabbed him in the backbone. But I think McM is trying to reign in Trump's worst proclivities. At least it's not Flynn in that position. I still have high hopes for this man who has a history of speaking truth to power.
2
Being only Thursday, you come pretty close to "Saturday Night Live" impromptus making fun of the idiocy of our liar-in-chief, who is setting 'mouse traps' for himself whenever he opens his mouth, at least in the interludes when he is not praising himself for all (harm) he has done thus far. This man-child opportunist must be stopped of course, and the sooner the better. If he had an ounce of functioning brain to tell him right from wrong, and half an ounce of humility, how different things might develop. But then again, how can we ask from a demagogue what he lacks, character, decency and honesty?
7
You broke it, you bought it. Unfortunately, since Viet Nam, a lot of the young who are attracted to the military (including the Coast Guard) are self-avowed card carrying Republicans, maybe a few anyway can see what the grand old party has finally come up with. To be one of those ensigns in the audience and be embarrassed by this brings up some big time questions for our society that most people either don't want to talk about or have no clue about. Since Reagan and the beginning of the mercenary military we developed, this is really a country going nowhere in terms of what the whole thing means. Just going through the motions, that's all.
5
Correct; most Academy grads tend to be Republicans. But most of us can think. We are not blind to the Trump phenomenon. Frankly, I think he merely a speedbump on a road that leads upward. Read Steven Pinker's Better Angels of Our Nature to get a bigger picture than that of "a country going nowhere."
1
I would suggest looking at what the Republicans ARE, and have been since Reagan. Not what you might imagine them to be. Function over theory.
"Better Angels of Our Nature" has NOTHING to do with this. As relevant as Bill Gates, a great fan of the book, thinking he knows how to run our public schools (because he's giving money).
I remember taking my toddler son to see Nixon's helicopter land outside the USNA stadium where he gave the commencement speech. We knew at that point Nixon was going down, and he resigned just a couple months later. These New Coast Guard ensigns did not get the inspiring speech thay should have been given, but they will always know they were a part of history in dramatic times.
10
re the Coast Guard, didn't the budget cut over a billion dollars from the Coast Guard budget, or was that cut repealed?
9
Ouch! You saved that last line for the uppercut.
Personally, I am happy to be reminded President Lincoln was a Republican.
I wonder if Mr. Trump realizes the man in the portrait on his office wall was a Democrat.
Personally, I am happy to be reminded President Lincoln was a Republican.
I wonder if Mr. Trump realizes the man in the portrait on his office wall was a Democrat.
7
Trump is the guy Joseph Campbell said is so unconscious that his life is living him instead of the other way around. As we saw with the Russian diplomat/ex-spy he automatically blabbed our intel to without a thought.
A man with an unexamined life at age 70 is a menace to others. Trump can't decide whether he is Napoleon or a Jesus-martyr and neither can his followers.
Campbell warned: "Don't get in a car with a person like this!" - their unconscious "certainty" is delusional. Trump calls that "trusting his instincts". Look out.
A man with an unexamined life at age 70 is a menace to others. Trump can't decide whether he is Napoleon or a Jesus-martyr and neither can his followers.
Campbell warned: "Don't get in a car with a person like this!" - their unconscious "certainty" is delusional. Trump calls that "trusting his instincts". Look out.
13
correction: Trump is the type of guy, not "the" guy
I am surprise that Trump did not demand a loyalty oath...to himself from the new Coast Guard ensigns.
Nobody to guide Trump from making royal screwups practically every day? Well we got Stephen Miller, the former aide to Jeff Sessions, who is writing the speech Trump will give in Saudi Arabia to Muslim leaders and followers from all over the world. What could go wrong?
12
Sad as it is to read these news stories, we should not be nor should we ever have been surprised by anything that comes out of his mouth. He came to the job with no government or military experience (so he has no sense of rules, boundaries, limitations, or discipline) and has never run a real company as CEO, accountable to a true Board of Directors (who can fire him at will) or stockholders (who demand real performance, not just a performance). He is selfish, self-centered, and a child with major Daddy issues. He makes everything about him. He demands loyalty to him (not the Constitution) and has little problem throwing anyone under the nearest bus in one of his 3 a.m. tweet rages.
He loves the spotlight and hates the heat. But he loves the spotlight more. The next few days will be an interesting time for this country.
He loves the spotlight and hates the heat. But he loves the spotlight more. The next few days will be an interesting time for this country.
8
I don't want to exactly accuse Gail of being soft on the Trumpian's. But Jeff Sessions does seem to be getting a free ride -- few of the articles on him recall that he perjured himself in his Senate testimony before being confirmed. Perhaps, Gail, you're afraid of persisting?
5
“No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.”
How about Obama -- whose basic legitimacy as an American citizen you attacked for five long years.
How about Obama -- whose basic legitimacy as an American citizen you attacked for five long years.
"We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you, he is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who's to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections. You gather a group of middle-aged, middle-class, middle-income voters who remember with longing an easier time, and you talk to them about family and American values and character."
President Andrew Shepherd, "The American President", 1995
President Andrew Shepherd, "The American President", 1995
5
My version of Trump 'keeping us safe': The Coast Guard puts him out on an ice floe, along with Pence, Ryan and McConnell.
8
An ice floe that is melting rapidly because, you know, global warming.
3
@Brunella: And then I'd like to hear them debate global warming.
5
I think some of those seamen and women were trying not to laugh.
4
This guy is a case of study for pathological behavior. I read somewhere that in order for him to read the security daily briefing his subordinates have to write his name somewhere within the paragraphs then if he sees his name he reads it otherwise he wouldn't care even if it is a national security manner or a worldwide crisis.
That is the current president of the United States.....when we became this?
That is the current president of the United States.....when we became this?
7
We should stop referring to a Trump "administration" since there is.no administrating going on. I would suggest Trump Demolition Derby instead.
2
Proves the point that anyone can grow up to be president. Except you girls, of course. Will someone please save us from this disaster? Do we really have to put up with this until 2020? Oh, the silence ...
4
What a pompous speech...another embarrassment to stand up and talk wholly about oneself! He, feeling persecuted, shows what little he knows of this country's history and of it's presidents. He's the most obnoxious person ever to fill that office and put the whole country at risk. Never have we had such a chaotic beginning of a presidency....and it can't be over soon enough!
4
Very well said, Ms. Collins!
3
My only hope after he leaves office, in whatever scenario that may be, is that he doesn't take class, respect, competence and maturity with him. Remember those qualities that didn't belong to any particular party? They were just expected at a bare minimum for a position as serious as being president. If you were fired from your job the way Trump fired Comey, if there was a Prinicpal who there was rumors of being fired speaking at your child's graduation the way Trump complained and whined to that graduation Coast Guard class , if your boss had to have the meetings he attended shortened because he didn't have the attention span to sit through a meeting that you spent hours preparing, you would be outraged. I will never understand how he is the one who got away with things that any other politician could only dream of the one who never served in the military the one who never served in government the one who had multiple wives and multiple children with those wives the one who said he donated to charities but didn't . He's not even the anti-Christ as I've heard some over the top people say, you could never see the Anti-Christ coming he just reveals himself slowly. But from a mile away you can see this Buffoon coming as he knocks down everything in his path. I hope when you're gone that does happen the stench that you leave behind will be so bad that no one will ever attempt to run a campaign like yours and certainly a white house like the one you have run.
1
Then how to explain the 40% that voted for him if his buffoonery is so obvious?
You're right, Donald
You have been treated very badly.
Especially by the fake news mrdia.
Double especially by the failed NY Times.
It's a conspiracy.
Appoint a commission to look into the fake media outlets.
Appoint another one to check your staff, appointees, and general lackeys.
It might be time to quit this political witch hunt and go back to your multiple, huge penthouses and do what you do the bestest in the world: build huge buildings, sue everybody involved in their construction, sell the for a nice profit, then do it all over again.
You are the best.
Truly.
You have been treated very badly.
Especially by the fake news mrdia.
Double especially by the failed NY Times.
It's a conspiracy.
Appoint a commission to look into the fake media outlets.
Appoint another one to check your staff, appointees, and general lackeys.
It might be time to quit this political witch hunt and go back to your multiple, huge penthouses and do what you do the bestest in the world: build huge buildings, sue everybody involved in their construction, sell the for a nice profit, then do it all over again.
You are the best.
Truly.
The party of "personal responsibility" is now led by the whiniest, most victimized trustfunder in the country. A man who can't even be bothered to do his job as leader of the free world properly or with any dignity. God save our Queen of Pain.
Donald can't even keep himself safe at the end of the day. He's a victim of his own ignorance and hubris. He'll work himself out of the Presidency in record making time. What a monumentally stupid man.
2
America has a rich target of ridicule in Donald Trump, but we should not forget who is in the picture frame of the selfie. America, with a little help from our close Russian allies, elected this self-absorbed doofus, a clown of Ringlingian proportions. Perhaps we should be declaiming American Exceptionalism, Greatest Country in the World, et al., in a little softer register as our representative oaf bestrides the world stage. He's our boy. We put him out there. God forgive us. God help us. God bless America.
5
Donald J. Trump -- the most unqualified person to have ever served as POTUS. The nation will be well served when this clown is finally shown the exit door.
5
"Things happen to you that you don't deserve." Yes, like becoming president.
8
Gail,
Are you ever right!
God Bless!
Are you ever right!
God Bless!
3
Right on mark, Gail.
2
Trump has defiled his office as president.We would not have allowed into the White House a poisonous animal and expected it to govern with compasssion
And intelligence.We the people voted for an ignorant, self agrandizeing,corrupt
Salesman for the Trump name.Where ever he speaks he speaks with no respect for everyone who points to HIS words,his actions his refusal to think of the millions of citizens his behavior effects.
He is a malignant personality unfit for any public office,and he has appointed like minded people to his cabinet.Disgusting and sickening in the greatest Democracy in the world,or we were.
And intelligence.We the people voted for an ignorant, self agrandizeing,corrupt
Salesman for the Trump name.Where ever he speaks he speaks with no respect for everyone who points to HIS words,his actions his refusal to think of the millions of citizens his behavior effects.
He is a malignant personality unfit for any public office,and he has appointed like minded people to his cabinet.Disgusting and sickening in the greatest Democracy in the world,or we were.
2
Speak for yourselves, Ohio. I didn't vote for him.
It was embarrassing to see Trump using these beautiful young men & women being used as a sounding board for his demented mind.They certainly deserved someone of greater worth.
5
We already know what hot mess, we have in trump, but what a disappointment in McMasters, i thought he was a stand up guy, but turns out, one less calming influence on the nut case.
1
This windbag of disrespect with partial critical information is off to blab whatever to adversaries and insult allies to create new enemies.
Based on his success of destroying environmental safe guards, he should be able to create sufficient disorder and distractions to make the todays headlines disappear.
Based on his success of destroying environmental safe guards, he should be able to create sufficient disorder and distractions to make the todays headlines disappear.
Gail,
Love all you write. You are the sole sane voice along with Charles Blow.
Keep giving us strength to get through this nightmare.
Love all you write. You are the sole sane voice along with Charles Blow.
Keep giving us strength to get through this nightmare.
4
We will all be extremely lucky if this miserable excuse for a human being doesn't start a war.
3
As I was reviewing the news of the last few days, including breaking overnight news regarding Flynn's being under investigation by the FBI was known to trump's team before he was selected to be National Security Advisor, it came to me that trump's self inflicted wounds were a bit like the shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.
2
And you are missing our illustrious John F. Kelly, Gen. John F. Kelly, a leader of men, who suggested to the president that Trump impale journalists like yourself with a sword. What paragons of virtue! Wouldn't it be great if all of our boys grew up to be like these guys!
3
Right on.
2
Behold our Snowflake in Chief, whining and whingeing to beat the band. A fine example for the Coast Guard Academy's graduates.
2
When do we get to throw our shoe at him?
6
Nailed it!
1
Isn't it ironic that Trump whines to the Coasties about the difficulties and his unfair treatment as President while proposing to unfairly gut the Coast Guard funding thereby making their jobs extraordinarily difficult.
6
Here's the world smallest violin....holding up two crossed fingers...and it's playing just for Donald J. Trump. Sniff, sniff. So much worse than Abraham Lincoln - as Gail points out - and so much worse than McKinley and Kennedy. And, unless your memory fails you, we might recall that President Obama's citizenship was questioned incessantly by the father of birtherism, Mr. Trump, for 8 years! And, of course, Hillary Clinton has been besieged with every possible conspiracy theory for the last 25 years all the way up to and including drowning her White House chef.....maybe because he knew she had a penchant for chocolate mousse...? Donnie Trump is a pathetic little boy in a poorly tailored man's suit with tie that is thankfully long enough to wipe his own tears.
21
It just occurred to me that Trump is Captain Hook and America is Peter Pan.
“Proud and insolent youth,” said Hook, “prepare to meet thy doom.” “Dark and sinister man,” Peter answered, “have at thee.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan and Wendy
“Proud and insolent youth,” said Hook, “prepare to meet thy doom.” “Dark and sinister man,” Peter answered, “have at thee.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan and Wendy
7
Gail,
I was hoping you would let us know what happened to Jaranka, Ivankred, Ivared, Jaredka.
They were setting themselves up to be American capitalism's answer to the the royal William and Kate.
Now, they've disappeared. There used to be Jared in every picture, like Waldo. Is TASS photoshopping him out, the way they used to for the Red Square May Day lineups?
Also you left out what kind of uniform Trump will be wearing to military revues.
You used to be a lot closer to Trump. Now that he is President on Twitter, it must be harder for him to send those personal dear notes that were his wont.
I was hoping you would let us know what happened to Jaranka, Ivankred, Ivared, Jaredka.
They were setting themselves up to be American capitalism's answer to the the royal William and Kate.
Now, they've disappeared. There used to be Jared in every picture, like Waldo. Is TASS photoshopping him out, the way they used to for the Red Square May Day lineups?
Also you left out what kind of uniform Trump will be wearing to military revues.
You used to be a lot closer to Trump. Now that he is President on Twitter, it must be harder for him to send those personal dear notes that were his wont.
9
"Over the course of your life, you will find that things are not always fair. You will find that things happen to you that you do not deserve.”
Yeah...like becoming President.
Yeah...like becoming President.
We thought, we hoped, despite all signs and history to the contrary, that he might become presidential. But he continued to show his true stripes, as just a corrupt, money-grubbing poser and a mega-drama queen.
7
You soft words are not strong enough, Gail.
Trump is going full-on authoritarian (Fascist) and it's a 'version'? Whatever.
Trump is going full-on authoritarian (Fascist) and it's a 'version'? Whatever.
3
News item: Trump to meet Pope May 24
Hey Francis — can I call you Frank? — anyhow, Your Esteemedness, you've got a sweet thing going here with the Catholics I mean, and that Sistine Chapel you showed me is pretty wild, reminds me of Mar-a-Lago, that's one of my many golf courses. Many many. You should come out some time, we could knock a ball around — did you know my best score ever was 18? Yep, 18 holes-in-one in a row, it was pretty special. Those white robes might get in the way of your swing though, but I could sell you some dapper duds, some genuine Trump-branded golf attire for the Pope on the go!
But speaking of go, I've gotta go — the world's busiest guy, that's me — so why don't we shake hands for the cameras — no need for you to genuflect — and, um, we'll see you around, kay?
[Trump and Pope shake hands, Pope counts fingers, mutters in Italian:]
Mama mia!
Hey Francis — can I call you Frank? — anyhow, Your Esteemedness, you've got a sweet thing going here with the Catholics I mean, and that Sistine Chapel you showed me is pretty wild, reminds me of Mar-a-Lago, that's one of my many golf courses. Many many. You should come out some time, we could knock a ball around — did you know my best score ever was 18? Yep, 18 holes-in-one in a row, it was pretty special. Those white robes might get in the way of your swing though, but I could sell you some dapper duds, some genuine Trump-branded golf attire for the Pope on the go!
But speaking of go, I've gotta go — the world's busiest guy, that's me — so why don't we shake hands for the cameras — no need for you to genuflect — and, um, we'll see you around, kay?
[Trump and Pope shake hands, Pope counts fingers, mutters in Italian:]
Mama mia!
9
For national damage control, sooner or later Trump will have to go, but look at what we will be left with.
Pence who set in motion the destruction of public education in Indiana and opened the doors for religios schools to receive public funding.
Ryan who wants to bring Ayn Randian ploicies and peivatize and profitize government.
McConnell all g with the rest of the gop who wants to give massive tax cuts to those who need them the lwast.
And the rest of the gop who do nnot care if citizens can accesst health care.
Yes we will have great leaders with Trmp gone.
Pence who set in motion the destruction of public education in Indiana and opened the doors for religios schools to receive public funding.
Ryan who wants to bring Ayn Randian ploicies and peivatize and profitize government.
McConnell all g with the rest of the gop who wants to give massive tax cuts to those who need them the lwast.
And the rest of the gop who do nnot care if citizens can accesst health care.
Yes we will have great leaders with Trmp gone.
5
Obliviously, Mr. Trump's keeps providing evidence of the unstable state of his mental health and more directly of his apparent Narcissistic Personality Disorder as he did regarding his obsessive self focus during the CG speech. Having poor reality testing and unable to connect the dots or consider consequences, the leader of the free world creates his own storms then feels enraged and victimized when it rains.
10
What was the Coast Guard expecting when they invited him? Did someone lean on them and make it uncomfortable not to do so? I just can't imagine the line of thinking.
8
I suppose sooner or later a service academy had to issue an invitation to the commander-in-chief to address its graduates. As a veteran of the Vietnam War, I take consolation in the fact that it was not what most would call a combat service arm. When I graduated from college almost the same year as Donald Trump, I got my degree and my commission as a second lieutenant. Within eighteen months, I was in the jungles of South Vietnam with the First Cavalry Division. Donald Trump was doing his best to avoid STD's (sexually transmitted diseases) stateside. In the run-up to the election I wrote an article urging fellow vets to pledge not to vote for Donald Trump. In it I confessed that I could not in good conscience reommend a man like Donald Trump command a platoon (30-50 soldiers) in PEACETIME. No disrespect meant to our courageous Coast Guard, but what could the man, based on his own contempt for service of any kind except to self, possibly convey of value to these idealistic young men and women?
19
We were warned.
The following is an excerpt from a letter written by a group of Harvard Psychologists and sent to the White House following Trump's election and before his inauguration.
