There was a little bit of poetry there, natch. And, of course, within that poetry was Trump's usual 'not me' method of taking accountability, and the non-specific "everybody" which we know mostly means 'nobody"
South Lawn
As far as this is concerned,
we want no violence.
Never violence.
We want absolutely no violence.
And on the impeachment
it’s really a continuation
of the greatest witch hunt
in the history of politics.
It’s ridiculous.
It’s absolutely ridiculous.
This impeachment is
causing tremendous
anger, and you’re doing it,
and it’s really a terrible
thing that they’re doing.
For Nancy Pelosi
and Chuck Schumer
to continue on this path,
I think it’s causing tremendous
danger to our country
and it’s causing tremendous anger.
I want no violence
Thank you very much. Thank you.
Joint Base Andrews
Prince George’s County, Maryland
I think that big tech is
doing a horrible thing
for our country and
to our country. And
I believe it’s going to
be a catastrophic mistake
for them. They’re
dividing and divisive,
and they’re showing
something that I’ve been
predicting for a
long time. I’ve been
predicting it for a long time,
and people didn’t act on it.
But I think big tech
has made a terrible
mistake, and very, very
bad for our country. And
that’s leading others to do
the same thing, and it causes
a lot of problems and a lot of
danger. Big mistake. They shouldn’t
be doing it. But there’s always
a counter move
when they do that.
I’ve never seen
such anger as I see right
now, and that’s a
terrible thing.
Terrible thing.
And you have to
always avoid violence.
And we have — we have
tremendous support.
We have support probably
like nobody has ever
seen before. Always have
to avoid violence.
So if you read my speech
— and many people have
done it, and I’ve seen it
both in the papers
and in the media,
on television —
it’s been
analyzed, and people thought
that what I said was totally
appropriate. And if you
look at what other people have said
— politicians at a high level —
about the riots during the summer,
the horrible riots in Portland
and Seattle, in various other —
other places, that was a real problem
— what they said.
But they’ve analyzed
my speech and words
and my final paragraph,
my final sentence,
and everybody,
to the T,
thought it was
totally appropriate.
Okay, thank you. Thank you.
Mexico-United States Border
Reynosa -McAllen, Texas
And now I'd like
to briefly address
the events of last week.
Millions of our citizens
watched on Wednesday
as a mob
stormed the Capitol
and trashed
the halls of government.
As I have consistently
said throughout my
administration, we believe
in respecting America's
history and traditions,
not tearing them down.
We believe
in the rule of law,
not in violence or rioting.
Now is the time
for our nation to heal,
and it's time for peace
and for calm
Respect for law
enforcement and the
great people within
law enforcement -
so many are here -
is the foundation
of the MAGA agenda.
And we're a nation
of law, and
we're a nation
of order. That
is why we're here today,
to talk about
what we must do
to uphold the
rule of law in America
and how we must
continue to support our law
enforcement heroes,
which is exactly what you are.
Do you feel like a hero?
Yeah I think you do.
Right? (Applause)
You do and you are.
Worth noting?
It took the 'law and order' president, owner of the MAGA agenda, supporter of our law enforcement heroes, three days to lower the flag to half staff in honor of Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who was murdered during the MAGA attack on the seat of our democracy.
Does he feel like a hero?
Yeah, I think he does.
Right? (boos, jeers, rotten tomatoes, raspberries, Bronx Cheers, and more.)
He does, and he's not.
Look, I've been thinking this week about why John's death hit the country so hard. Yes, he was a long-serving senator... Yes, he was a two-time presidential candidate... and yes John was a war hero... But I don't think that fully explains why the country has been so taken by John's passing. I think it's something more intangible.
I think it's because they knew John believed so deeply and so passionately in the soul of America. He made it easier for them to have confidence and faith in America. His faith in the core values of this nation made them somehow feel it more genuinely themselves... It made the average Americans so proud of themselves and their country. He belief...that Americans can do anything, withstand anything, achieve anything...was unflagging and ultimately reassuring... that we truly are the world's last best hope. the beacon to the world. There are principles and ideals more than ourselves worth sacrificing for and if necessary, dying for. Americans saw how he lived his life that way, and they knew the truth of what he was saying.
