“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke
Many people have suggested that it was outrageous for CNN to give Donald Trump a platform during the recent public forum in Manchester, New Hampshire. I strongly disagree. CNN did us a big favor by letting Trump reveal his true “character,” such as it is, and his core “beliefs,” such as they are.
Just one day after E. Jean Carroll was awarded $5 million in a civil case against Trump for sexual assault and defamation of character, Trump called E. Jean Carroll a “whacko.” The audience members, who one wag described as barking seals, laughed and cheered on their hero’s braggadocio. Anyone who believes that all of the women who have accused Trump of sexual assault are lying suffers from a severe case of Trumpism disorder. Hopefully, E. Jean Carroll will bring another defamation suit against him.
Trump bragged that he was able to overturn Roe v. Wade, although it was the Supreme Court, not Trump, that did so, thanks to his appointment of some anti-abortion justices. He falsely claimed that Democrats wanted abortion to be legal right up until delivery. When asked if he would favor a nationwide ban on abortion, Trump took the coward’s way out and would not take a strong stand, one way or another.
Trump continued to state that the 2020 election was rigged and that anyone who didn’t think so was a moron. He refused to admit that there was no evidence that the election was rigged. He also wouldn’t admit that he tried to bully Georgia election officials into changing vote totals, even though he was shown doing just that right on tape.
Trump called the Jan. 6, 2020, insurrection on the Capitol a “beautiful day.” He also promised that, if elected, he would grant pardons to the insurrectionists. He called the Capitol police officer who shot one of the insurrectionists while merely doing his job and defending the Capitol a “thug.”
Trump said he could stop the war in Ukraine in 24 hours, a claim so preposterous that it merits no discussion. Moreover, when asked who he hoped would win the war (Ukraine or Russia), Trump would take no side. He said he just wanted the killing to stop. His wrong-minded and anti-democratic stance was not surprising given Trump’s constant praise of Putin’s “strong leadership” over the years.
Trump said that the Republicans should let the government default on the national debt, even though the moderator reminded him that when he was in office he had said that no political party should use raising the debt ceiling as political leverage. When the moderator asked him what had changed, he shrugged and said, “Now I’m not in office.” The barking seals roared their approval of Trump’s mighty wit.
Trump claimed he had the right to take classified documents from the White House, although he did not have that right. When asked if he had shown them to anyone, he said he “couldn’t remember doing so.”
One time, when the moderator Kaitlan Collins pressed Trump on an issue, Trump said, “You’re a nasty person.” Again, more fish fodder for the barking seals.
This whole scenario would be funny if it weren’t so sad. Trump retains the loyalty of the millions of Americans who have been mesmerized by his carnival act. Trump has already shown what he is willing to do to retain power. Just imagine what he would do to America if he were to be reelected. Our democracy would be dead. Saddest of all is the refusal of the vast majority of Republican members of Congress to call Trump out for what he his: a narcissistic con man with absolutely zero interest in the Republican Party, in America, in the Constitution or in the common good.
Let me be blunt: Anyone in Congress or across the land who still supports a man who inspired domestic terrorists to invade our Capitol and overthrow a presidential election could fairly be described as “un-American.”
Happily, there is a silver lining to the CNN forum. Many of Trump’s statements can and will be used against him in his upcoming legal battles. Let’s hope and pray that one day Trump will be ranting about the injustice of it all when he’s behind bars wearing an orange jumpsuit.
David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns at dtreadw575@aol.com.
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