War hero Tammy Duckworth schools Trump on what it means to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
Trump went full-on authoritarian, accusing Democrats of committing “treason” for not applauding during his State of the Union Address last week.
Vanity Fair reported that:
[O]n Monday, while ostensibly pitching the American public on the Republican tax law, the president went off-script in a tirade that hewed uncomfortably close to the rhetoric Trump’s favorite autocrats employ.
After describing Republicans as “going totally crazy wild” over his State of the Union address, Trump expressed his displeasure with the response across the aisle. According to the president, Democratic lawmakers were “like death” and “un-American,” when he discussed “really positive news.” But Trump didn’t stop there. Noting that some had likened the Democrats’ reaction to treason, Trump went all in on the premise: “Can we call that treason? Why not? I mean, they certainly didn’t seem to love our country very much,” he said.
Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois was quick to respond to Trump’s remarks using her Twitter account.
Duckworth was responding to NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent/Anchor Andrea Mitchell who tweeted: “In Ohio @realDonaldTrump suggests democrats who didn’t applaud him during #SOTU could be committing treason. “can you call that treason? I mean why not?” he asked ….Perhaps Don McGahan can explain it to him?” [Don McGahan appears to be a reference to White House counsel Donald McGahn.]
Duckworth responded to Andrea Mitchell, tweeting: “We don’t live in a dictatorship or a monarchy. I swore an oath—in the military and in the Senate—to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, not to mindlessly cater to the whims of Cadet Bone Spurs and clap when he demands I clap.”
The “bone spurs” remark was a reference to one of Trump’s deferments from military service.
As the Los Angeles Times reported:
Trump’s military history has come up several times, including during his public feud with the Muslim family of a fallen soldier during the presidential campaign.
Trump graduated in 1968, with four draft deferments for being a student that allowed him to avoid compulsory service.
After that, he received a fifth for bones spurs in his heels. He called the condition “temporary” and “minor” in an interview last year with the New York Times.
She followed up with another post, tweeting: “Thankfully, there are better quotes from better Republican Presidents. Here’s one from Theodore Roosevelt—a Republican who earned the applause he received—that Trump might want to consider”
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but it is morally treasonable to the American public.” ~Theodore Roosevelt
Thankfully, there are better quotes from better Republican Presidents. Here’s one from Theodore Roosevelt—a Republican who earned the applause he received—that Trump might want to consider pic.twitter.com/WAhvB23zGJ
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) February 6, 2018
She followed up later on Monday with an additional tweet regarding Trump’s non-military record.
Trump had tweeted: “Democrats are holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration. Can’t let that happen!”
Duckworth responded: “I will not be lectured about what our military needs by a five-deferment draft dodger.”
I will not be lectured about what our military needs by a five-deferment draft dodger. https://t.co/gR3EbhGxBs
— Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) January 21, 2018
Duckworth’s military record is the perfect counter to Trump’s five deferments.
As her official Senate biography states:
Senator Tammy Duckworth is an Iraq War Veteran, Purple Heart recipient and former Assistant Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. She was among the first Army women to fly combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
…
In 2004, Duckworth was deployed to Iraq as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot for the Illinois Army National Guard. On November 12, 2004, her helicopter was hit by an RPG and Duckworth lost her legs and partial use of her right arm.
Senator Duckworth spent the next year recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where she quickly became an advocate for her fellow Soldiers and testified before Congress about caring for our Veterans and wounded warriors.
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