"We are writing to express our grave concern regarding the mental stability of our President-Elect. Professional standards do not permit us to venture a diagnosis for a public figure whom we have not evaluated personally. Nevertheless, his widely reported symptoms of mental instability — including grandiosity, impulsivity, hypersensitivity to slights or criticism, and an apparent inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality — lead us to question his fitness for the immense responsibilities of the office. We strongly recommend that, in preparation for assuming these responsibilities, he receive a full medical and neuropsychiatric evaluation by an impartial team of investigators."
The following is an excerpt from a letter written by a group of Harvard Psychologists and sent to the White House following Trump's election and before his inauguration.
"We are writing to express our grave concern regarding the mental stability of our President-Elect. Professional standards do not permit us to venture a diagnosis for a public figure whom we have not evaluated personally. Nevertheless, his widely reported symptoms of mental instability — including grandiosity, impulsivity, hypersensitivity to slights or criticism, and an apparent inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality — lead us to question his fitness for the immense responsibilities of the office. We strongly recommend that, in preparation for assuming these responsibilities, he receive a full medical and neuropsychiatric evaluation by an impartial team of investigators."
15
The simple definition of insanity was that you do the same thing over and over but expect a different outcome eventually.
The lame hope that POTUS will change his demeanor and behavior is insanity on the part of apologists.
Thank goodness for a step in the direction of sanity with Mueller. Only a step.Meanwhile, other issues that cry for addressing will be sidelined.
The lame hope that POTUS will change his demeanor and behavior is insanity on the part of apologists.
Thank goodness for a step in the direction of sanity with Mueller. Only a step.Meanwhile, other issues that cry for addressing will be sidelined.
7
Trump is crazy like a Fox News show. Which is the audience to whom he is broadcasting. THEY get it - and him.
Fortunately for the rest of us, their viewers are in bed before the late night shows which excoriate their hero come on the air.
Unfortunately for the rest of us, Trump is up early, Tweeting his self-aggrandized version of those shows. To his sycophantic audience. With the rest of us interpreting his Tweets as the ravings of a lunatic, while his self-disenfranchised fans applaud.
So when does this end? Nobody knows, though the betting has now shifted in the direction of Mueller.
Fortunately for the rest of us, their viewers are in bed before the late night shows which excoriate their hero come on the air.
Unfortunately for the rest of us, Trump is up early, Tweeting his self-aggrandized version of those shows. To his sycophantic audience. With the rest of us interpreting his Tweets as the ravings of a lunatic, while his self-disenfranchised fans applaud.
So when does this end? Nobody knows, though the betting has now shifted in the direction of Mueller.
4
There was a speech last year during the election campaign, by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. I don't know what the occasion was, and I'm not totally sure of the exact wording, but I remember this much. Mr. Bloomberg tried to persuade people not to vote for Trump and he said something like "If he runs the country the way he runs his businesses, God help us all". And I think of that sentence every single day. I just hope there's a God out there to help us.
22
It was his speech at the Democratic National Convention, in which he also said, "I'm a New Yorker, and I know a con when I see one."
9
Bloomberg should have run himself. He was mayor of NY for three terms. He built and ran a large company with many employees. I'd be willing to bet a few bucks that he'd have no problem releasing his tax returns.
He said this at the Democratic Convention: "Most of us who have created a business know that we're only as good as the way our employees, clients, and partners view us. Most of us don't pretend that we're smart enough to make every big decision by ourselves. And most of us who have our names on the door know that we are only as good as our word, but not Donald Trump."
He said this at the Democratic Convention: "Most of us who have created a business know that we're only as good as the way our employees, clients, and partners view us. Most of us don't pretend that we're smart enough to make every big decision by ourselves. And most of us who have our names on the door know that we are only as good as our word, but not Donald Trump."
Bloomberg shd've run.
Whether or not (not) he's being treated unfairly is beside the point.
Donald Trump is the biggest whiner I have ever seen in adult form.
It's unfair!
Obama has been mean to me since he left office!
It's a witch hunt!
He has failed at his dream of being "Presidential" (note, not President--most of us knew he couldn't function as President).
Too bad.
Donald Trump is the biggest whiner I have ever seen in adult form.
It's unfair!
Obama has been mean to me since he left office!
It's a witch hunt!
He has failed at his dream of being "Presidential" (note, not President--most of us knew he couldn't function as President).
Too bad.
9
My level of distain for this man reached its peak a year ago, but then again 9 months ago, 6 months ago , 3 months ago, ..., last week, yesterday, and I'm sure it will continue. Thankfully we have your light-humored column to help soften a hard reality.
But what about this guy's hardened supporters? What does it take to reach them? Would setting the man loose on 5th Avenue do the job? (Second thought, not a good idea.)
But what about this guy's hardened supporters? What does it take to reach them? Would setting the man loose on 5th Avenue do the job? (Second thought, not a good idea.)
13
I feel for the graduates, it's suppose to be their special day, instead #45 makes it all about himself as usual.
13
The lead commentators appear to be writing his obit. He ain't gone yet and if the moment comes, what is to become of his cabinet? Sessions will still be there, Pruitt and Perry and DeVoss et. als. "there is no joy in Mudville" either way, the best we can hope is to escape with our lives and a semblance of our rule of law.
3
"No politician in history -- and I say this with great surety -- has been treated worse or more unfairly,"
give me break!!
it is really the other way round!
"No politician in history has treated the press worse or unfarily".
If want to see the real public enemy#1 look at the mirror.
give me break!!
it is really the other way round!
"No politician in history has treated the press worse or unfarily".
If want to see the real public enemy#1 look at the mirror.
I opposed 45 simply because he is a despicable person, but now I see he is not even a functioning person! He's become our crazy Uncle who always says the wrong thing, does the wrong thing, and its always someone else's fault. I believe the 25th Amendment may be more appropriate now than impeachment but he has brought along such a useless staff to this administration that I know that will never happen! i hope we do NOT forget ALL of the people that are aiding and abetting - Ryan, McConnell and their fellow cohorts. They are demonstrating daily their lack of conviction to uphold the oaths they took - to protect and uphold the US Constitution. I know they won't end up on the end of the rope where they may belong, but such traitorous behavior cannot be excused and should not be forgotten! The hour has come to stand together as Americans and not let our differences stop us from doing what so obviously needs to be done for ALL of our sakes, and that of our children!
9
I would remind our persecuted president and his surrogates that POTUS labeled the press the "enemy of the American people." All things considered, I'd credit the fourth estate with remarkable restraint.
11
There is no
Dog
There's no
music
There's no
kids
No wife
Nothing happy seen
Nothing funny said
No kindnesses extended
No love
Because in his White House
This one has no clothes
This one has no soul
And Ms. Collins ,
Thank you for all your kindness and understanding and all the laughs.
at this most dark time in this country
Anyone complaining about your column must have voted for him .
Dog
There's no
music
There's no
kids
No wife
Nothing happy seen
Nothing funny said
No kindnesses extended
No love
Because in his White House
This one has no clothes
This one has no soul
And Ms. Collins ,
Thank you for all your kindness and understanding and all the laughs.
at this most dark time in this country
Anyone complaining about your column must have voted for him .
23
The man who claimed that President Obama was not an American citizen and started a movement to prove it has the audacity to cry "unfair" and "witch hunt"?
What gall.
What gall.
I think the graduates should count themselves lucky that Trump didn't hand them a copy of his beloved electoral map prints along with their diplomas!
9
NYT, well done. Enough cannot be said about my great disappointment in Rosenstein, McMaster and_________
(a reserved space for Mueller, if he fails in his mandate).
(a reserved space for Mueller, if he fails in his mandate).
3
The NYT or another publication should publish a monthly collection of these Trump-surdisms. Keep adding to them, month after month, so by the time his term (our sentence) is up the whole tome can be donated to his library. (The thought of which, a Presidential library for him makes me laugh.)
Id subscribe to it...it wouls make a good thing to pass down, would make a great text book for various college courses on child psychology, and other pathologies.
Id subscribe to it...it wouls make a good thing to pass down, would make a great text book for various college courses on child psychology, and other pathologies.
4
Of course Trump the Imposter will never be asked to speak at the graduation of any reputable non-public college. I suppose the military academies are a last-resort captive audience. But I object to a tax-supported institution awarding a sword to the draft dodging prevaricator-in-chief. This is a military honor that will be cherished by the authoritarian armchair general who has a peculiar penchant for men in uniform and fascination with weaponry and means of military domination. He is undeserving of the honor. Flowers? A plant ? A plaque, sure, but not a sword.
5
Trump's pattern in life when confronted with what others might call disastrous failure has been to run away, declare victory, take tax deductions and announce some new project that would "wonderful, the best, like something you've never seen". It wasn't that he just failed, he left others holding the bag. When he started out renting his name, his brand, the path to easy money seemed assured, but even those projects have had big bounce backs, like Trump "University" which cost him a 25 million dollar settlement just before taking office. With the presidency, there is no good place to run to make it all better, to make it look like a grand success. He's stuck and so are we.
Trump now has a watch dog on his case in the person of Robert Mueller. This is something no president wants and this president is unlikely to tolerate. He wants to be an independent operator making quick decisions, keeping opponents off balance and throwing up tweet storms to confuse everyone. Is this a strategy for governing? It worked with very mixed success in business, but in the White House it is a plan for chaos. In time, Trump is likely to get bored with the problems he faces and try to find an exit path. He promoted himself into a job he cannot do and, bit by bit, even some of his most ardent supporters are waking up to this fact.
Trump now has a watch dog on his case in the person of Robert Mueller. This is something no president wants and this president is unlikely to tolerate. He wants to be an independent operator making quick decisions, keeping opponents off balance and throwing up tweet storms to confuse everyone. Is this a strategy for governing? It worked with very mixed success in business, but in the White House it is a plan for chaos. In time, Trump is likely to get bored with the problems he faces and try to find an exit path. He promoted himself into a job he cannot do and, bit by bit, even some of his most ardent supporters are waking up to this fact.
11
Trump, trump, trump. Ironically, that's the sound of the steady but unmistakable march towards President Trump's impeachment. And it all could have been avoided. Years, in fact, decades ago the Electoral College should have been abolished, but, thanks to a press that wasn't adequately reporting the danger, the American people chose to ignore this time bomb built into our system.
Not even after the 2000 election when we got stuck with a bad president were we moved to act. Oh, yes, there was some talk of an amendment to change the constitution (ironically, it was one Senator Hillary Clinton who introduced a bill to do just that) but it went nowhere. But so what. It can't happen again. Bush was a one off, right?- was the attitude.
In hindsight, the Trump presidency was as predictable as his self serving brag-fest speech at the Coast Guard graduation.
Not even after the 2000 election when we got stuck with a bad president were we moved to act. Oh, yes, there was some talk of an amendment to change the constitution (ironically, it was one Senator Hillary Clinton who introduced a bill to do just that) but it went nowhere. But so what. It can't happen again. Bush was a one off, right?- was the attitude.
In hindsight, the Trump presidency was as predictable as his self serving brag-fest speech at the Coast Guard graduation.
7
Donald Trump:
Born with a golden spoon in his mouth, given millions by his Dad to start a business, took deferments for Vietnam because he had bone spurs but still managed to bravely play tennis, bailed out by his Dad who illegally bought $3.4 million in chips at Donald's failing casino in Atlantic City when Donald couldn't pay the mortgage, cheated on Ivana with Marla, cheated contractors like the mom and pop store in Florida out of $32,000 for paint they supplied for one of his golf courses with Donald having to pay $280,000 in lawyer's fess on top of the $32,000, Donald who declared bankruptcy 4 times but still managed to buy Marla a diamond engagement ring for $250,000 when he owed $916 million to creditors, Donald who lied and said Obama didn't have a US birth certificate, Donald who called Jeb low energy, Donald who called Rubio little Marco, Donald who said Cruz's Dad was involved in JFK's assassination, Donald who insulted Fiorina's face, Donald who led the chants of "lock her up" against Hillary, Donald who called Mexicans rapists, Donald who said women should be punished if they have abortions, Donald who insulted Merkel by not shaking her hand when she visited him in the White House, Donald who didn't allow American reporters into a meeting in the Oval Office but did allow Russian reporters into the office while he gave away top secret information to the Russians.
Donald is being treated unfairly?
Poor Donald.
Donald can dish it out, but he sure can't take it.
Born with a golden spoon in his mouth, given millions by his Dad to start a business, took deferments for Vietnam because he had bone spurs but still managed to bravely play tennis, bailed out by his Dad who illegally bought $3.4 million in chips at Donald's failing casino in Atlantic City when Donald couldn't pay the mortgage, cheated on Ivana with Marla, cheated contractors like the mom and pop store in Florida out of $32,000 for paint they supplied for one of his golf courses with Donald having to pay $280,000 in lawyer's fess on top of the $32,000, Donald who declared bankruptcy 4 times but still managed to buy Marla a diamond engagement ring for $250,000 when he owed $916 million to creditors, Donald who lied and said Obama didn't have a US birth certificate, Donald who called Jeb low energy, Donald who called Rubio little Marco, Donald who said Cruz's Dad was involved in JFK's assassination, Donald who insulted Fiorina's face, Donald who led the chants of "lock her up" against Hillary, Donald who called Mexicans rapists, Donald who said women should be punished if they have abortions, Donald who insulted Merkel by not shaking her hand when she visited him in the White House, Donald who didn't allow American reporters into a meeting in the Oval Office but did allow Russian reporters into the office while he gave away top secret information to the Russians.
Donald is being treated unfairly?
Poor Donald.
Donald can dish it out, but he sure can't take it.
63
Trump has a very high opinion of himself. This would not be a problem on its own, but when compounded with his failure to understand that he is a failure, it is a serious problem and a threat to the nation. As president, he seems to embrace two kinds of people as demonstrated by his highest level appointments and his cabinet choices: military leaders, and people with money. This demonstrates the apogee of the American problem: equating wealth with virtue, military power with orderliness, and freedom with a right to exploit others.
10
Our president has done the opposite of protecting the country. I believe we are now more vulnerable than ever. His erratic behavior has left our allies wondering if he stands by any of our commitments. His behavior with the Russians last week has surely made them wonder if he can be trusted with classified information. He may have cost us our best source of information in the Middle East by divulging secret information obtained by the Israelis.
It has been evident for some time now that our president is unfit for his office. In addition the spineless Republicans in Congress refuse to take any action to rein him in since they hope to use him to rubber stamp their agenda. And while they are trying to find a way to drop millions of people from health care, critical jobs in the administration are left unfilled.
This is a very serious and dangerous time for our country. We should all be praying that our president doesn't do something stupid like start another unnecessary war. I just hope he doesn't insult his foreign hosts or embarrass the country on his upcoming trip. But I wouldn't bet money on it.
It has been evident for some time now that our president is unfit for his office. In addition the spineless Republicans in Congress refuse to take any action to rein him in since they hope to use him to rubber stamp their agenda. And while they are trying to find a way to drop millions of people from health care, critical jobs in the administration are left unfilled.
This is a very serious and dangerous time for our country. We should all be praying that our president doesn't do something stupid like start another unnecessary war. I just hope he doesn't insult his foreign hosts or embarrass the country on his upcoming trip. But I wouldn't bet money on it.
10
Trump summed himself up pretty well when he told Lester Holt that Comey was a “Showboat” and “a grandstander!”
Holt should get an Emmy award for not breaking into laughter.
Holt should get an Emmy award for not breaking into laughter.
17
His ship is sinking.
12
Unfortunately we're all on board.
11
Mr. Trump doesn't want to be president. If there were some way out of it that wasn't a big kick in the ego (which must never be), he'd be gone today. Yesterday. He had all he wanted without the mess, if the country had just been sane enough to laugh and turn away from his carnival huckster jive. He walked down red carpets, people rushed to please him, he lived in luxury and grabbed women hard, just for the fun of it. He had all that and more without any work at all. He didn't have to hear slurs against himself, ever; he had the insulation of wealth, the people who told him he was good, and wise, and beautiful, and never argued with him at all. And now look at the situation. People mocking him, a nation fearful because he is so unable to discharge the duties of his office or even understand what they are. Yes, he wants out, and it was a madness on the parts of those who had their absurd "reasons" that he is there now.
20
Bravo!
When Augustus Caesar was dying in 14 AD he spent a long time with his nephew Tiberius who was to inherit the Empire. When Tiberius departed Augustus was heard to murmur to himself. "Oh! Unlucky Roman People, to be masticated by such slow jaws."
In Trump we have a man like Tiberius, raised in privilege and given power but is essentially unfit to wield it. Tiberius soon got tired of being emperor gave authority over to the notorious Sejanus and went to live on Capri to indulge in sexual pleasures. Rome began its spiral into oblivion. Jesus was crucified during the reign of Tiberius.
In Trump we have a man like Tiberius, raised in privilege and given power but is essentially unfit to wield it. Tiberius soon got tired of being emperor gave authority over to the notorious Sejanus and went to live on Capri to indulge in sexual pleasures. Rome began its spiral into oblivion. Jesus was crucified during the reign of Tiberius.
6
Listen, Congressional Republicans.
I just figured out how I'm going to pay all you guys back for supporting me.
I got slings.
They're the... the bestest slings around.
That's right, I call it the Trump Sling.
Bet you didn't think you'd ever find yourself in a sling like... like this.
Well don't worry, everybody around me is going to get one.
Very soon.
And it'll be custom fitted.
Personalized.
Very close fit.
Only I could put you in such a sling.
I just figured out how I'm going to pay all you guys back for supporting me.
I got slings.
They're the... the bestest slings around.
That's right, I call it the Trump Sling.
Bet you didn't think you'd ever find yourself in a sling like... like this.
Well don't worry, everybody around me is going to get one.
Very soon.
And it'll be custom fitted.
Personalized.
Very close fit.
Only I could put you in such a sling.
4
How eloquent our "president" was in his commencement address to the newly-minted ensigns. Oops, wrong president. But, here is our current president with his usual cry:
"No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.”.
Imagine for a minute if Obama, for instance, had given a commencement address to academy graduates that included how he had been unfairly targeted as a Muslim, Kenyan, not born in this country, faced racial bigotry and a Congress bent on obstructing his administration. What would the outcry have been from the GOP and conservative pundits.
No, Mr. Trump, these graduates deserved better than a "pep rally" speech that has been given time and time again to his supporters in order to prop up his "presidency" and insure his supporters continue to stroke his ego.
Mr. Trump, it is not always about you and how your feelings have been hurt.
It appears that if this "president" is able to complete a full term, we will be bombarded daily about how the media and liberal politicians are picking on him regardless of he being the person causing self-inflicted damage to himself.
