During the 2020 campaign a friend expressed a certain sighing discomfort with the rhetoric of President Trump. Not cringe-worthy, mind you. Neither of us ever found Trump to be particularly cringe-worthy, and neither would anyone else who was paying attention.
The Left Provides The Vaccine
The invective of The Left has pretty much inoculated myself and most normal Americans. Decades of verbal abuse will do that. All the usual terms – White Supremacy, White Nationalism (whatever that is), and ooh – Raaaaacism – have had any and all meaning slurred out of them.
So yeah, at this point – make that for years now – my default response has been a dismissive eye-roll. When Trump made the Scolds on The Left clutch their pearls, I just smiled.
My friend was concerned. And even went as far as to say, “I wish he would back off just a little.”
My response was immediate. “He’s going to keep doing what got him here.”
“But – but –”
And that was the end of it.
That doesn’t mean I enjoyed every pronouncement from the man. So what? In fact, I can point to 3 things in particular over the years I wish Donald Trump never said. Just not for the same reasons that the scolds think I should.
- On John McCain: “He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.” July 18, 2015.
- On Jeb Bush: “Jeb Bush is ‘low energy person.’ For him… to get things done is hard.” August 19, 2015.
- On the Iraq War: “…going into Iraq may have been the worst decision anybody has made – any president has made in the history of this country. That’s how bad it is…” February 18, 2016.
Why These In Particular
My objection to these three quotes lay in their overarching common variable. They made enemies of powerful people. Unnecessarily. Or perhaps they simply calcified existing enemies. Again, unnecessarily.
Trump has no filter, and there is apparently no line he won’t cross. Just like Nancy Pelosi. Just like Chuck Schumer. And any other Globalist you can name. The Left is adept at making up standards for their enemies while ignoring any and all standards for themselves. Given how much of the narrative they control, they are able to weaponize this rather effectively. My dream question – presuming I was in a position to make them answer – is “what do you consider going too far?” For instance – Sarah Palin – is there anything that comes into your head and you think to your self, ‘yeah, not only is that not true, that would really hurt them, and her kids would hear it and read it and… no, that’s just too much. I can’t live with that.’ Anything?
The McCains
Dismissing John McCain’s service was a bad move. Whatever else you think him, he did spend over 5 years as prisoner of the Vietnamese under horrific conditions. Pulling his sidearm and putting a round into his own head to avoid capture – something no one would suggest – would have taken god-like fortitude. In his condition it would have been impossible given the fractures in his arm and leg caused by ejecting from his A4 aircraft. McCain would later attempt suicide twice during his confinement.
During 2016, he campaigned on repealing the so-called Affordable Care Act. In July of 2017, he cast the deciding vote to retain it in order to hand Donald Trump a defeat. This in spite of supporting the president on a number of other policy and legislative initiatives and casting his senatorial vote accordingly. In the months leading up to this, there were apparently attempts at reconciliation from both camps. In the end, McCain’s final major act as a U.S. Senator was one of pettiness. A regrettable legacy.
The Bushes
The feud with the Bushes is equally inexplicable. If we’re keeping score on the world stage, they’re like 10-0. From Anne Richards to Saddam Hussein, this family knows how to end you. Bill Clinton, who I’m sure thought defeating Bush 41 was the last word is now a shell of himself (Syphilis, anyone? Possible? Would you be surprised?). Bill Clinton will go to his grave inextricably linked to Jeffery Epstein and his stable of 14-year-old hookers. The Bushes have an astounding degree of patience and will wait years for their vengeance. Sometimes they’ll do nothing and just let time do the work for them.
Needling Jeb Bush was simply pointless. And it overtly pissed off all the wrong people.
The Cheneys
Finally, there was Trump’s opposition to our intervention in the Middle East and Central Asia. I will never agree with his position. I do understand it. The limits we placed on ourselves all but guaranteed eventual failure. All the enemy had to do was wait us out.
My issue with the GWOT lies solely in its execution, not it’s principle. You can read about why we no longer win wars here.
During his campaign and during his presidency, Donald Trump beat the non-interventionist drum pretty hard. He also repeatedly asserted that the GWOT suffered from crippling management issues. This plucked quite a few quills out of the porcupine. Enter the Cheneys. Dick Cheney, a patrician who traces his lineage back to colonial times, was and remains deeply invested in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Full stop.
This time… its…
Questioning the Neocon policies of the early 21st century hit Dick Cheney right in the feels. His Memoir, In My Time, is probably the best book to come out of the Bush 43 administration. It’s clear that to the former Vice President, policy as well as politics is personal. To illustrate: Dick Cheney’s disappointment over his Boss’ refusal to pardon Irve Lewis Libby* comes through candidly and in bold relief.
Liz Cheney, like any loyal daughter will go to great lengths to defend him. She is an unyielding supporter of everything her father did and a supporter of interventionist doctrine that colored U.S. foreign policy during the Bush Administration. Her vehemence does her credit. Family is family, right?
None of this excuses Liz Cheney from smashing her moral compass onto the floor and grinding what was left of it under her heel. The same goes for all the NeverTrumpers and the National Review wing of the GOP. Trump campaigned on the most vocal denunciation of neocon forever wars and won. For this, he can never be forgiven.
Honorable Mention
Was Khizr Khan (a) criminally stupid, or (b) part of the grift? Choose carefully.
Captain Humayun Khan gave his life when he attempted to intercept a vehicle which he correctly suspected of carrying explosives in Iraq.
His father, Khizer Kahn took to the podium at the 2016 Democrat National Convention to incoherently denounce candidate Trump for his son’s death. Captain Khan paid the ultimate price on 2004. Trump would not assume office for another 13 years. This small detail did not stop the democrats from using Humayun Khan as a human shield. Nor did is stop the elder Khan from pulling a copy of the constitution from his jacket, and denouncing Trump for having “sacrificed nothing.” This is a common practice for The Left. Using a tragic figure to demonize their opponents and daring you to challenge them.
What Sacrifice?
ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, interviewed Trump that week. Obeying his Globalist Masters, little George asked the most dishonest question imaginable: “What sacrifice have you made for your country?”
What can you say to that? Off the cuff? If you’re Trump you simply give the cliff-notes summery of your career and the good you’ve done (jobs, charity).
No Steph, those are not sacrifices. Those are choices. We pick from column A or from column B. We achieve and we fail. But sacrifices? There are precious few sacrifices made in 21st century America, unless you want to twist the definition beyond recognition. I have not sacrificed. And you know what else Steph? Neither have you. It’s not a failing. To try to make it one reveals a character flaw so filled with malice and venom, and so deeply rooted that there is no coming back from it short of a Damascus Road Experience.
Selah.
*Donald Trump pardoned Libby in 2018. It’s unclear how this factored into the current animosity between the Trumps and Cheneys if at all.
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