I didn’t see much TV today — still trying to get settled after moving. But I saw a brief clip at one point of former General and current White House Chief of Staff John Kelly describing the procedure for handling the remains of troops killed in action. I saw more clips later on and as I expressed in a comment on another diary I was disappointed. Kelly didn’t just offer political cover (and go against every personal instinct he has displayed since his son was killed in action) for his boss, from what I saw he gave the President bad advice on what to say.
It wasn’t until I watched the searing talk by Lawrence O’Donnell about Kelly’s being “stunned.” I posed a question in my comment, and the more I think about it the more I wonder how Kelly couldn’t be STUNNED that he’d have to coach the President on what to say to a Gold Star family. He stated the President wanted to know how to talk to them which gives lie to Trump’s having said he’d called pretty much everyone who had been killed in action during his time as President. And we have some Gold Star family members coming out and saying Trump sure hasn’t called them!
So if Kelly wants to be “stunned.” why the hell isn’t he stunned that a man in his 70s who is a news junkie doesn’t know how to express a few appropriate comments to someone who has lost a son or daughter?
Kelly said he was “stunned” that a member of Congress would be in on a condolence call. Really? Even if that member of Congress had established a mentoring program, and that the soldier who Trump botched expressing condolences was not only part of that program but had, along with his family become close personal friends? Clearly she was like family to them, and the fact the widow of Sgt. Johnson had asked Congresswoman Wilson to be with them when they received the Sgt.’s body at the airport is proof enough for me. Sgt. Johnson (and his family) wasn’t just some constituent, but someone she’d put in years of effort to mentor. I’d say she did a helluva job given what he chose to do with his life.
Unlike his boss, Kelly is not clueless and knows how to gather and remember information. I have no doubt he knew damn well that the Congresswoman wasn’t just hanging around with the family — she was part of their extended family and he damn well knows it. Is Kelly “stunned” that since other family was in the vehicle the call was put on speaker? Is he saying that was somehow wrong? If so then what about people besides Trump & Kelly listening to the Oval Office side of the call?
As someone proud to have worn the same uniform Kelly did it pains me to have to call him out. Not that I haven’t had issues with him over his deportation orders at DHS but on the balance I was still somewhat relieved to see him become Chief of Staff & help reign in (or try to) some of this President’s worst excesses. But, given what happened at DHS where he implemented Trump’s racist deportation strategy with a vengeance I worried the sense of duty and obedience to orders he developed during a stellar career in the Corps would cause him to lose even more of what was good and admirable about him. And now I know.
As the title of this piece says I wish I had seen all of his remarks live, which would have changed that comment on another diary I mentioned to be much more critical. At the same time part of me is glad I didn’t watch in real time as he disgraced not only his own legacy, but also tarnished that of his son. It was well known that from the beginning Kelly didn’t want anyone making more of a deal about his son’s death than any other member of our Armed Forces killed in action. He pointedly kept things low profile — both life and part of my civilian career has given me more experience than most when it comes to grief and how different people handle it.
I agree with some commentary that Kelly wanted to be anywhere but at that podium, and talking about anything but what happened with his son. I also agree that the first part of Kelly’s comments were classy, poignant and perhaps most importantly informative to a public that largely doesn’t have a clue as to what happens when someone is killed in action. Pointing out the disconnect between the public at large and the military is a good thing. And it should be done more often in a country that has people serving in harm’s way in what is now our longest military engagement (the ill-defined strategically “War on Terror) in our history and the fact that 99% of Americans get to live their lives without being touched by the service and sacrifice taking place every day.
But Kelly didn’t leave it at that. He elected to carry a huge amount of water for his piece of crap boss. And like his boss he turned to distraction, attacking a sitting member of Congress even though he did not and could not deny she accurately reported what took place during the call. If he’d left it with the thought that was pretty much “it came across differently than the President intended” I could be okay with it. But he went on the attack. And I don’t think it’s largely because he wants to keep his job and had to say what he did to prove his loyalty to his boss.
And I have a big problem with that.
It seems like everything Donald Trump touches winds up turning to shit. Sometimes quickly, and sometimes it takes a while but for a man obsessed with his name in big gold letters Trump seems to possess the opposite of the Midas Touch. And in the case of Kelly, who certainly didn’t suddenly turn into a piece of crap but (and I hate saying this about a fellow Marine who had a distinguished career) was pre-disposed to less than stellar ideology. It’s been suggested (with some apparent leaks to back it up) that Kelly shared the fact he personally didn’t get a phone call from Obama with Trump in confidence, naively expecting Trump would honor that confidence. If that’s the case Kelly is worse than naïve — he stupidly ignored all manner of precedent.
Kelly sacrificed more of his reputation than he should have by what he did at DHS. Now, for the second time recently he’s stepped in front of the cameras to defend his boss, and today’s defense was of something indefensible. When TRUMP politicized his son’s death (and from where I sit Trump is the one who started the whole mess), and for that matter had to ask what to say to a grieving Gold Star family he should have realized he was serving a President manifestly unfit for the Office.
Kelly should have done the honorable things and resigned.
Kelly is now “all in” with Donald Trump, and he’s not just coated with the shitty slime of his boss — it’s penetrated all the way to his core. Talking about some fantasy idealized version of how things were when he was young, and even saying his boss was “brave” in trying to provide cover for Trump was despicable. As O’Donnell who grew up in the same time, in the same place noted those “sacred” things Kelly invoked was nothing but political bullshit. And attacking Congresswoman Wilson seemed like more than an attempt to please his boss.
What started as a moving and informative set of remarks turned into a crass event. And fellow Marine or not I cannot and will not defend John Kelly any longer.