NEW YORK — President Trump is aiming insults at surprising heavyweight targets to support his tough — some say, inhumane — stance on immigration to the U.S.A.
He’s cited prominent members of the nation’s diplomatic corps who recently testified before the congressional committee conducting an impeachment inquiry against the president. His main targets include individuals who are refugees from the Holocaust or children of those refugees, but that seems to have no connection to the presidential attacks.
Among them: Dr. Fiona Hill, his former top adviser on Russia and European affairs: Marie Yovanovitch, recently fired from her post as ambassador to Ukraine, and Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, Director for European Affairs for the United States National Security Council.
As is the president’s custom when mentioning individuals he perceives as antagonists,he gave the trio unflattering nicknames: “Phony Fiona Hill; Marie Yovanovitch, “rhymes with…”), who had the temerity to refuse to hang the president’s picture in the embassy, and who Trump said left nations in terrible shape wherever she served; and Lt. Col, Alexander “the-not-so-great” Vindman. who testified he was deeply shocked when he learned of the pressure being placed on Ukraine’s president to launch or at least speak of an investigation of Joe Biden and his son. This was to be in return for a White House meeting and the release of millions of dollars worth of U.S. arms passed by Congress to aid Ukraine in its battle against invading Russian forces.
Trump commented that “turncoats” against him include “even Gordon Sondland” who changed his testimony to declare that there was indeed a “quid pro quo” sought by the president and his supporters on Ukraine.
Dismissing Sondland’s influence, Trump commented, “He thought he could buy my affection with a little donation to my campaign (reportedly a million dollars); I did name him ambassador to the European Union, whatever that is, but his disloyalty eventually came to the surface.”
The president was reminded that Lt. Col. Vindman, a decorated, wounded U.S.Army veteran, was considered a great patriot, who had made a beautiful comment to the House committee — a statement to his dad that there was no worry criticizing the president, because this is America.
Trump responded: “You can be a greater patriot, much greater, I can tell you, out of uniform than in it. Take my own case for example. I tried like mad over and over and over again to be inducted into the military, but was turned down for severe health reasons. And yet I went on to do wonderful things for our country, much greater than anyone in uniform, including Obama or crooked Hillary.”
“And, by the way, his medals are probably fake, and he looked like something out of a cartoon with all those phony ribbons on his chest.”
When a corespondent mentioned the touching remarks witness Vindman made about the delight of coming to America and enjoying its freedeoms, Trump said “They all come with sob stories, Get into their communities, cities, states and nation and then, like with these clowns, their cover gets blown and they demonstrate their disloyalty.”
“And the babies?” another correspondent asked., “taking them from their mothers?”
“They start our innocent, and then…” the president said, his voice trailing off.
“What about Adam Schiff’s quoting Elijah Cunmings that “We can do better than that’?”
“That’s exactly what I say with ‘Make America Great Again. We’re succeeding sensationally, and we don’t need immigrants to accomplish it.”
Asked by a reporter, “What about Melania and her parents? Aren’t they immigrants?”
Trump pointed to the helicopter waiting to take him to a political rally, and gestured, “I can’t hear you” over the noise of its revving motors. He thenboarded the craft.
There are times when even he realizes it’s wise to just say nothing..
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Readers unfamiliar with Joel H. Cohen’s “Just Kidding” column are assured that it is satire, and nothing herein should be taken seriously.