Congresswoman says Trump told widow of fallen soldier 'he knew what he signed up for'

[Bill Miller]

1 hour ago, riclag said:

I'm disgusted about all of this non sense . If Twitterman didn't care or better yet was Insensitive ,why would he bother to call. 

Because somebody finally told him it is customary, and it would be a PR nightmare if he did not. 

[Jingthing]

19 minutes ago, Thakkar said:

Who’s <<<REMOVED>>>? O’Reilly’s Black brother from another mother that his rapey dad may have knocked up?

 Just more racism from the trumpist peanut gallery. 

 

(Edited out racist take on Obama's name that you quoted from member riclag.)

Edited October 19, 2017 by Jingthing

[Rimmer]

A post using a derogatory name for a past president has been removed also two replies that quoted it.

[ilostmypassword]

3 hours ago, riclag said:

I'm disgusted about all of this non sense . If Twitterman didn't care or better yet was Insensitive ,why would he bother to call. 

Because the press called him out on it.

[Berkshire]

7 hours ago, habanero said:

Shame on me? It is not I that cannot comprehend what has been written. To keep from repeating myself, I am going to end this. It seems all you are capable of doing is asking questions about a subject that is apparently above your grasp.

Your boy Trump is an ignorant, cowardly, sorry-excuse-for-a-human-being, lying sack of manure.  It's a shame that you can't comprehend THAT.

[selftaopath]

10 hours ago, riclag said:

Inarticulate. Yes,Twitterman fits this description .Nobody cares more for the military then Twitterman. "Stop calling war widows",Nah. If you don't want to talk to him then don't .

He's inarticulate because he's not very intelligent. A former professor of his said "he was the stupidest god dam student I ever had." I'd love to see his college transcript and especially love to see his IQ test. 

[oldhippy]

1 hour ago, selftaopath said:

He's inarticulate because he's not very intelligent. A former professor of his said "he was the stupidest god dam student I ever had." I'd love to see his college transcript and especially love to see his IQ test. 

I don't think that Trump is stupid.

 

He gets everything that he wants: billions, a tower, a trophy wife, attention, brown noses, America's top job. He gets away with insulting an American prisoner of war and a dead soldier. Is that stupid?

Of course he is egotistical, a psychopath, a sociopat, a liar, a manipulator, a man that lusts for power, a little child.

 

But he is not stupid.

 

[amvet]

When I was in the Army there were 46 men killed in combat every day.  No one called.  I wrote a lot of letters. 

 

A college chum of mine's mother told my mother that anyone serving in Vietnam was stupid.  It was at a church social

and the lady didn't realize I was in Vietnam. 

 

It kind of puts it into perspective for me.  If Trump said that it was stupid what the lady told my mother was really mean.

 

 

[selftaopath]

1 hour ago, oldhippy said:

I don't think that Trump is stupid.

 

He gets everything that he wants: billions, a tower, a trophy wife, attention, brown noses, America's top job. He gets away with insulting an American prisoner of war and a dead soldier. Is that stupid?

Of course he is egotistical, a psychopath, a sociopat, a liar, a manipulator, a man that lusts for power, a little child.

 

But he is not stupid.

 

Being devious is not necessarily a form of intellect. Is it? This link is very informative:

https://www.quora.com/Are-manipulative-people-smart

 

[Bill Miller]

1 hour ago, amvet said:

When I was in the Army there were 46 men killed in combat every day.  No one called.  I wrote a lot of letters. 

 

A college chum of mine's mother told my mother that anyone serving in Vietnam was stupid.  It was at a church social

and the lady didn't realize I was in Vietnam. 

 

It kind of puts it into perspective for me.  If Trump said that it was stupid what the lady told my mother was really mean.

