On the day America takes a moment from our lives to remember those who have died to allow us to barbecue and drink in freedom, the President of the United States spent his time on foreign soil insulting his immediate predecessors. It has long been customary that political infighting is set aside when our head of state is beyond the water’s edge. Of course, the new normal is abnormal. Mr. Trump took the occasion to side with the foreign despot and killer Kim Jong-un to insult the intelligence of the former Vice-President, Joe Biden. "Kim Jong-un made a statement that Joe Biden is a low IQ individual. He probably is based on his record. I think I agree with him on that.," Mr. Trump said.
The president is trafficking in a silo of self-affirmation that is not becoming of any man moreover the President of the United States. Earlier the President downplayed the missile testing that has recently resumed in North Korea despite the protestations of his host this past weekend Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. In a stunning departure with Abe and his own rhetoric the President who has alternately ridiculed and exchanged love letters with Kim Jong-un says he is not, “personally bothered” by the resumption of North Korea missile testing.
So, after violating the sovereignty of political discourse and insulting an ally on foreign soil, the president picked Memorial Day to lie about a program that involves the health of American heroes. Donald Trump and VA Secretary Robert Wilkie have taken full credit for the ‘Veterans Choice’ program. Wilkie is claiming leadership in improving waiting times and same-day mental health screenings. Unfortunately for the esteemed Mr. Wilkie, this program along with Veterans Choice was instituted by President Obama in 2014 along with his former VA Secretary David Shulkin. Wilkie’s proof of his effectiveness came from a study completed between the years 2014 and 2017 prior to his ascension into the job.
Back in the sixties when the record would skip on your 45 or 33 rpm vinyl records, you would place a quarter on the player arm to make it play smoothly. I am running out of quarters and patience trying to keep up with this administration’s long-play aversion to truth. I watched Vice President Mike Pence place the wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier this morning and it comforted me that a liar and appeaser of killers and dictators was not there to disgrace the ceremony. Our President cannot dedicate a day to stop his tweeting, fabricating and narcissism, just long enough to say job well-done soldier.
The American people trundle along, banging against the compulsion of the press to normalize the President. It is not normal to embrace Vladimir Putin over American intelligence. It is not normal to have his son-in-law try and set up a secret back-channel to communicate with the Russians. It is not normal to fire the Director of the FBI and celebrate days later with Russian officials. It is not normal to cage children…I wish I had a president who knew the difference.
Vote in 2020 for Change.