Trump to widow of Sgt. La David Johnson: 'He knew what he signed up for'

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No, a flamboyant Congresswoman made it public. A private phone call. She just couldn’t help herself.

A congresswoman who was basically "an aunt" to the soldier and is very close to him and his family. No one has disputed what was said and Trump is the one who raised it.

Were you this outraged when Patricia Smith addressed the RNC in Cleveland last year?

Where in the heck did you hear that?

When you follow the news you learn things!

She has more compassion in one eyelash than Trump has in his entire body.

Wilson has deep roots in the South Florida community where Johnson grew up. Before entering Congress, she worked as a teacher, principal and school board member in the Miami-Dade area and served for more than a decade as a state legislator.

She also founded a program in 1993 called 5,000 Role Models of Excellence, which helps at-risk minority youths prepare for college, vocational school and the military. Her long career in public service and her work in the program have put her especially close to military families and victims of gun violence over the years. She does not shy away from grief.

Before Johnson was killed in an ambush in Niger earlier this month, he graduated from the program.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/10/19/rep-frederica-wilson-didnt-flinch-at-trumps-attacks-her-record-explains-why/?utm_term=.eb2d43e756a3

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
You people are exhausting! We had more than one person answer the question with a list of several positives that Trump brought about. But you libs are unable to process even a single positive thing. You are too determined to believe that nothing Trump does is good.

The list is filled with half truths when you attribute positives in unemployment, stock market, consumer confidence to this president when he hasn't submitted a budget or affected any changes from the previous administration. Keystone is not seen as a positive when the future is in renewables, not fossils fuels, and Trump mandated the use of Russian steel for the pipeline - so much for MAGA.

So to be clear, when the positives cited are at best intellectually dishonest, then it really begs a discussion about what this president has done that you seem to be so supportive of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That's not true. We have Trump supporters outlining all the positives - a roaring stock market, lowest jobless claims since 1973 (!), a pronounced decrease in illegal crossings, high consumer confidence, his work with Veterans Affairs, the Keystone pipeline, on and on, and the liberals just come on here and say "not true." It is clear that liberals have had hatred so bred into them that that will not acknowledge a single thing that Trump has done correctly. As soon as I hear a liberal say, "he has done nothing right," I know I'm dealing with someone so incapable of objective thinking that I usually disengage at that point.

Well, let's revisit the list again.

Roaring stock market: yes and it has been going up for many years under policies from the previous administration. The recent pop is under the promise of tax cuts. Most Americans do no benefit directly or indirectly from a roaring stock market. Just yesterday, the Treasury Secretary said the market would crash without passing tax cuts.

Jobless claims - again, this trend has been positive for several years (despite the injection from Trump that the numbers were fake under the previous administration)

Illegal crossings - again, these have been down for years. Most illegals are here on expired visas.

High consumer confidence: someone posted a chart earlier that debunks this.

Veterans Affairs: This is an Obama holdover and an Obama policy

Keystone: Yes, using Russian Steel is great. How does Keystone benefit the US either directly or indirectly, particularly when Renewables account for more jobs than coal and have less negative impact on the environment?

and on and on.

Please, let's debate this rather than asserting wins and then claiming I am posting half truths.

Ok, I get it. You don't see Trump's positives because, well, he's Trump.

I am quickly getting exasperated with the liberal mindset here but I'll give you a couple of examples. One, the border crossings were down, but the pace has picked up - signicantly - since. Trump. Two, the roaring stock market helps fully HAlf of Americans, who own stocks indirectly through 401ks. This is a nice relief to this group, many of whom are suffering under Obamacare. I can't do any more. You liberals are making my stomach hurt with all your hatred toward an American president (and his voters).

And if one more of you childish liberals calls him Cheeto or Orange Idiot again, I'll scream. You are wearing us down. Pretty soon, you will have exasperated us so much that we'll leave you to your little bubble here, where you can convince yourself how right you are. And you will continue to believe that delusion, all the way up to Election Day 2020.

