By Tom Burke
OK, folks, I need some help.
I know Trump supporters read my column as they often comment and email. So, because there’s some stuff about the president I simply don’t understand, I’m asking them to clarify a few issues.
Let’s start with voter fraud.
President Trump tweeted he won the popular vote “if you deduct the (3 to 5) million people who voted illegally.”
Here’s my question: If President Trump unequivocally insists 3 million to 5 million illegal votes were cast, where’s the proof?
Please explain to me why, if Trump says it’s a fact, there’s no supporting data? What’s the big secret? If he can’t, or won’t, offer proof, is he simply BS-ing again? The best Sean Spicer could say is, “The President does believe that and has believed that for a while,” which is what flat-earthers said ‘till Magellan proved them wrong.
(For context, these people disagree, on-the-record, with the president about voter fraud: Speaker Paul Ryan, former Congressman Jason Chaffetz, Sen. John McCain, Sen. John Thune, president of the New Hampshire Senate Chuck Morse, a Republican, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla (D), Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann (R), Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson (R), Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson (R), and dozens more Ds and Rs.)
Next, I’m in a muddle about Russia and our elections. I’m not referring to Donald Jr.’s meetings or whether the campaign actively colluded. I’m simply confused about whether or not the Russian government interfered.
Because the president says they did. Or they didn’t. Or maybe they did. Or maybe they didn’t.
So, did they or didn’t they?
The National Review (no friend of liberals, progressives or Democrats) says they messed with the election, “One thing is clear: The Russian government has run one of the most cost-effective and disruptive espionage operations in history.”
They added, “They (the Russians) sowed confusion and chaos, and there’s strong evidence (according to multiple intelligence agencies) that they ultimately sought to help Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton.”
Trump, on the other hand, says, “Well, I think it was Russia, and I think it could have been other countries.”
Huh? Statements like that are what’s confusing me. Because the big three in the intelligence community — the head of the CIA, director of the FBI and the director of National Intelligence (who all report to the President) — unequivocally state, “there is strong consensus among us on the scope, nature and intent of Russian interference in our presidential election.”
That strong consensus? They done it. Big time. Thomas Bossert, the president’s hand-picked chief counter-terrorism advisor, thinks so, too. When asked last Thursday if Russia interfered he said, “There’s a pretty clear and easy answer to this and it’s ‘yes.’”
But Trump, on “Fox News Sunday” said, “I think it’s ridiculous. … I think it’s just another excuse. I don’t believe it … No, I don’t believe it at all.”
So, who should I believe: the U.S. intelligence community; Trump’s chief counter-terrorism adviser; Vladimir Putin, who denies it; or President Trump, who also denies it?
There’s another issue I need help with: the president’s “Made in America” campaign.
President Trump designated last week as “Made in America” week to showcase stuff “Made in America” and, said the president, “build, create and grow more products in our country using American labor, American goods and American grit.”
But Donald Trump’s daughter/special adviser, Ivanka, has all the goods in all her lines of clothing, jewelry and accessories made overseas. Nothing, absolutely nothing, of hers is “Made in America.”
Please explain that. How can the president push for “Made in America” and not include his own daughter’s company?
Oh, and most of Trump-branded lines are also made overseas, and he’s looking to hire 70 foreign workers for Mar-a-Lago because they can’t find Americans for the work. Huh?
I spent my whole career in the marketing, PR, advertising business and government. I can’t think of a stronger “Made in America” message than a presidential declaration that, “From now on all Trump-branded products will be made in America. As will everything my daughter Ivanka markets.”
Please, dear readers, explain to me why I didn’t hear that? Was it the death-rattle of Trump’s health care legislation drowning it out? The outrage caused by Trump’s unreported meeting with Putin so deafening? Or the ominous footfall of Robert Mueller coming up behind Donald Jr., Jared, and Manafort overwhelming a made-in-America presidential message. Or could it be Donald Trump never said those words and spent a week as Hypocrite-in-Chief?
I’d love to hear some cogent, fact-based explanations unraveling my rat’s nest of confusion. But please, something more than the “suck it up, &*^%$#,” I sometimes get.
Tom Burke’s email address is t.burke.column@gmail.com.
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