Once again Donald Trump’s mouth has got him in trouble. When asked to respond to the speech by a Muslim father of a soldier killed in action, he made a crack about the mother not being allowed to speak. Further comments have kept the story going. This story and the story of a mother who lost her son in the Benghazi attack say a lot about politics, the media and the campaign.
Each political party shamelessly used grieving parents to score political points. Having them speak was a tasteless exercise in gotcha politics. It is also interesting to note the difference in the media’s reaction. Mr. Khan’s speech received far more publicity. Ms. Smith has come under fire from liberal commentators. One even said that he “would like to beat her to death”. I think it is clear that some in the media see their primary mission is to help get Hillary Clinton elected. Then there are the candidates themselves. Hillary Clinton has a thick skin, good political instincts and the ability to think before she speaks. She briefly commented and moved on. Trump, who has none of those attributes, has created a media sensation. Usually I try to make a point. Today I am just making observations.
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As distasteful as it is, politicians have been using fear to get votes. Even more disgusting is using hate to get votes. Sadly, it is part and parcel of modern politics.
Donald Trump has been actively working to create hatred toward Hispanic immigrants and Muslims. His repeated use of the phrase “law and order” harkens back to George Wallace. Democrats also use the same tactic. Bernie Sanders whole campaign is about hating the rich and Wall Street. They have been calling Republicans racist and sexist for years. Remember the war on women? Most distasteful to me is the attack on law enforcement. It started when that Harvard professor was arrested and President Obama took sides without knowing the facts. The first time he was even-handed was after the massacre in Dallas. Last week the Democratic National Convention featured “The Mothers of the Movement” for Black Lives Matter. At least two of their sons were the aggressors. Apparently a black person should be allowed to kill a white person. No widows or orphans of slain officers were there but the Dallas police chief made an appearance. When she asked for a moment of silence, a number of delegates jeered. This means that people who favor killing cops are now a Democratic interest group. It is less important who people vote for than why they vote. Let’s take hate out of politics. |
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