 

 

A bit different scenario, though. If you were writing letters about your men in Vietnam, e.g., that is what a CO does.
In this instance we wonder, first, what those guys were doing in Niger. They also were all members of a special forces group. An extraordinary situation that historically gets this kind of attention from the CIC, who evidently needed to be prodded into it.
BTW, thanks for your service. I avoided that decision by being a bit to young. We discussed it plenty, and I do not recall any of my classmates saying they would head north.
My family has a history of military service, so for me it was a question of which service I would try for.
I am thankful that the draft was essentially halted before it became a reality. I later volunteered in the Guard in what turned out to be a strange period of relative peace for the US. I was finished before the invasion of Iraq,

Edited October 20, 2017 by Bill Miller

[Credo]

I am not a Trump fan and I don't doubt he said what he is accused of saying.   I don't think he is capable of real, sincere or even acting empathetic.   I think for him it would be better to have someone else make the calls on behalf of the President.   

 

Some people don't do well with sympathy.   I've heard people say things like "It's probably better that he died quickly."   They don't mean it to be bad, but how you aim your words and where they land can be quite different.   

[xylophone]

3 hours ago, oldhippy said:

I don't think that Trump is stupid.

 

He gets everything that he wants: billions, a tower, a trophy wife, attention, brown noses, America's top job. He gets away with insulting an American prisoner of war and a dead soldier. Is that stupid?

Of course he is egotistical, a psychopath, a sociopat, a liar, a manipulator, a man that lusts for power, a little child.

 

But he is not stupid.

 

Agree with all of the post, but for the last line!

 

He is stupid enough to believe that he is doing a good job in his role.

 

A definition of stupid seems to fit...."having or showing a great lack of intelligence or common sense.
synonyms:   unintelligent, ignorant, dense, foolish, dull-witted, slow, simpleminded, vacuous, vapid, idiotic, imbecilic, imbecile, obtuse, doltish".

[Opl]

Thank toTrump ,  Niger attack's fifth victim

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/19/trump-john-kelly-gold-star-families-243970

 

 

[habanero]

14 hours ago, Berkshire said:

Your boy Trump is an ignorant, cowardly, sorry-excuse-for-a-human-being, lying sack of manure.  It's a shame that you can't comprehend THAT.

What was the alternative?

[Andaman Al]

1 hour ago, xylophone said:

Agree with all of the post, but for the last line!

 

He is stupid enough to believe that he is doing a good job in his role.

 

A definition of stupid seems to fit...."having or showing a great lack of intelligence or common sense.
synonyms:   unintelligent, ignorant, dense, foolish, dull-witted, slow, simpleminded, vacuous, vapid, idiotic, imbecilic, imbecile, obtuse, doltish".

But the definition is missing a line. It should say at the end - Warning, the stupid are unable to understand this definition of stupid.

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, habanero said:

What was the alternative?

The most qualified non-incumbent candidate for president in American history.

[Andaman Al]

4 minutes ago, habanero said:

What was the alternative?

Tell us! what was the alternative? Trump has no intelligence, he has been diagnosed by countless professionals as mentally ill, he has thousands of outstanding class actions against him, he has many claims of sexual abuse against him, he has proven himself on too many occasions to list of being a pathological liar, a narcissist and self absorbed egotistical maniac. All from his own interviews, speeches and publicly recorded events. He has no interest whatsoever in the USA other than how much money he can make from it. In terms of business he is the opposite of Midas and everything he touches turns to crap, just like the USA is now.

 

So what of Clinton, tell me what the alternative was. Apart from the fact you don't like her, what is she guilty of? The first thing about being honest is you need to be honest with yourself. I have seen her make one foolish claim, I have observed she made one foolish mistake, I have seen nothing that would portray her as a criminal or 'crooked' and demonise her in the way Trump supporters would have us believe. Now tell us some FACTS, and real FACTS that have not been debunked as fake alternative truths spouted by Trumpists. 

