by Jack Neworth
Michael Cohen and Cadet Bone Spur
By the time you read this, Donald Trump will have returned from his summit with Kim Jong-un in Vietnam and Michael Cohen will have finished his three-days of testimony to Congress where, stunningly, he referred to Trump as a “con man” a “cheat” and a “racist.” (Cohen alleges Trump commented “Blacks are too stupid to vote for me” and, “Name one nation run by a black that isn't a sh*thole country.”)
Not surprisingly, Trump seems most offended that Cohen's testimony got higher ratings than Trump's Love Fest #2 with Little Kim. The way Trump fawns over Little Kim, all you need is piano music and it'd be reminiscent of the Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper duet at the Oscars.
Both leaders practice what Trump calls “truthful hyperbole (aka, lying.) Little Kim claims he learned to drive at 3 and won a yacht race at 9. Similarly, Trump claims he alone can fix everything.
Trump nauseatingly kept repeating it was “such an honor” to meet with Kim Jong-un. I doubt the Otto Warmbier's parents appreciated that. Warmbier was the college student who was visiting N. Korea in 2015 when he allegedly stole a propaganda poster from his hotel and received 15 years of hard labor in a N. Korean prison. Seventeen months later, he was returned to the U.S. in a coma and died days later at age 22.
At Helsinki, Trump infamously said he believed Putin that Russia hadn't interfered with the 2016 election. More recently Trump said he believed the Saudi Crown prince's denial of his part in the brutal murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Now, Trump says he believes Little Kim who claims he didn't know about Warmbier. Hmm. Three ruthless, murderous dictators and Trump takes “their word for it.” Anyone see a pattern?
On a slightly lighter note, let me say I thought Trump's trip to Vietnam was courageous. Apparently, just the mention of Vietnam could cause Trump to have a painful bone spur flareup. Curiously, when asked on the campaign trail on which foot did he have the bone spur, Trump confessed “I don't remember.” This from a man who claims “I have one of the world's great memories;” not to mention, “I have a very big brain;” “I have the best words;” and “I hire only the best people.” (A number of whom are now felons.)
Trump has often said, “I would have made a great general.” Unfortunately, to be a general you pretty much have to be in the armed services. That damn bone spur. (And what are the odds that the podiatrist who diagnosed Trump's condition to the draft board, would rent his office space from Trump's father, Fred?!)
Following the first summit with Little Kim in Singapore, Trump tweeted, “North Korea is no longer a nuclear threat.” The tweet had the same gravitas as “Mexico will pay for the wall;” “I'll release my tax returns after the audit;” “I made my fortune with $1 million from my father” (more like $415 million); and “I don't know anything about payoffs to a porn star.”
The Hanoi summit with Kim was dramatically cut short when the “signing agreement” ceremony was canceled (because there was no agreement) as was the final luncheon. There appears no truth to the rumor was that Trump was very disappointed because the menu featured Korean KFC. Or that “Pyongyang Trump Tower” is secretly on track.
Kim's photo ops with Trump dominated Korean state media. Meanwhile, 8,000 miles away, the president's former lawyer/fixer/consigliere, was showing Congress numerous “visual aids” to corroborate his charges.
One was a check signed by Trump in August 2017 to Cohen for $35,000 as partial reimbursement for his payoff to Stormy Daniels. (In part, Cohen is going to prison for this violation of campaign finance laws where, in court filings, Trump is identified as “individual 1,” an unindicted co-conspirator.)
The night before the public hearing, Congressman Matt (R-Florida), a staunch Trump ally, tweeted rather threateningly, “Michael Cohen, does your wife and father-in-law know about your girlfriends?” In addition, he wondered if Cohen's wife would remain faithful while he was in prison. (Can you say disgusting?)
In December 2018, Trump suggested threateningly Cohen's father-in-law should be investigated. Now, Gaetz, an attorney, is being investigated by the Florida Bar for his tweet. Some in Congress are even suggesting he be referred for possible criminal prosecution for witness intimidation. (If only.)
Oversight Committee Chairman, Elijah Cummings's closing statement was emotionally powerful. Referring to the lack of civility in the Trump ear, he pleaded with both sides, “We are better than this.” I pray he's right.
As for “The Art of No Deal” summit, it could have been worse. At least when Trump climbed the stairs of Air Force One to return to D.C., there was no toilet paper stuck to his shoe.
Please Google “We are better than this' Cummings' closing statement.'” Jack is at: facebook.com/jackneworth, twitter.com/jackneworth and jackdailypress@aol.com