"No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.”.
Imagine for a minute if Obama, for instance, had given a commencement address to academy graduates that included how he had been unfairly targeted as a Muslim, Kenyan, not born in this country, faced racial bigotry and a Congress bent on obstructing his administration. What would the outcry have been from the GOP and conservative pundits.
No, Mr. Trump, these graduates deserved better than a "pep rally" speech that has been given time and time again to his supporters in order to prop up his "presidency" and insure his supporters continue to stroke his ego.
Mr. Trump, it is not always about you and how your feelings have been hurt.
It appears that if this "president" is able to complete a full term, we will be bombarded daily about how the media and liberal politicians are picking on him regardless of he being the person causing self-inflicted damage to himself.
7
Maybe we've been misunderstanding Trump all this time. Perhaps he's intended us to say, "Mr. President, we're so tired of whining".
9
If I recall correctly in Trump's budget proposal he wanted to cut funding for the Coast Guard. Did these young ensigns realize that if Trump had his way they'd be out of a job? Of course we can't build a huge, big wall that runs the length of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans so what's the point of the Coast Guard when they can't defend a wall. But then without the Coast Guard lots more drug runners will just zip into the United States via the unguarded seas. As a 'builder' Trump doesn't bother with things that can't be built. A shrug will do fine. Trump is such a brainy guy, but he does tend to go on praising himself to a horrifying extent...oh my...
3
Did Trump tell the Coast Guard graduates he plans to cut their budget?
10
It'll be assumed next year when they're issued/wearing Flip Flops and Bermuda Shorts at their graduations.
3
I don’t remember the commencement speaker at my graduation. Do you?
1
I'd remember one if he spent most of the time complaining and feeling sorry for himself.
Because afterwards, I'd recall giving him the Hug He so richly is begging for.
Because afterwards, I'd recall giving him the Hug He so richly is begging for.
3
@JTB: When I got my master's degree, the commencement speaker was William F. Buckley. He was awful. He obviously didn't prepare any remarks in advance. He just stood there rambling on and on in an annoying monotone, saying whatever came into his head. It seemed to drag on forever. Large segments of the audience finally started leaving, including me and my family. It was a disaster and an insult to the graduates.
Practical advice deleted from the Trump graduation speech at the Coast Guard Academy: "Be nice! You'll never get anywhere if everyone hates you."
5
Too bad nobody asked him about how his heel spurs are doing.
10
I do hope, for his sake, that Mr. Rosenstein has another job lined up. I expect the news of his firing next.
1
Who is writing his speeches? Does he/they shudder every time they're asked to write another? I imagine that after the speech is written, Trump is given a copy, and begins his edit until a carefully crafted speech becomes a whining rant. I imagine that, right about now, the speech writers are feeling pretty deflated, realizing that no matter how hard and meticulously they craft the product, it will degenerate in his hands into word salad without much cohesion.
I suppose that so long as you get paid twice a month, you shrug your shoulders and, next time, you don't work so hard. What would be the point? A speech about tax reform becomes a speech about how unfair the IRS has been to him. A speech about women in the workforce becomes a speech about how smart he is. A speech about the symbiotic relationship between the US and Israel becomes a speech about leaks in the White House that make him look bad.
We hired a very defective person. And he's totally incompetent.
I suppose that so long as you get paid twice a month, you shrug your shoulders and, next time, you don't work so hard. What would be the point? A speech about tax reform becomes a speech about how unfair the IRS has been to him. A speech about women in the workforce becomes a speech about how smart he is. A speech about the symbiotic relationship between the US and Israel becomes a speech about leaks in the White House that make him look bad.
We hired a very defective person. And he's totally incompetent.
7
The President is fond of quoting statements written by someone else that he falsely claims are his. A good example is “prime the pump.” I’m sure there is a list of others who would take too much valuable NYT space to quote.
This does not mean that he doesn’t deserve credit for other inventions: using a public tweet to defend oneself when one is accused of any crime and taking advantage of any public appearance, particularly graduations, to speak about one’s grievances. I’m sure very soon any politician who faces the wrath of deserved public justice will use tweets as part of their defense. To reduce one’s answer to 140 characters in a trial is a true creative invention indeed. To believe that our minds would accept it is not an invention, it’s an evolutionary step in the human genus, because it will require a smaller human brain. I hope we are ready for it.
This does not mean that he doesn’t deserve credit for other inventions: using a public tweet to defend oneself when one is accused of any crime and taking advantage of any public appearance, particularly graduations, to speak about one’s grievances. I’m sure very soon any politician who faces the wrath of deserved public justice will use tweets as part of their defense. To reduce one’s answer to 140 characters in a trial is a true creative invention indeed. To believe that our minds would accept it is not an invention, it’s an evolutionary step in the human genus, because it will require a smaller human brain. I hope we are ready for it.
very good piece!!, thanks
3
“No politician in history — and I say this with great surety — has been treated worse or more unfairly,” he complained to Coast Guard graduates on Wednesday...
Let's see: Nelson Mandela comes to mind.
Or Massasoit.
Or Roger Williams
Or Massasoit
Or Ghandi
Or Jeanne d'Arc
Or Julius Caesar
Or the Tsar and his entire family
Or Louis XVI - and Marie Antoinette
Or Charles I
Or Geronimo....
Add your own list here:
Let's see: Nelson Mandela comes to mind.
Or Massasoit.
Or Roger Williams
Or Massasoit
Or Ghandi
Or Jeanne d'Arc
Or Julius Caesar
Or the Tsar and his entire family
Or Louis XVI - and Marie Antoinette
Or Charles I
Or Geronimo....
Add your own list here:
9
What a terrible commencement address to deliver to graduates of a U.S. Service Academy. Me..me..me!
5
Who in the world chose him to give this commencement speech?
7
Mercedes, it's a tradition that the president gives one commencement speech at each of the service academies. There are five of them, and the president, as Commander in Chief, makes the rounds at nearly each of them during his administration. Unfortunately for the Coast Guard Academy Class of 2017, the president in line to deliver their speech was Trump. If Trump is still in office at this time next year, then either West Point, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, or the Merchant Marine Academy will be forced to deal with his noxious presence at their commencement ceremony.
3
Donald Trump -- in Saudi Arabia -- giving a speech on Islam. What could possibly go wrong? Or maybe he is just trying to broker a deal for the U.S. to join OPEC. Then on to Israel and the Wailing Wall; how appropriate.
8
In general terms, Trump has been treated pretty badly, but he deserves it and wants it. One thing he knows better than anybody is that the devil gets a lot more attention than the angel. Take a tally of all media from written to visual, fiction and non and see who is the character that drives most plots.
As Trump sees the Presidency as a vehicle for his aggrandizement, he will play the devil to the end. He probably would be very disappointed if nothing is found other than he is a sleazy businessman because once the dust settles he would only be an average guy with a very tough job who doesn't do it well.
As Trump sees the Presidency as a vehicle for his aggrandizement, he will play the devil to the end. He probably would be very disappointed if nothing is found other than he is a sleazy businessman because once the dust settles he would only be an average guy with a very tough job who doesn't do it well.
84
Unfortunately, this is all happening right before Trump leaves for his first European trip, which means that foreign leaders and foreign press will be treated to a litany of Trump's grievances, much like the Coast Guard cadets were. No matter what the issue is, Trump will bring it around to himself and embarrass the United States on the world stage. I can't imagine this profane and disrespectful man approaching the Wailing Wall when he visits Jerusalem. America has been diminished by this presidency.
5
Unfortunately, this is all happening right before Trump leaves for his first European trip, which means that foreign leaders and foreign press will be treated to a litany of Trump's grievances, much like the Coast Guard cadets were. No matter what the issue is, Trump will bring it around to himself and embarrass the United States on the world stage. I can't imagine this profane and disrespectful man approaching the Wailing Wall when he visits Jerusalem. America has been diminished by this presidency.
1
A man who spent a lifetime stiffing contractors and reneging on deals and taking credit for successes that weren't his while stabbing friends in the back all while boasting about how great he is is complaining about being unfairly treated?
Obviously Trump doesn't know the meaning of the word "irony."
Obviously Trump doesn't know the meaning of the word "irony."
342
How is it that his supporters can't see who he is and has always been? His supporters are baffling.
Trump is like an alcoholic, full of resentments and self pity. Perhaps getting a sponsor and working the steps might help. I doubt this because he would never get past step one
admitted we were powerless over alcohol– that our lives had become unmanageable.
Trump's addiction is himself, he loves himself so much that he is incapable of grasping why people don't adore him, even when he does harmful things. The alcoholic can justify anything bad they do. Trump shoots someone on 5th Avenue but expects, demands that people adore him. His alcohol is malignant narcissism, sadly incurable, more sadly we the people suffer real life consequences while he only gets a bruised ego, turning to his pitiful staffers to justify his actions.
Let us hope he hits bottom very soon and centers a recovery program or the disease banishs him to his gold plated castle that is Trump Tower, never to be seen or heard from again.
admitted we were powerless over alcohol– that our lives had become unmanageable.
Trump's addiction is himself, he loves himself so much that he is incapable of grasping why people don't adore him, even when he does harmful things. The alcoholic can justify anything bad they do. Trump shoots someone on 5th Avenue but expects, demands that people adore him. His alcohol is malignant narcissism, sadly incurable, more sadly we the people suffer real life consequences while he only gets a bruised ego, turning to his pitiful staffers to justify his actions.
Let us hope he hits bottom very soon and centers a recovery program or the disease banishs him to his gold plated castle that is Trump Tower, never to be seen or heard from again.
2
So, someone who gets to make decisions on behalf of the USCG thought it would be a good idea for him to give that speech? Really? I mean, what did they think would happen?
And off he goes to Europe, to, uh, say stuff. Making it seem to the whole world as though every one of us is stupider. "He lost the popular vote" should be rephrased as "A large majority of Americans is deeply opposed to his presidency". It's stating the obvious, but sounds less like quibbling. They should rewrite the polling questions too, because to compare his "unfavorability rating" with those of previous presidents is apples and oranges, and words matter.
And off he goes to Europe, to, uh, say stuff. Making it seem to the whole world as though every one of us is stupider. "He lost the popular vote" should be rephrased as "A large majority of Americans is deeply opposed to his presidency". It's stating the obvious, but sounds less like quibbling. They should rewrite the polling questions too, because to compare his "unfavorability rating" with those of previous presidents is apples and oranges, and words matter.
2
The firing of Mr. Comey just illustrates that we can't have the appointment to head the FBI, the CIA, and the Justice Department, made by a president when you have some like Donald Trump in office.
The appointments should be chosen by a select, nonpartisan group of citizens who would present their choice to the Senate for confirmation.
The political influence is too tempting and dangerous for a president to have that choice.
The appointments should be chosen by a select, nonpartisan group of citizens who would present their choice to the Senate for confirmation.
The political influence is too tempting and dangerous for a president to have that choice.
1
Who is genuinely "nonpartisan", and how is this determined?
No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has provided greater reason to question his actions within the context of the 25th Amendment, and to question his inactions with respect to appointments of people necessary to make the government function in the best interests of the people.
7
Trump was elected by nihilists to burn it all down and let whatever phoenix, if any, rise from the ashes.
It strikes me that the commencement speech at the Coast Guard Academy was incredibly valuable for the graduates, although it probably seemed insufferable and insulting at the time. The recognition that one's commander is human, with failings, is probably the kind of mature thinking that many military personnel earn through years of hard experience. Here, these bright new ensigns had a firsthand look at how the debilitating, fundamental failings of the person at the top of the chain hobble his command of any situation.
Unfortunately, if any of these ensigns have been keeping up with current events then they also have the morale-depleting recognition that they are entering a military that the president sees merely as a PR tool to be used on whim, without knowledge, planning or concern for anyone more than himself.
Unfortunately, if any of these ensigns have been keeping up with current events then they also have the morale-depleting recognition that they are entering a military that the president sees merely as a PR tool to be used on whim, without knowledge, planning or concern for anyone more than himself.
8
The higher one rises in rank, the more likely it is that people will simply take whatever one says as an order to do something.
1
I'm so tired of this. Donald Trump is as fake as the fake news he attributes to the fickle media that essentially created him and, by the way, bears much responsibility for making him electable in the first place. The media loves Donald Trump in the same way the weather channel loves tornadoes: Despite their awful destructive power, they both provide job security.
Ultimately it is the electorate that, for whatever reason, chose to put this man forth and ultimately it is the electorate that will bear the brunt of the havoc he continues to bring, not only upon America, but upon the rest of the world.
Ultimately it is the electorate that, for whatever reason, chose to put this man forth and ultimately it is the electorate that will bear the brunt of the havoc he continues to bring, not only upon America, but upon the rest of the world.
23
One questions how long the country and media can remain captivated by daily episodes of "The Donald Trump Show." It's all becoming rather trite and boring. Let's impeach the fellow and then we can all change channels and move on to something else.
4
Reagan was treated very badly by the liberal press, and Dubya has good reason to despise the fourth estate even more than Lincoln did, called by his adversaries “Honest Ape”. Nixon may have deserved the opprobrium in the wake of his Watergate crimes, but he was the target of liberal press hatred for many years before that. Trump has some way to go before he equals them as targets.
But Gail merely adds to the already-immense portfolio of anti-Trump columns we’re offered every single day. Me, I’d like to offer something more useful today, instead.
You ever wonder why it’s impossible to avoid bone-jarring shocks in America when merely driving in and around our major cities? It’s not just the fact that our infrastructure is falling apart from the degree to which we dedicate public funds to a social welfare scheme that mostly didn’t exist when Eisenhower built our national highway system and our states and cities could afford to maintain the roads. It also has to do with how we design those roads.
Years ago, a major tire manufacturer actually recommended that people not buy their products for use in the NYC region – not because they couldn’t handle potholes but for all the structural steel we have in our roads, which destroys tires, as well as alignments and the general integrity of cars. And it’s not just steel plates covering excavations, but simply manhole covers artfully sited to avoid regularly hitting them impossible.
But Gail merely adds to the already-immense portfolio of anti-Trump columns we’re offered every single day. Me, I’d like to offer something more useful today, instead.
You ever wonder why it’s impossible to avoid bone-jarring shocks in America when merely driving in and around our major cities? It’s not just the fact that our infrastructure is falling apart from the degree to which we dedicate public funds to a social welfare scheme that mostly didn’t exist when Eisenhower built our national highway system and our states and cities could afford to maintain the roads. It also has to do with how we design those roads.
Years ago, a major tire manufacturer actually recommended that people not buy their products for use in the NYC region – not because they couldn’t handle potholes but for all the structural steel we have in our roads, which destroys tires, as well as alignments and the general integrity of cars. And it’s not just steel plates covering excavations, but simply manhole covers artfully sited to avoid regularly hitting them impossible.
There’s so much emergency road maintenance going on around our greater region that it’s extremely difficult to just get around – where we’re finding all the construction workers is a wonder, as well as where we’re finding the money. Trump must be spending all those off-hours people accuse him of spending golfing in the Treasury building instead, cranking out with abandon $1-billion notes to give to the states.
But here’s an idea. As part of the epochal infrastructure project everyone is talking about but nobody seems prepared to do anything about, if it ever gets off the ground we should allocate part of it to designing accesses to sewers, power conduits and other facilities laying under our roads that DON’T require those manhole covers so destructively placed to make life convenient for maintenance workers but make inevitable the destruction of trillions of dollars of our autos and trucks. You do it when a road a road comes up for some kind of major repair. Put them on the sides of roads and design accesses to the infrastructure elements beneath the surface.
It probably would take 100 years to complete. But maybe it takes that long to overcome the aphasic design inadequacies that Europeans seem to have avoided.
Now how’s THAT for a welcome respite from Trump-bashing? What’s more, instead of mere kvetching, it offers an idea worthy of discussion.
But here’s an idea. As part of the epochal infrastructure project everyone is talking about but nobody seems prepared to do anything about, if it ever gets off the ground we should allocate part of it to designing accesses to sewers, power conduits and other facilities laying under our roads that DON’T require those manhole covers so destructively placed to make life convenient for maintenance workers but make inevitable the destruction of trillions of dollars of our autos and trucks. You do it when a road a road comes up for some kind of major repair. Put them on the sides of roads and design accesses to the infrastructure elements beneath the surface.
It probably would take 100 years to complete. But maybe it takes that long to overcome the aphasic design inadequacies that Europeans seem to have avoided.
Now how’s THAT for a welcome respite from Trump-bashing? What’s more, instead of mere kvetching, it offers an idea worthy of discussion.
Trump should grow a thicker skin. He has brought the bad press on himself. He could have acted differently once he won the election. Instead of behaving like a gracious winner he proceeded to whine about losing the popular vote by claiming that there were illegal votes cast for Clinton. Then, after his inauguration he focused on lambasting the people who did rough counts of how many attended his swearing in and speech. He did this for weeks. He has since progressed to firing the director of the FBI, giving us multiple reasons why, disclosing intelligence to his Russian friends and giving the NSA and CIA, and who knows who else acute indigestion and fear.
Considering the damage he's doing he's gotten off quite lightly. If Clinton had done any of this the GOP and the Democrats would have screamed for and gotten a special counsel appointed immediately. However, if you, Richard Luettgen, firmly believe that Trump is getting a raw deal from the liberal press, wait until the GOP decides to walk away from him. Then the only friends he'll have will be the four walls in his office and the conservatives will say far worse things about him than the liberals. Conservatives are much better at calling people names than anyone I've ever known.
Considering the damage he's doing he's gotten off quite lightly. If Clinton had done any of this the GOP and the Democrats would have screamed for and gotten a special counsel appointed immediately. However, if you, Richard Luettgen, firmly believe that Trump is getting a raw deal from the liberal press, wait until the GOP decides to walk away from him. Then the only friends he'll have will be the four walls in his office and the conservatives will say far worse things about him than the liberals. Conservatives are much better at calling people names than anyone I've ever known.
5
hen3ry:
Liberals are FAR more creative at calling people bad names than conservatives. You just hear what you want to hear.
Liberals are FAR more creative at calling people bad names than conservatives. You just hear what you want to hear.
Trump is a sick, sick man. He is so sick in his mind that he can't even give a boiler plate commencement speech to the graduating class of one of the nation's service academies without wallowing in solipsistic self-pity. And this is not hyperbole. Just read the following psychiatric definition,...
"Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others. But behind this mask of ultra-confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that's vulnerable to the slightest criticism."
Is this not a perfect description of what Trump is? Is it not validated by his conduct every single day?
