Trump is unhinged, unstable, unpresidential, unfit, unequipped, unsafe. His speech at an objectionable, divisive, campaign-like rally in Phoenix tonight was devoid of facts, sanity, reason, wisdom, gravitas or any semblance of a grasp on reality.
The President somehow painted himself as the victim of Charlottesville, making it about Trump, as opposed to white supremacy, anti-Semitism, racism, violence, domestic terrorism or Heather Heyer. He claimed to have “got” white supremacy and “hit ‘em with neo-Nazi, everything, the KKK” in boasting about and selective recounting his Charlottesville statements, as if it were an obligation or a game, proving that his words did in fact lack sincerity and weight.
Trump blamed the media for all hatred and division in the country, accepting zero responsibility for his own rhetoric and deeds, omission and inaction. He attacked the “damn,” “dishonest” and “crooked” press with a similar vengeance and style to his former political opponent “Crooked” Hillary; his war on the media (except the grossly biased, revisionist FOX News) is now central to his political brand. He went after Senator John McCain (by everything BUT his formal name, apparently instructed to not name names by the Republican party) with greater intensity than nuclear-threatening North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un; Trump mocked McCain IN his home state WHILE the war hero is fighting brain cancer, without offering good wishes or even mentioning the soldiers lost on the USS McCain.
The Commander-in-Chief shamefully defended confederate statues and that culture of hatred and bigotry once again, teased the pardon of racist Sheriff Joe Arpaio with borderline confirmation of such a line of action, threatened government shut down over congressional funding for his border wall, and got another stamp of approval from “alt-right” father Richard Spencer, unsurprising after his numerous explicit nods to white supremacy.
When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. – Maya Angelou
Trump was not, is not and cannot be “presidential.” Yes, he read from a teleprompter last night with some success, but continues to lack the temperament, morality, intelligence, stability, ethics, and sanity to do so. An alarming reminder: Trump alone holds the nuclear codes. Nothing and no one can change Donald Trump, not his new Chief of Staff General Kelly, not his daughter Ivanka, not more moderate members of his administration or party. How can Republicans – how can anyone – continue to stand behind Trump?
Trump closed with these words; now let me flip them on their head. "The future belongs to us. This is our moment. This is our chance.” We must stand up to Trump in our local communities and nationwide at every possible chance and through all channels available, while holding accountable all who dare to support him. And I believe it is high time to begin discussing the 25th Amendment.