Trump’s second son chimes in
Little Eric Trump, the 33-year-old second son of the president had a few choice words for Democrats last week.
“To me, they’re not even people,” he proclaimed.
Hey, wait a minute! I’m a Democrat. I’m a people. Or, should I say I’m a person.
In fact, at times, I’d like to think of myself as being a people-person.
Young Trump’s beef was that he’d been roughed-up in an extensive article in Forbes Magazine, that deals with his charity, and some of the questionable handling of some of that charity’s cash.
For that, he went on the warpath on Fox News – thanks to Sean Hannity.
Lest you believe that the offspring of presidents shouldn’t normally fall under the scrutiny of the news media, I agree.
That is, if they don’t kick the hornet’s nest, by seeming to show their political and familial allegiances.
Eric Trump has done that since he was an advisor, campaign surrogate and fundraiser for Papa Trump.
He’s fair-game.
Both Eric and “Don Don” Trump (Donald, Jr.) have shown no desire to remain in the shadows, since their father launched his bid for the White House.
That’s why, when Eric calls the numerous investigations into the possible Russian invasion of our 2016 presidential election, “The greatest hoax of all time,” he’s at risk of being thought of as a blind partisan.
So much so, that his words can be just as subject to examination as his old man’s.
Eric’s breathless tirade lasted just short of six minutes, with him only pausing long enough so that Hannity could egg him on.
“You see the Democratic Party, they’re imploding. They have no message. You see the head of the DNC (Tom Perez) – a total whack job,” says Eric.
Funny, just before that, he claimed that Perez and all Democrats “aren’t even people.”
I have a question.
How can somebody not be a “people,” and, at the same time, be a “whack job?”
Eric Trump’s logic is no easier to navigate than his father’s, I suppose.
But unlike Donald, Sr., Eric appears to be less capable of keeping his composure while issuing his rapid-fire invective.
Trump the elder, didn’t even break a sweat when he questioned John McCain’s valor, or when he claimed, “blood was coming out of her (Megyn Kelly’s) whatever.”
Eric’s got a lot to learn.
Maybe he can run for president someday, and learn “The Art of the Snipe,” practiced daily by his president father.
“My father is a great man,” said Eric.
I wonder if he’s a little biased about that?
I do know a lot of people (65,844,610 of them to be exact), who don’t think he’s so great.
And, according to the most recent job approval polling, that number could be increasing rapidly.
“The lack of morals. Society is awful. Honestly, I blame most of these politicians, and I blame the media. Because it’s out of control,” said the rapid-firing son of the president.
At that point, I will admit, that I began wondering if that part of his diatribe was a good fit for a guy merely writing a political column about it.
Or, if it’s the stuff better-suited for somebody with a couch, and a degree in psychology.
That part about society being awful, and that politicians and the media are to blame for everything, is either na茂ve or, irrational.
Oh, I won’t deny that, at times, society is awful.
But I’d never say it in public. (except here)
But I certainly don’t believe that politicians and the media are to blame for everything like Eric does.
Especially since his father is a politician, and he said it on Fox News, which, I’m told, is part of the media.
“We need to bring back some manners. We need to bring some respect back,” said the son of a man who is frequently ill-mannered and often disrespectful to the people who don’t show him extreme deference.
I have a feeling that this won’t be the last time we’ll see Eric Trump.
But next time, I hope nobody takes him seriously.
Edward A. Owens is a three-time Emmy Award winner and 20-year veteran of television news. Email him at freedoms@bellatlantic.net