To paraphrase Shakespeare, we shall not see his like again.From Paul Ryan, House Speaker, leaving politics this year, on speaking of McCain in the future:
He never lost the joy that time can dull, or the edge that political life often sands away. I..from time to time found myself on the receiving end of John's distinct brand of candor, happily so. I remember thinking more than once yeah, he really does talk like a sailor. But...with John, it was never feigned disagreement. The man didn't feign anything, he just relished the fight. He showed us that in the arena, the honest back and forth, that's where the cause gets bigger, that's where the triumph is all the sweeter. We get stronger at the broken places... I think ahead to the day when I, like so many, will bring my own children and perhaps their children to that hallowed lawn in Annapolis. I think about that, about what I might say to them. "This is one of the bravest souls our nation has ever produced. However you choose to do your part, I hope you do it the way he did... Playing for keeps, never back on your heels. Never letting principle yield to expediency...and always having a great story to tell."From Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State who first met McCain when he was released from Vietnam back in 1973:
Honor - it is an intangible quality, not obligatory. It has no code. It reflects an inward compulsion, free of self-interest. It fulfills a cause, not a personal ambition. It represents what a society lives for beyond the necessities of the moment... For John, it was a way of life.
John was an exponent of an American strong enough to its purpose, but (he) believed also in a compassionate America... He warned against the temptation of withdrawal from the world. In this manner John McCain's name became synonymous with an America that reached out to oblige the powerful to be loyal and give hope to the oppressed.
The world with be lonelier without John McCain, his faith in America and his instinctive sense of moral duty. None of us will ever forget how even in his parting, John has bestowed on us a much needed moment of unity and renewed faith in the possibilities of America. Henceforth, the country's honor is ours to sustain.From Joe Lieberman, one of McCain's closest friends, who spoke about the human John McCain:
...becoming John McCain's friend is one of the great blessings of my life...John and I got to know and trust each other as friends in a way that doesn't happen, because it can't happen any more in the frenetic Washington life of senators. Our friendship taught me many things, including I must add, some jokes that I otherwise never would have known.
I can tell you that he was a real friend in accommodating what were to him my unusual practices as a religiously observant Jew, whether it was walking with me on a Saturday to an important meeting or turning down a popular Friday night dinner invitation... because it was too far to walk... John naturally in doing these wonderful acts of friendship grumbled all the way about what I was putting him through, you know. Right now I think he's probably deriving some pleasure from the fact it turned out his funeral was held on a Saturday and I had to walk to get here. I'm sure if he were here now, he would tell me that was divine justice.From Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver, who's been friends with McCain for more than a decade, and who visited Vietnam, walked in John McCain's steps, sat in his cell at the Hanoi Hilton:
Many people might wonder what a young, African American kid from Minnesota and a highly decorated Vietnam War hero-turned-United States Senator might have in common... (Note: all of the following pairs of 'commonality' were accompanied by laughter) I'm black. He was white. I'm young. He wasn't so young...He ran for president. I run out of bounds. He was the epitome of toughness, and I do everything I can to avoid contact. I have flowing locks, and well, he didn't...
While from very different worlds, we developed a meaningful friendship. And this highlights the very rare and very special qualities of Senator McCain that I came to deeply admire. He didn't judge individuals based on the color of their skin, their gender, their backgrounds, their political affiliations or their bank accounts. He evaluated them on the merits of their character and the contents of their hearts, He judged them by the work they put in and the principles they lived by... While some might find our friendship out of the ordinary, it was a perfect example of what made him an iconic figure of American politics and service to fellow man.
He celebrated differences. He embraced humanity, championed what was true and just and saw people for who they were.From President George W. Bush, with whom McCain both worked and battled:
John is the first to tell you that he was not a perfect man but he dedicated his life to national ideals that are as perfect as men and women have yet conceived. He was motivated by a vision of America carried ever forward, ever upward, on the strength of its principles. He saw our country not only as a physical place or power, but as the carrier of enduring human aspirations. As an advocate for the oppressed, as a defender of the peace, as a promise, unwavering, undimmed, unequalled.
The strength of democracy is renewed by reaffirming the principles on which it was founded and America somehow always found leaders who were up to that task, particularly at the time of greatest need. John was born to meet that kind of challenge, to defend and demonstrate the defining ideals of our nation. If we're ever tempted to forget who we are, grow weary of our cause, John's voice will come as a whisper over our shoulder, "we're better than this. America is better than this."
