President Trump and first lady Melania traveled to Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas yesterday on a day that should have resulted in a show of compassion, consoling grieving families, and helping two communities heal and come together after a weekend of mass carnage. Instead, Trump turned the day into a day of personal grievances and made it all about him.
Before Trump’s trip even began, he attacked Beto O’Rourke, former Congressman from El Paso.
Beto (phony name to indicate Hispanic heritage) O’Rourke, who is embarrassed by my last visit to the Great State of Texas, where I trounced him, and is now even more embarrassed by polling at 1% in the Democrat Primary, should respect the victims & law enforcement – & be quiet!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2019
While in Dayton, Trump met with Mayor Nan Whaley and Senator Sherrod Brown; then later attacked both while flying from Dayton to El Paso. This came after Trump said he did not want to get into the “political fray.”
President Trump says his critics are “trying to make political points” following the massacres: “I would like to stay out of the political fray” pic.twitter.com/ykrRxwYKWo
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 7, 2019
Just left Dayton, Ohio, where I met with the Victims & families, Law Enforcement, Medical Staff & First Responders. It was a warm & wonderful visit. Tremendous enthusiasm & even Love. Then I saw failed Presidential Candidate (0%) Sherrod Brown & Mayor Whaley totally…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2019
….misrepresenting what took place inside of the hospital. Their news conference after I left for El Paso was a fraud. It bore no resemblance to what took place with those incredible people that I was so lucky to meet and spend time with. They were all amazing!o
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2019
When the Mayor of Dayton first saw @realDonaldTrump tweet about her pic.twitter.com/Z8YdyeebXp
— Scott Wartman (@ScottWartman) August 7, 2019
During the plane trip from Ohio to Texas, Trump went after Joe Biden for comments Biden made in a speech in Ohio. Biden said that Trump “fanned the flames of white supremacy.”
Biden notes similarities between El Paso shooter's manifesto & Trump's rhetoric, says Trump "has fanned flames of white supremacy in this nation."
"His vacant-eyed mouthing of the words written for him condemning white supremacists this week I don't believe fooled anyone." pic.twitter.com/tt8nBcBzhY
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 7, 2019
Watching Sleepy Joe Biden making a speech. Sooo Boring! The LameStream Media will die in the ratings and clicks with this guy. It will be over for them, not to mention the fact that our Country will do poorly with him. It will be one big crash, but at least China will be happy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2019
In Trump’s only public appearance during both stops, he lashed out again at Mayor Whaley and Senator Brown. He also told everyone just how much love and respect he received from everyone in Dayton.
“We had an amazing day,” Trump said in El Paso as he concluded his visit. “As you know, we left Ohio. The love, the respect for the office of the presidency.”
Trump also praised El Paso police officers and other first responders and shook their hands, telling one female officer, “I saw you on television the other day and you were fantastic.”
WTF is this? At least 31 killed in US weekend mass shootings, & Trump is talking about the surviving victims in the hospital showing “so much love & respect for the office of presidency?” Really? 🤦♀️ pic.twitter.com/ETuatmOl3R https://t.co/ETuatmOl3R
— Arctic Friend (@FriendEden100) August 7, 2019
The Washington Post reported, “None of the eight patients still being treated at University Medical Center in El Paso agreed to meet with Trump when he visited the hospital, UMC spokesman Ryan Mielke said. Two victims who already had been discharged returned to the hospital with family members to meet with the president.
“This is a very sensitive time in their lives,” Mielke said. “Some of them said they didn’t want to meet with the president. Some of them didn’t want any visitors.”
When Trump returned to the White House, he launched a Twitter attack on MSNBC and CNN:
Just watched a world class loser, Tim O’Brien, who I haven’t seen or spoken to in many years, & knows NOTHING about me except that he wrote a failed hit piece book about me 15 years ago. Fired like a dog from other jobs? Saw him on Lyin’ Brian Williams Trump Slam Show. Bad TV….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 8, 2019
….I am so amazed that MSNBC & CNN can keep putting on, over and over again, people that have no idea what I am all about, and yet they speak as experts on “Trump.” Same people since long before the 2016 Election, and how did that work out for the Haters and Losers. Not well!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 8, 2019
CNN’s Don Lemon sums up Trump’s trip to Dayton and El Paso quite nicely:
.@donlemon: "It should surprise none of us at this point that the feelings of the consoler-in-chief seemed most concerned with, while visiting victims, were his own." #DonsTake https://t.co/KLFCtWbKrM pic.twitter.com/GIM7gZp1cP
— CNN Tonight (@CNNTonight) August 8, 2019