We have put a genuine nut case in charge of the U.S. government. And though I can't stand the man, I truly hope he gets the medical help he needs before he ends up destroying this nation, and me along with it.
"Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others. But behind this mask of ultra-confidence lies a fragile self-esteem that's vulnerable to the slightest criticism."
Is this not a perfect description of what Trump is? Is it not validated by his conduct every single day?
We have put a genuine nut case in charge of the U.S. government. And though I can't stand the man, I truly hope he gets the medical help he needs before he ends up destroying this nation, and me along with it.
15
As strange as Trump's self-pitying talk was, it may have been the first real non-Fox experience of this man for some of the graduates and their parents.
To have the POTUS get up and whine about being mistreated to young people who did NOT choose to fake a disability like a bone spur to get out of military service must have been surreal.
To have the POTUS get up and whine about being mistreated to young people who did NOT choose to fake a disability like a bone spur to get out of military service must have been surreal.
2
Why should we care if he gets the "medical help he needs?" It's not our problem - that rests with his family. What We the people do care about is the safety and security of this country. Those around him every day who recognize this aberrant behavior yet continue to enable it are the true enemies of the USA.
1
This personality disorder is immune to treatment.
1
Trump is a coward.
Living in fear is a whole lot more dangerous than having courage and hope. By encouraging fear, he encourages us to run from good people and seek out harmful people.
His enablers are just as bad: we cannot hope that Republicans will realize that their greed and prejudice make us so much less safe.
Living in fear is a whole lot more dangerous than having courage and hope. By encouraging fear, he encourages us to run from good people and seek out harmful people.
His enablers are just as bad: we cannot hope that Republicans will realize that their greed and prejudice make us so much less safe.
12
Good to know that our president will undertake a nine day foreign road trip that will allow him to display to our allies his deep understanding of geopolitical issues. Starting with Saudi Arabia, President Trump is scheduled to give a speech there on Islam, where no doubt his nuanced grasp of its religious tenets will seamlessly join with an erudite exposition on the history of Western influence on the shaping of the Middle East. I am certain he will make many learned and insightful comments that will immediately influence our foreign policy relations in the region.
His next stop in Israel will be useful to discuss the importance of intelligence gathering protocols, and to affirm by personal, presidential assurances that our cooperation in such matters can always be relied upon.
And his meetings in Europe with the Pope and political leaders will provide a perfect venue for President Trump to show off his special charm and to reassure these dignitaries by personal example that the United States is in capable hands and that under his tutelage America is stable and secure, and remains an exemplar of democracy, fit to continue as the leader of the free world.
Put simply, Donald Trump will certainly make an impression on all who are privileged to engage with our spontaneous president as he speaks his mind.
His next stop in Israel will be useful to discuss the importance of intelligence gathering protocols, and to affirm by personal, presidential assurances that our cooperation in such matters can always be relied upon.
And his meetings in Europe with the Pope and political leaders will provide a perfect venue for President Trump to show off his special charm and to reassure these dignitaries by personal example that the United States is in capable hands and that under his tutelage America is stable and secure, and remains an exemplar of democracy, fit to continue as the leader of the free world.
Put simply, Donald Trump will certainly make an impression on all who are privileged to engage with our spontaneous president as he speaks his mind.
9
It is that "impression" that the "president" will possibly make that frightens us, along with the nonsense that flows forth from his mouth.
1
I want to note a picture that was taken as Donald Trump was addressing the Coast Guard cadets during their graduation. Living near the CGA Donald Trump's visit was a big deal so lots of pictures. This one was in the Hartford Courant's gallery. It was a picture of a female cadet with a bemused look on her face as Donald trump was speaking and feeling sorry for himself: a Rodney Dangerfield "I get no respect" type of speech for sure. It occurred to me that, of course, she may have been thinking about Trump's memorable description of his ways with women and found his complaints disingenuous. I can only imagine why Donald Trump would think the Coast Guard Academy would be an appropriate and embracing venue for his type of theater other than their being held captive by the Commander and Chief. Certainly that fits his personality.
6
The thinly veiled rage in Trump's voice during that speech is an indication of how he rails at his staff on a daily basis. Let's hope someone is keeping the guy with the nuclear football far away whenever Trump throws a tantrum.
11
You know what else is unfair? Trump having to back off his $1B proposed cut to the Coast Guard's funding.
5
Republicans are getting ready to dump Trump. Note their enthusiastic reception of Mueller. They can lay whatever happens at his feet, saying piously, "well, that's the decision that's been come to. We had nothing to do with it. We respect the rule of law."
However Trump's impeachment comes about, they can keep their hands client to their precious base.
However Trump's impeachment comes about, they can keep their hands client to their precious base.
5
I am deeply embarrassed every day by the egotistical rantings of a person I despise. That he is our president turns my stomach.
Please let us, your readers and admirers, know what we can do, how we can be heard, in addition to writing to our legislators.
Thank you.
Judy Carl
Please let us, your readers and admirers, know what we can do, how we can be heard, in addition to writing to our legislators.
Thank you.
Judy Carl
5
Trump's idea of keeping us safe is to do what China did from 700 something BC to 200 something. Build a wall. Instead of giving a commencement address at the Coast Guard Academy, he delivered a whimpering monologue about how unfairly he was be treated by the press. Of course, he used hyperbole claiming that he has suffered the more than any other President which is seriously low comedy. I ,truly, think that he has a hidden desire to be a stand up comic. His insincerity reminds me of the late great Jackie Gleason who was the Master of exaggeration. He and Jackie shared not only inflated egos, but inflated waistlines as well! Only, Jackie meant to be funny! And Trump is just funny!
It was a disappointment when I heard the applause for the egotist. Not sure how to interpret the cheering but to be generous I will write it off to youth and excitement to have such a prominent (though unqualified) speaker. I was hoping for silence at the moments he was looking for his usual pep rally cheers. We need to stop encouraging this self centered man.
6
I miss the old, funnier, Gail Collins. Hopefully, she will be able to write again soon.
Ah, Seamus, we never realized how good we had it!
Ah, Seamus, we never realized how good we had it!
1
To paraphrase Shakespeare, "The President doth protest too much, methinks". As was meant in Hamlet, he protests so much as to lose credibility.
1
Republicans seem to have a real problem with competence in government and one area is national security.
I seem to remember the outgoing Clinton Administration advised the (appointed) Bush Administration that the top security threat was OBL and his organization. They (Clinton & staff) further advised they (Bush & staff) meet with Richard Clarke ASAP. Mr Clarke had worked there since Reagan and was the point man on counterterrorism.
The 9-11 Commission showed the first meetings of the Bush National Security team with Clarke was September 12th, 2001 with the Pentagon Smoldering, the Twin Towers in rubble, a fresh crash site in Pennsylvania and all air travel- unless you were the Saudi Royal Family- grounded. How's that for follow through and Republican expertise at foreign affairs & national security?
Then after being attacked by people mostly from Saudi Arabia, these geniuses scheme up a plan to sell America a war with Iraq to liberate the Oil for Halliburton or something. It had to be as Saddam had no involvement in 9-11 as any competent security expert or Foreign Affairs Officer expert in the region could tell you. Anyhow, fake Intel and an outed CIA agent later, we had Operation Iraqi Liberation (OIL) later changed to Operation Iraqi Freedom and we all know how well that worked out.
Amazingly a tone deaf Jeb Bush defended his brother saying he kept us safe, forgetting that one day he didn't. Yet the meme persists that Republicans are better at keeping us safe.
I seem to remember the outgoing Clinton Administration advised the (appointed) Bush Administration that the top security threat was OBL and his organization. They (Clinton & staff) further advised they (Bush & staff) meet with Richard Clarke ASAP. Mr Clarke had worked there since Reagan and was the point man on counterterrorism.
The 9-11 Commission showed the first meetings of the Bush National Security team with Clarke was September 12th, 2001 with the Pentagon Smoldering, the Twin Towers in rubble, a fresh crash site in Pennsylvania and all air travel- unless you were the Saudi Royal Family- grounded. How's that for follow through and Republican expertise at foreign affairs & national security?
Then after being attacked by people mostly from Saudi Arabia, these geniuses scheme up a plan to sell America a war with Iraq to liberate the Oil for Halliburton or something. It had to be as Saddam had no involvement in 9-11 as any competent security expert or Foreign Affairs Officer expert in the region could tell you. Anyhow, fake Intel and an outed CIA agent later, we had Operation Iraqi Liberation (OIL) later changed to Operation Iraqi Freedom and we all know how well that worked out.
Amazingly a tone deaf Jeb Bush defended his brother saying he kept us safe, forgetting that one day he didn't. Yet the meme persists that Republicans are better at keeping us safe.
7
He demonstrates the worst characteristics of our society and of perceptions of wealthy arrogant trust fund types.
1
I would like to apologize to the Coast Guard Cadets and their families, who had to listen to their president whine on a day they worked so hard to achieve. I'm sorry you had to listen to that. I'm sorry he hijacked what should have been a day all about your accomplishment and instead made it all about himself. I hope you take that speech as an example of what you never want to be. I'm excited to see the wonderful contributions each of you will make to our country. Congratulations on your graduation!
14
Why would the Coast Guard invite him to speak? Why would any institute of higher learning?
3
He needs a spell check when he tweets, but that's the least. Here he goes off to visit parts of the world and we can only hope he will lose his voice. He is so unstable that he might throw a tantrum one day and hit the wrong button. He ranted and raved about Hilary and shouted many times"lock her up, lock her up etc." It's time he was locked up with some toys to play with to keep him from doing anymore damage. We know he will embarrass us in his travels because he never takes advise. I'm so tired of him thinking it's all about him. He must be removed by any means.
It might be that the people in the administration are sitting back and letting Trump dig his own grave because they know that's the best way to get rid of him...a very patriotic effort.
Dig that grave slowly, and protect your signing hand, President Trump, while we Republicans--with more loyalty to party than to the nation--continue our clear path--now that we have our own special prosecutor on board--to enrich ourselves, our supporters, our contributors. Keep that stock market up, those tax cuts coming,the vulnerable underfoot.
The garbage truck is on the way, and the trash will be taken out. But how bad will the stink get in the meantime?
5
I respectfully urge all of you to write to Pence, Ryan, your senators and your representatives and demand that Trump be removed from office before he destroys America. Section 4 of the 25th Amendment might be a solution.
Nixon must be laughing in his grave. Trump has nothing on Nixon's problems, yet. His focus on himself and his treatment is ridiculous, especially at a graduation which is a celebration of the culmination of years of hard work. I would like to congratulate these new Coast Guard ensigns on their achievements and graduation. I hope that the future brings them joy and wisdom.
As for Trump, has no one ever told this Toddler in Chief (TIC) that he is not the center of everything? There are celebrations that have nothing to do with him and his unhappiness about how he's treated by anyone. If he doesn't like being challenged on his statements he could control his mouth and Twitter finger. Three quarters of the news he hates would disappear if he clammed up or didn't speak before he had his statements checked for accuracy. Then again, in his view, he's president and right even when he's wrong.
Ah yes, poor TIC, even a nap won't make the troubles go away. He might have to learn how to behave responsibly, like an adult. He may need to control his temper, stop bragging about who is best, stop playing schoolyard bully, learn that BEING president is more than winning an election and walking into the office each morning. But first things first, get over yourself Mr. Trump, you're not the only person in the room or in the country.
As for Trump, has no one ever told this Toddler in Chief (TIC) that he is not the center of everything? There are celebrations that have nothing to do with him and his unhappiness about how he's treated by anyone. If he doesn't like being challenged on his statements he could control his mouth and Twitter finger. Three quarters of the news he hates would disappear if he clammed up or didn't speak before he had his statements checked for accuracy. Then again, in his view, he's president and right even when he's wrong.
Ah yes, poor TIC, even a nap won't make the troubles go away. He might have to learn how to behave responsibly, like an adult. He may need to control his temper, stop bragging about who is best, stop playing schoolyard bully, learn that BEING president is more than winning an election and walking into the office each morning. But first things first, get over yourself Mr. Trump, you're not the only person in the room or in the country.
9
The most dangerous people in life are those who don't know what they don't know. But Trump has added a few levels beyond just simple incompetency, a sampling: unchecked self-assuredness, ignorance, hatefulness, malleability, brashness, narcissism, self-loathing, cluelessness, a feeling of under-appreciation and need for adulation that is insatiable, lack of moral bearing, lack of discipline, lack of desire to learn or take counsel, lack of belief that anyone could possibly be more qualified than him on any subject, oh and lest we forget, an overwhelming belief in and feeling of impunity. Sadly I could go on and on and not one of those traits would be considered positive. Add it all up and we have a serious problem that cannot be corrected. It can only be ousted but even then, the damage would be with us for a lifetime in that it would only fuel the belief by his supporters that 'the swamp' ate a good man. God help us...
10
One never learns anything if one always has to be the smartest person in the room.
4
The President's commencement speech to the graduating class of the Coast Guard Academy taken together with today's early morning twitter rants again peg him as a poor little rich boy. He is become a truly pitiful character - not the stuff of which Presidents should be made. The American people are guilty of exercising extreme folly by allowing such a man into the Oval Office. Perhaps it will be more discerning in 2020.
25
We, the people of this country, need to understand an incredibly simple rule of life in the U.S., namely, any one who seeks and becomes president surely must know even if he has never been in elected office that being a President of the United States first and foremost is a humbling experience.
8
If a real captain will not be the last off the ship, he will go down with it.
There is no power that transcends the need to persuade.
Attacking refugees and immigrants instead of high-end terrorists makes us way less safe. Came across this yesterday:
"the Trump Administration seems less interested, so far, in parrying threats than in demonizing Muslims, particularly immigrants and refugees. Besides everything else, this is a strategic mistake. As Ahmad says, “America is the most successful country in the world at integrating immigrants, and that helps keep us safe. Immigrant communities in Europe are much more ghettoized, much less warmly accepted."
""It wasn’t stopping torture that stopped intel. It was stopping interrogation. It was going to droning, to killing. You get no intel from corpses.”"
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/05/15/taking-down-terrorists-in-c...
"the Trump Administration seems less interested, so far, in parrying threats than in demonizing Muslims, particularly immigrants and refugees. Besides everything else, this is a strategic mistake. As Ahmad says, “America is the most successful country in the world at integrating immigrants, and that helps keep us safe. Immigrant communities in Europe are much more ghettoized, much less warmly accepted."
""It wasn’t stopping torture that stopped intel. It was stopping interrogation. It was going to droning, to killing. You get no intel from corpses.”"
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/05/15/taking-down-terrorists-in-c...
5
No other nation can attack the US without endangering some of its own citizens with friendly fire.
But as the world shrinks, Snakebit Holler grows ever more isolationist.
But as the world shrinks, Snakebit Holler grows ever more isolationist.
If Trump wants to see a president who's been treated more unfairly, he need only look to his immediate predecessor. Obama was insulted, disrespected and refused even the most common of courtesies throughout his eight years as president. Even his own citizenship was questioned by thousands of Americans, including Donald Trump himself.
The primary different between the two? Obama didn't deserve that treatment; Trump has earned it every day he's been in office.
The primary different between the two? Obama didn't deserve that treatment; Trump has earned it every day he's been in office.
60
Trump sounds so much like many people today that will not take responsibility for their actions, it's someone else's fault, no one understands me, I was and I am mistreated by.....fill in the blank. A few trips to the wood shed years ago might have done him some good, but too late for that now.
19
I think it will do him good to have a holiday. Meet some real leaders, see how it gets done by professionals. Perhaps he will return with a new sense of resignation.
11
I like your thinking, Gerard. Unfortunately, I suspect he thinks he can teach the leaders with whom he's meeting a few things, and not the other way around. To him, even an acknowledgment that he learned something from someone else is a sign of weakness. It would also suggest, to him, that other people are better leaders of countries than he is of the USA, and that simply can never be implied or true.
Or he could learn the same lesson by watching a few episodes of Madam Secretary or reruns of The West Wing. If he sees it on TV he might understand the seriousness of the job.
5
A useful exercise, and certainly an amusing one, would be to put a list together of all the politicians in history who were treated more "unfairly". I'll get the ball rolling with:
1. Abraham Lincoln
2. JFK
3.
4.
5.
1. Abraham Lincoln
2. JFK
3.
4.
5.
7
glen - I'd add Presidents Garfield and McKinley, the other two who were assassinated. And as the list grows beyond them it would be worth keeping in mind that nobody has questioned Trump's citizenship and no Congressional leaders have explicitly stated their intention to thwart his efforts to govern at every turn and at all costs.
Then, if we include non-president politicians, the exercise can include imagining Trump being asked to spend eleven hours in front of a hostile Congressional panel of inquisitors. Or even eleven minutes.
Then, if we include non-president politicians, the exercise can include imagining Trump being asked to spend eleven hours in front of a hostile Congressional panel of inquisitors. Or even eleven minutes.
2
Julius Caesar was killed.
Gabrielle Giffords who was shot by Jared Lee Loughner.
Jim Brady who was shot by John Hinckley, Jr.
Bobby Kennedy who was killed by Sirhan Sirhan
Martin Luther King.
The only one making Trump's life miserable is Trump. He hasn't helped to pass a single piece of legislation since taking office. He hasn't taken his mind off himself and how wonderful he is since he won. In short, he hasn't bothered to be more than a cardboard cutout of a president. Pathetic doesn't begin to describe this man. Inadequate starts but there are a ton of other adjectives that are needed to encompass the degree to which he (and the GOP) are failing the nation.
Gabrielle Giffords who was shot by Jared Lee Loughner.
Jim Brady who was shot by John Hinckley, Jr.
Bobby Kennedy who was killed by Sirhan Sirhan
Martin Luther King.
The only one making Trump's life miserable is Trump. He hasn't helped to pass a single piece of legislation since taking office. He hasn't taken his mind off himself and how wonderful he is since he won. In short, he hasn't bothered to be more than a cardboard cutout of a president. Pathetic doesn't begin to describe this man. Inadequate starts but there are a ton of other adjectives that are needed to encompass the degree to which he (and the GOP) are failing the nation.
1
You could take this list of serious problems with governing and wonder why no one has simply gone to Trump and told him he needs to leave; in other words is there no way to fire a President this bad? Without all this constant hand wringing about this and that and if it's still not bad enough. Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Is the Constitution failing us? Are the Republicans (who hold all the cards apparently) failing us? Who is failing us? Have we lost all common sense? Now we have to wait months for everything to get up to speed? When will people see a very sick, totally self absorbed, and cognitively handicapped man is putting us all at risk. A complete embarrassment. Yesterday we had a brawl by a Turkish contingent kicking and hitting people on a green lawn in DC and no police called. What next, Putin riding into town and taking charge? His cohorts have already penetrated the oval office and made a laughing stock of America. What is it going to take? Just more comedy and entertainment on late night and cable all day? And the chief clown is going on a big trip to represent us tomorrow and the talking heads are simply talking about all the good things that could come of it? Are they kidding?
