11 Comments
⭠ Return to thread

My heart sank as I watched the event unfold. I'm certainly a Trump supporter but I cannot honestly defend what transpired. This appears to have been a well planned ambush on Zelenskyy. Nothing has been said by the Trump administration regarding any compromises or assurances by Putin. I bet there are none. So, all of the pressure by Trump is focused on Zelenskyy because Trump and Vance know they can exert their force on him and get away with it where Putin would tell them to take a hike. Yes, we've been generous to Ukraine, and that can be debated by cooler heads but that doesn't mean we should abandon decency when dealing with an Allie. The name calling (Zelenskyy is a dictator) and falsehoods (Ukraine started the war) by Trump prior to the meeting must have certainly cut Zelenskyy to the core. I can't image the stress he has endured being at war and watching his people die and cities get destroyed by a vicious aggressor. I'm not saying he's done everything right, but no one does. I think the awful spectacle that unfolded damaged Trumps claims as the ultimate negotiator and his ego got bruised. I can only imagine what kind of talk and posturing comes next.

I watch some Fox News programs but I find I need to pick the ones that make an attempt to be fair and professional, not the ones populated by the usual Trump toadies (for entertainment value). Otherwise, I find myself in my own echo chamber and that's not being fair minded. In the case of this event in the White House, there was actual gleeful celebrating at Fox of the "smackdown" on Zelenskyy. Agree or disagree with Zelenskyy and what has transpired in the previous administration, I thought I could count on us conservatives to be the intelligent adults in the room. Perhaps those days are gone.

Expand full comment

Well stated, Roger.

Expand full comment

Conservative no longer means conserving liberties, the constitution, institutions etc. Conservative now means worship of Trump and anyone who Trump himself likes in that specific moment. It’s such an embarrassment what the right has become

Expand full comment

That's indeed become many Trump-enthusiasts' understanding of conservatism, Ed (and why they're so comfortable calling people like you and me "liberals").

But I'm not ready to surrender the term to them.

Expand full comment

I'm also very much pro-Constitution and fervently believe in our basic institutions. I also favor America taking a strong and positive posture abroad.

If you've read my posts, you know I'm a liberal. In no way do I surrender the above values to conservatives. Moreover, the national Democratic Party is becoming increasing outspoken in these values. The national Republican Party increasingly less so.

Expand full comment

Roger, if you manage to find any Fox programs that "make an attempt to be fair and professional", please let us know, but I think those days are long over. Looking for "intelligent adults in the room" on Fox these days is like looking for a virgin in a brothel.

Expand full comment

C'mon John, your Hawaiian bias is showing friend. FNC's hard news like Special Report is straight up and down as is Fox News At Night.

The rest of the lineup is pretty much toadying to the administration and ccan be avoided. LiveNOW from Fox is also good because it's raw reporting.

Expand full comment

Hawaiian bias?? lol - I wish! Can't afford to live in HI... I did used to like SR back in the day when Charles K was on.

Expand full comment

Sorry, must have got you mixed up with another guy.

Expand full comment

You're thinking of Bob H.

Expand full comment

Indeed I am! Thanks for the reminder. Hi @bobhadley166467 from 21 hours into the future! But I'm only 10 hours away by plane. ;)

Expand full comment