Gen. John Kelly comes out to defend a coward
John Kelly
The photo of a young Army widow clutching the flag-draped casket of  her  husband is haunting. Myeshia Johnson’s pain seemed to run so deep that it pierced  her  soul.
 She  had been called upon to perform a duty that only the truest of American patriots  our Gold Star families  must do — claim the body of a fallen soldier upon his return home.
 White House Chief of Staff John Kelly  would have us forget about Johnson’s grief and reserve our empathy for Trump.
In a rare appearance before the news media on Thursday   Kelly  reminded us that the president is  after all  inexperienced in making condolence calls to Gold Star families.
 Kelly  implored Americans to understand how difficult it was for someone who has never worn the uniform  who has never been in combat  to make such a call. Some presidents send a letter instead   he  said. But Trump chose to call.
Our president is incapable of speaking from the heart  though. So  Kelly   a retired four-star general who lost his own son in Afghanistan  stood by the president’s side and fed the words to him.
The problem wasn’t what Trump said to the grieving widow   Kelly  intimated. It was the fact that a Florida congresswoman  an “empty barrel” as he referred to  her   spoke out about it.
 Kelly  revealed during the news conference  albeit unintentionally  that Trump had lied. What Wilson said was true. Trump had repeated in the telephone call exactly what  Kelly  had told him to say.
The fact that he works for a man who is both a coward and a liar is not what concerns  Kelly   though.  He  is most troubled that details of the telephone conversation got out.
 Kelly  said  he  is stunned that the things that were sacred in our country when  he  was growing up are no longer sacred. Most Americans are stunned  too.
“Women were sacred  looked upon with great honor ”  Kelly  said. “But that’s obviously not the case anymore.”
 He  could have added that  his  boss  the president of the United States  has contributed immensely to the growing irreverence for women.
Religion seems to be gone as well   Kelly  said. He should have pointed out that no president ever has been so determined to undermine religious freedom in America as Trump.
As for the sanctity of Gold Star families  “that left in the convention over the summer ”  Kelly  said.
Analysis:  Kelly  might not be like Trump  but  he  seems like many Trump voters »
 Kelly  did not mention Trump’s brutal verbal attack on the parents of Capt. Humayun Khan after they appeared at the Democratic National Convention. But we remember Trump's attack on the Muslim-American family well. His vile  disrespectful verbiage directed at the Khans was an affront to every military family that has lost a loved one.
The photo of a young Army widow clutching the flag-draped casket of  her  husband is haunting. Myeshia Johnson’s pain seemed to run so deep that it pierced  her  soul.
 She  had been called upon to perform a duty that only the truest of American patriots  our Gold Star families  must do — claim the body of a fallen soldier upon his return home.
 [TGT]would have us forget about Johnson’s grief and reserve our empathy for Trump.
In a rare appearance before the news media on Thursday   [TGT]reminded us that the president is  after all  inexperienced in making condolence calls to Gold Star families.
 [TGT]implored Americans to understand how difficult it was for someone who has never worn the uniform  who has never been in combat  to make such a call. Some presidents send a letter instead   he  said. But Trump chose to call.
Our president is incapable of speaking from the heart  though. So  [TGT]a retired four-star general who lost [TGT] own son in Afghanistan  stood by the president’s side and fed the words to him.
The problem wasn’t what Trump said to the grieving widow   [TGT]intimated. It was the fact that a Florida congresswoman  an “empty barrel” as he referred to  her   spoke out about it.
 [TGT]revealed during the news conference  albeit unintentionally  that Trump had lied. What Wilson said was true. Trump had repeated in the telephone call exactly what  [TGT]had told him to say.
The fact that he works for a man who is both a coward and a liar is not what concerns  Kelly   though.  He  is most troubled that details of the telephone conversation got out.
 [TGT]said  [TGT]  is stunned that the things that were sacred in our country when  [TGT]  was growing up are no longer sacred. Most Americans are stunned  too.
“Women were sacred  looked upon with great honor ”  [TGT]said. “But that’s obviously not the case anymore.”
 He  could have added that  his  boss  the president of the United States  has contributed immensely to the growing irreverence for women.
Religion seems to be gone as well   [TGT]said. [TGT] should have pointed out that no president ever has been so determined to undermine religious freedom in America as Trump.
As for the sanctity of Gold Star families  “that left in the convention over the summer ”  [TGT]said.
Analysis:  [TGT]might not be like Trump  but  [TGT]  seems like many Trump voters »
 Kelly  did not mention Trump’s brutal verbal attack on the parents of Capt. Humayun Khan after they appeared at the Democratic National Convention. But we remember Trump's attack on the Muslim-American family well. His vile  disrespectful verbiage directed at the Khans was an affront to every military family that has lost a loved one.