2016 August 1^st

On CNN this morning I heard Wolff Blitzer interview retired Lt. General Michael T. Flynn. Flynn has been very critical of all things democratic and was here given a chance to flog his book “Field of Fight” in return for his views on various political subjects. His book will do very well with the Trump folks although his tweet at the RNC about Jews and the “USSR” should make us wonder why in the world this man was heading the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Wolff Blitzer from CNN was interviewing Flynn and asked him about Kr. Khan’s son who was killed in Iraq. Flynn did not hesitate to call Captain Khan a hero. Then Blitzer asked about Senator McCain: Was he a hero. Now it was “duck and dodge” time. Trump has said that McCain is not a hero and how can Flynn contradict Trump? He can’t and so he didn’t, but he did twist mightily in the wind avoiding an answer.

Both campaigns have their very own retired three star general tucked tightly in place to be brought forth whenever a military opinion is called for. Trump has Flynn and Clinton has Allen. According to General (four stars) Martin Dempsey, the retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, this politicizing of General Officers is a very bad idea. The military is not supposed to be on either political side. If we aren’t careful we’ll have one group of American troops facing off against another and civilians will have nowhere to hide bur their basements.

Yesterday’s blog pointed out the problem Trump has with the truth. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 111) there is a category called “Pathological Liar.” Whether Trump makes it into that category or not is beyond my pay grade. It is well to understand that many mental disorders are quite unlike diseases caused by germs or cancers; you either have mumps or you don’t; you are either pregnant or you aren’t. On the other hand, if you aren’t schizophrenic you might have a schizoid personality. Donald Trump might not be a pathological liar but he might be very close.

Trump claimed that he got a letter from the NFL complaining about the dates for the debates selected by the debate committee. The NFL immediately claimed that they sent no such letter.

Then he claimed in a news conference last Wednesday that he had, “Nothing to do with Russia.” His son has said, “Russia makes up a pretty disproportionate cross section of a lot of our assets. We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia.”

Trump said, speaking of Putin, “He’s not going into Ukraine, all right? You can mark it down and you can put it down, you can take it anywhere you want He’s not going into Ukraine, OK? Just so you understand. He’s not going into Ukraine, all right.” At the time Russia already occupied the Crimea and a part of Ukraine. Trump was either hopelessly ignorant or lying.

There are many other examples. For Donald Trump the truth is whatever will bring a wave of applause from his adoring fans; there is no other criteria.