WAPO OP ED: What might happen if Trump gives a speech on race

[lindysalsagal]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/10/what-might-happen-if-trump-gives-speech-race/

By Paul Waldman, Opinion writer June 10, 2020 at 1:32 p.m. EDT

When it was reported that Stephen Miller was drafting a speech for President Trump to deliver about race in America, the inevitable reaction was a combination of incredulity and horror. Such a speech may never happen, as other reporters have suggested; perhaps the idea was batted around but won’t come to fruition.

Nevertheless, it’s worth contemplating. What exactly would Trump have to say on the subject of race at this moment in our history? The president is often called upon to help the country make sense of crises. But could he do anything other than make things worse?

In short, if Trump tried to talk at length about race, he’d do it in a way meant to get black people to stop making demands, and reassure white people they have nothing to feel guilty about.

I’m sure there are some Trump advisers who think that if a speech were crafted carefully enough it could assure his base that he is still with them while convincing moderates that he’s not the person he so plainly is. But the truth is that you couldn’t write a speech for Trump that would be anything other than white anger and self-congratulation. It’s all he has in him.

[tblue37]

1. Even if the speech is not directly offensive, Trump will adlib, offensively. Or, even if he

sticks to the script, he will say the opposite the next day, as he did re: Charlottesville.

[pandr32]

10. Exactly

[onecaliberal]

2. It would be a terrible idea. People will go crazy. I will be one of them.

[Nevilledog]

3. Saw this yesterday

The only thing worse than Stephen Miller writing a speech on race relations would be if Stephen Miller wrote a speech on race relations.

(Might be a slight paraphrase)

[grumpyduck]

4. Well, if Stephen does write it,

maybe he'll just crib it from Mein Kampf.

[sop]

8. "Probably sound better in the original German" - Molly Ivins

[Thomas Hurt]

5. This will be the birther capitulation disaster all over again...

That farce was hilarious, you could tell the Pig didn't believe a word he was saying about Obama's birth certificate.

It will be a pile of bee ess and short so he can get through it quickly.

[OAITW r.2.0]

6. Pretty sure any speech Trump gives on race relations will make things worse for the Republican Party

So, by all means, have at it Mr. pResident.

[underpants]

7. Giving a speech Thursday.

Can’t find what time though.

[genxlib]

9. It is a precarious minefield to walk into right now

Any speech from anybody would be fraught with potential issues.

It would take some real leadership and gravitas to pull it off.

He is physically, mentally and intellectually incapable of pulling it off.

I would invite him to try but I actually think that it could be so bad that it would do some real damage beyond just himself and the GOP

[Warpy]

11. That's way above Miller's pay grade, too.

Bigots of a feather flock together, which is why Miller has lasted so long. He was a hateful little twerp as a kid and he's a hateful sack of shit now.

Big Dummy tries to give this speech, he'll be back in that bunker within a couple of hours. Or should be.

[SheltieLover]

12. I could be wrong

But I think its goimg to be deliberaely offensive to try to catalyze violence.