[habanero]

16 minutes ago, Andaman Al said:

Tell us! what was the alternative? Trump has no intelligence, he has been diagnosed by countless professionals as mentally ill, he has thousands of outstanding class actions against him, he has many claims of sexual abuse against him, he has proven himself on too many occasions to list of being a pathological liar, a narcissist and self absorbed egotistical maniac. All from his own interviews, speeches and publicly recorded events. He has no interest whatsoever in the USA other than how much money he can make from it. In terms of business he is the opposite of Midas and everything he touches turns to crap, just like the USA is now.

 

So what of Clinton, tell me what the alternative was. Apart from the fact you don't like her, what is she guilty of? The first thing about being honest is you need to be honest with yourself. I have seen her make one foolish claim, I have observed she made one foolish mistake, I have seen nothing that would portray her as a criminal or 'crooked' and demonise her in the way Trump supporters would have us believe. Now tell us some FACTS, and real FACTS that have not been debunked as fake alternative truths spouted by Trumpists. 

Good for you. Your choice, not mine.

 

[Andaman Al]

17 minutes ago, habanero said:

Good for you. Your choice, not mine.

 

The biggest non answer ever? What is my choice? I am asking you to explain your statement clearly about Clinton. If you cannot then retract your hatred and leave the subject alone.

[habanero]

What are you even talking about? 

I said, what was the alternative. How does that come across as hatred?

 Or are you just a troller by profession?

[selftaopath]

2 hours ago, Andaman Al said:

But the definition is missing a line. It should say at the end - Warning, the stupid are unable to understand this definition of stupid.

Yes, but we should fear stupid people:

 

[mike324]

Looks like John Kelly just went on record, this was what he told Trump when Trump asked for advice on making the call.

 

"Kelly, recounting the day when he was informed of his son’s death, recalled his close friend Gen Joseph Dunford arriving at his doorstep. Dunford had told him his son “was doing exactly what he wanted to do when he was killed”, Kelly recalled.

“He knew what he was getting into by joining that 1% [who serve in uniform],” Kelly said, seeking to convey the nuance lacking in Trump’s own reaction to the controversy. “He knew what the possibilities were, because we’re at war.”

 

So Trump took what Kelly said and repeated those insensitive remarks, seems like it is Kelly who coached Trump poorly on what to say. Trump can't come up with anything else better to say.

 

 

[Jingthing]

Most anything coming out of trump's mouth, because he has his extra special donald "filters" is going to come off badly. I can see how the message given in the way that Kelly gave it in his conference could actually be the exact right thing to say. Face it -- donald mucked it up.

He can't fake compassion for anyone other than himself and close family. There is no there there. 

This whole contacting family thing was politicized by the clown potus himself when he disgustingly accused previous presidents of not doing calls. Another bizarre controversy created directly from donald. Which was purely one of his classic defense tactics because he knew he was totally busted on being so LATE in doing even LETTERS to the families of the Niger casualties. Shame on trump and those that defend him. He's the most divisive so called president in history. 

Edited October 20, 2017 by Jingthing

[Berkshire]

52 minutes ago, mike324 said:

Looks like John Kelly just went on record, this was what he told Trump when Trump asked for advice on making the call.

 

"Kelly, recounting the day when he was informed of his son’s death, recalled his close friend Gen Joseph Dunford arriving at his doorstep. Dunford had told him his son “was doing exactly what he wanted to do when he was killed”, Kelly recalled.

“He knew what he was getting into by joining that 1% [who serve in uniform],” Kelly said, seeking to convey the nuance lacking in Trump’s own reaction to the controversy. “He knew what the possibilities were, because we’re at war.”

 

So Trump took what Kelly said and repeated those insensitive remarks, seems like it is Kelly who coached Trump poorly on what to say. Trump can't come up with anything else better to say.

 

 

Yes, a plausible explanation of why Trump said what he said.  So Trump didn't mean anything malicious when he made that statement to the widow.  But an even more revealing truth, though, was that in defending Trump, Kelly just admitted to the world that Trump was lying when he said...

 

"Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof)," Trump tweeted. "Sad!"

