Video: Gen. Kelly on Trump’s Call to Grieving Family

 

Gen. John Kelly, a gold star parent himself, addressed the controversy raised by Rep. Frederica Wilson’s (D–FL) allegation that President Trump was disrespectful in his phone call to the family of a fallen soldier.

Rep. Wilson shabbily responded with, “John Kelly’s trying to keep his job. He will say anything. There were other people who heard what I heard.”

What do you think about this latest controversy the media has been ginning up? Is Trump wrong? Is Wilson?

Published in Military
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  1. contrarian Inactive
    contrarian
    @Contrarian

    Holy crap…

    can we have this guy as POTUS now?

    pretty please

    • #1
  2. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    Donald Trump is not eloquent. But even if the fragment of conversation reported is true any reasonable person knows exactly the sentiment he was trying to convey. These sacrifices of these men are magnified by the fact that 100% of them are volunteers.

    As General Kelly said, somethings used to be sacred. Not anymore. Everything and everyone must be politicized.

    • #2
  3. Trink Coolidge
    Trink
    @Trink

    contrarian (View Comment):
    can we have this guy as POTUS now?

    My husband and I said the same thing.

    • #3
  4. Trink Coolidge
    Trink
    @Trink

    His dignity.  His courage.  Yes, the best this country produces.

    • #4
  5. Mountie Coolidge
    Mountie
    @Mountie

    The English language is not Donald Trumps friend.

    If you look at one end of the spectrum you have Churchill, who for almost a year and a half, between Dunkirk and Pearl Harbor,  had only the English language as his ally.

    On the other end of the spectrum is our President, a man who speaks in broken sentences, doesn’t really finish a thought, and uses the vernacular way too much.

    When this story broke I immediate felt that the President had, once again, partially completed a thought before moving on.  “He was brave because he knew what he was getting into and went anyway” came out as “he knew what he was getting into”.

    We didn’t elect a politician and shouldn’t be surprised when things like this happen (and they will happen again). At the end of the day I believe his heart is in the right place even if he isn’t Churchillian  in his expression.

    • #5
  6. Scott Wilmot Member
    Scott Wilmot
    @ScottWilmot

    Ricochet Editors' Desk: What do you think about this latest controversy the media has been ginning up?

    It is shameful. But then, Representative Wilson is a Democrat and they have no shame; nor do her allies in the press.

    God bless President Trump and General Kelly.

    • #6
  7. Mountie Coolidge
    Mountie
    @Mountie

    If you haven’t read this you need to.

    Gen. Kelly’s eulogy to two fallen Marines:

    The recording shows the truck careening to a stop immediately in front of the two Marines. In all of the instantaneous violence Yale and Haerter never hesitated. By all reports and by the recording, they never stepped back. They never even started to step aside. They never even shifted their weight. With their feet spread shoulder-width apart, they leaned into the danger, firing as fast as they could work their weapons. They had only one second left to live.

    The truck explodes. The camera goes blank. Two young men go to their God.

    Six seconds.

    Not enough time to think about their families, their country, their flag, or about their lives or their deaths, but more than enough time for two very brave young men to do their duty… into eternity. That is the kind of people who are on watch all over the world tonight– for you.”

    Maybe we can still produce men that value honor and duty. I hope so.

    • #7
  8. Valiuth Member
    Valiuth
    @Valiuth

    Trink (View Comment):
    His dignity. His courage. Yes, the best this country produces.

    contrarian (View Comment):
    Holy crap…

    can we have this guy as POTUS now?

    pretty please

    Don’t praise him too much, you know how Trump hates it when someone looks better than him.

    • #8
  9. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    I think Wilson should get a pulp fiction red rubber ball.

    • #9
  10. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Maybe I’m seeing the past through those rose-coloured glasses. If I am, let me know. I think there was once a time when we had opponents. We knew we differed in significant ways, but there was a belief that there was a level to which our opponents wouldn’t sink. There might even have been some respect there.

    Today, we have not opponents, but enemies, filth such as Wilson, Maxine Waters, Hillary who know no limits. For them, it’s win at all costs. Lying is just a useful and effective political tactic. This won’t end well.

    • #10
  11. A-Squared Inactive
    A-Squared
    @ASquared

    I think Kelly has it almost exactly right.

    I’m not convinced that being in the car when Trump called was shameful, after all, his widow was on the way to pick up the body and her congresswoman was traveling with her.

    But I completely agree with him on everything else he said in the video.

    It says on the crawl at the beginning of the video that Kelly recommended Trump not call at all. I would like to hear more about that.