10
Cognitively handicapped. I'm stealing that.
Me-me-me-me.....
The orphan who feels sorry for himself after he killed his parents.
The orphan who feels sorry for himself after he killed his parents.
20
I had a dream last night. I was at Woodstock. It was august 1969. The storm clouds were roiling and moving in. It it had the shape of a wave like a huge pompadour. The crowds started chanting no trump. no trump. no trump! I awoke and thought Jesus!, that was some nightmare. And it is.
3
I can remember when there was a war to make the world safe for democracy. Now it seems we are in a war to make the world safe from Trump.
15
Donald Trump is to great Presidents as Bernie Madoff is to great investors.
17
Trump should release his tax returns thereby demonstrating that he has no financial connections to Russia,. Somebody needs to suggest that to him so that he can get on with making America great.
9
Ms. Collins generally looks at politics is a lighter, more humorous style than the other op-ed columnists. Her columns often feel like a breath of fresh air, since they keep a certain narrative distance from the sense of despair and grief and anger that suffuse the national conversation. Today's column is heavier, closer to the reality of our experience: a narcissistic traitor in the White House, braying to all and sundry about his unfair treatment, looking ridiculous and stupid to the rest of the world. Now Ms. Collins seems to be weeping along with the rest of us. We're good company!
8
What I find so amusing is Trump's desire and inclination to share his pain and suffering with the outside world whenever he feels that he's being persecuted and to contrast that with his total lack of compassion for the people that he was elected to represent as evidenced by his pathetic attempt at re-writing the latest excuse of his for a health care bill that if enacted would result in essentially giving untold numbers of people a death sentence.
Let's face it, the man is a monster who only cares about one person and one person only and that is Donald J. Trump. His speech in front of the Coast Guard Academy graduates is a perfect example of that.
Let's face it, the man is a monster who only cares about one person and one person only and that is Donald J. Trump. His speech in front of the Coast Guard Academy graduates is a perfect example of that.
10
Meanwhile Trump's friend Putin has volunteered to clear up that disputed security conversation in the Oval Office, and the bodyguards of Trump's friend Erdogen charged and beat up protesters. No end to the benefits we're getting from this Presidency.
10
I have attended several graduation and commissioning commencements at the Naval Academy and West Point, and have written books on both service academies. Yesterday watching and listening to the president's disgraceful and inappropriate remarks to the Coast Guard Academy's class of 2017, I said to myself, "This is incomprehensible. Those newly-commissioned ensigns have to listen expressionless and without reaction. They must be thinking, 'For cryin' out loud, this is my Commander in Chief. God help us.' "
32
I totally agree with you, fairlington. I also have had the privilege of attending commencement at West Point and the ceremony was meaningful and moving for both the graduates and their guests, and the remarks from the president (at the time) were appropriate, gracious, and congratulatory. Trump's address to the Coast Guard Academy graduates was disgraceful and repulsive. I'm sure they weren't the only ones in that audience thinking "This is my Commander in Chief? God help us."
5
Any person who is serious both about his/her reputation and career will shun
joining the Trump administration. Whether it can survive four years or not, it will be remembered as one of extreme incompetence, led by an delusional liar bent on destroying what he does not understand. Anyone working for him is immediately tainted by his unbelievable self-centeredness. They will be forced to lie or prevaricate in order to avoid an immediate dismissal and, in the process, lose whatever credibility they have. Expect to see many firings and many departures. Whether they are timid mice or mature rats, they will abandon this sinking ship.
joining the Trump administration. Whether it can survive four years or not, it will be remembered as one of extreme incompetence, led by an delusional liar bent on destroying what he does not understand. Anyone working for him is immediately tainted by his unbelievable self-centeredness. They will be forced to lie or prevaricate in order to avoid an immediate dismissal and, in the process, lose whatever credibility they have. Expect to see many firings and many departures. Whether they are timid mice or mature rats, they will abandon this sinking ship.
10
What baffled me about the Coast Guard speech--Trump's defense budget stiffed them. He barely recognized them as a branch of the armed services.
Has everybody been issued the same psychological profile developed by the Russians?
Flatter him. Have him give a speech or two. Applaud. And he'll do anything for you. For the Russians, "declassify" state secrets. For the Coast Guard, free up some bucks--to listen to a non-inspirational "me, me, me".
For those new ensigns (and their families), I hope they get more than a good suntan for sitting and listening to the Prez yesterday.
Has everybody been issued the same psychological profile developed by the Russians?
Flatter him. Have him give a speech or two. Applaud. And he'll do anything for you. For the Russians, "declassify" state secrets. For the Coast Guard, free up some bucks--to listen to a non-inspirational "me, me, me".
For those new ensigns (and their families), I hope they get more than a good suntan for sitting and listening to the Prez yesterday.
26
We should all be thankful that our Founding Fathers had the intelligence, integrity, and foresight to anticipate and understand the need for our system of checks and balances.
9
Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, Mike Pence -- enablers all. And perhaps no better in their own right. Not a patriot in the bunch. They stand by and carry his water to the great detriment of this country and our people.
30
"A lot of people" didn't know Lincoln was a Republican. Apparently, from Trump's speech to the graduates, "a lot of people" didn't know the coast guard patrols for drugs smugglers, conducts rescue operations and, you know, guards the coast. It's interesting that Trump assumes anything he didn't know is also unknown to "a lot of people". Those same beleaguered folks, apparently dismally failed by our public school system, also did not know that healthcare is complicated, it's illegal to collude with the Russians to steal and election and being president is gosh-darn hard. Trump--I mean, "a lot of people"--didn't know they'd miss their TV celebrity life. Huh.
23
We have no one to blame but ourselves.
Among other things, what would one expect from someone who bone-spurred out of serving during one of the worst war periods of our history, and ensured that none of his offspring served? These young "shallow water sailors" (take it from a "deep water sailor") will be doing far more in curbing the curse of drug smuggling and trying to curtail the boat loads of illegal immigrants. A speech from a slacker who attended a toy soldier high school, hard on the shadow of another gret institution, West Point. He will never understand!
“No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.”
Does he mean the surety that Russia paid to get this hack into the White House?
Does he mean the surety that Russia paid to get this hack into the White House?
9
So Trump says that "no politician in history has been treated worse or more unfairly" than him. Well, how about the 5 years that Trump spent trying to ruin President Obama's presidency and his recent lie that President Obama wiretapped Trump Tower? The time has come for Trump to get slapped hard by karma.
30
Donald "Bone Spurs" Trump lecturing Coast Guard Academy graduates on duty to country --- rich.
31
Simply put Trump is a virus that somehow got into our political system.
He infects everything that he comes in contact with.
No one is immune. Touch him and you get the virus. Breath the same air as him and you get the virus. We need to find the cure-impeachment-25th Amend-maybe resignation-but something. The alternative is that our whole country will get the virus-
He infects everything that he comes in contact with.
No one is immune. Touch him and you get the virus. Breath the same air as him and you get the virus. We need to find the cure-impeachment-25th Amend-maybe resignation-but something. The alternative is that our whole country will get the virus-
3
Thanks for providing us all with more innuendo, more amateurish pop psychology, more assumption, more ad hominem attacks, more myth, which all amount to absolutely nothing. And most of all thanks for wasting my time and everyone else's.
I assume you are referring to Trump's commencement speech as opposed to Gail's column.
3
“No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.”
Hmmm. I guess Mandela's 27 years in prison don't count.
Hmmm. I guess Mandela's 27 years in prison don't count.
29
Our President is preparing to leave for a trip overseas. The Middle East is one stop. I hope he has his "guide dogs" to watch over him. As one commenter said, "He is an embarrassment without a clue how to behave as a leader on the world stage." Only his base appreciates him, why I can't say but I sure hope they see this buffoon as he really is and realize it is all about him and not the nation. Maybe he is going to have another campaign rally over there and get new converts?
11
“No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.”
The Zapruder Film, for perspective:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq1PbgeBoQ4
The Zapruder Film, for perspective:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq1PbgeBoQ4
11
we have selected a persistent and unrelenting cry-baby as our president.
Who can respect such a thing.
Who can respect such a thing.
11
For whatever reason people voted for Trump, they are as bad, deranged and stupid as he is.
As a Vietnam Veteran and retired Army Officer, it is hard to imagine why he could not take a 15 minute break from his raging vanity and paranoia to thank the women and men who took an oath to protect and defend the American constitution which he treats as used toilet paper.
It was interesting to find out about his draft deferments for bone spurs. And then to go skiing. I have worn combat boots and ski boots and to use the worn out Trumpian phrase, "trust me", combat boots are a lot more comfortable than ski boot.
And now we have a president who was a draft dodge, Mitt Romney who was in Paris on "Mormon Missions" while I was in Vietnam and Dick "Other Priorities-ie cowardice" leading, in line, or running for President leading or wanting to lead these fine young men and women.
My friend Ellis Robertson was a cellist in my junior high school. He was a fine young man. He lost his draft deferment, went to Vietnam and was shot in the head and killed by a North Vietnamese snip.
I want people to remember Ellis. His name is on the Wall.
As a Vietnam Veteran and retired Army Officer, it is hard to imagine why he could not take a 15 minute break from his raging vanity and paranoia to thank the women and men who took an oath to protect and defend the American constitution which he treats as used toilet paper.
It was interesting to find out about his draft deferments for bone spurs. And then to go skiing. I have worn combat boots and ski boots and to use the worn out Trumpian phrase, "trust me", combat boots are a lot more comfortable than ski boot.
And now we have a president who was a draft dodge, Mitt Romney who was in Paris on "Mormon Missions" while I was in Vietnam and Dick "Other Priorities-ie cowardice" leading, in line, or running for President leading or wanting to lead these fine young men and women.
My friend Ellis Robertson was a cellist in my junior high school. He was a fine young man. He lost his draft deferment, went to Vietnam and was shot in the head and killed by a North Vietnamese snip.
I want people to remember Ellis. His name is on the Wall.
32
The best comment I heard yesterday on this "address" was that, instead of a keynote speech, Trump gave a "me-note" speech.
18
The best part was Trump's unscripted comment, "with great maturity."
3
I've attended quite a large number of college commencement ceremonies and I've never, ever heard someone warn the graduates that they would find unfair things happen to them that they did not deserve.
Was that supposed to be uplifting? Were the folks in the audience supposed to clap and yell "hooray" at that point?
Did you leave out whatever his "advice" was, Gail? Did he add, maybe, "So...I advise you to keep on twittering the real truth. And fire the sad people who treat you unfairly?"
Who the heck wrote that speech for him?
Was that supposed to be uplifting? Were the folks in the audience supposed to clap and yell "hooray" at that point?
Did you leave out whatever his "advice" was, Gail? Did he add, maybe, "So...I advise you to keep on twittering the real truth. And fire the sad people who treat you unfairly?"
Who the heck wrote that speech for him?
7
Great article. Thank you.
If he is not the most maligned president in history the press is not working hard enough.
21
Life is indeed unfair. A mentally unbalanced, incompetent con man is president. How dare he compare himself to those who truly struggle in life. Shame on his enablers. Guess I'm ready for Pence, even if he does ram "his" Christian "values" down our throats. Never realized how much I miss humility in a public official.
8
We had our share of not so good presidents but none of them were crazy loons like El Trumpo. Now the Cretin-in-Chief is in a King Lear´s whiny mode blaming everybody except his own foolishness. And the Coast Guard graduates cheering the man who is going to slash their budget to the bare bones! This country is getting as crazy as the sorry excuse for a president is. As the Spanish proverb says, "everything is contagious except beauty."
8
Loved the commencement speech at the Coast Guard Academy and I'm sure the graduates, parents and others will long remember the day, if not the man in all of his rotund and eloquent grandeur. The epic words of the Trump University fight song cascaded across the brilliant Connecticut shoreline. "Fight, fight, fight.. don't ever give up (even if you are dead wrong). The song reached its crescendo with the Liar-in-Chief chortling, Onward we go... cheat, bully and lie, then deny, deny deny. Never a rest from the evil and unfair press... so onward we go. And oh yes, lest we forget congratulations to the brave men and women of the Coast Guard who keep on borders safe, a fact that somehow seemed lost on the speaker.
11
Trump makes the commencement all about him, but receives ovations by those who want to identify with him, or share his feeling of enmity. It's the same trick pony he rode into office.
5
Whenever I see Trump pictured with displays of our national military strength, dedication, and commitment to our constitutional form of government, I'm struck by the sheer perversity and gall of the man and a sense of surreal dissonance.
23
For for most of Trump's supporters, this is their first time in a narcissistic rodeo. They have no idea that Trump does not care AT ALL for them. He has charmed them like the snake charmer he is and they fell for it. Those supporters don't seem capable of seeing what Trump is doing with his agenda, that it does not help them in any way. We are not a very smart country and fake Fox News has only helped dumb down their viewers. And now we have the specter of another right wing media outlet - Sinclair. The dumbing down will only get worse.
11
Of course this is all about him. Donald Trump is handling the presidency in the same manner that he conducted his business ventures, sloppily and haphazardly. He could always prevail by bullying any opponent and threatening a lawsuit.
His frustration and rage is no doubt based in the fact that now that he is the public fishbowl, his behavior is on view for the world to see. This man is an adolescent.
His frustration and rage is no doubt based in the fact that now that he is the public fishbowl, his behavior is on view for the world to see. This man is an adolescent.
8
When Trump sued, he never settled.
If courts allowed settlement negotiations to be disclosed at trials, the dishonesty of many plaintiffs would be exposed. These people call ultimatums "settlement offers". The courts in this country are playgrounds for extortionists.
If courts allowed settlement negotiations to be disclosed at trials, the dishonesty of many plaintiffs would be exposed. These people call ultimatums "settlement offers". The courts in this country are playgrounds for extortionists.
1
I notice that he didn't tell the Coast Guard graduates that his budget proposes deep cuts for that service.
24
And Trump's supporters? The reason he is president and the real reason why the Republican leadership doesn't simply dump Trump? No word about them.
No politician has ever been treated as unfairly? Well, recently we have had both Bill and Hillary Clinton, who spent eight years in the White House being pursued by modern Javerts. Hillary went on to serve the country well as Secretary of State until she became a likely candidate, after which the GOP hate machine revved into full fury. Many will argue they deserved such treatment, but I can argue it of Trump as well. You have to have the skin of a rhino to survive politics.
Fragile lilies need not apply.
We know he is a toddler. Should we be surprised that he spends a lot of time whining? Or that he thinks it is unfair when he has to sit in a corner when he does something wrong?
The difference, of course, is that toddlers grow up, and learn from mistakes and discipline.
Fragile lilies need not apply.
We know he is a toddler. Should we be surprised that he spends a lot of time whining? Or that he thinks it is unfair when he has to sit in a corner when he does something wrong?
The difference, of course, is that toddlers grow up, and learn from mistakes and discipline.
15
Gail, you have to keep in mind all the money the private prison CEOs and shareholders will make with Jeff Sessions running the DOJ. Look at the potential profit from longer sentences and more people incarcerated. Why, it's a great investment opportunity! I look for the Trump Organization to announce their prison building project any day now.
There's money to be made folks - all at taxpayer expense.
I mean, why use my taxes for healthcare or infrastructure, when Sessions and all his family, friends and acquaintances can get rich.
There's money to be made folks - all at taxpayer expense.
I mean, why use my taxes for healthcare or infrastructure, when Sessions and all his family, friends and acquaintances can get rich.
13
True -- not to mention at the expense of the throwaway human beings who'll be used as fodder.
From the first, Donald Trump has been a whiner- he can't seem to help himself. One of the saddest and most terrifying aspects of this disastrous presidency is that there are those who continue to uncritically support this man.
He is a horrible role model- if you feel disrespected or don't agree with a statement, lash out aggressively at others. Why bother to learn the facts about an issue when you can make them up with help from enablers? Clearly, empathy for human problems is not in the limited mental capacity of this man. And rule number 1 for whiners in power- NEVER take personal responsibilty for anything unless you can label it a success.
We are seeing a rash of criminal and nasty behavior inspired by the terrible character of Donald Trump. I trust that most of the Coast Guard Academy graduates are smart enough to know that their graduation speaker is not someone to emulate.
He is a horrible role model- if you feel disrespected or don't agree with a statement, lash out aggressively at others. Why bother to learn the facts about an issue when you can make them up with help from enablers? Clearly, empathy for human problems is not in the limited mental capacity of this man. And rule number 1 for whiners in power- NEVER take personal responsibilty for anything unless you can label it a success.
We are seeing a rash of criminal and nasty behavior inspired by the terrible character of Donald Trump. I trust that most of the Coast Guard Academy graduates are smart enough to know that their graduation speaker is not someone to emulate.
5
According to the NYT own reporting, the audience at the Coast Guard Academy gave Trump a standing ovation for this performance. That hardly sounds like disapproval. And Trump has also advocated a huge funding cut for the Coast Guard in his budget proposal. The audience seemed not too bothered by either Trump's speech tone or the budgetary priorities.
Can someone explain that to me?
Obviously, there are two world views at work in America today.
Can someone explain that to me?
Obviously, there are two world views at work in America today.
15
You make a good point. Maybe the standing ovation was just for the fact that they'd finished school.
I guess if we really wanted to be constructive and possibly change a few opinions, we'd post these comments on right-wing forums instead of the Times, although it's tough for me to read that stuff.
I guess if we really wanted to be constructive and possibly change a few opinions, we'd post these comments on right-wing forums instead of the Times, although it's tough for me to read that stuff.
There is much for which there is no explanation, Grasshoppah.
1
I'm sure the Coast Guard feels his pain--or at least the pain he inflicted by proposing a $1.3 Billion cut in their 2018 budget.
8
Let's make a deal. Since Trump and his family act as though they only came into this to make money, let's give them money to get rid of them. We can start with 50 million to get Trump to resign. Let him counter. Even if the price turns out to be several billion, it would still be cheaper than having him around for the next few years. Even more if you consider the allies and lives we would save.
10
In the scifi tale 'A Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy', the role of galactic president was given to someone vain and stupid because their continual antics drew attention away from power. Trump is that person -- the press focuses on his latest twits... and largely ignores what his minions are doing in the background. He appears superb at drawing our attention. The right asserts he is doing a great job. I don't doubt that. What I wonder is whether there will be any benefits for the public at large?
