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Trump Disparages Colin Powell (from Ric Mauricio) (John Eipper, USA, 10/22/21 2:15 am)

Ric Mauricio writes:

As a son of a Silver Star war hero, I admire many of those who serve our country. Thus, Colin Powell is one of those leaders whom I had great admiration for. His personal accomplishments are an inspiration to all of us.

Many tributes have come from many corners of the country upon his passing, from political leaders and veterans who served our country.

Ah, but wait, there was one person who disparaged him. And yes, that one person also disparaged another great American military hero: Senator John McCain.

Interesting. I often wondered why he is so belligerent against those whose integrity is without question. And to top it off, he does this after the person passes.

As a college enrollee from 1964-1968, Trump had been protected from the Vietnam War draft. After graduating, he became eligible for the draft on July 9, 1968. Just two months later, he became medically ineligible, on Sept. 17, 1968.

Trump averred in 2016 that "I had a doctor that gave me a letter--a very strong letter on the heels," continuing that the condition was temporary and that it was "not a big problem, but it was enough of a problem." He did not produce any documentation.

Long speculation held that the heel spur diagnosis was a ruse to avoid military service. In late 2018 the daughters of a New York podiatrist, Dr. Larry Braunstein, spoke to the New York Times.

The doctor's daughters said his role in Mr. Trump's military exemption had long been the subject of discussions among relatives and friends. "It was family lore," said Elysa Braunstein. "It was something we would always discuss." Dr. Braunstein rented office space from Trump's father, and afterwards received concessions on the rent, according to a podiatry colleague.

Speculation turned to fact in early 2019 when Trump's longtime attorney testified as follows, under oath, before Congress and a large television audience:

"During the campaign [in 2015-2016] Mr. Trump tasked me to handle the negative press surrounding his medical deferment from the Vietnam draft.

"Mr. Trump claimed it was because of a bone spur, but when I asked for medical records, he gave me none and said there was no surgery. He told me not to answer the specific questions by reporters but rather offer simply the fact that he received a medical deferment.

"He finished the conversation with the following comment. 'You think I'm stupid, I wasn't going to Vietnam.'"

And, of course, Mr. Trump attacks the deceased Senator John McCain by saying he did not take care of our veterans, taking credit for the John McCain VA bill himself. And now he disparages General Colin Powell by criticizing his record on the Iraq War and derided the news media for treating the former Secretary of State "so beautifully" after his death.

Mr. Trump clearly practices Self-Attribution Bias: The tendency to attribute success to our efforts and abilities and failures to outside circumstances. This is an affliction that affects many investors. In truth, your winners may be attributable to luck and outside circumstances and your failures to your own efforts.

Keeps one humble, doesn't it?

JE comments:  Imagine the outrage if a politician on the left had criticized Colin Powell with the same vehemence as Trump did.  Possibly we need a new statistical category--Trump Teflon Bias?  If you love Trump, nothing he does or says "sticks."  In comparison, Ronald Reagan (former holder of the Teflon title) was flypaper.

A historical curiosity:  from Eisenhower through G H W Bush, many presidents served in WWII.  (Eisenhower's predecessor Truman fought in WWI.)  But not one Vietnam veteran made it to the White House, despite the length and cultural impact of that conflict.

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