    • #11
  12. A-Squared Inactive
    A-Squared
    @ASquared

    One question.  Kelly makes a comment that the sanctity of gold star families went out the window at the convention.  That could be a knock on the Khans, Trump, or both.

    I know I think both deserve criticism, but I wonder what Kelly thinks.

    • #12
  13. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Django (View Comment):
    Maybe I’m seeing the past through those rose-coloured glasses. If I am, let me know. I think there was once a time when we had opponents. We knew we differed in significant ways, but there was a belief that there was a level to which our opponents wouldn’t sink. There might even have been some respect there.

    Today, we have not opponents, but enemies, filth such as Wilson, Maxine Waters, Hillary who know no limits. For them, it’s win at all costs. Lying is just a useful and effective political tactic. This won’t end well.

    Yes, Trump is a last ditch effort against the Left. Obama did so much damage on top of decades of leftward movement in our institutions, I’m not sure the polity is salvageable. It’s disappointing when people on the Right don’t get this.

    • #13
  14. A-Squared Inactive
    A-Squared
    @ASquared

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Yes, Trump is a last ditch effort against the Left. Obama did so much damage on top of decades of leftward movement in our institutions, I’m not sure the polity is salvageable. It’s disappointing when people on the Right don’t get this.

    I think plenty on the right agree the polity may not be salvageable. That is not the point on which we disagree.

    • #14
  15. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    I have no doubt of Trump’s respect for the armed forces and its members. I do not, for one second, think that is true of most of the national leadership of the Democrats.

    • #15
  16. Mark Wilson Inactive
    Mark Wilson
    @MarkWilson

    Trink (View Comment):

    contrarian (View Comment):
    can we have this guy as POTUS now?

    My husband and I said the same thing.

    I fear that we would never be able to have a president like him, or Mattis, because the Electoral College no longer has the discretionary power to choose the best man for the job as the founders intended.  Rather they are typically bound to elect the winner of the popular vote in each state.  Not enough people have values that would elevate Kelly to the top of their list to vote for him.

    • #16
  17. Trink Coolidge
    Trink
    @Trink

    Mark Wilson (View Comment):
    . Not enough people have values that would elevate Kelly to the top of their list to vote for him.

    But then again, Mark – would a man of his seriousness . . . his character . .  ever run for the presidency ?

    • #17
  18. Jim George Member
    Jim George
    @JimGeorge

    Here is what we  thought of General Kelly’s magnificent remarks; which we have immediately termed the Gettysburg Address for our time:

    I write to fully endorse my brother’s comment about General Kelly’s comments to the White House Press Corps about the comments of the Congresswoman’s characterizations of the  President’s heartfelt expressions of sympathy to a Gold Star surviving widow. In consideration of the gravity of the loss we are talking about, I will refrain from any thoughts about Congresswoman Wilson, except perhaps to note that her main  claim to anything approaching “fame” is to wear Cowboy hats everywhere she goes, but I will say this about General Kelly’s remarks about our fallen heroes: Judi and I just saw and listened to his remarks and our first almost joint exclamation  was that this was The Gettysburg Address for our time. Please find this and listen to every word of it. It is one of the most moving, heart wrenching, pure essence of everything that is America, set of words you are likely to ever experience. God Bless America and Thank God He sent us men of the purest essence of everything American like General John Kelly, USMC.

     

     

    Jim George

    225-270-3182

    God Bless America!

    MAGA!

     

     

     

    From: Peter George [mailto:pgeorge2374@gmail.com]
    Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2017 7:08 PM
    To: Kevin George <kbbgeorge@gmail.com>; Jim George <jimg@georgeandgeorge.com>
    Subject: More Leadership

     

    I hope you heard General Kelley’s address to the Press Corps.  I would follow that man anywhere.

     

    • #18
  19. Gossamer Cat Coolidge
    Gossamer Cat
    @GossamerCat

    Jim George (View Comment):
    Judi and I just saw and listened to his remarks and our first almost joint exclamation was that this was The Gettysburg Address for our time. Please find this and listen to every word of it. It is one of the most moving, heart wrenching, pure essence of everything that is America, set of words you are likely to ever experience. God Bless America and Thank God He sent us men of the purest essence of everything American like General John Kelly, USMC.

    I agree.  I turn on the news when I get home from work, but turn it off immediately if they are endlessly harping on a subject which has been covered ad nauseum (which is pretty much all the time).  But as I was looking for the remote to change the channel, I became riveted by General Kelley’s words and the emotion he displayed.  I listened to the entire speech and was moved to tears.  I didn’t think we had anyone left who could command that attention.

