Arkansas Senator and former US Army Captain Tom Cotton and I are just not going to agree on very many things. An ideological ocean divides us. Cotton has called Memorial Day our most sacred holiday —
"an occasion we set aside to honor those who have fallen in combat."
I’ll accept that thought, many people — even Christians like Cotton — might think Memorial Day is more important than Christmas or Easter and Veteran’s Day or the 4th of July. Regardless of how we might rank national holidays, honoring those who have sacrificed to defend the nation and what it stands for is certainly worthy of our full attention, sober reflection and respect at least once each year.
So as we approach this most sacred day — where will the Commander in Chief be on Memorial Day? At Arlington National Cemetery — laying a wreath on the tomb of the unknown soldier? Nope — did that when it was more convenient — and besides the photos will look fine on Monday www.militarytimes.com/...
Visiting the troops overseas? maybe. Pardoning war criminals? Perhaps, although that crazy plan is now apparently on hold and he now says he’ll wait until the trials are over (we’ll see about that) www.usatoday.com/....
This is rough territory for Trump, a leader who never served his country — those pesky bone spurs. His mixed message on Memorial Day last year
"Happy Memorial Day! Those who died for our great country would be very happy and proud at how well our country is doing today. Best economy in decades, lowest unemployment numbers for Blacks and Hispanics EVER (& women in 18years), rebuilding our Military and so much more. Nice!" (Memorial Day 2018 DJT)
was perhaps an object lesson to just get out of Dodge, so he is off to Japan to shill for fair trade, meet the new emperor and of course play a round of golf in the land of the rising sun. Maybe he’ll take a break from the pomp and pageantry of that important schedule to visit troops in some foreign land. Or maybe he’ll just tweet out some words of wisdom. I suspect some surprise visit is on his agenda. If Mr. Trump does visit troops overseas on Monday — you can bet its for his own glory and not to honor their service.
Honor is clearly not something that President Trump understands. He frequently uses his position to rub elbows with honorable men and women with a backdrop of flags and uniforms and salutes — awarding medals as much it seems for the photo op - so he can see himself standing gloriously shoulder to shoulder with heroes and people of substance. I guess he thinks that makes him look heroic and substantial. I just see the contrast.
Of all his manifold faults as a man, an American, a human being and a ‘leader’ — this one galls me the most — the frequent efforts to steal thunder from those who have actual achievements, those who have behaved in brave and selfless ways —earning honor. The eagerness to pose with heroes, as if he too had earned the right to stand among them through some heroic sacrifice or honorable deed is despicable fantasy.
On Monday, I expect more of the same clueless narcissism and self aggrandizement we saw on day one in his disgraceful speech at CIA headquarters. www.politico.com/… The man is a hero in his own mind. He’ll pull some clumsy made for TV reality show stunt — arriving unannounced and posing with wildly cheering servicemen and women magically decked out in freshly laundered bdu camos and MAGA hats. At the moment when you expect him to simply thank them for their service and sacrifice — he is sure to disgrace himself by complaining about the witch hunt and the ‘coup attempt.’