Jennifer
Rubin is the Washington Post’s designated conservative columnist. Her column is
called “Right Turn.”
She posted a scathing commentary that expressed her complete
disgust with the GOP’s
standard-bearer. Republican leaders ran for cover or went silent after Trump’s
belittling of the Khan family, the Muslim parents who lost their son in combat
in Iraq.
His
contemptuous comments sounded a lot like his outrageous statement during the
campaign that John McCain was no hero, after serving years in a brutal
prisoner-of-war camp, because he got caught.
Trump,
who never served in the military, said that heroes don’t get caught.
Apparently, he also thinks that heroes don’t get killed in action saving others.
This is what Jennifer Rubin wrote about
this vulgar, ignorant, narcissist and his enablers:
They had watched him insult
minorities, POWs, the disabled and women.
They had seen for themselves
how utterly ignorant he was about basic policy concepts.
They knew he lied about big and
small things (e.g., falsely saying he opposed the Iraq War, reneging on charity
pledges until shamed by The Post).
They knew he’d stiffed and
swindled Trump U students.
They never should have backed
him; they were abetting a vile individual attaining the country’s most powerful
office, for which he was patently unfit.
Pence went a step further in agreeing to be
his running mate, and now travels around the country cheerleading for Trump.
Now Trump demeans two Gold Star parents. When
slammed, he does not apologize or retract the remarks. He insists he has read
the Constitution but then claims Gold Star father Khizr Khan has “no right” to
criticize him.
In
a pathetic statement trying to paper over his egregious remarks, he does not
apologize to the Khans nor retract his insults.
The
world-class narcissist claims to be worthy of the same sympathy (I sacrificed
too!) as the parents who lost their son. (As an aside, it would a spectacular
instance of political karma if after smearing all Muslims and attacking their
patriotism, Trump would see two patriotic Muslim parents hammer the final nails
in his campaign coffin.)
What does Pence, father of Marine 2nd Lt.
Michael J. Pence, do? He directs the press wanting comment to Trump. Really,
that’s it?
One
wonders how 2nd Lt. Pence — and all the other Americans risking their lives —
feel about that. Pence’s silence and continued presence on the ticket suggest
he considers Trump within the bounds of normal political discourse.
If
Pence had a modicum of dignity or decency, he would tell the American people,
“I made a terrible mistake. Mr Trump is so morally bankrupt and of such shabby
character that I could not possibly serve with him.” Failing to do so, the same
should be said of Pence.
In his interview on ABC’s “This Week,” Trump
also revealed he did not know Russia had invaded Ukraine. (Putin’s “not gonna
go into Ukraine, all right? You can mark it down.”) When George Stephanopoulos
told him it already had, he repeated the Kremlin’s talking point that the
people of Crimea wanted Russia to invade.
Here’s what happened after Khizr Khan’s
Democratic convention speech.
The offices of Ryan and McConnell wouldn’t
comment on Trump’s slur against Ghazala Khan or ludicrous claim he’s
“sacrificed” just as the Khans have.
Their
spokesmen would only repeat the bosses’ prior remarks on Trump’s Muslim
stances. That’s not the point.
They
know this but they are abdicating moral leadership because they cannot possibly
justify their support of Trump. In their silence, they condone Trump and stand
with him.
They
should be standing with the Khans. Do these congressional “leaders” actually
have nothing to say about the cruel attack on two parents who now go to other
military funerals to honor their son?
Republicans’
refusal to un-endorse Trump puts their own character and judgment in doubt. It
is fair to say that the Republicans who cheer him on — not Sen. Ted Cruz
(Tex.), who refused to — are signing their own political death warrants.
It’s not just cruelty toward the Khans —
although this alone should be grounds for banishment from public life.
Just
this week Trump said he wanted to do violence to former New York mayor Michael
Bloomberg and lied that he turned down a meeting with the Koch brothers (two
real billionaires whose wealth and charitable generosity dwarf Trump’s and who
have refused to back him). In fact, the Koch brothers should get brownie points
for refusing to meet with Trump.
Trump continues to insist he’s been a business
success and charitable marvel, but he won’t release his tax returns, strongly
suggesting he is lying about both.
The
Koch brothers, “the owners of Koch Industries, one of the world’s biggest
conglomerates, have kicked in an estimated $1.5 billion or so to an array of
causes and institutions most liberals love: public television, medical
research, higher education, environmental stewardship, criminal justice reform
and the arts.”
Where
is the evidence Trump has done even a fraction of that? Where are the
hospitals, the civic institutions, the science labs, the schools, the homeless
shelters and soup kitchens he’s paid for? He either doesn’t have substantial
sums to give or he’s a selfish cheapskate.
Trump’s penchant for lying (e.g., that he had
a “relationship with Putin” which on Sunday he denied; that the NFL sent him a
letter begging him to change the debate schedule), his abject lack of human
empathy and his stunning ignorance now put his protectors, such as Republican
National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, and his endorsers, such as Sens.
Tom Cotton (Ark.) and Marco Rubio (Fla.), in a tough spot entirely of their own
making.
Republicans
who fell in line behind Trump cannot escape the moral stench he emits. He
disrespects parents of a fallen warrior; they do as well with their silence. He
attacks other Americans, lies habitually and embodies none of the qualities we
expect of elected leaders; they demonstrate moral and political cowardice in
refusing to condemn him.
It’s no longer sufficient for Republicans to
rebuke Trump’s loony positions or foul statements. There are too many of both.
The problem is not one of policy but of the nominee himself. Republicans must
rebuke Trump himself and cease supporting him. Silence is consent. And consent
is disqualifying for high office.
UPDATE: McConnell put out a statement that
entirely ignored Trump and his reprehensible remarks directed at the Gold Star
family.. “Captain Khan was an American hero, and like all Americans, I’m
grateful for the sacrifices that selfless young men like Capt. Khan and their
families have made in the war on terror,” McConnell said. “All Americans should
value the patriotic service of the patriots who volunteer to selflessly defend
us in the armed services.”
It’s
totally, embarrassingly insufficient.