'THE DONALD' SPOKE, TOO

'THE DONALD' SPOKE, TOO

By Andy Weddington

Sunday, 27 November 2022

Fight to the last gasp.  - William Shakespeare

The day before Thanksgiving I posted commentary titled, 'Donald Spoke.' The short non-fiction piece recapped a Thanksgiving luncheon, all the trimmings, the day before at an assisted-living home. 

Donald is a Marine. 

In 1944, age 18, Donald fought in the Marianas. 

Now 96 he battles dementia that is, among other horrors, stripping him of memory.

But there's still spark in eyes, defiance in smile, and fire in gut. 

Fighting on, no matter what, is what Marines do.   

Is that not what surviving is all about?

Just a few days before meeting Donald, 'The Donald' spoke. 

Donald Trump announced he will again run for President of the United States.

For no reason other than curiosity, I watched the opening 10-15 minutes before returning to a book on The Phillips Collection.

So, since Tuesday past, I have been reading, walking, painting, walking, eating lots of pie, and thinking about Donald and The Donald. 

Donald and I visited for about 90 minutes. Conversation limited and done through his daughter.

The Donald I've not met. And in all probability never will. Nor his daughters. Though I do think conversation would be interesting. 

What do the Donalds have in common?

Likely more than I know but one trait for certain: Fight.

What other reason would compel The Donald to again run for President?

There's sundry superficial reasons, of course, but deep down it's fight.

Losing sucks.

The Donald does not like to lose. And when he does lose, whatever the reason, it's not with the quiet grace of a true sportsman nor does he let it go.  

I read an article by William Barr, President Trump's Attorney General, recently. 

Mr. Barr wrote (and not necessarily in the order following), "Trump's willingness to destroy the party if he does not get his way is not based on principle, but on his own supreme narcissism ... His egoism makes him unable to think of a political party as anything but an extension of himself - a cult of personality ... Unless the rest of the party goes along with him, he will burn the whole house down by leading 'his people' out of the GOP ... "

And on Mr. Barr went with his attack as to why former President Trump is not of the character to be President. 

Think back to 2016.

Remember during the debates President Trump said he did not want to hurt Hillary Clinton?

And there was FBI investigated and substantiated reason why Mrs. Clinton deserved to be hurt (for crimes while Secretary of State).

Meanwhile, she, unbeknownst to Candidate Trump, was deep into concocted plot colluding with Russians, to not just hurt Mr. Trump but destroy him. 

Why has she (et al.) not been charged? (For crimes while Secretary of State and colluding with Russia?)

Mr. Barr, sir, please explain. 

Somehow the arenas of politics, crimes, and the Presidency have become a master granny knot. 

But it's not that complicated. 

President Trump's ego aside, he was an effective President. 

There is no fact based argument denying what President Trump accomplished, despite being under continuous attack, for country and righting sundry matters abroad predecessors had not the courage to tackle. 

And donated his salary, all of it, back to our country. 

How much salary has President Biden, Vice-President Harris, Speaker Pelosi, Senator Schumer, Senator McConnell, Mrs. Clinton, et al., donated back to country?

Right. 

Politics bore me.

Never so much as dreamed of being President. 

Crime, on the other hand, has my attention. 

Punishing crime is a fundamental element of fairness, of justice for all, that ensure our Republic.

Our investigators and punishers of crime, at the highest level, failed. And continue to fail us. Who investigates and punishes them? 

Our Republic will not survive, unless corrected.

If the whole house can be burned down by one determined citizen, as Mr. Barr suggests, then that house in reality is wild fire vulnerable timber awaiting spark. 

As do all the corrupt rest in government failing our citizenry need to go. 

Regarding tenacity ...

I've never met a Marine without a good bit of ego; some more reserved than others. Humility, when holding eternal membership amongst the best, requires extraordinary restraint.  

I've never met a Marine who did not believe in justice (though I have investigated and pursued Marines who believed themselves above law).

I've never met a Marine who will run from a fight. 

Marines are survivors; whatever the battle. Death wins only after brutal fight. 

Donald Trump has an ego (What President has not? Who in politics, at any level, does not?).

As Mr. Barr, the Constitution grants me freedom to speculate. 

The short of it ...

Donald Trump's fight started the day he announced his candidacy for President in June 2015.

One by one, he defeated opponents. And all the odds. 

I do not know that any Marine could have waged the fight he has now ongoing 7 1/2 years, and is guaranteed to intensify the next two years.

Donald Trump can take a punch.

But to survive this time around he must throw punches, devastating punches, so hard opponents cannot get up. 

November 2024 is coming - Election Day here sooner than some want while not soon enough for others.

Will Donald Trump survive? 

No idea.

Odds favor him. 

Regardless ...

The candidate who vows, convincingly, to burn down the whole house, to restore public trust, faith, and confidence in representation and the bodies charged with sustaining a healthy Republic, to hurt and punish the criminals making a mockery of justice, to be tough on enemies - foreign and domestic, to put America at the top of the priorities list, and to fight until their last gasp has my vote.