- Yes, of course, I’m sick to death of writing about Trump. You’re probably sick to death of reading about him. But the man doesn’t allow you to look away, even for a second. That’s the thing about train wrecks, I guess. We all need November to get here just so we can talk about something else.
- So – that said – let me be among the first to predict that Republican Party leaders will – within two weeks – drop Donald Trump as their nominee – somehow, some way – following his suggestion that Hillary Clinton should be assassinated by Second Amendment supporters if she’s elected. It was – finally – a remark too far. If GOP leaders don’t drop him, there’s not a person among them that can seriously claim to be on America’s side. Hinting that someone should – wink, wink, nudge, nudge – take out the president is simply too far beyond the pale for them to ignore.
- Some of my Republican friends have said, “He was just kidding.” But there are some things you simply can’t joke about at that level. Trump is the first person running for the presidency in my lifetime that doesn’t seem to understand or care that words matter. If some disturbed or angry person takes him up on his “joke,” Trump could be an accessory.
- Don’t think the Donald said what many think he said? Look at the guy in the red shirt behind and to the left of him. He laughs then does the “Ooooooo, I can’t believe he went there” face.
- “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough – a former Republican lawmaker – wrote a piece for today’s The Washington Post that encouraged the GOP to dump trump. Good. What he didn’t do, however, is apologize for his show’s role in helping Trump rise early on. Trump was on and mentioned constantly (2,414 times, in fact, between the time Trump announced and February –far more than any other program) because he made for good theater, and when you’re on at 6 in the morning you need that. Lately, the show has turned a 180 and led the charge against Trump. But that’s a bit like Dr. Frankenstein telling the villagers, “Whoops.”
- Joe’s piece said the Secret Service should interview Trump about his comment, as they would anybody else. They should. But they won’t, or if they do we won’t hear about it. Republicans would immediately see it as Obama-directed.
- Ads are killing the Internet, especially news sites. As a former news guy, I suppose I shouldn’t complain. Ads pay for the reporters who put together the news that I consume for free. But ads that jump out, creep down, creep up, crawl over and won’t go the hell away are fair game for criticism, I figure. News sites should inform, not annoy. Can you imagine if paper newspapers had those? You’d stop reading.
- Same goes for news and ad videos that play automatically, whether I want them to or not. I avoid news sites that have them. Too much, people, too far.
- It’s August – time for my annual Detroit Lions prediction. So here it is: I predict their new cheerleaders will prove to be the best thing about the team.
- For all the doom and gloom about what a disaster the Rio Olympics would be, they seem to be proceeding quite smoothly, no? Wonder if the Chicken Littles will apologize. Probably not.
- “Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.” — Yehuda Berg.
John says
Can this possibly get any more disgusting?
Jeff Hollander says
You are spot on with the observations about the Rump. But what really made me (almost literally) stand up and cheer were your comments on the awful arduous ads on news sites. This is why I prefer a real paper. Remember those? I’m sure you do. I hate having a #@!!% video that plays as if I am not intelligent enough to read. I’d rather read the copy than listen.
Andrew Heller says
RIght on, Jeff. I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaate those things. It makes me want to start a newspaper.
Enrique says
Its the worst on mobile. On my PC I can at least install an ad-blocker. Mobile websites get one-strike from me. If you have a full page, hard to close, scroll Ad- then I’m out. There are a million other Web pages and they’re all a google search away.
Marie Campbell says
I also caught the guy in the red shirt and his OHH quickly covered by the program/sign and the HUSH that fell for a couple of seconds, then the usual “shrug and smirk” that Trump has become know for when he wants to slyly evade something he has just said. He FULLY knew what he had just insinuated! It will take a lot of backtracking to get past this. And will the secret service and FBI do anything?? Of course not they are going to be to busy watching Clinton’s back and maybe Trump’s.
Andrew Heller says
I agree. He knew what he was saying. He may have been joking in his weird way but there are a lot of crazy, armed people in the world who won’t take it as a joke.
