Gorsuch’s Own People Confirmed the Judge’s Remarks
President Donald Trump began Thursday morning not with a tweet urging the millions of Americans from DC to Boston about to be deluged with a foot of snow to be safe, but with a lie about his own Supreme Court nominee and an attack on the Democratic Senator who revealed it.
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in a Wednesday afternoon press conference announced that Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch told him he was “disheartened” by the president’s attack on the judiciary and felt his remarks were “demoralizing” and “abhorrent.”Â
Early Thursday morning, Trump fought back, and hard.
Via Twitter, Trump attacked Blumenthal, saying he had lied about his record of military service. The president also appeared to lie, suggesting that Blumenthal “misrepresented” Gorsuch’s remarks, by couching his remarks in a question:
The problem for Trump is Gorsuch’s own people confirmed the judge’s remarks.
Trump later (moments ago) followed up his attack on Blumenthal with an attack on CNN’s Chris Cuomo. The President labeled the “New Day” interview with Blumenthal “FAKE NEWS” – which is an outrageous lie – because Cuomo did not ask Blumenthal about his military service.
It should be noted that President Trump never served in the military, having applied for and received five deferments to avoid the draft, including one which some say was a questionable medical claim.
It should also be noted that Trump’s tweet is false, as NBC News Senior news editor and writer Brad Jaffy immediately pointed out:
Trump’s attacks on Blumenthal glosses over the facts. Blumenthal in a 2003 speech said he had “served in the military during the Vietnam era in the Marine Corps,” and later in that speech said he had served “in Vietnam.” He did serve as a Marine, and his commanding officer in a letter to the editor wrote that he was “one of the best Marines with whom I ever worked.” Blumenthal apologized, saying, “On a few occasions, I have misspoken about my service and I regret that. I take full responsibility, but I will not allow anyone to take a few misplaced words and impugn my record of military service.”
Twitter exploded, attacking President Trump, and noting that Judge Gorsuch’s remarks were confirmed.
Of course, all of this is beginning to sound a bit contrived, almost scripted, and, as NCRM reported Wednesday, some on the left are thinking it could very well be: a White House plan, a political ploy to make Gorsuch look “independent” and therefore easier to confirm…Â
UPDATE:
This:
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Image by US Dept. of Homeland Security via FlickrÂ