The Shamelessness of Donald Trump

I was appalled when I came across the following Internet report in which Donald Trump is attributed to have said of John McCain that “He is not a war hero,”  followed by “he is a war hero because he was captured.” 

 

Trump reinforced his position as follows:  "I like people that weren't captured, OK? I hate to tell you. He is a war hero because he was captured. OK, you can have -- I believe perhaps he is a war hero."

Those comments were made in the mid-west at the Iowa Family Leadership Summit in Ames, Iowa.  Later today, after this monumental gaffe, Trump tried to walk back those comments.

What was this man thinking?  Or, more precisely, not thinking?  His military record is non-existent.  He was given four student deferments and a medical deferment in the 1960’s when the Vietnam War was raging.

So, who is this man Trump to take on the military record of John McCain, a 1958 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a Naval Aviator:  Both his dad and granddad were four-star admirals in the U.S. Navy.

McCain’s A-4 Skyhawk dive bomber was shot down over North Vietnam, after which he endured six years of deprivation and torture in the infamous “Hanoi Hilton”.  McCain could have been released much earlier, after North Vietnamese officials discovered that his dad was a Navy Admiral.

Yet, McCain refused to walk ahead of the line.  He did not return to the U.S. until the Paris Peace Accords were signed in 1973.

 

I remember the Vietnam War well.  In particular, I recall how returning American military personnel who had been drafted or volunteered were coming home after their tours of duty, only to be spat upon by civilians when they walked through airline terminals upon disembarking and setting foot on American soil.

That behavior was disgusting then.  Trump’s behavior is disgusting now.  In those days a young person was either drafted or volunteered.  There was no avoiding military service except to skip into Canada; obtain a deferment (as did President Clinton); not to be within the age range for service; or having fulfilled one’s military obligation.

Trump will not be elected president even if he wins 90% of the polls and makes the finals at the GOP nominating convention.

His behavior and his egregious comments were not merely over the top:  They were neither left-wing, nor centrist, nor right-wing.  His comments about Senator John McCain, as well as those about Latinos lack good judgment and wisdom – both of which should be prerequisites to occupying the Oval Office. 

 

Put in statistical terms of relevancy, no matter how he may be viewed by his supporters, he is now a statistical outlier and needs to be removed from the charts of positive public opinion.

He no longer deserves to be in the presidential race – it does not matter what party he represents or does not represent – he has become non-credible and, even if nominated by the GOP, does not stand a snowball’s chance in Hell of becoming the next President of the United States.  He needs to be shunned from this presidential race.

Thanks for checking in and have yourselves a good summer.  It’s a precious time, as are all of our moments on this earth.