5
Trump's main campaign theme was about victimization. That note struck a resonant cord with white working class males and carried Trump to victory. And yes to an extent working class whites did get a raw deal over the last few decades. A raw deal Trump with his billions never had to face. But our dumb President has still enough awareness to realize the clock could now be ticking for him. Facts he wished to hide may now see the light of day. Trump may now face the fate of not being a great President but being a disgraced one. There is chum in the water and the people Trump relentlessly slandered are gathering to get the last laugh. His own Party may now turn away from him no longer be wiling or able to support his facade. Trump could be deserted like man on a raft in the middle of the ocean surrounded by a sea of indifference.
3
Trump would not serve his country when called on. So now as President he can make senseless speeches to graduating military classes.
We are living in a tops turvy world where a person with the least bravery becomes the leader of the bravest.
Beware you recent graduates you serve a fake leader.
We are living in a tops turvy world where a person with the least bravery becomes the leader of the bravest.
Beware you recent graduates you serve a fake leader.
9
Have you noticed that at the end of the day, most opinion columns have 999 comments concerning trump. And of those 999 comments, the overwhelming fraction are anti-trump. When the congressional elections are upon us, I hope you stop commenting and vote. It is truly the most sincere comment you could make. There is no electoral college to thwart your opinion.
8
Everyone should watch "Get Me Roger Stone" on Netflix. Stone, who started with Nixon, has long been to Washington politicians what Swifty Lazar was to Hollywood stars. An effective agent. One of his oldest friends/clients is Donald Trump. The film shows, among other things, how boyishly handsome and telegenic, in a soft early-Elvis Presley way, Donald Trump was even at age 40. Without that accidental but crucial advantage, he could not have gotten his own TV show, let alone reached the White House.
5
My husband recommended this Netflix documentary but after the first 15 minutes I was almost physically ill and had to stop watching. It's more disturbing than anything a fictional writer could imagine!
1
Interesting that when he paused at "I say this with great..." he was thinking, I'm sure--but how to make a noun out of that. The far better choice would be "assurance" but with Trump's limited language skills (indicative, perhaps, of a limited brain) he took the easier, & much worse, choice: "surety" -- which is also, by the way, a money word.
2
One can only imagine the frustration of those who attempt to write for him only to have their words and thoughts mangled beyond recognition. He is the master of global incompetence. His vocabulary and sentence structure reveal Donald Trump's cognitive deficits.
Vacancies for the unemployed,at the FBI. No talk at the Coastguard Academy. Americans are as safe as ever. Now,everybody knows who no action will be taken against Turkey security personnel who took part in the violence on demonstrators outside the Turkish embassy,as there are allegations of Turkish money financing Trump's election campaign,as highlighted by NYT in this report. The way things are going,impeachment does not seem to be far off.
i remember a friendly chat on a foreign fishing vessel with a Coast Guard officer doing inspections, who told me how much happier he was in the Coast Guard after Navy service because the Coast Guard did real work. I can only imagine his reaction to Trump's commencement speech. Trump has a real job but unlike any of our service members, Trump has no tolerance for real work.
Trump inspires disgust. The Republican Party inspires cynicism. Still, I felt mostly hopeless hearing the news that Melania is planning for her son to change schools and move to Washington DC. Make it not be true! This Trumpian nightmare cannot last through another academic year.
Trump inspires disgust. The Republican Party inspires cynicism. Still, I felt mostly hopeless hearing the news that Melania is planning for her son to change schools and move to Washington DC. Make it not be true! This Trumpian nightmare cannot last through another academic year.
3
I try sometimes, as a parlor game, to imagine what it must be like to wake up every morning as Donald Trump but I am always stumped. He has no redeeming human qualities, such as empathy, compassion, morality, or sympathy. What exactly does it FEEL like to be an empty vessel? Can he even feel that he feels nothing? A human with such little self-awareness (I mean, how much self-awareness does it take to know that you do not make a graduation speech about yourself?) is not actually human, in the existential sense.
5
President Trump, at the Coast Guard Academy commencement yesterday in fair New London next to the Thames River, told the graduating class that "no politician in history...has been treated worse or more unfairly". Selah.
The 45th President has assured our security by:
- having most US attorney offices leaderless - and these officers are
necessary for our war against terrorism and corruption.
- Transition in governance from Obama to Trump has not been
accomplished. Continuity? None.
- National Security Adviser Mike Flynn was fired for lying. His successor,
H. R. McMaster carefully wording his statements has been refuted
by Trump's Tweets.
- Trump entreated FBI Director, James Comey to "let go" Mike Flynn's taking
dough from Turkey while he was in Trump's campaign, because Flynn was
"a good guy".
- From bad to wurst - Trump's AG Jeff Sessions, an anti-diluvian Alabama
Senator recused himself from anything having to do with investigations re
Russia and the Trump campaign.
And now, the Good News: Robert Mueller was appointed by Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein to be special prosecutor into investigating Trump's missteps with the Russians, just as Archibald Cox was appointed by Nixon as special counsel to look into Watergate in 1973. Cox, alas, hired and fired.
The bright new Coast Guard ensigns are ready to serve, and as you said so trenchantly, Gail, if only our presidentt was "half as useful" This is a very sad
story, isn't it?
The 45th President has assured our security by:
- having most US attorney offices leaderless - and these officers are
necessary for our war against terrorism and corruption.
- Transition in governance from Obama to Trump has not been
accomplished. Continuity? None.
- National Security Adviser Mike Flynn was fired for lying. His successor,
H. R. McMaster carefully wording his statements has been refuted
by Trump's Tweets.
- Trump entreated FBI Director, James Comey to "let go" Mike Flynn's taking
dough from Turkey while he was in Trump's campaign, because Flynn was
"a good guy".
- From bad to wurst - Trump's AG Jeff Sessions, an anti-diluvian Alabama
Senator recused himself from anything having to do with investigations re
Russia and the Trump campaign.
And now, the Good News: Robert Mueller was appointed by Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein to be special prosecutor into investigating Trump's missteps with the Russians, just as Archibald Cox was appointed by Nixon as special counsel to look into Watergate in 1973. Cox, alas, hired and fired.
The bright new Coast Guard ensigns are ready to serve, and as you said so trenchantly, Gail, if only our presidentt was "half as useful" This is a very sad
story, isn't it?
1
For Trump, these Comey memos outlining his dealings with The Donald are the ultimate in bad juju for the President.
It can't end well, and with Mueller now on the job he must know it.
It's time, Gail. It's time for Romney to back the station wagon up to the White House. Seamus is going to have move over to make room up top.
It can't end well, and with Mueller now on the job he must know it.
It's time, Gail. It's time for Romney to back the station wagon up to the White House. Seamus is going to have move over to make room up top.
1
The president the media and social media is cruel; they are only inclusive when it fits their needs. No one has seen any notes; everyone is always "anonymous" and that is why we need media slander laws.
Totally agree.
I mean during the campaign we had a draft dodging cowatd and his uninformed base calling HRC, a citizen who has never even been charged with a crime, a criminal and for her to be jailed without charge trial or conviction.
Draft dodger trump is a slanderous coward who whines like a three year old and his uninformed fox news base is even worse.
Sad.
I mean during the campaign we had a draft dodging cowatd and his uninformed base calling HRC, a citizen who has never even been charged with a crime, a criminal and for her to be jailed without charge trial or conviction.
Draft dodger trump is a slanderous coward who whines like a three year old and his uninformed fox news base is even worse.
Sad.
Why was Donald Trump giving a speech to these graduates in the first place? His treatment of the Coast Guard in his "budget" shows that he has no respect for the work they do, yet these fine young people sat there without laughing or booing him and his preposterous speech I think we should start calling Trump the Whiner in Chief.
Claire Falk
Claire Falk
3
The problem had been that Trump gets treated TOO fairly. Despite clearly demonstrating that he was an ignorant bigot, the news media acted as if he were just another legitimate candidate. Even now, major news organizations give him courtesy that he in no way deserves. And as for the "no politician in history" thing, I'm pretty sure that others have been treated much worse. Take Julius Caesar for example.
5
Well, Gail, Trump has confused "precedential" for "presidential" in the past and perhaps now he is simply confusing "persecution" with "prosecution?" Here's hoping former FBI Directors Comey and now Mueller can straighten him out on this one. He may be educable after all. Most prisons have decent libraries.
3
Trump is about to learn the dire consequences of being a simpleton. (i .e. "I'did't know that being president would be difficult.") To no one's surprise he tried to run the country like he ran his corporation and reality show through bullying, threatening, lying. and firing. And yet his speech yesterday demonstrates that he remains absolutely clueless. He will be out of office very soon and will suffer the ultimate indignity and disgrace of having the shortest term in the White House next next to William Henry Harrison. With his certain disgraceful demise now on the horizon, both the country and the world can breathe a lot easier.
7
Someone should inform President Dumb-Dumb about the Arkansas Project, created by media magnate Richard Mellon-Scaife, for the sole purpose of destroying Bill Clinton, and it was formed even prior to Clinton's election; Pres. Clinton was then harassed relentlessly by the right-wing media and the GOP for seven years, over a ten year old land deal and a "meritless" sexual harassment suit, only to be impeached over fibbing about a consensual private affair in a deposition in that meritless extortive lawsuit.
Considering what a mess Trump is, he's actually been treated MORE fairly than any president in history (my guess). How many times have we heard people, including on the left, say they "hope he will pivot" or something like that, after every grotesque misstep, Tweet, potentially illegal act, unethical behavior...the list goes on. He's been given more chances than he's deserved but which befits his childlike ethos. Don't we give errant children chance after chance to learn from their mistakes?
Besides, Trump whining about unfair treatment is rich, considering his lifelong abuse and unfair treatment of so many people.
Considering what a mess Trump is, he's actually been treated MORE fairly than any president in history (my guess). How many times have we heard people, including on the left, say they "hope he will pivot" or something like that, after every grotesque misstep, Tweet, potentially illegal act, unethical behavior...the list goes on. He's been given more chances than he's deserved but which befits his childlike ethos. Don't we give errant children chance after chance to learn from their mistakes?
Besides, Trump whining about unfair treatment is rich, considering his lifelong abuse and unfair treatment of so many people.
7
"Look at the way I’ve been treated lately, especially by the media,” he went on. “No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.”
One can understand this statement viewed through the history of TrumpWorld, where the world began 70 years ago with Trump's birth.
One can understand this statement viewed through the history of TrumpWorld, where the world began 70 years ago with Trump's birth.
5
Please go back and read the 1974 Commencement address of Richard M. Nixon to the graduates at the U.S. Naval Academy. Not a word alluding to the politics of Watergate. The text of Trump's address yesterday at USCGA is nothing short of embarrassing. I just hope that the Superintendents at West Point, Annapolis and Colorado Springs can keep this guy off the premises.
3
Thanks Ms. Collins. I need your humor more now than ever.
3
Just once it would be nice to hear Tweeter Bird give a speech without whining and complaining about how persecuted he is. I'm sure the graduates of the Coast Guard Academy could barely contain their excitement at listening to the Commander-in-Chief prattle on about how picked on he is, and all the "wonderful" things he's done to date. This gets more embarrassing by the day (or should I say, hour).
3
Half as useful, I will take an eighth.
“He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go,”
No doubt this is Trump's pathetic attempt to make good on his side of a solemn I-will-protect-you-no-matter-what /you-have-my-total-loyalty deal he and Flynn made, idiota a idiota, when Flynn boarded the Trump Titanic,
There was a very insightful op/ed in the NYT yesterday observing that to serve Trump is to be diminished. On further thought I am not sure about that. The people who serve Trump are not so much reduced in stature as they are exposed for what they really are One exception is Mike Pence. He took the job of vice president because wants to be president, and it is going to work out for him.
No doubt this is Trump's pathetic attempt to make good on his side of a solemn I-will-protect-you-no-matter-what /you-have-my-total-loyalty deal he and Flynn made, idiota a idiota, when Flynn boarded the Trump Titanic,
There was a very insightful op/ed in the NYT yesterday observing that to serve Trump is to be diminished. On further thought I am not sure about that. The people who serve Trump are not so much reduced in stature as they are exposed for what they really are One exception is Mike Pence. He took the job of vice president because wants to be president, and it is going to work out for him.
1
Sad to say, one has to remember that it's despicables all the way down: if Trump goes then we get Pence, then Ryan, then Hatch. At least Trump will keep the GOP tied up in knots.
2
A speech by the Commander in Chief that made him look like a whiner in front of the people he will send to defend the our country. Does it ever stop being about Donald J. Trump?
5
I feel bad for the Coast Guard Academy class of 2017 but at least they didn't attend the Liberty University commencement. Trump meandered off into lengthy discussion of college sports. At one point he even started reading the football schedule. That was about one third of the entire speech. The other two thirds were about the bible and Trump. At one point, the entire speech diverged into a detailed look at Trump's inner monologue spoken in the second person:
...pursue a big vision and never, ever quit. You never quit. If I give you one message to hold in your hearts today, it's this. Never, ever give up. There will be times in your life you'll want to quit, you'll want to go home, you'll want to go home perhaps to that wonderful mother that's sitting back there watching you and say, 'Mom, I can't do it. I can't do it.' Just never quit.
http://time.com/4778240/donald-trump-liberty-university-speech-transcript/
You can't make this stuff up. I wouldn't recommend reading the whole thing though. Even reading this transcript can destroy educated minds.
...pursue a big vision and never, ever quit. You never quit. If I give you one message to hold in your hearts today, it's this. Never, ever give up. There will be times in your life you'll want to quit, you'll want to go home, you'll want to go home perhaps to that wonderful mother that's sitting back there watching you and say, 'Mom, I can't do it. I can't do it.' Just never quit.
http://time.com/4778240/donald-trump-liberty-university-speech-transcript/
You can't make this stuff up. I wouldn't recommend reading the whole thing though. Even reading this transcript can destroy educated minds.
8
What a commencement speech. Given the appointment of a special counsel, it could be the commencement of Donald's impeachment
But. Set aside Donald's remarks and simply pay attention to the optics. Behind Donald, the American flag proudly blows in a strong wind. But. Donald's "hair helmet" is bolted in place. Ne'er a hair budges.
This is a White House leak made by Donald himself. It reveals that Donald uses special formula industrial strength hairspray in yuuuge quantities. Rooms are foggy with the atomized super glue. That cannot be good for anyone's health (especially mental health). No wonder Melania stays away!
What we learn from the commencement speech is not from what Donald says, but from his "hair". It is a message appropriate for the Coast Guard: Stick together. Don't blow in the wind. Even a boat with a tiny propeller can project a powerful image. If an American flag flies behind you.
But. Set aside Donald's remarks and simply pay attention to the optics. Behind Donald, the American flag proudly blows in a strong wind. But. Donald's "hair helmet" is bolted in place. Ne'er a hair budges.
This is a White House leak made by Donald himself. It reveals that Donald uses special formula industrial strength hairspray in yuuuge quantities. Rooms are foggy with the atomized super glue. That cannot be good for anyone's health (especially mental health). No wonder Melania stays away!
What we learn from the commencement speech is not from what Donald says, but from his "hair". It is a message appropriate for the Coast Guard: Stick together. Don't blow in the wind. Even a boat with a tiny propeller can project a powerful image. If an American flag flies behind you.
6
Trump is such a sissy. Always whining about how unfair things are. And to think guys admire this behavior. Jeez.
7
Trump is forever whining about bad press coverage. It is doubtful that he has even read the Constitution which guarantees freedom of the press. He should have been thanking the graduates of the Coast Guard Academy for their career choice and wishing them well in their future service to the country but instead turns the attention to himself. He richly deserves all the criticism he receives.
7
All of the investigations will not address the real problem: Trump's emotional instability and his incompetence. We have a President who is morally, emotionally, and intellectually unfit for office.
6
We have known for a long time that the master of trumpery (look it up) "don't know much about history" and makes the absurd assumption that neither do a vast number of Americans. I'm pretty sure that most school children who have completed third or fourth grade know that Lincoln was a Republican and the reasons for the Civil War. Of course, Betsy DeVos will do everything in her power to make sure they are no longer taught anything that might contradict the world view she shares with this so-called president. He also "don't know much" about democracy, the Constitution, protocol, diplomacy and all other basic requirements of his job, above all responsibility and being in touch with reality. However, we must acknowledge his mastery of ignorance and self-importance, but for someone with so much practice, he is a surprisingly incompetent liar since his lies are so obviously inconsistent and self-contradictory.
13
Trump is a blessing from God. Trump woke up the whole nation to our two party charade. His support amongst the electorate is as paper thin as his skin. Half of the people who voted Trump were holding their noses, voting they felt, for the lesser of two evils.
That half of the Trump electorate has already evaporated.
The other half voted Trump because he was not a politician, rather a billionaire businessman who could get things done and shake up Washington. So the uneducated thought.
Yet before the election, Trump began talking about his becoming a politician, which, for most of us, is a despicable characterization. Today, he refers to himself as a politician, those creatures who created the swamp.
With every day, more of Trump's true supporters see they were scammed; that Trump is feathering his own financial nest, not "making America great again," not bringing back "the jobs," or renewing the country.
About affordable health care, Trump stated, "You are going to have such great health care at a fraction of the cost, and it's going to be so easy," has today a hollow ring.
His failed administration, with the elected republicans closing ranks behind him, is showing us the two-party charade, with their built-in featherbed has eaten our democracy.
The two party blood bath is coming in 2018, and we can thank Mr. Paper-thin-skin for that.
http://thegovernmentinexile.live
That half of the Trump electorate has already evaporated.
The other half voted Trump because he was not a politician, rather a billionaire businessman who could get things done and shake up Washington. So the uneducated thought.
Yet before the election, Trump began talking about his becoming a politician, which, for most of us, is a despicable characterization. Today, he refers to himself as a politician, those creatures who created the swamp.
With every day, more of Trump's true supporters see they were scammed; that Trump is feathering his own financial nest, not "making America great again," not bringing back "the jobs," or renewing the country.
About affordable health care, Trump stated, "You are going to have such great health care at a fraction of the cost, and it's going to be so easy," has today a hollow ring.
His failed administration, with the elected republicans closing ranks behind him, is showing us the two-party charade, with their built-in featherbed has eaten our democracy.
The two party blood bath is coming in 2018, and we can thank Mr. Paper-thin-skin for that.
http://thegovernmentinexile.live
9
The enthusiasm of Americans to embrace wishful thinking is surreal. Trump is as blatant as flimflam artists come.