    • #19
  20. Rodin Member
    Rodin
    @Rodin

    The reaction by Dems and their operatives in media to Kelly’s remarks has been nothing short of despicable. Next time you see
    “(D)” after a politicians name, you know what it stands for.

     

    • #20
  21. George Townsend Inactive
    George Townsend
    @GeorgeTownsend

    EJHill (View Comment):
    Donald Trump is not eloquent. But even if the fragment of conversation reported is true any reasonable person knows exactly the sentiment he was trying to convey. These sacrifices of these men are magnified by the fact that 100% of them are volunteers.

    As General Kelly said, somethings used to be sacred. Not anymore. Everything and everyone must be politicized.

    As everyone here knows, I am not a Donald Trump Fan. But for so much of the media to try to destroy the man is unconscionable. He was wrong to speak about his predecessors’ ways of handling these things. But he obviously does care, and is trying to deal with these things in the way he knows. Cutting him some slack should not be seen as asking too much.

    And, oh yeah, what Gen. Kelly said is of course true: Things that used to be sacred are no longer that. And our country is that much poorer for it.

    • #21
  22. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    Mountie (View Comment):
    Maybe we can still produce men that value honor and duty. I hope so.

    I can assure you we still do.

    • #22
  23. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    A-Squared (View Comment):
    I’m not convinced that being in the car when Trump called was shameful, after all, his widow was on the way to pick up the body and her congresswoman was traveling with her.

    He didn’t say that. He said listening in on the conversation was shameful – however that occurred.

    • #23
  24. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    Rodin (View Comment):
    The reaction by Dems and their operatives in media to Kelly’s remarks has been nothing short of despicable.

    Rep Wilson will be referred to by me as “Rock Star Wilson” from this point forward.

    • #24
  25. A-Squared Inactive
    A-Squared
    @ASquared

    Instugator (View Comment):

    A-Squared (View Comment):
    I’m not convinced that being in the car when Trump called was shameful, after all, his widow was on the way to pick up the body and her congresswoman was traveling with her.

    He didn’t say that. He said listening in on the conversation was shameful – however that occurred.

    I get that, but her being in the car with the widow is how she was able to listen in. Trump obviously chose to call at that time. I don’t think you separate her listening in from the circumstances of the call.

    • #25
  26. A-Squared Inactive
    A-Squared
    @ASquared

    A-Squared (View Comment):It says on the crawl at the beginning of the video that Kelly recommended Trump not call at all. I would like to hear more about that.

    I finally watched the full press conference, so I heard Kelly discuss this.  This discussion is also where Trump got the notion that other Presidents didn’t call, which is helpful because I thought that was stupid of Trump to say (it was still stupid, but at least I understand how he got the idea in his head.)

    I like the touch at the end of asking for questions of people who were gold star parents or siblings, though he obviously had to expand the category before anyone was able to raise their hand. Telling, that is.

    • #26
  27. contrarian Inactive
    contrarian
    @Contrarian

    A-Squared (View Comment):
    One question. Kelly makes a comment that the sanctity of gold star families went out the window at the convention. That could be a knock on the Khans, Trump, or both.

    I know I think both deserve criticism, but I wonder what Kelly thinks.

    I wonder as well – my best guess is both.

    • #27
  28. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    A-Squared (View Comment):
    I get that, but her being in the car with the widow is how she was able to listen in.

    Only if the phone was on speaker. A polite person would say, “perhaps you should take that call yourself, I shouldn’t listen in.”

    • #28
  29. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    contrarian (View Comment):

    A-Squared (View Comment):
    One question. Kelly makes a comment that the sanctity of gold star families went out the window at the convention. That could be a knock on the Khans, Trump, or both.

    I know I think both deserve criticism, but I wonder what Kelly thinks.

    I wonder as well – my best guess is both.

    Don’t forget “the absolute moral authority” rendered unto Cindy Sheehan by Maureen Dowd – Democrat and media (but I repeat myself) use of Gold Star Families predate the Khans by 12 years.

    Sanctity was surrendered then.

    • #29
  30. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    Wilson is wrong. General Kelly said more than calling out the sacredness of the fallen – he said all that what I have known to be sacred in America is gone – women were considered sacred, religion, military sacrifice – he is talking about decency, moral and spiritual values, respect, knowing how to act and when to speak, and when not to. He was deeply wounded by the political stunt that took place because it was very personal.  Interesting how people spout off and try to cause headlines before they know all the facts – it hurts people deeply.

    • #30
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