John was a restless soul. He really didn't glory in success or wallow in failure because he was always on to the next thing, said he can't stay in the same experience. One of his books ended with the words "and I moved on." John has moved on, He would probably not want us to dwell on it, but we are better for his presence among us. The world is smaller for his departure, and we will remember him as he was: unwavering, undimmed, unequalled.And finally, from President Barack Obama, who defeated McCain in the 2008 election.
I have a reputation for keeping cool, John not so much. We were standard bearers of different American political traditions and throughout my presidency, John never hesitated to tell me when he thought I was screwing up, which by his calculation was about once a day. But for all our differences, for all of the times we sparred, I never tried to hide, and I think John came to understand the long-standing admiration that I had for him.
But to know John was to know that as quick as his passions might flare, he was just as quick to forgive, and to ask for forgiveness. He knew more than most his own flaws, his blind spots, and he knew how to laugh at himself. And that self awareness made him all the more compelling.
"Today is only one day in all the days that will ever be, but what will happen in all the days that will ever come can depend on what you do today." What better way to honor John McCain's life of service than, as best we can, follow his example to prove that the willingness to get in the arena and fight for this country is not reserved for the few, it is open to all of us, and in fact it is demanded of all of us as citizens of this great republic.
That's perhaps how we honor him best, by recognizing that there are some things bigger than party or ambition or money or fame or power, things that are worth risking everything for, principles that are eternal, truths that are abiding. At his best, John showed us what that means. For that, we are all deeply in his debt.There are no classes tomorrow, but I'll be posting excerpts from Meghan McCain's moving comments about her dad, and his own last words to us all.
It is not John McCain's fault, in whole or part, that the president still does not understand that the world does not revolve around him, and that as president he has the opportunity - strike that, he has the responsibility - to rise above the petty nonsense and just do the right thing...
Yes, it is within the rules to take the flag down only for a day - I get that - but it's also within the president's role as Commander in Chief and as alleged leader of the country to do the honorable thing and pay his respects...I was not alone in my thinking, nor did I think I would be. Anyone with a heart, with even a shred of decency or compassion, intuitively understood the right thing to do, and just as intuitively understood that Trump had no clue, had to be pressured to act at all, and acted about as badly as possible.
Less than two years into his first term, Trump has often come to occupy the role of pariah - both unwelcome and unwilling to perform the basic rituals and ceremonies of the presidency, from public displays of mourning to cultural ceremonies.
The latest snub comes in the form of the upcoming funeral for Senator John McCain (R-AZ), which, before his death, the senator made clear he did not want the sitting president to attend. That the feeling is mutual - Trump nixed issuing a statement that praised McCain as a "hero" - only underscores the myriad ways Trump has rejected the norms of his office and, increasingly, has been rejected in turn.Rejected by artists, athletes, and more, Parker notes "the rejection is mutual."
Trump, who prefers the comforts of his Trump-branded resorts and restaurants - rarely ventures far from his cosseted bubble. He is generally uncomfortable crossing into hostile territory and prefers to frequent places where he is likely to be lauded, rather than rebuked.She goes on to note that his "disdain for what he terms political correctness" is something he wears as a "badge of pride." What he doesn't realize is that it's a badge of shame in the eyes of many in the country, both promoters and detractors of McCain, and of Trump. Some things are more important than his ego, but he has yet to figure that out.
The world seems already a lesser place with the passing of John McCain.
...Despite traits and qualities that sometimes earned McCain enemies among friends, the past few days have been filled with with a sense that we've lost something more than the man; we've lost one of the few remaining remnants of the American honor code.Dropping the 'vengeful brat' reference, she says this about Trump:
Perhaps he is aiming for consistency rather than compassion, or maybe he's simply undone by the inevitable contrasts -a larger-than-life hero vs. the trite bully whom even pulpits find distasteful.Parker mentions Trump's comment about avoiding sexually transmitted diseases was (his)' personal Vietnam," a comment that demeaned the service of all who died in the conflict, as well as to those who lived through it. She also rightly notes that the word 'hero' is overused these days; I would add that it's particularly overused by the president himself, who has called virtually every first responder a hero, no matter how large or small their contribution may have been to any given situation.