[selftaopath]

7 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Yes, a plausible explanation of why Trump said what he said.  So Trump didn't mean anything malicious when he made that statement to the widow.  But an even more revealing truth, though, was that in defending Trump, Kelly just admitted to the world that Trump was lying when he said...

 

"Democrat Congresswoman totally fabricated what I said to the wife of a soldier who died in action (and I have proof)," Trump tweeted. "Sad!"

OK I officially know 45 is evil: Def.

 

evil (adjective)
 

1. someone who is evil deliberately does very cruel things to harm other people
   
2. something that is evil is morally wrong because it harms people
   
3. very unpleasant

[thaihome]

At no point in this very sad saga, including Kelly's emotional press conference,  has the Trump administration ever explained what a 12 member special forces squad was doing in the field in  Niger with virtually no backup.  

 

All the political squabbling about CiC communications with the families of dead service members has succeeded in diverting attention from the key issue which is why the US professional army continues to be put in vulnerable positions that allow members to be killed. What exactly was the threat to US security in Niger?

 

This is the main issue. The US now has a professional army that has succeeded in the militarization  of the civilian population  (such has millions paid to the NFL for support of the military in wars that cannot be won) under the guise of "patriotism"  and the US president's key advisors are generals, two of whom had to get congressional approval to serve in their positions in violation of law on active duty or recently retired military serving in the executive branch. 

 

While at the same time the military is succeeding in promoting "patriotism" in defense of two unwinnable  wars  going on now for 15 and 16 years, the basic intelligence of the officer Corp  (and likewise the enlisted personal) has been steadily declining since the advent of the "all volunteer army". 

Of concern, “two-thirds of the new officers commissioned in 2014 would be in the bottom one-third of the class of 1980; 41 percent of new officers in 2014 would not have qualified to be officers by the standards held at the time of World War II.” 

http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/04/27/you-arent-wrong-our-military-officers-actually-seem-to-be-getting-stoopider/

 

If the US did away from the current "all volunteer " army and depended on conscription and short term reserve officers  (as was in place during Vietnam) if the current military manpower levels were judged to be worthwhile,  then there would be a significant different foriegn policy in effect for the last 20 years.

 

 

The worst part is the three ex-generals are considered the rational voice in the administration. For Kelly to engage in this diversion is a shame and and  a disgrace to his son. 

 

TH  

[thaihome]

To add to my post above. It is worth noting that of the dozen or so previous presidents that served in the military  (and combat) none chose to listen to military (maybe Teddy Roosevelt is an exception) advice once in office and purposely distanced themselves from the military. 

TH 

[Opl]

"In attack on Frederica Wilson over Trump’s call to widow, John Kelly gets facts wrong"

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article179869321.html

 

"Just like his boss, the president, Kelly never once uttered the name of Sgt. La David Johnson or his pregnant widow, Myeshia. Much of the mainstream press was predictably breathless over Kelly's forceful performance. Interestingly, many of the military commentators were not as impressed, correctly observing that it was Trump and Kelly who were politicizing the fallen. And the president just kept going:"

https://www.salon.com/2017/10/20/trumps-hatchet-man-john-kelly-and-the-big-lie/

 

 

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article179869321.html#storylink=cpy

[Jingthing]

There he goes again.

He'll never change.

 

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2017/10/what_the_botched_phone_call_to_a_soldier_s_widow_says_about_trump.html

 

Quote

 

Grief and Grievance

 

What a botched condolence call reveals about President Trump.

Whether it’s a knowing choice from the president or it stems from his utter lack of restraint, the attacks reflect his twin contempt for women and nonwhites. Trump pushes back against most criticism, but when it comes from a prominent black woman, the response is more aggressive, more interested in making a spectacle—and an example.

 

 

[jcsmith]

Here's the problem. Trump first claims outrage and says he has proof that his statements were misrepresented (while not offering anything). A couple days go by and we now see Kelly explaining why Trump said what he just days ago said he had proof that he did not say. Trump lies habitually.