5
Trump is nine parts self promotion and one part ignoramus. It was only a matter of time before he'd descend to the level of his worst inclinations. Going forward, however, the more interesting spectacle may be one involving Paul Ryan and/or Mitch McConnell. The nation just might be treated to the mother of all political object lessons.
11
I know a guy who is thinking of not going to Europe this summer as he planned. He said that he just can't face having to explain Trump to everyone he meets. I told him to tell them he is from Canada.
20
Some of us have considered GOING to Canada (so much like us but so sane) but the recent heating up of all things Trump has given us hope we can stay home. But then we'll have to deal with the large substrate of deplorables who are our fellow citizens.
4
Trump supporters will never let get of their feelings of victimization, just like the man himself.
15
Draft dodging Benedict Donald has some nerve addressing a military commencement ceremony. My heartfelt apologies to the Coast Guard graduates.
19
A Bully lasts as long as (mostly) everyone around them is afraid OR they can actually beat (up) everyone up around them. And I bet many are (Self-Preservation wise) smart enough not drift out of that established environment?
Outside of that Environment they're prone to look desperate, overly defensive, out of place, or pathetic.
Outside of that Environment they're prone to look desperate, overly defensive, out of place, or pathetic.
5
Poor Trump! Boo hoo, boo hoo,
But in reality look at what President Obama put up with. The First Lady was charctured on the Time cover as a monkey. That's harsh. Then there was some nut running around for 8 years claiming President Obama was not born in Hawaii but in Kenya. This nut case claimed he was sending private investigators to prove the President was not born in the US. He was on every news program, on the radio, took out ads in the newspapers.
Come to think of it that was Trump.
Oh well. Sometimes what goes around comes around.
I guess no one knew how difficult being President would be.
But in reality look at what President Obama put up with. The First Lady was charctured on the Time cover as a monkey. That's harsh. Then there was some nut running around for 8 years claiming President Obama was not born in Hawaii but in Kenya. This nut case claimed he was sending private investigators to prove the President was not born in the US. He was on every news program, on the radio, took out ads in the newspapers.
Come to think of it that was Trump.
Oh well. Sometimes what goes around comes around.
I guess no one knew how difficult being President would be.
7
Can President (or King, or Emperor,) Trump fire the Pope?
Not that it makes me happy, but when Trump said “No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly," the newly minted coasties cheered.
That's according to the Times.
So here we have people with four-year degrees, smarties, as it were, joining an agency Trump proposed cutting dramatically, cheering him as he wallowed in his self pity.
Truly we live in different worlds.
That's according to the Times.
So here we have people with four-year degrees, smarties, as it were, joining an agency Trump proposed cutting dramatically, cheering him as he wallowed in his self pity.
Truly we live in different worlds.
9
Trump's bromance with Flynn is nothing new. Throughout his entire life Trump has shown affection for thugs, hoods and mobsters. Birds of a feather, dontchaknow.
7
there is a part of Brooklyn called "Little Odessa" When the wall went down it was like the Russian version of the Mariel Boat lift. Russia is crime free. the crooks are in NYC and the trumpster and his friends have been laundering their money since the 80's
While the bloggers are heating up the tar and breaking open old pillows for the feathers I'd like to bring up a couple of inconvenient truths:
Impeachment sounds great on paper but is an ultra time consuming process in reality. Everything would come to a grinding, screeching halt during an impeachment hearing. Also impeachment doesn't mean that a president behaving badly is automatically kicked out of office. It would take a 2/3 vote in the Senate to obtain the necessary conviction needed to Dump Trump. Therefore impeachment minus a conviction is a total waste of time.
The 25th Amendment reads like a blueprint for an internal coup d'état by the Cabinet and Congress. It's already a given that the Vice President would automatically assume the presidency should anything happen to the President. Read Section 4 of the 25th Amendment very very carefully before declaring a jubilee. Does anything seriously think that Donald Trump is willingly going to admit that he is unable to perform the functions of his current job and let Mike Pence move into the Oval Office? Pigs will be flying before that happens.
Impeachment sounds great on paper but is an ultra time consuming process in reality. Everything would come to a grinding, screeching halt during an impeachment hearing. Also impeachment doesn't mean that a president behaving badly is automatically kicked out of office. It would take a 2/3 vote in the Senate to obtain the necessary conviction needed to Dump Trump. Therefore impeachment minus a conviction is a total waste of time.
The 25th Amendment reads like a blueprint for an internal coup d'état by the Cabinet and Congress. It's already a given that the Vice President would automatically assume the presidency should anything happen to the President. Read Section 4 of the 25th Amendment very very carefully before declaring a jubilee. Does anything seriously think that Donald Trump is willingly going to admit that he is unable to perform the functions of his current job and let Mike Pence move into the Oval Office? Pigs will be flying before that happens.
3
Here's an inconvenient truth for Trump supporters: a provable charge of obstruction of justice would most certainly lead to conviction and removal from office.
Given this president's agenda and that of Congressional Republicans, bringing "everything" to a grinding halt wouldn't be a bad thing. At any rate, the Trump administration has already demonstrated that it's incapable of functioning at even a basic level. Read the column again for specifics.
Given this president's agenda and that of Congressional Republicans, bringing "everything" to a grinding halt wouldn't be a bad thing. At any rate, the Trump administration has already demonstrated that it's incapable of functioning at even a basic level. Read the column again for specifics.
3
@ Sharon5101 - In a speech at Rice University explaining why he wanted to go to the moon, President Kennedy said, "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things (accomplishments and aspirations), not because they are easy, but because they are hard . . ."
If JFK followed your way of thinking, Neil Armstrong never would have stepped on the moon's surface.
To suggest Congress should not impeach and convict Trump of high crimes and misdemeanors if warranted because *it's too hard* is indefensible.
If JFK followed your way of thinking, Neil Armstrong never would have stepped on the moon's surface.
To suggest Congress should not impeach and convict Trump of high crimes and misdemeanors if warranted because *it's too hard* is indefensible.
3
I am not a Trump supporter NA. All I was trying to do was point out how the Constitution makes it very difficult to get a bad president to vacate the White House.
"If only we had a president half as useful."
Trump has been incredibly useful. To Putin.
Trump has been incredibly useful. To Putin.
7
Do you think they'll invite him back for next year's graduating class? They likely didn't invite him this year but he needed to get in front of a microphone, a camera and a crowd for his fix after the week he's had....instead of ensuring he wasn't blurting out secret intel his staff were tasked with calling around trying to find a ceremony where the grads would be in some kind of uniform...to complete his public farce.
3
I both fear and welcome a Shakespearean ending..... 'et tu, Ivanka?'.... for the sake of the world....
2
Dear Coast Guard Graduates,
On behalf of United States citizens who are not in thrall to the person who spoke at your graduation, I offer our humble gratitude for your courage and dedication to our country. We are bitterly sorry that you were cheated out of an equally admirable speaker for your commencement, and give you our word that we will do all we can to provide you with a Commander in Chief who will be worthy of your service and sacrifice. Please don't give up on us. It's important.
A Grateful Half of a Nation + 3 Million
On behalf of United States citizens who are not in thrall to the person who spoke at your graduation, I offer our humble gratitude for your courage and dedication to our country. We are bitterly sorry that you were cheated out of an equally admirable speaker for your commencement, and give you our word that we will do all we can to provide you with a Commander in Chief who will be worthy of your service and sacrifice. Please don't give up on us. It's important.
A Grateful Half of a Nation + 3 Million
7
God's loved the world he gave us his only son, Donald Christ.
1
Right now I believe America is about where it was right before 9/11 as far as being safe. We have a non functioning president who has embraced the bad guys, given them classified info, and offended our friends.
2
Trump can't remember the way Lincoln was treated because he can't remember what he never knew. He is the most uninformed POTUS in my lifetime. And now he reminds me of the unjust steward of the parable. Having been fired, that guy rewrote the accounts of debtors, his masters' accounts receivable. For, as the gospel says, the children of this generation are sneakier than the children of light. So Trump is raping every decent program in America: next on the chopping block: public education. Will Neil Gorsuch have an awakening of conscience and resign the SCOTUS? (HAH!!)
5
The Coast Guard graduates were the ones who were treated unfairly. When the President spoke at the Liberty University graduation, he helpfully listed the upcoming schedule of the football team. USCGA football? Not a peep.
Jettison Trump!
1
What a dark comedy at the worst imaginable time.
2
For all of those people who voted for this ninny, whiny baby, and now are in a pretzel refusing to admit that mistake, I ask you what exactly were those graduates supposed to take away from that speech?
I highly doubt he even understands the US Coast Guard's role in the service and protection of our nation. Or how much effort they have put into their education and training to go into serving our country. Nope, all about him.
Having voted for this man as a repute to the status quo was a good idea with the wrong man. He's putting all of our armed forces in jeopardy. They are truly the elites. They are well trained and highly qualified.
The President of the USA has to be solid gold, not cheaply plated. Because when it's your life or several lives on the line, these are the government employees you want coming to your rescue. You don't want a guy or gal whose expertise is the commuter boat or a lake fishing boat.
we can't now be shocked. He made no sense as far as policy as a candidate and his lying isn't worse, it's just more documented. Trump isn't having a problem with the media.nhes having a problem with the American people watching how much of a buffoon he truly is.
He's wildly unqualified to be president and doesn't have the intelligence or capacity to get more qualified.
I highly doubt he even understands the US Coast Guard's role in the service and protection of our nation. Or how much effort they have put into their education and training to go into serving our country. Nope, all about him.
Having voted for this man as a repute to the status quo was a good idea with the wrong man. He's putting all of our armed forces in jeopardy. They are truly the elites. They are well trained and highly qualified.
The President of the USA has to be solid gold, not cheaply plated. Because when it's your life or several lives on the line, these are the government employees you want coming to your rescue. You don't want a guy or gal whose expertise is the commuter boat or a lake fishing boat.
we can't now be shocked. He made no sense as far as policy as a candidate and his lying isn't worse, it's just more documented. Trump isn't having a problem with the media.nhes having a problem with the American people watching how much of a buffoon he truly is.
He's wildly unqualified to be president and doesn't have the intelligence or capacity to get more qualified.
Can you imagine a boat load of Trumps, each trying to grab the ships wheel? None of them willing to give up, ever.
1
He's crying out for help.
Help him.
Help him.
2
In his commencement address at the Coast Guard Academy President Trump talked about many things, all of which apparently ended up being about him.
No surprise there, but it is surprising that he did not speak about the Russian spy submarine parked off the Connecticut coast three months ago. Donald Trump also seemed uninterested in February, but to be on the safe side, the Coast Guard watched the sub closely.
That’s how Donald Trump protects us. He ignores reality, either because he doesn’t care or because he knows there are competent professionals in the military to handle the problems.
Let’s see a show of hands of those who think it’s because Trump doesn’t care.
No surprise there, but it is surprising that he did not speak about the Russian spy submarine parked off the Connecticut coast three months ago. Donald Trump also seemed uninterested in February, but to be on the safe side, the Coast Guard watched the sub closely.
That’s how Donald Trump protects us. He ignores reality, either because he doesn’t care or because he knows there are competent professionals in the military to handle the problems.
Let’s see a show of hands of those who think it’s because Trump doesn’t care.
303
He and his supporters bashed the media for 18 months and now he complains that the media doesn't like him. How stupid is this man?
658
"How stupid is this man?" Very daft, and most troubling, he's dangerous. As somebody once said; "the emptiest can makes the loudest noise". How true that is!
We haven't develop that measure yet--he seems to be off the scale
1
Trump's "worse treatment" hasn't even started The Trump administration will not survive Robert Mueller. James Comey's memo revelations will be devastating fo Trump.The broad purview of the special prosecutor will put Trump's finances, tax returns, and conversations with Mike Flynn, and others, under intense scrutiny. The money trail will be existentially problematic for Trump. The enormous leverage that Mueller will be able to exert on Mike Flynn, will cause Trump many sleepless nights. Trump's iconic ignorance of Washington political culture, the fact that he doesn't know what he doesn't know, and the fact that Robert Mueller, not Donald Trump will be setting the political agenda, will further the unnerving of Donald Trump.
3
Trumps entire presidential job description is to use presidential power drop dynamite into the lake while his kids row around and scoop up the floating fish.
4
When I look at the Russian provided photos of Trump's meeting in the White House with Lavrov and Kislyak, I see back-slapping, sleazy businessmen yukking it up as they discuss their latest deal. Nothing "presidential" visible anywhere.
12
I see a very comfortable Trump among his own kind, relaxed, maybe actually laughing, reassuring the Russians that they got their money's worth when they started paying him to treat Russia well. Trump bragging about all the great stuff American intelligence gives him. Russia wouldn't have dared do this stuff with Hillary. Trump is the Siberian candidate.
1
If memory serves Trump proposed significant cuts to the Coast Guard...
4
My guess is that the four assassinated U.S. Presidents might disagree with this person's assessment that he is the most maligned of Presidents. Most of us subscribe to a worldview of self and other. This poorest excuse of a President has one world view...Self. He is pitiful but consistent.
5
Trump: the bawling victim who validates the losers of America. What a sick nation this is.
7
Ms. Collins, Nutmeg Joe is in the news again as FBI Director Candidate. It's been a while, thankfully since he retreated into his shell. Do you have insight from Hartford Courant days that might be helpful to share on his "test of fit" for the position?
1
“We’ve saved the Second Amendment,”
When he leaves office that will still be his list of accomplishments.
Someone should tell him how the Constitution gets amended.
When he leaves office that will still be his list of accomplishments.
Someone should tell him how the Constitution gets amended.
4
In Trump World, he only trusts people who have a vested interest in the outcome. He "gets" guys like Flynn, while the motivations of public servants like Comey and Mueller both mystify and threaten him. For Trump, the only actions worth taking are selfish, not selfless. This strategy worked for him in the hotel business. But the rules in a democracy are different. After 4 months, he's finally realizing that he's not in Trump Tower anymore. And he's clearly not up to the task of making our lives better rather than his.
2
Has Trump set a record for presidents for the shortest time from inauguration to being under criminal investigation?
4
Boo hoo! Boo hoo!
Sniffle. Sniffle.
OK. OK.
Lock him up! Lock him up!
Sniffle. Sniffle.
OK. OK.
Lock him up! Lock him up!
2
My favorite version (so far) of the "No politician in history...has been treated worse or more unfairly" quote shows it as the caption of a photo of Nelson Mandela in prison. (Not sure if this link will work, but: https://www.facebook.com/SnowflakesBecomeAnAvalanche/photos/a.1229094927... )
4
Whine, whine. Unlike Obama, who withstood calumny with dignity, or even GW Bush, this guy is always bellyaching, "that was so unfair." A billionaire who stiffed his contractors says this about the setbacks bound to come when you get in with the big boys in situations you no longer control. I remember the old saying about the guy who started the game on third base and thinks he hit a home run when he crosses the plate.
510
Actually, I think the quote was more "born on first base and thought he hit a triple," but the idea's still there.
1
"Born on third base and thinks he hit a triple." Anne Richards re GW Bush.
1
We heard a lot of stomach rumbling from Barack Obama, Mr. Taylor.
You seem to forget that he blamed every but himself for his problems.
Is it churlish to note that under Obama's tenure, the Democrats lost more than 900 seats that the political table at all levels of governance?
Do you ever wonder why?
You seem to forget that he blamed every but himself for his problems.
Is it churlish to note that under Obama's tenure, the Democrats lost more than 900 seats that the political table at all levels of governance?
Do you ever wonder why?
1
Thank you, Gail. Every day of this Presidency brings new wonder and amazement at how awful a person can be and still be elected to our highest office! Psychologists had to have seen this all coming, so for them, at least, I suppose there's a little less "wow" factor when it comes to the variety and infinite number of situations in which a pathological liar, borderline personality and/or destructive narcissist can come to power and continually manifest his or her disorder. But it's also an interesting phenomenon that we've known of this man's solidly crystalized self-absorption for a long time, and yet we still shout out to each other in disbelief at its latest iterations.
As for this particular manifestation, just imagine the variety of expressions the Coast Guard Academy's graduating class would have had on their faces had they been graduating from a school that didn't place such a high value on obedience to authority and stoic self-discipline. That would have been a completely different scenario. If he wants to avoid face-to-face ridicule, but still speak to public crowds, our chaos-maker-in-chief should stick to crowds like this one, where they are trained in wearing expressionless faces, avoiding eye contact and limiting responses to those of the same variety as "Yes, Sir!" and no more lengthy than "If you say so, Sir!"
As for this particular manifestation, just imagine the variety of expressions the Coast Guard Academy's graduating class would have had on their faces had they been graduating from a school that didn't place such a high value on obedience to authority and stoic self-discipline. That would have been a completely different scenario. If he wants to avoid face-to-face ridicule, but still speak to public crowds, our chaos-maker-in-chief should stick to crowds like this one, where they are trained in wearing expressionless faces, avoiding eye contact and limiting responses to those of the same variety as "Yes, Sir!" and no more lengthy than "If you say so, Sir!"
264
You underestimate what a Service Academy really places at the top of the list" It is honor and telling the truth. I know, I am one. DJT is a poor example of leadership.
1
It recalls the pre-selected "town halls" that George W. Bush used to hold; everyone's political views were vetted prior to admittance so that the President get any awkward questions lobbed towards him. Trump's M.O. is the same.
We are all in awe of the impervious nature of Trump. Most of us would have run for the hills at the first revelation. Shame, embarrassment, ignorance, are all feelings most want to avoid. Trump doesn't seem to be human and that seems to be his biggest winning quality.
In some ways perhaps there is a bit of envy in the public. the marketing machine we live in sells us all day on the idea that stuff is an important marker of success. Maybe being civil and caring, self conscious and aware has held us back from attaining bigly things.
In some ways perhaps there is a bit of envy in the public. the marketing machine we live in sells us all day on the idea that stuff is an important marker of success. Maybe being civil and caring, self conscious and aware has held us back from attaining bigly things.
3
DT is channeling Roy Cohn (ugh) in his 'never never ever give up' speech. Ugly ugly ugly DT and ugly Roy Cohn have a strong connection. We are reaping horror all over again. What next? I and many others are afraid to go to sleep with this dysfunctional heap in office. Overnight there will surely be another disaster from this fellow.
4
And this little piggy went crying 'me, me, me' all the way home.