OK, dinner awaits. Some other conservatives can take this up. I'm pretty much soent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And now Kelly jumps in publicly.

Sounds like Kelly tried to prep Trump for the call and remind him that Johnson was doing what he wanted to do when he died, and Trump kind of botched the execution in a big way. Not sure why he's complaining about the Congresswoman though. She was there, and has a right to say how Trump's insensitive words were interpreted.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/19/us/politics/john-kelly-son-trump.html?action=Click&contentCollection=BreakingNews&contentID=65972443&pgtype=article

Why is he complaining about the Congresswoman?
It was horribly insensitive and tactless of her to go public with the phone call. She politicized it. It was a private call and it was not her place to make it public.
If anyone knows... he does. He has been there - or didn’t you know he had a son killed in Afghanistan?

Yes, that fact had not escaped me. I bet no one said to Kelly: "your son knew what he signed up for."

Not in those exact words, but the meaning was the same: "Your son chose to sign up....WANTED to defend his country.....and died surrounded by his best friends, and doing exactly what he wanted to do." In the meantime, all this is a diversionary tactic to hide the successful operation in Syria. (And imagine how much worse the widow feels, with the Congresswoman creating a circus around this. FOR SHAME!!)

And if Trump had said those words in that way, maybe he wouldn't have made a widow who was 6 months pregnant cry. He's not good at empathy and should stop doing these calls.

First people were mad that he wasn't doing the calls. Now they're mad that he is. I don't like the guy, but it's clear the press and the establishment has an anti-Trump agenda.

How often have we heard about Trump not promptly fulfilling his promise to give $25k to a gold star family? Yet, when Obama promised money to the family of an American killed by ISIS and subsequently forgot to pay up, it was barely a blip on the radar.

http://abcnews.go.com/amp/International/us-hostage-kayla-muellers-foundation-finally-receives-obama/story?id=43215918

I was willing to engage until you brought up the "go-to strategy" of comparing him to Obama. He is not Obama and he should be forced to stand on his own and be accoutable on his own. I do not criticize him based on what Obama so I always cringe when people defend him with "What about Obama..." It is like Trump and his supporters are more obsessed with him than Obama supporters ever were. And that obsession is not good for our country.

DP, but it is very valid to point out that liberals are criticizing Trump for the very things that they were fine with when Obama did them.

No it isn't if that is the ONLY way you can defend Trump. I understand that this is a liberal biased forum and as an independent, it gets to me sometimes. But most of the liberals talks about Trump's shortcomings. Most of the people defending him always resort to the "but Obama did...." If you think Trump's conduct is valid, it should be easy to defend them based on their merits. TBH, I get the sense that many of the Trump folks are new here. Because when Obama was POTUS, liberals here would often criticize his missteps. Even among liberals here, there was not a universal "he can do no wrong" sense that you get among Trump supporters now.

That's not true. We have Trump supporters outlining all the positives - a roaring stock market, lowest jobless claims since 1973 (!), a pronounced decrease in illegal crossings, high consumer confidence, his work with Veterans Affairs, the Keystone pipeline, on and on, and the liberals just come on here and say "not true." It is clear that liberals have had hatred so bred into them that that will not acknowledge a single thing that Trump has done correctly. As soon as I hear a liberal say, "he has done nothing right," I know I'm dealing with someone so incapable of objective thinking that I usually disengage at that point.

Well, at least one PP asked what Trump specifically had done to effectuate any of the things you listed given that some of the things are continuing a trend from the last administration. I have yet to see a good answer. So I guess if you want Trump to the credit you think he deserves, you should answer that question.

You people are exhausting! We had more than one person answer the question with a list of several positives that Trump brought about. But you libs are unable to process even a single positive thing. You are too determined to believe that nothing Trump does is good.

I am the one who asked the question and I am not a liberal. I specifically asked what Trump had done to bring about these positives. What policies or legislation can you point to? It is not a trick question. But I guess it says a lot when you just regress to an attack on liberals instead of answering the question.