This singular act of self-abnegation is no one's to question, least of all president Trump's whose military title is so misplaced that one marvels at the self-control of military leadership, for many of whom nausea must be a constant companion.
(McCain) was a hawkish, pro-immigration centrist when the GOP base was increasingly becoming a hard-right, isolationist bulwark against civility, dignity, and the reality of globalization. Thus, McCain and Trump were full-throated foes, each standing his ground on opposing shores of American rectitude.In closing, Parker landed where I did: on Trump's slogan.
It is a tragedy that McCain, the warrior-hero, should exit the stage just when his model of citizenship is so needed. But perhaps by his leaving and the eulogies to follow, more Americans will recognize what it really takes to make America great again -- and who clearly doesn't get it.
Affirmative action at work. I wish I could go to Harvard but I'm a white conservative.
Do you think she was really brilliant enough to get into Harvard, or was it just that she was Black and the daughter of an ex-President?
I doubt she's smart enough to do well at Harvard - she'll get an honorary degree in something like Tribal Basket Weaving simply because she's the spawn of the worst President in American history. Such a brave, entitled failure she will become.
When a rich white kid gets into Harvard it's called a family connection. When a rich black kid gets in it's called Affirmative Action.
She's kinda dumb. Not Harvard material, but she is black.
No, what I see is a black daughter of a black ex president being granted admission to one of the most prestigious colleges in the world SUPPOSEDLY on her academic records and abilities. To eliminate any question of impropriety by the admissions office by making public her academic transcripts and the transcripts of say the top 10 applicants to the college that were denied admission. You want to eliminate the questions of racial bias then put up those transcripts and make it totally transparent process that dispels any favoritism due to race or family ties.
Anyone have her SAT scores? Yeah that's what I thought.
Harvard's standards have dropped so low they really don't count as anything anymore.
She will be just another pregnant crackhead by her junior year.
Wow. Wish I could afford to send my daughters to Harvard but we are white and only make a six figure income. :(
Was she breakdancing all the way there?
I can remember when going to Harvard meant something, but today anybody can get in with a little political influence.
Hopefully she shaved her mustache first. Most Americans can barely keep their homes, but at least the Obamas can vacation and go to Harvard. They're more deserving I'm sure.
She already has straight A's and a PHD. Ain't being black great?
Has Malia picked her gender out yet for college?
Oh Wow??? AND THIS IS NEW HOW??? AMERICA NOTICE THAT EX-Prez BARRACK HUSSEIN obozo IS SENDING THESE GIRLS TO A VERY EXPENSIVE AND EXCLUSIVE UNIVERSITY???!!! WHILE YOURS AND MINE HAVE TO ATTEND A STATE UNIVERSITY AND GET OVERLOADED WITH CLASSES THAT THEY CAN'T GET AND LOANS THAT THEY CAN'T PAY OFF???!!! WAKE UP AMERICA!!! YOU AND I ARE PAYING FOR THAT???!!!
No chance for a white conservative with the best grades, talents and work ethic. Only elite trash.
Now she gets to be depressed for 4 years, after she finds out just how unqualified she really is. It happens at all the Ivies to the AA charity cases. Its really kind of mean. But heck, it makes the liberals "feel good" about themselves. And after all - that is all that really matters to them.
Another happy Affirmative Action black person at a Historically White School! I wonder what will happen to the White or Asian kid who got passed over by Affirmative Action? If her Mother & Father hate Whitey so Bad, what is their daughter going to this school ?
they go to school to be able to take provision from their high paid positions Never enough they dont raise salary because if its for all how will they satisfy their sick ego to be superior
bullwinkle junior by another name.
and what were her qualifications to get into Harvard? Did she write black lives matter a 100X?
This girl will be so screwed up and confused after she played the role of daughter to a homosexual man and and a tranny mom.Ah yes. Respect, and ideally love, and affection and loyalty and baseball and apple pie, all tied up with a pretty little bow, don't you think?
We have many companies, I say, pouring back into the country. I think that's going to have a huge, positive impact on race relations. You know why? It is jobs. What people what now, they want jobs. they want great jobs with good pay. And when they have that, you watch how race relations will be.Please, president Trump -- I beg you -- put these people to work, so you and I can start respecting them and demonstrating our loyalty to them.
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| sodahead.com photo |