Tom says
I am no Trump fan, but…
It might depend on how we punctuate Trump’s remark: “Although — The Second Amendment, people! — There might be a way.” (He was talking about keeping pro-gun-control justices off the Supreme Court.)
He might just have been calling attention to the Second Amendment, and addressing the, “people.” He always talks that way, with interjections and digressions.
Judy collins says
I think he knew exactly what he was saying. He has no filter!
Paula Schmidt says
Trump fan: “I like him because he says exactly what he means” Trump fan following one of his many gaffes: “He didnt mean THAT”
Rick Ferriby says
Excellent observation, Paula.
Tom says
You rock, Paula.
Judith Brooks says
“Words are things. They stick on walls and create an atmosphere”. Maya Angelou
They need to be chosen carefully, unlike Mr. Trump does.
frank says
Yes, you have written too much about Trump, as many other journalists have. You have the ability to write about other topics, don’t you?
What are Republicans or Democrats doing about the national debt? What legislation has been passed in the past 3 months, and how will it affect us Americans?
What positive actions have been taken by any civic group to reduce crime, up the standard of living for all, reduce violence, reduce gun use by anyone, etc.? There are many, many other topics worth considering.
Let’s stop writing about the boisterous and start writing about people making changes in our lives, hopefully positive ones.
Who is bringing pressure to bear on our Senate to try to get their job of approving a justice moving toward something worthwhile?
Who is overseeing our national spending? What is happening in the national budget process? Let’s hear more about encouraging moves to get more voters to vote.
Tom says
So… If they were to dump Trump, I suppose the candidate would have to be Paul Ryan. ???
Ann b says
I don’t know why you liberals have your panties all in a bunch about Trump. Your beloved Hillary is ahead in the polls. You should be rejoicing and touting her and her best attributes.
Yes, there are questions about Trump’s brashness as a president, but Hillary scares the devil out of me. She definitely has harmed our country in ways that we will never know for sure until she gets in office regarding her shenanigans as Secretary of State. More and more is coming out every day. Of course, it looks like we’ll never know all of it since she destroyed so much of the “evidence”.
She has a history of making a mess of everything she has done! But I forgot the all-importance of having the first women president!
Tom says
Zzzzzzzz… zzzz…
Tom says
This was meant as a Reply to Ann b’s post.
Oldugly says
tRump=we are screwed.
Hilarity=we are screwed.
Now what coach?
Jim III says
Andrew,
Please explain to me where did Trump call for someone to assassinated by someone who believes in the 2nd Amendment. I want the date, time and place where he made such a remark.
Otherwise you are a miserable democrat liar.
Abraham Lincoln was killed by a democrat. Booth was a southern supporter. The south was strongly controlled by democrats.
John Kennedy was assassinated by Oswald. Oswald lived in Russia for a few years. He left Russia when he realized that it was not a workers paradise .
Along with the other presidents that were killed by democrat believing persons.
In the voices of reason that have sprung up, many have said that Trump meant that 2nd Amendment voters had better get out and vote, otherwise Hitliary will win.
I was watching one of the major, democratic boot licking networks last night and they did a segment on Hilliary.
In the video, they showed Hiliary being assisted into the room. Just as soon as the “aide” saw that they were on camera, she let go of Hilliary. Hiliary ambled around the room.
I was watching hiliarys’ eyes. She never blinked, her eyes were wide open and staring. If you have ever been around someone who is on certain types of drugs, you know that she was on some sort of drug. Usually a pysotheraputic type of drug. To control their pain, brain trauma, or some other neuro issue.
Some of the drugs my wife was on, and did not stay on for long, some times caused nearly the same reaction. My wife died in 2014.
A lot of people say that one of hitlers henchmen coined the phrase “tell a lie often enough and people will believe that it is true”.
He did not coin the phrase. It actually came from one of Woodrow Wilson’s
top aides in 1912 or so.
Loren M says
It’s “silly season” before the November election now, you could beat someone in the head with a brick or 2’x4′ and not only would it not change their opinion they’d argue what composition clay or wood the object you struck them with was made of.
Loren M says
oops, 2″x4″