[Anonymous]

I just need to chime in about the idea of “he knew what he signed up for.”

It may sound hard, but it is true. My son has been deployed twice. Prior to deployment, he had to fill out a form. I don’t remember what the form was called, but it lists the next of kin, whether he wanted to be buried or cremated, and where he wanted to be buried. He also had to list any other requests regarding his burial that he had in the event he did not return alive.

It is a fact. How many of you have to fill out such a form when you take a "business trip?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And now Kelly jumps in publicly.

Sounds like Kelly tried to prep Trump for the call and remind him that Johnson was doing what he wanted to do when he died, and Trump kind of botched the execution in a big way. Not sure why he's complaining about the Congresswoman though. She was there, and has a right to say how Trump's insensitive words were interpreted.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/19/us/politics/john-kelly-son-trump.html?action=Click&contentCollection=BreakingNews&contentID=65972443&pgtype=article

Why is he complaining about the Congresswoman?
It was horribly insensitive and tactless of her to go public with the phone call. She politicized it. It was a private call and it was not her place to make it public.
If anyone knows... he does. He has been there - or didn’t you know he had a son killed in Afghanistan?

Yes, that fact had not escaped me. I bet no one said to Kelly: "your son knew what he signed up for."

Not in those exact words, but the meaning was the same: "Your son chose to sign up....WANTED to defend his country.....and died surrounded by his best friends, and doing exactly what he wanted to do." In the meantime, all this is a diversionary tactic to hide the successful operation in Syria. (And imagine how much worse the widow feels, with the Congresswoman creating a circus around this. FOR SHAME!!)

And if Trump had said those words in that way, maybe he wouldn't have made a widow who was 6 months pregnant cry. He's not good at empathy and should stop doing these calls.

First people were mad that he wasn't doing the calls. Now they're mad that he is. I don't like the guy, but it's clear the press and the establishment has an anti-Trump agenda.

How often have we heard about Trump not promptly fulfilling his promise to give $25k to a gold star family? Yet, when Obama promised money to the family of an American killed by ISIS and subsequently forgot to pay up, it was barely a blip on the radar.

http://abcnews.go.com/amp/International/us-hostage-kayla-muellers-foundation-finally-receives-obama/story?id=43215918

I was willing to engage until you brought up the "go-to strategy" of comparing him to Obama. He is not Obama and he should be forced to stand on his own and be accoutable on his own. I do not criticize him based on what Obama so I always cringe when people defend him with "What about Obama..." It is like Trump and his supporters are more obsessed with him than Obama supporters ever were. And that obsession is not good for our country.

DP, but it is very valid to point out that liberals are criticizing Trump for the very things that they were fine with when Obama did them.

No it isn't if that is the ONLY way you can defend Trump. I understand that this is a liberal biased forum and as an independent, it gets to me sometimes. But most of the liberals talks about Trump's shortcomings. Most of the people defending him always resort to the "but Obama did...." If you think Trump's conduct is valid, it should be easy to defend them based on their merits. TBH, I get the sense that many of the Trump folks are new here. Because when Obama was POTUS, liberals here would often criticize his missteps. Even among liberals here, there was not a universal "he can do no wrong" sense that you get among Trump supporters now.

That's not true. We have Trump supporters outlining all the positives - a roaring stock market, lowest jobless claims since 1973 (!), a pronounced decrease in illegal crossings, high consumer confidence, his work with Veterans Affairs, the Keystone pipeline, on and on, and the liberals just come on here and say "not true." It is clear that liberals have had hatred so bred into them that that will not acknowledge a single thing that Trump has done correctly. As soon as I hear a liberal say, "he has done nothing right," I know I'm dealing with someone so incapable of objective thinking that I usually disengage at that point.

Well, at least one PP asked what Trump specifically had done to effectuate any of the things you listed given that some of the things are continuing a trend from the last administration. I have yet to see a good answer. So I guess if you want Trump to the credit you think he deserves, you should answer that question.

