By the time I learn enough about the latest current-events kerfuffle to realize I don’t care, it turns out to be B.S. anyway. And so it is with the outrage du jour: Tarpgate.
Rebecca Ballhaus and Gordon Lubold, WSJ:
The White House wanted the U.S. Navy to move “out of sight” the warship USS John S. McCain ahead of President Trump’s visit to Japan, according to an email reviewed by The Wall Street Journal…
In a May 15 email to U.S. Navy and Air Force officials, a U.S. Indo-Pacific Command official outlined plans for the president’s arrival that he said had resulted from conversations between the White House Military Office and the Seventh Fleet of the U.S. Navy. In addition to instructions for the proper landing areas for helicopters and preparation for the USS Wasp—where the president was scheduled to speak—the official issued a third directive: “USS John McCain needs to be out of sight…”
A tarp was hung over the ship’s name ahead of the president’s trip, according to photos reviewed by the Journal, and sailors were directed to remove any coverings from the ship that bore its name.
Now, it’s not exactly a secret that John McCain hated Trump’s guts, and the feud has continued even after McCain’s death. Trump still badmouths a corpse, much to the delight of Trump’s biggest fans. So this story sounds plausible. It sounds like something Trump would do, and something Trumpkins would defend. But does that mean it actually happened? Sure, it confirms my prejudices, but does that mean it’s true?
It’s starting to sound like maybe it isn’t.
Per @ckubeNBC: A spokesperson for US Pacific Fleet said the picture of the tarp is from Friday and it
was taken down on Saturday.“All ships remained in normal configuration
during POTUS’ visit,” CDR Nate Christensen said. https://t.co/6is616izgd— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) May 30, 2019
Admin officials confirm WSJ story. Request was made to make sure McCain ship wasn’t visible. Aides say Trump wasn’t involved in request — but it was made to prevent any potential ire from POTUS. More to come: https://t.co/t4jdW2stMo
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) May 30, 2019
So the tarp wasn’t there during Trump’s visit, and he didn’t have anything to do with any of it in the first place. These seem like not-insignificant details, if any of this can be called “significant” in the first place.
Because who actually cares? Even if it were true, what possible difference could it make to your life or mine? What would it tell you about Trump that you didn’t already know? Whose mind would it change?
The most surprising thing about the Trump presidency isn’t Trump. He hasn’t changed, and he’s not going to change. The most surprising thing is how low the press is willing to go just to pester him. I really didn’t think they could embarrass themselves this badly. They still can’t get over Hillary’s humiliating loss, so they spend every waking moment proving they hate Trump as much as they’re supposed to hate him. They’re so addicted to gotchas that they’re now obsessed with… a tarp.
If the Dems want to make a comeback, all they have to do is stop acting crazy. So far, no good.
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