Americans have changed. Respect for the truth has changed.
When President Richard Nixon lied about and covered up the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate building, Americans - even Republicans - rejected Nixon to the point where he was left with no option but to resign. Today - if President Donald Trump was guilty of the same lies and cover-up he would still be supported by many Republicans and Republican politicians on Capitol Hill and there would not have been a rally cry to resign.
To list all of President Trump’s lies up to this date is the subject for a book - not a blog. Suffice it to say that President Trump’s instinct seems to be to lie because this president is incapable of receiving any type of criticism on any level. And there are plenty of MAGA Americans who are unwilling to accept even the blatant truth about President Trump. It’s all part of a changing America.
On my talk show, I have never told a lie about President Trump - but when I tell the absolute truth there are some who are quick to text or call me and tell me I’m wrong. What is popular with those who know I’m telling the truth but don’t want the truth to be told because it diminishes the president - is the criticism that I shouldn’t be talking about that. Or there is the game of “whataboutism” played by many MAGA supporters who challenge what I’m saying - not with facts that defuse the truth I’m telling - but by saying “Yea, well what about what Biden did?” or “What about what Hillary said?” Maybe Biden did do that and maybe Hillary did that - but using that which is not relevant to challenge a current truth about President Trump is a superficial way of trying to discredit the truth.
I have never told anyone who to vote for, and I have never expressed any hate for President Trump - but there are MAGA listeners who equate criticizing Trump - even with the truth - as expressing hate for the president. I am completely confident in what I say about President Trump and do not criticize people for voting for him. I DO criticize those who refuse to acknowledge the truth.
ALL politicians lie - but the perpetual lying of the current administration - from the president and anyone he controls - is out of control and undermines any trust and faith Americans should have for the President of the United States.
This is a minor, recent example of a simple lie that wasn’t even necessary. This week when President Trump returned from the summit meeting in Turkey - he switched planes. Trump flew the 747 gifted to him by the government of Qatar - but he flew home in the old 747 that has served presidents for decades.
President Trump was apparently embarrassed that he was not flying the new 747 home so he told the media that he was sending the plane around to show the troops. The truth was quickly revealed that Secret Service was concerned about Trump flying in the new 747 from Qatar because that plane did not have the defensive capabilities of the old 747 and there were sincere concerns that the Iranians wanted to kill Trump and might attempt to shoot the new - less capable - 747 down with Trump on board. What is shocking is that President Trump was allowed to fly to Turkey in a new 747 - which we were all told had been fitted to provide the same security as the old 747. That was not true.
But I am concerned about a president who is so afraid of embarrassment that he could not initially tell the truth about the new 747 from Qatar. Admitting that the leaders of Iran want you dead and the new 747 - as opulent as it is supposed to be - is not as safe as the old 747 - is not an embarrassing thing. But this president appears too afraid of embarrassment to admit that true. When you tell a lie that is so easily proven to be a lie - you lose credibility. And the president should have the faith and trust of the American people.
Enough highly-credible sources reported the truth about switching planes that there’s little reason to doubt the truth. Fox News did not report the truth about the plane switch because the network acts as a branch of government for the administration. Fox News is part of the right-wing media echo chamber I often talk about.
Because a network tells the truth does not make that network unreliable. MS Now leans left - but often reports the facts that Fox News does not report. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung bashed MS Now reporter Carol Leonnig for reporting the truth about the plane switch saying that she is a “liar” and “a complete fraud.” Lying to protect the image of the president is the job of everyone who works in the White House. Criticize MS Now if you will - but when it comes to the truth about Trump - it is more likely to tell the truth than Fox News.
One of the great changes in America is the new lack of respect for the truth. The truth is immediately rejected by MAGA supporters - but it still remains the truth. We can disagree on many things - but an important element in a civilized society is recognizing facts and the truth. The truth cannot be tossed around like something that changes depending on whose hands it lands in - the truth is the truth.
I have always thought of presidents as men who were strong, and even if I disagreed with their ideology - I respected them. And I always recognized the truth even if I didn’t want something to be true. Today - the truth does not matter to many Americans. The only truth they know is that which they want to be true.