You people are exhausting! We had more than one person answer the question with a list of several positives that Trump brought about. But you libs are unable to process even a single positive thing. You are too determined to believe that nothing Trump does is good.

I am the one who asked the question and I am not a liberal. I specifically asked what Trump had done to bring about these positives. What policies or legislation can you point to? It is not a trick question. But I guess it says a lot when you just regress to an attack on liberals instead of answering the question.

One HUGE thing he has done has rolled back regulation that has strangled business. He is also actively working to enact tax reform.... the market is anticipating that this will happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Ok, I get it. You don't see Trump's positives because, well, he's Trump.

I am quickly getting exasperated with the liberal mindset here but I'll give you a couple of examples. One, the border crossings were down, but the pace has picked up - signicantly - since. Trump. Two, the roaring stock market helps fully HAlf of Americans, who own stocks indirectly through 401ks. This is a nice relief to this group, many of whom are suffering under Obamacare. I can't do any more. You liberals are making my stomach hurt with all your hatred toward an American president (and his voters).

And if one more of you childish liberals calls him Cheeto or Orange Idiot again, I'll scream. You are wearing us down. Pretty soon, you will have exasperated us so much that we'll leave you to your little bubble here, where you can convince yourself how right you are. And you will continue to believe that delusion, all the way up to Election Day 2020.

OK, dinner awaits. Some other conservatives can take this up. I'm pretty much soent.

I have never called our President Cheeto or anything else disparaging. It frustrates me as well, on both sides.

Border crossing were already trending down. Trump hasn't changed that.

The number of Americans owning stocks directly or indirectly has bounced between 48-52% over the past decade. If it is over 50% right now, it isn't by much. But even if in retirement accounts, which is most Americans, it doesn't help day to day living.

Even with that, other than a relaxed regulatory regime which has tradeoffs in terms of environmental or workplace safety or food safety impacts, what has Trump done other than promise tax cuts? Name something please! I am begging you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
That's not true. We have Trump supporters outlining all the positives - a roaring stock market, lowest jobless claims since 1973 (!), a pronounced decrease in illegal crossings, high consumer confidence, his work with Veterans Affairs, the Keystone pipeline, on and on, and the liberals just come on here and say "not true." It is clear that liberals have had hatred so bred into them that that will not acknowledge a single thing that Trump has done correctly. As soon as I hear a liberal say, "he has done nothing right," I know I'm dealing with someone so incapable of objective thinking that I usually disengage at that point.

Well, let's revisit the list again.

Roaring stock market: yes and it has been going up for many years under policies from the previous administration. The recent pop is under the promise of tax cuts. Most Americans do no benefit directly or indirectly from a roaring stock market. Just yesterday, the Treasury Secretary said the market would crash without passing tax cuts.

Jobless claims - again, this trend has been positive for several years (despite the injection from Trump that the numbers were fake under the previous administration)

Illegal crossings - again, these have been down for years. Most illegals are here on expired visas.

High consumer confidence: someone posted a chart earlier that debunks this.

Veterans Affairs: This is an Obama holdover and an Obama policy

Keystone: Yes, using Russian Steel is great. How does Keystone benefit the US either directly or indirectly, particularly when Renewables account for more jobs than coal and have less negative impact on the environment?

and on and on.

Please, let's debate this rather than asserting wins and then claiming I am posting half truths.

Ok, I get it. You don't see Trump's positives because, well, he's Trump.

I am quickly getting exasperated with the liberal mindset here but I'll give you a couple of examples. One, the border crossings were down, but the pace has picked up - signicantly - since. Trump. Two, the roaring stock market helps fully HAlf of Americans, who own stocks indirectly through 401ks. This is a nice relief to this group, many of whom are suffering under Obamacare. I can't do any more. You liberals are making my stomach hurt with all your hatred toward an American president (and his voters).

