Trump's appearance in Normandy is particularly galling

[misanthrope]

Considering what he stands for, his avarice, his cowardice, his penchant for cheap populism, his ill treatment of our fellow Allied nations and NATO compatriots and mostly his warm spot for racially tinged authoritarianism makes his involvement in such somber and sobering events just infuriating. I can't think of another GOP POTUS in my lifetime who is more ill-suited for something like this. Even Nixon.

[SunSeeker]

1. I can't bear to watch.

[misanthrope]

4. I thought about it on the news reports earlier

hearing him read the prepared words -- a speech into which he has no input and doesn't really care about -- in his stilted manner, sounding like a truculent child made to recite something he doesn't like. He's just so stupid, so incurious.

[True Blue American]

5. That is what my late Husband would be doing.

He went in on the second wave, wounded when a man in front of him stepped on a landmine, second man wounded badly. He was third, spent time in the Hospital.

We listened to the Chaplain who was with them all the way into Germany. We watched over 200 men cry as the Chaplain described their march.

A life long Democrat he would despise this pretender.

[MFM008]

2. Im not watching

Ill watch the movie "The Longest Day" instead.

[Dave Starsky]

19. GREAT movie. One of my all-time favorites.

For those of you who have never seen it, you OWE it to yourself to watch it. They don't make movies like that anymore, and it's pretty faithful to the goings-on of that day.

Here's just one great scene among many. Of course, none of this is CGI:

[murielm99]

34. I love that movie, too.

I was surprised to find out how faithful it is to history.

It is a long movie, but I have seen it twice.

[Dave Starsky]

35. A lot of the guys in the movie were actually there.

One of the guys climbing the cliff in the Pointe du Hoc scene scaled that very same cliff on D-Day. And Richard Todd, who played Major John Howard in the glider commando operation to capture the (now) Pegasus Bridge, served directly under Howard on that very same mission.

[NanceGreggs]

3. As bad as Nixon was ...

… when he colluded with his GOP party members, he never colluded with our Russian enemies.

THIS is Trump’s legacy – being the man whose conduct has now made Nixon look like a fuckin’ saint.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

8. At least Nixon served in the military for 24 years

JUN 1942 Appointed Lieutenant (junior grade) in U.S. Naval Reserve
OCT 1943 Lieutenant
OCT 1945 Lieutenant Commander
MAR 1946 Relieved of active duty
JUN 1953 Commander in Naval Reserve
JUN 1966 Retired from Naval Reserve

Source

Part of that service was during WWII, which ended in September 1945.

[unc70]

14. Nixon actually colluded with North Vietnamese

He helped sabotage Johnson's peace efforts in 1968. Helped Nixon get elected.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

29. I didn't mean to imply Nixon wasn't the scum of the earth who didn't deserve what he got.

Only that unlike Fat Donnie, he didn't look for excuses to avoid serving his country in war time. And he definitely did not compare himself to Churchill. Or bring his entire brood uninvited to a state dinner with the Queen. He had enough respect for the presidency that he left once he realize most of the country -- including members of his party -- had turned against him. There's a question whether IQ45 will leave the WH willingly if he loses in 2020, or at the end of (God forbid!) a second term.

Also, as far as we know, Nixon never sold out his country to the Soviet Union. There's little doubt that Putin is pulling Donnie's strings.

Nixon was a flawed human being who did horrible things that resulted in thousands of Americans dying in Vietnam. Trump is a flawed human being who is doing horrible things that are currently (embracing the NRA) or will in the future (climate denier) result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. Out of all the qualified people in the U.S., why do we seem to get such losers in the WH?

[Funtatlaguy]

9. President Bone Spurs has eclipsed every prez crook, coward, and moron.

[joe_stampingbull]

6. a craven coward

that doesn't believe in any of the ideals our brave warriors sacrificed their lives for.

[GWC58]

7. Normally I'd be watching such a historical

event. Today, however, will not be one of them. Just looking at Trump’s grown children there, literally, turns my stomach. And, oh by the way, what the fuck are they doing there, anyway. And then there’s John “Chicken-Hawk” Bolton and the former governor of Texas, hmmm, what’s his name, yucking it up with the two dim witted sons. The whole thing makes me sick, sick I tell ya! 🤢🤮

[keithbvadu2]

32. His kids actually went to Normandy? I'm surprised.

His kids actually went to Normandy? I'm surprised.

[Norbert]

10. I watched until the idiot arrived

after that I turned the TV off.

I hope he struggles today, since he will ultimately fail in making D-Day about him.

[Skittles]

33. you know he will get points for managing to not shit himself

the bar is super low for that incompetent piece of shit

[Achilleaze]

11. republicans send a five-time draft dodging casino hustler to...

"honor" the men and women who died in service. Disgusting.

[Jane Austin]

12. I'm so glad you posted this.

It makes me literally ill that this man of no character and who is unworthy of his title can set foot on this hallowed earth.

I am listening to Macron, but I cannot listen to trump.

[Jane Austin]

13. I have the sound off, but can't help

seeing that trump seems to be languidly leaning on the lecturn.

What a place not to be able to stand up straight!

[jambo101]

15. Disgusting

How an obvious coward like trump is standing before so many real heros giving his servile platitudes to those who actually put their lifes on the line ,while he just chickened out of his call to duty.

[katmondoo]

16. They are touting his speach as a new beginning, what utter hogwash

He did not write the speech and doesn't believe a word of what he said. Disgusting that some are saying this one speech has changed him into a real human being. Dream on!!!!!

[Vinca]

17. Just wait. By midnite he'll be hate tweeting Tammy Duckworth.

He can only act normal in short spurts.

[bullwinkle428]

23. Yes...CNN was gushing over his "Presidential tone", and lavishing him

with praise for not going off-script and throwing in extra little quips. I GUARANTEE he'll say something completely shitty within the next 24 hours.

[moondust]

18. He's never served

anybody but himself. Never. Doesn't know anything about service and doesn't belong anywhere near a ceremony honoring the many who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to others. It's a travesty that he's there.

K/R

[HAB911]

20. He ruined it for me

[GoCubsGo]

21. A fascist commemorating the thousands who died fighting fascism.

There's some irony for you. They must all be spinning in their graves.

[bobbieinok]

22. Reagan praising German 'soldier victims' at Bitburg was horrible

[GeorgeGist]

24. It's an insult to every WWII veteran.

[Dirty Socialist]

25. He's on the wrong side of history

Siding with dictators. Conning his business contacts. Incessant lying. He’s on the wrong side of history.

[Siwsan]

26. I tuned in for the Canadian coverage on the CBC - it was wonderful

No trump and they concentrated more on the veteran's stories than on heads of state giving speeches. At the end, when they escorted the veterans down to the beach - just wow. Prime Minister Trudeau was class, respect and grace personified.

[UniteFightBack]

27. Well right now he is the placeholder for the President of the United States, and everybody knows

that. nt

[greatauntoftriplets]

28. Thanks for this post.

My father, who went ashore on day 6, must be spinning in his grave.

[gratuitous]

30. What, his electrifying speech didn't have you standing at attention?

As. He. Plodded. Through. His. Prepared. Remarks. Word. By. Word. In. A. Monotone. So. Flat. You. Wondered. If. English. Was. His. First. Language.

But like 8-year-olds who are really a bit too old for Santa Claus, the media hail The Pivot when Donald the Duck becomes a real president at last with this "speech."

[NightWatcher]

31. He's standing on the wrong side. He's a fan of fascism and Nazis

This American fevered nightmare has got to end.