Last night while Trump was speaking at his rally in Michigan, he said something untoward that has given the media new ammo to use against him. Here’s what he said:
Michiganders do a brief double-take when Trump jokes that veteran Rep. John Dingell may have gone to hell when he died. pic.twitter.com/Bv503szBLJ
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) December 19, 2019
Here’s more from CNN:
President Donald Trump attacked Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell and her late husband, Rep. John Dingell, during a rally on Wednesday, implying the former congressman was “looking up” from hell.
“Debbie Dingell, that’s a real beauty,” Trump said of the congresswoman, noting he was watching her on television during impeachment proceedings.
Trump said that he gave the family the “A-plus treatment” after John Dingell died, and that the congresswoman, who now holds his seat in the House, told Trump during an emotional call following John Dingell’s funeral that her husband would have been “thrilled” by the respect shown for him during his funeral and “he’s looking down” on the ceremonies.
“Maybe he’s looking up,” Trump said, drawing some moans and groans from those in Battle Creek, Michigan, about two hours away from Debbie Dingell’s district. “Maybe, but let’s assume he’s looking down.”
There’s no defending Trump on this one. There is nothing funny about joking that a congresswoman’s dead husband might be in hell. There’s myriad reasons why, but most importantly because it’s plainly disrespectful to his wife and family who loved him. And to say this on the night when everyone is watching him for his reaction to the impeachment vote… I’m sure Trump was just trying to entertain his crowd of supporters, but you could even hear from their reaction that it didn’t go over very well.
Already this is everywhere in the media, moving at the speed of sound, with condemnations even coming from Fox News hosts. And rightly so I might add. This one was all on him and his big mouth. Do better Trump.