And if one more of you childish liberals calls him Cheeto or Orange Idiot again, I'll scream. You are wearing us down. Pretty soon, you will have exasperated us so much that we'll leave you to your little bubble here, where you can convince yourself how right you are. And you will continue to believe that delusion, all the way up to Election Day 2020.

OK, dinner awaits. Some other conservatives can take this up. I'm pretty much soent.

So why are you on this Libs forum? Get off. Go start your own forum. Oh, you are a Trumpster. I'm surprised you can even read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


One HUGE thing he has done has rolled back regulation that has strangled business. He is also actively working to enact tax reform.... the market is anticipating that this will happen.

Specifically what regulations have been rolled back and what businesses were those regulations strangling? Be specific. The generalities are just campaign speech and EO Signing ceremony rhetoric.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just need to chime in about the idea of “he knew what he signed up for.”

It may sound hard, but it is true. My son has been deployed twice. Prior to deployment, he had to fill out a form. I don’t remember what the form was called, but it lists the next of kin, whether he wanted to be buried or cremated, and where he wanted to be buried. He also had to list any other requests regarding his burial that he had in the event he did not return alive.

It is a fact. How many of you have to fill out such a form when you take a "business trip?"

Is that what you want people to say to you if your son gets killed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just need to chime in about the idea of “he knew what he signed up for.”

It may sound hard, but it is true. My son has been deployed twice. Prior to deployment, he had to fill out a form. I don’t remember what the form was called, but it lists the next of kin, whether he wanted to be buried or cremated, and where he wanted to be buried. He also had to list any other requests regarding his burial that he had in the event he did not return alive.

It is a fact. How many of you have to fill out such a form when you take a "business trip?"

Look, we all wake up every day knowing it might be the last - that we might die ourselves, or those we love the most might die. This is the horror of being human.

You still don't write that in a f*cking sympathy card: "Sorry your son died, but we are all going to die at some point!"

At the moment someone is grieving, you say something comforting to them - you do not say the harshest observation that pops into your head. Do you really not think that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just need to chime in about the idea of “he knew what he signed up for.”

It may sound hard, but it is true. My son has been deployed twice. Prior to deployment, he had to fill out a form. I don’t remember what the form was called, but it lists the next of kin, whether he wanted to be buried or cremated, and where he wanted to be buried. He also had to list any other requests regarding his burial that he had in the event he did not return alive.

It is a fact. How many of you have to fill out such a form when you take a "business trip?"

Wife of a twice deployed vet. Soldiers know that the risk of death is a part of the job. They go in knowing the risk. HOWEVER, if, unfortunately, your son was killed, would you want the CIC saying that to his wife on a "consolation" call on her way to claim his remains? I would not and I would be absolutely outraged - I might even hang up the phone on him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Exactly. The hateful libs are on the hunt for anything and everything to make Trump look bad in order to 1) get him to quit in frustration and 2) divert attention from how well the economy is doing under his business-friendly policies

Wow, this is quite a reach. The only reason this is an issue is that there was barely an acknowledgement from the White House about these deaths, and when asked about it, Trump played whatboutism with Obama. That backfired and he called the widow and that backfired too. It isn't the media's fault, it isn't Obama's fault and it isn't Hillary's fault.

This exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just need to chime in about the idea of “he knew what he signed up for.”

It may sound hard, but it is true. My son has been deployed twice. Prior to deployment, he had to fill out a form. I don’t remember what the form was called, but it lists the next of kin, whether he wanted to be buried or cremated, and where he wanted to be buried. He also had to list any other requests regarding his burial that he had in the event he did not return alive.

It is a fact. How many of you have to fill out such a form when you take a "business trip?"

Wife of a twice deployed vet. Soldiers know that the risk of death is a part of the job. They go in knowing the risk. HOWEVER, if, unfortunately, your son was killed, would you want the CIC saying that to his wife on a "consolation" call on her way to claim his remains? I would not and I would be absolutely outraged - I might even hang up the phone on him.

