11-20-2018
Another Distraction in Trump vs McRaven Controversy
(Caveat added)
How many will continue to fall for distractions that take public attention away from what’s really important in our country. I have written much about the efforts produced by the media as it leads the effort to divide America from President Trump and the effort he has placed on improving the lives of everyday American citizens.
Take the recent interview on Fox News where Chris Wallace interviewed President Trump. At the point in the interview Trump was asked about the statement made to CNN by Admiral William H. McRaven (RET) where he said, “the President’s attack on the media is the greatest threat to our democracy in my lifetime.”
President Trump said that Admiral McRaven was a “Hillary Clinton fan.”
When Wallace pointed out that he, “led the operation to take down Saddam Hussein and that killed Osama bin Laden says that your sentiment is the greatest threat to democracy in his lifetime.”
Trump said, “Ok, he’s a Hillary Clinton, uh, backer and an Obama-backer and frankly—“
Wallace interrupted, “He was a Navy Seal 37 years—“
Trump said, “Wouldn’t it have been nice if we got Osama Bin Laden a lot sooner than that, wouldn’t it have been nice?”
Trump did not attack Admiral McRaven; he gave unscripted thoughts and opinion to specific questions.
If the McRaven has the freedom to express himself about the president, why does the president not have the same freedom? In fact McRaven came back with his own response,
“I admire all Presidents, regardless of their political party, who uphold the dignity of the office and who use that office to bring the Nation together in challenging times.
I stand by my comment that the President’s attack on the media is the greatest threat to our democracy in my lifetime. When you undermine the people’s right to a free press and freedom of speech and expression, then you threaten the Constitution and all for which it stands.”
I tend to agree with President Trump how he felt and spoke during the interview was expressing his opinion on the questions he was asked.
Trump was “fact-checked” by CNN and others about his “he’s a Hillary Clinton backer” statement which Admiral McRaven fired back saying that he didn’t back her but does support Presidents who have dignity.
Admiring and showing respect for the office of the President or for the sitting President are entirely different. Whether you admire President Trump or not, respecting the office of the president is not an option.
What I see from so many people who know absolutely nothing about President Trump other than what they see, hear or read from the media is horrendous. The talk about Donald Trump being a draft dodger is an absolute lie that has been repeated so many times that it has become legend; and legends told enough are often believed as if they have become fact.
The fact that Donald Trump was medically classified at “4F” by a medical doctor due to bone spurs and it was during the Vietnam War changes nothing and doesn’t make him a draft dodger. Many draft dodgers ended up in uniform and went to Vietnam, while others who volunteered were denied for medical reasons.
All this talk by those who argue that Trump was disrespectful to Admiral McRaven and therefore disrespected ALL veterans becomes nonsense when they are themselves disrespectful toward President Trump.
As a veteran and retired military I find no disrespect in the president’s remarks. It was his observation and yes it would have been nice to have gotten Osama Bin Laden sooner especially the location where he had been hiding out in Pakistan was near a military training center. It had to be obvious to Pakistani some military leaders that this family of “foreigners” resided nearby.
I suggest that those critics go back and watch the entire Fox News interview before making fools out of themselves. Many have gone on to suggest that Trump was wrong in firing Clapper, speaking out about McCain and Mueller because they have military service and he does not. In all fairness Trump is President and they are not.
I suggest that many of our military officers began training at a number of military academies before entering one of the service academies or graduating from an ROTC program. Trump went through the New York Military Academy where he excelled as a leader and an athlete. He was on track for military leadership and the diagnosis of bone spurs which rendered him 4F was not something he or his family had any control over, but prevented him from entering military service. That does not make Trump a draft dodger or evader of military service, it means he was simply disqualified for military service.
The pendants tried that with former President George W. Bush because he went into the Texas Air National Guard as a pilot. However nobody questioned former President Barack H. Obama for not serving in the military or questioned him for his former-membership in the Black Panther movement during his youth and after returning from Indonesia.
Contrary to what you may know or wish to know President Donald Trump is a patriot who loves our country and our military. He shows it by his actions, not by your words or mine. His patriotism has been clearly demonstrated over the past 30+ years, if you look at his various interviews from the 1980’s and since. His position of many differing subjects has not changed over time, and we see him implementing many of those ideas today. I can tell you that military service does not make you a hero or patriotic and not all patriots are or have been service members.
I have seen many serving in uniform and overseas who did not serve honorably and were discharged because of their conduct. I have known and seen many who did not serve that would stand side by side with our military men and women and not back down in a fight. They were no less patriotic.
I see many today who are misinformed and no amount of coaxing, informing or re-educating will sway their misguided notions or opinions. They know what they want to know, whether it is true or not, their perception is their “truth”.
Someone once said we must pick our battles.
What I see in President Trump is that he picks his battles and chooses the ones he intends to win. Trump is simply a man who makes mistakes, just like you or I, but he is not a man who is easily swayed to the right or to the left. His focus is not just on winning the battle, but winning the war.
Let me add a caveat here, although President Trump has a right to speak, tweet or communicate as he wishes the public has a right NOT to listen, re-tweet or communicate in response to the original content and EVERYONE has a responsibility to weigh their response or words against the truth. – I am the Real Truckmaster!
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