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Haaretz: Kelly's Toxicity Corrodes Confidence in Trump's Generals as Guardians of the Galaxy
https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-1.818421John Kelly’s honeymoon with Donald Trump’s critics was sweet but short-lived. The White House press corps and much of anti-Trumpian America was swept off their feet ten days ago, when Kelly first appeared before the media to dispel rumors that he and the president had fallen out. Pundits praised the tough general’s calm demeanor and thanked God that a solid and responsible military man of his caliber is standing next to Trump, ready to restrain him. But the love affair quickly turned into a hate story after Kelly faced reporters on Thursday, this time to defend Trump’s alleged callousness towards the families of fallen U.S. soldiers. From an officer and a gentleman, Kelly transformed overnight into a collaborator and despot’s apprentice.
The backdrop to the rise and fall was another “Israeli” trait of the Trump era. It may be a novelty in the U.S., but most Israeli politicians have learned the hard way to steer clear of confrontations with bereaved families of fallen soldiers. Trump entered this dangerous arena already burdened by his bad record of clashes with the parents of Humayun Khan, the Muslim officer killed in Iraq in 2004, who spoke at last year’s Democratic Convention. The issue, thorny for anyone but Trump, came back to haunt him following his conversation with the family of La David Johnson, one of the four U.S. soldiers killed in Niger two weeks ago under yet-to-be-explained circumstances. Trump tried to rebuff criticism about his reported failure to talk to bereaved families by inventing that his predecessors Obama and Bush had been even more derelict than he was. In this context, Trump said that Obama had not spoken to his Chief of Staff after his son Robert was killed in Afghanistan in 2010. And even though Kelly had not received any advance notice that Trump was going to exploit his son’s death to score political points, he nonetheless came to the White House press room on Thursday to defend him, like the good soldier he is.
In his previous appearance, Kelly had captured the media’s heart with what was perceived as honesty, humility and a level of sophistication that was a breath of fresh air compared to the usual school yard type of arguments presented by Trump or his main White House spokespersons. Kelly’s second performance, however, was panned, perhaps more strenuously because it was such a letdown after his first. The former marine general seemed bitter, arrogant and patronizing. He suddenly embodied the high-handedness often ascribed to military officers, waking dormant liberal demons of a military junta with anti-democratic tendencies. At the end of his press conference, Kelly executed a bizarre ritual in which only journalists who personally knew so-called Gold Star families of fallen soldiers were allowed to ask questions. Despite Israel’s special sensitivity to soldiers killed in the line of duty, it’s highly doubtful that Israeli journalists would tolerate such an unnatural selection. Far too many American reporters collaborated, however, with Kelly’s humiliating hazing of their freedom and their honor.
Kelly saved most of his bitterness for Frederica Wilson, the African-American Democratic Congresswoman from Florida, who listened in on Trump’s conversation with the Johnson family. Wilson said that Trump had angered and saddened Johnson’s family by saying “he knew what he signed up for,” as if his death did not require investigation or justification because he had volunteered for duty. Despite the fact that Kelly actually contradicted Trump’s adamant denial and corroborated Wilson’s account, he lambasted the Florida legislator in the harshest of terms. He called her an “empty barrel.” He scolded her for listening in on a “private” conversation, even though she’d been asked to do so by the Johnson family. And even though he works for the most irreverent foul-mouthed bully to ever reside in the White House, Kelly still had the audacity to claim that he was “stunned” by Wilson’s behavior.
-snip-
The backdrop to the rise and fall was another “Israeli” trait of the Trump era. It may be a novelty in the U.S., but most Israeli politicians have learned the hard way to steer clear of confrontations with bereaved families of fallen soldiers. Trump entered this dangerous arena already burdened by his bad record of clashes with the parents of Humayun Khan, the Muslim officer killed in Iraq in 2004, who spoke at last year’s Democratic Convention. The issue, thorny for anyone but Trump, came back to haunt him following his conversation with the family of La David Johnson, one of the four U.S. soldiers killed in Niger two weeks ago under yet-to-be-explained circumstances. Trump tried to rebuff criticism about his reported failure to talk to bereaved families by inventing that his predecessors Obama and Bush had been even more derelict than he was. In this context, Trump said that Obama had not spoken to his Chief of Staff after his son Robert was killed in Afghanistan in 2010. And even though Kelly had not received any advance notice that Trump was going to exploit his son’s death to score political points, he nonetheless came to the White House press room on Thursday to defend him, like the good soldier he is.
In his previous appearance, Kelly had captured the media’s heart with what was perceived as honesty, humility and a level of sophistication that was a breath of fresh air compared to the usual school yard type of arguments presented by Trump or his main White House spokespersons. Kelly’s second performance, however, was panned, perhaps more strenuously because it was such a letdown after his first. The former marine general seemed bitter, arrogant and patronizing. He suddenly embodied the high-handedness often ascribed to military officers, waking dormant liberal demons of a military junta with anti-democratic tendencies. At the end of his press conference, Kelly executed a bizarre ritual in which only journalists who personally knew so-called Gold Star families of fallen soldiers were allowed to ask questions. Despite Israel’s special sensitivity to soldiers killed in the line of duty, it’s highly doubtful that Israeli journalists would tolerate such an unnatural selection. Far too many American reporters collaborated, however, with Kelly’s humiliating hazing of their freedom and their honor.
Kelly saved most of his bitterness for Frederica Wilson, the African-American Democratic Congresswoman from Florida, who listened in on Trump’s conversation with the Johnson family. Wilson said that Trump had angered and saddened Johnson’s family by saying “he knew what he signed up for,” as if his death did not require investigation or justification because he had volunteered for duty. Despite the fact that Kelly actually contradicted Trump’s adamant denial and corroborated Wilson’s account, he lambasted the Florida legislator in the harshest of terms. He called her an “empty barrel.” He scolded her for listening in on a “private” conversation, even though she’d been asked to do so by the Johnson family. And even though he works for the most irreverent foul-mouthed bully to ever reside in the White House, Kelly still had the audacity to claim that he was “stunned” by Wilson’s behavior.
-snip-
The writer went on say that "if Kelly is willing to sell his soul, as the commentators saw it, and if he is now deploying the trusted Trumpian mix of lies and personal attacks, then he can no longer be trusted to serve as a Guardian of the Galaxy who will prevent a global disaster."
Finally, he noted that Trump is continuing his own attack on Rep. Wilson. "Trump may admire Kelly and appreciate his willingness to take a media bullet for his boss, but he won’t let him steal the limelight for long. In the U.S. system of government, it is the president’s prerogative to demand exclusivity in playing a village idiot, a menace to society, a threat to world peace, or all of the above."
6 replies
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but I assume that all 4-stars take it for granted that they are treated like gods. However, his lies, broadcast to the universe, stunned me. His hubris blinded him to the consequences of such a public display of his mendacity.
Some defend him as just misremembering Wilson's speech. I've misremembered events in my past, but not that badly. He may have believed that cloaking his lie in the death of his son and all of the fallen at Arlington would make the lie sacrosanct, and thereby shielded from fact-checking 