+1 Saying "he knew what he signed up for" is something a lawyer says when they're trying to defend against liability. Trump needs to reiterate he's sorry for the Johnson family's loss and honor his memory and move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And now Kelly jumps in publicly.

Sounds like Kelly tried to prep Trump for the call and remind him that Johnson was doing what he wanted to do when he died, and Trump kind of botched the execution in a big way. Not sure why he's complaining about the Congresswoman though. She was there, and has a right to say how Trump's insensitive words were interpreted.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/19/us/politics/john-kelly-son-trump.html?action=Click&contentCollection=BreakingNews&contentID=65972443&pgtype=article

Why is he complaining about the Congresswoman?
It was horribly insensitive and tactless of her to go public with the phone call. She politicized it. It was a private call and it was not her place to make it public.
If anyone knows... he does. He has been there - or didn’t you know he had a son killed in Afghanistan?

Yes, that fact had not escaped me. I bet no one said to Kelly: "your son knew what he signed up for."

Not in those exact words, but the meaning was the same: "Your son chose to sign up....WANTED to defend his country.....and died surrounded by his best friends, and doing exactly what he wanted to do." In the meantime, all this is a diversionary tactic to hide the successful operation in Syria. (And imagine how much worse the widow feels, with the Congresswoman creating a circus around this. FOR SHAME!!)

And if Trump had said those words in that way, maybe he wouldn't have made a widow who was 6 months pregnant cry. He's not good at empathy and should stop doing these calls.

First people were mad that he wasn't doing the calls. Now they're mad that he is. I don't like the guy, but it's clear the press and the establishment has an anti-Trump agenda.

How often have we heard about Trump not promptly fulfilling his promise to give $25k to a gold star family? Yet, when Obama promised money to the family of an American killed by ISIS and subsequently forgot to pay up, it was barely a blip on the radar.

http://abcnews.go.com/amp/International/us-hostage-kayla-muellers-foundation-finally-receives-obama/story?id=43215918

I was willing to engage until you brought up the "go-to strategy" of comparing him to Obama. He is not Obama and he should be forced to stand on his own and be accoutable on his own. I do not criticize him based on what Obama so I always cringe when people defend him with "What about Obama..." It is like Trump and his supporters are more obsessed with him than Obama supporters ever were. And that obsession is not good for our country.

DP, but it is very valid to point out that liberals are criticizing Trump for the very things that they were fine with when Obama did them.

No it isn't if that is the ONLY way you can defend Trump. I understand that this is a liberal biased forum and as an independent, it gets to me sometimes. But most of the liberals talks about Trump's shortcomings. Most of the people defending him always resort to the "but Obama did...." If you think Trump's conduct is valid, it should be easy to defend them based on their merits. TBH, I get the sense that many of the Trump folks are new here. Because when Obama was POTUS, liberals here would often criticize his missteps. Even among liberals here, there was not a universal "he can do no wrong" sense that you get among Trump supporters now.

That's not true. We have Trump supporters outlining all the positives - a roaring stock market, lowest jobless claims since 1973 (!), a pronounced decrease in illegal crossings, high consumer confidence, his work with Veterans Affairs, the Keystone pipeline, on and on, and the liberals just come on here and say "not true." It is clear that liberals have had hatred so bred into them that that will not acknowledge a single thing that Trump has done correctly. As soon as I hear a liberal say, "he has done nothing right," I know I'm dealing with someone so incapable of objective thinking that I usually disengage at that point.

Well, at least one PP asked what Trump specifically had done to effectuate any of the things you listed given that some of the things are continuing a trend from the last administration. I have yet to see a good answer. So I guess if you want Trump to the credit you think he deserves, you should answer that question.

You people are exhausting! We had more than one person answer the question with a list of several positives that Trump brought about. But you libs are unable to process even a single positive thing. You are too determined to believe that nothing Trump does is good.

Give it time. Dems thought W was the devil incarnate when he was president, and now many of them are big fans.