8
To all the writers salivating over the prospect of removing Trump from office: Be Careful What You Wish For. We will be forced to trade in a normal crazy guy with a religious crazy guy. Please keep in mind that Mike Pence is one of those people who has intimate marital relations with a person he calls "Mother."
12
Pence is not the same as Trump. The trillionaire's trio of McConnell, Ryan , and Pence would then be in charge and will face elections in 2018 and 2020. The policies of these 3 are not popular and they lack the "crooked charisma" of the current President. The outrageousness of Trump and his promises and policies are what got him elected.
We would be better off with Pence as President. He is a drab, rigid, and soulless ideologue and was not all that popular in his last days of being Governor of Indiana.
We would be better off with Pence as President. He is a drab, rigid, and soulless ideologue and was not all that popular in his last days of being Governor of Indiana.
1
Which is why impeachment is a potentially dangerous approach. Let's see how Mr. Mueller interprets the "wherever it leads" guidance. My guess is that it leads to Pence, Sessions, Ryan, etc.
Better to torment Trump during his entire presidency like the GOP did to Clinton and Obama.
1
There has been one positive that Trump has done for the Country. Every citizen now knows how much power the President and the Congress have. In addition, we all understand that corruption is rampant in the in the Administration.
Why would any Coast Guard graduating class want to protect us? Because, in spite of Trump's speech, or because of it, they understand how important they are to the citizens in bringing some common sense and security to our country.
Godspeed to all of them.
Why would any Coast Guard graduating class want to protect us? Because, in spite of Trump's speech, or because of it, they understand how important they are to the citizens in bringing some common sense and security to our country.
Godspeed to all of them.
1
The Republican possibility: impeach Trump, keep your seats in Congress; do not impeach and all your seats are up for grabs. It is that simple for all the Paul Ryan wanna-bes in Congress, the wimps, the simpletons and the misbegotten. Your reelection slogan: We got rid of Obama, if not Obamacare, and we got rid of Trump. even if it took; the Russians to get us to do it. Perfection.
4
I read this and think "okay." But that isn't surprising.
This morning, on NPR, a number of callers on a talk show said that they saw negative news about Trump as a "witch hunt" (coincidentally the term Trump himself uses).
The real puzzle is how we can communicate clearly with those folks. How can the information echo-chambers be gently breached so that people over there can be persuaded to listen?
This morning, on NPR, a number of callers on a talk show said that they saw negative news about Trump as a "witch hunt" (coincidentally the term Trump himself uses).
The real puzzle is how we can communicate clearly with those folks. How can the information echo-chambers be gently breached so that people over there can be persuaded to listen?
8
You can't. The fake news lying media is a hard fact to core Trump supporters. There is no reasoning with them. They are also the folks who bought into the "birther movement" and "pizza gate," so they are selective in what they consider fake news. What they don't want to hear is fake, what they like to hear is true.
But there are Trump voters at the edges who held their noses when they voted for him. They wanted a different direction, they liked Sanders populist message and thought Trump might be saying the same thing, or they just couldn't stand Hillary Clinton. They hoped it would all work out, but can now see that it isn't working out.
If there aren't enough of them? Then we continue to circle the drain.
But there are Trump voters at the edges who held their noses when they voted for him. They wanted a different direction, they liked Sanders populist message and thought Trump might be saying the same thing, or they just couldn't stand Hillary Clinton. They hoped it would all work out, but can now see that it isn't working out.
If there aren't enough of them? Then we continue to circle the drain.
3
I hope you are right in suggesting this is possible. As far as the NPR Trump-supporting callers are concerned, it is really amazing that nearly all of them are either idiots like the one you mention, or real psychopaths, like the guy who basically called Clinton "the antichrist" or the one who noted her "involvement with the occult". Trump has convinced them that the media can't be trusted (except for Fox, of course), so they won't believe anything, just like the Russians who cried when Stalin died.
1
No worries, Trump also had (or has?) a very profitable and questionable relationship with Russia...
5
If Trump thinks he has been treated badly, just wait until the GOP and his own staff finish with him.
7
"Wow", is right. I've tried to refine the adjectives I use when I think of Trump from: vacuous, misogynistic, vicious, inept, narcissistic, racist, bigoted, cretinous, proto-fascist to simply amoral cretin. Now I have to add whinny. Donald Trump is a whinny amoral cretin.
11
No other President has been treated like this, because (in my lifetime) no other President has been as foul, as deceitful, as corrupt, as prejudiced, or as nasty. I don't know who this guy thinks he is? Because he has a lot of money, he has seemingly learned that he can get away with anything, but now we will show him that he cannot get away with everything. And, yes, it is all about him. No matter what is going on, he can relate it back to himself, and about how he is being persecuted, which is just a symptom of one of his psychological/psychiatric disorders.
From trump's mouth: "As I have stated many times, a thorough investigation will confirm what we already know –- there was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity," he said in a statement released by the White House. And he also announced that he is going to keep on doing things to help the American people. Yup. He is going to help them by making sure, with his buddies ryan and mcconnell, that as many of them as possible will be unable to get health care. And with his other buddy, betsy devos, he is going to make sure that public schools get the short end of the stick as far as funding goes. Because WHO goes to public schools, right Donny? Not children like yours! Must be instead the wretched child refuse of America, otherwise why wouldn't they go to private schools? And, furthermore, with the money the republicans and trump steal from the less fortunate, they can cut taxes for the rich!
From trump's mouth: "As I have stated many times, a thorough investigation will confirm what we already know –- there was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity," he said in a statement released by the White House. And he also announced that he is going to keep on doing things to help the American people. Yup. He is going to help them by making sure, with his buddies ryan and mcconnell, that as many of them as possible will be unable to get health care. And with his other buddy, betsy devos, he is going to make sure that public schools get the short end of the stick as far as funding goes. Because WHO goes to public schools, right Donny? Not children like yours! Must be instead the wretched child refuse of America, otherwise why wouldn't they go to private schools? And, furthermore, with the money the republicans and trump steal from the less fortunate, they can cut taxes for the rich!
12
I saw the video of the Coast Guard graduates walking up on stage to get their diplomas from Mr. Trump. Ewww!!! The man is as vulgar as a bin of garbage left to rot in the sun.
What a positive insult, after four years at the Academy, to have "Plump Mr. Trump" up on the stage at YOUR graduation, with his creepy fake smile and goober hairdo, to hand you your sheepskin.
And to then have him butt in to your day in the sun, by steering the monologue to his tales of "Woe is me."
Ugh.
What a positive insult, after four years at the Academy, to have "Plump Mr. Trump" up on the stage at YOUR graduation, with his creepy fake smile and goober hairdo, to hand you your sheepskin.
And to then have him butt in to your day in the sun, by steering the monologue to his tales of "Woe is me."
Ugh.
10
I too shall begin with: "No politician in history..."
Well, Mr. President, I sincerely hope you don't end up like Caesar, Caligula, Charles I, Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Hitler and Mussolini, the latter two who really deserved their fate, but more like Johnson and Nixon, the latter who also deserved his fate. I do hope for that. For the sake of the Republic and the world. And because you uttered such an asinine and ignorant and narcissistic statement.
Well, Mr. President, I sincerely hope you don't end up like Caesar, Caligula, Charles I, Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Hitler and Mussolini, the latter two who really deserved their fate, but more like Johnson and Nixon, the latter who also deserved his fate. I do hope for that. For the sake of the Republic and the world. And because you uttered such an asinine and ignorant and narcissistic statement.
5
And yet 63 MILLION people voted for him.
6
For him? They were voting against.
The Prima Donald. Always been a victim. Always will be. 73-year-old child.
5
Trump lamented to the Coast Guard Academy graduating class, “No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.”
This statement speaks volumes about the intellect of this man, who often calls himself “a smart person.” So we have a rich, white man, who has literally lived in the lap of luxury most of his adult life, whining about being treated unfairly. Boo-hoo!
This statement speaks volumes about the intellect of this man, who often calls himself “a smart person.” So we have a rich, white man, who has literally lived in the lap of luxury most of his adult life, whining about being treated unfairly. Boo-hoo!
7
Good grief, SHAME on whoever was responsible for letting Trump speak at the Coast Guard Academy commencement.
8
Why is it that everyone <> hasn't referred to the basic irony of Trump's budget to gut the Coast Guard as he encourages the graduates towards greater heights?
5
The difficulty here is that the presentation of the news events with sardonic wit isn't very different from reading the news straight. The Republicans got us to this point before, when Tina Fey "mocked" Palin's famous interview simply by repeating it verbatim, with a few facial expressions thrown in.
But she didn't get elected. I think we're doomed.
But she didn't get elected. I think we're doomed.
6
Will Donald start wearing his Purple Heart?
Are the tears of billionaires covered by the GOP health plan?
Will his presidential library be a bookmobile/food truck if he gets impeached?
Are the tears of billionaires covered by the GOP health plan?
Will his presidential library be a bookmobile/food truck if he gets impeached?
7
I would like to thank the newly graduated Coast Guard officers for their choice of
service. It is a calling that demands much: self-sacrifice, physical risk, team work, and a high standard of duty. Best of luck to you all.
And best of luck to our country, we will need fortitude and courage to stand-up against a man who cares only for himself but holds great power over our country and its peoples.
service. It is a calling that demands much: self-sacrifice, physical risk, team work, and a high standard of duty. Best of luck to you all.
And best of luck to our country, we will need fortitude and courage to stand-up against a man who cares only for himself but holds great power over our country and its peoples.
5
But he is not a "politician" remember? And his crude, misogynist, nationalist, tell-it-like-it-is, non-PC, demagoguery is precisely what made him so great in the minds of his supporters.
The non-politician who knew more about ISIS, than the Generals, and they believed him. The non-politician who would build the most beautiful wall to keep Mexican drug dealers and rapists out, and some I assume, who are good people, and have them pay for it, and they believed him.
The non-politician who vaingloriously clamored: "We are led by very, very stupid people," the reason why America doesn't win anymore, and they believed him.
Now, the same demagogue wants you to believe he is being victimized by the media; yeah, the relentless media, that "enemy of the people." Because his senior aides were caught lying to the American people about their divided loyalties with foreign governments, as well as, their banal avarice. Perhaps the non-politician was victimized by some of his keenly political acolytes, some of whom sought to obstruct the ongoing investigation. Perhaps the non-politician is the victim of his prideful ignorance and hubris, or all of the above.
Would you believe him?
The non-politician who knew more about ISIS, than the Generals, and they believed him. The non-politician who would build the most beautiful wall to keep Mexican drug dealers and rapists out, and some I assume, who are good people, and have them pay for it, and they believed him.
The non-politician who vaingloriously clamored: "We are led by very, very stupid people," the reason why America doesn't win anymore, and they believed him.
Now, the same demagogue wants you to believe he is being victimized by the media; yeah, the relentless media, that "enemy of the people." Because his senior aides were caught lying to the American people about their divided loyalties with foreign governments, as well as, their banal avarice. Perhaps the non-politician was victimized by some of his keenly political acolytes, some of whom sought to obstruct the ongoing investigation. Perhaps the non-politician is the victim of his prideful ignorance and hubris, or all of the above.
Would you believe him?
496
"And his crude, misogynist, nationalist, tell-it-like-it-is, non-PC, demagoguery is precisely what made him so great in the minds of his supporters."
The great basket of his deplorable fans doesn't care what he does. They're thrilled at him poking a finger in the eyes of "the establishment." These deplorable bigots/misogynists/xenophobics don't understand that they are in the position to resent the so-called elites precisely because the GOP has taken their livelihoods from them to enrich their plutocratic masters and played on their resentment by pointing to "the others".
The great basket of his deplorable fans doesn't care what he does. They're thrilled at him poking a finger in the eyes of "the establishment." These deplorable bigots/misogynists/xenophobics don't understand that they are in the position to resent the so-called elites precisely because the GOP has taken their livelihoods from them to enrich their plutocratic masters and played on their resentment by pointing to "the others".
3
Not in a million years!!!
1
Great post!
Trump and Sessions are not the only two Republicans working overtime to defend this nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
Reported earlier today (recording from a 2016 meeting):
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy to Republican leaders: “There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump,”
Paul Ryan in response: "No leaks ... This is how we know we’re a real family here.”
Alarming yet somehow familiar? Perhaps you recall this:
Sonny Corleone to Sollozzo; "Whoa, now, you're telling me that the Tattaglias guarantee our investment without..."
Don Corleone to Sonny: Never let anyone outside the family know what you're thinking.
Now I'm not suggesting that the Republican party should be charged as an ongoing criminal organization under the RICO statute. But if a certain unfit President were to be removed from office via impeachment or the 25th amendment ... well Paul, Mitch, maybe we can make this whole breaking your oath of office and rank hypocrisy problem disappear. Nothing personal. Just Good Government.
Reported earlier today (recording from a 2016 meeting):
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy to Republican leaders: “There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump,”
Paul Ryan in response: "No leaks ... This is how we know we’re a real family here.”
Alarming yet somehow familiar? Perhaps you recall this:
Sonny Corleone to Sollozzo; "Whoa, now, you're telling me that the Tattaglias guarantee our investment without..."
Don Corleone to Sonny: Never let anyone outside the family know what you're thinking.
Now I'm not suggesting that the Republican party should be charged as an ongoing criminal organization under the RICO statute. But if a certain unfit President were to be removed from office via impeachment or the 25th amendment ... well Paul, Mitch, maybe we can make this whole breaking your oath of office and rank hypocrisy problem disappear. Nothing personal. Just Good Government.
7
Can you imagine being a proud parent attending your son's or daughter's
Coast Guard Academy graduation ceremony only to be subjected to this drivel from the ever clueless President Trump?
This guy is not only unfit to be president. He is America's ultimate classless act.
Only a reality TV personality can be this tasteless.
Where's the remote?
Coast Guard Academy graduation ceremony only to be subjected to this drivel from the ever clueless President Trump?
This guy is not only unfit to be president. He is America's ultimate classless act.
Only a reality TV personality can be this tasteless.
Where's the remote?
24
Who was the genius who invited Trump to speak at a military academy graduation ceremony? That was very disrespectful of the new graduates! This was even after he substantially cut the Coast Guard's budget. I wonder if he knows about the Coast Guard's role in guarding our borders?
12
It is awful to see a man in such a powerful position, and in the eye of the Public, self-destruct. If We The People can refrain from turning into a hateful mob with pitchforks, it would be all to the good and set an example to the World who is watching us. Let us see America at its best now, an America that has prevailed. Pax.
Thanking the New York Times, its fine Team and Spirit for never surrendering in these dangerous times.
Thanking the New York Times, its fine Team and Spirit for never surrendering in these dangerous times.
10
The Coast Guard's ensures maritime safety, and coastal security. In part, they exist to keep invaders out. That was then. now the world wants the Coast Guard to keep trump in!!!
Remember when Trump with his bad feet joined the, Disservice! Same Trump. Different commencement.
Remember when Trump with his bad feet joined the, Disservice! Same Trump. Different commencement.
4
Gail, so glad you're seeing the humor again. For a moment I was worried that even you were being enveloped by the dark cloud. Thanks for all your great work!
5
I dunno nuffin' bout no history, Mr. Trump, but gosh, I think some guy had a really bad day on the Ides of March, 45 BC.
316
I agree with the import of your comment. But that bad day on the Ides of March, 45 B.C., probably wasn't as bad as the one Julius Caesar had in 44 B.C.
2
I was hoping someone would remember that! Slightly more persecuted than Mr. Trump...
We even have more recent dates such as:
April 14, 1865
July 02, 1881
Sept 06, 1901
Nov 22, 1963
April 14, 1865
July 02, 1881
Sept 06, 1901
Nov 22, 1963
See, that's the thing about trump. He's the both the world's greatest victim in every possible way and the world's greatest savior in every way.
Vanity of victimhood: how many people tout that?
Vanity of victimhood: how many people tout that?
5
Trump called Comey a "grandstander" and a "showboat."
It remains to be seen what names he'd give Robert Mueller. If McMaster is "a pain," boy, is Trump in for a rude awakening with Mueller!
Trump may want to seek asylum in Saudi Arabia. I wonder how they feel about Christian refugees.
It remains to be seen what names he'd give Robert Mueller. If McMaster is "a pain," boy, is Trump in for a rude awakening with Mueller!
Trump may want to seek asylum in Saudi Arabia. I wonder how they feel about Christian refugees.
6
Is it true that the late lamented Trump Taj Mahal Casino featured a unique variation on Russian Roulette?
(1) Load 5 bullets into your six-shooter.
(2) Aim the pistol at your own foot.
(3) Pull the trigger.
(4) Repeat step (3) until you eventually win.
(1) Load 5 bullets into your six-shooter.
(2) Aim the pistol at your own foot.
(3) Pull the trigger.
(4) Repeat step (3) until you eventually win.
6
Let us not forget that Trump proposed drastic cuts to the Coast Guard's budget.
917
Yes, I wondered why the media did not point that out yesterday and in the days leading up to the speech. His audience must have been questioning how long they would have jobs, while he talked only about himself. Ignoring border security along the coastlines in favor of building a wall along a land border is absurd.
1
As we search for a way out of the mess we created by being uninformed, we should not forge that the only sure way out of this mess is the 2018 election. A change in the control of house and senate is absolutely needed.
12
We have a few off-year congressional elections this year, including in Georgia and Alabama (Sessions' seat). We need to make sure we don't miss any opportunity to save our country.
Trump is an orator with surpassing tone-deaf skills. He goes to CIA headquarters and trashes America's intelligence services. He presents a pastiche of impossible promises to a joint session of Congress and then brags that his was the best presentation ever given to the assembled politicians. Trump's Coast Guard Academy commencement address, besides dwelling on himself as being more persecuted than any President ever, revealed that he hasn't a clue about what the Coast Guard actually is and how it serves our country.
Whatever the special counsel ends up discovering about Trump's Russian subservience, the investigation won't get at the heart of the nightmare we have brought on ourselves: Donald Trump is an ignorant fool and a disgrace to the nation -- a stark reality every time he opens his mouth.
Whatever the special counsel ends up discovering about Trump's Russian subservience, the investigation won't get at the heart of the nightmare we have brought on ourselves: Donald Trump is an ignorant fool and a disgrace to the nation -- a stark reality every time he opens his mouth.
19
I agree with your post, except for the "orator" part. trump can't seem to put enough words together to make a complete sentence.
1
A draft dodging coward pretending to be a soldier is disgraceful.
But I guess if a boy pretending to be a man wasn't enough to disqualify trump from the white house in the close set eyes of his clueless base a coward pretending to be a soldier surly won't either.