Trump Bashes Police When Speaking to Blacks: “I watched the shooting … that man was hands up”
And only one week after receiving endorsement of the National Fraternal Order of Police.
Just as it has been with everyone who has endorsed His Royal Orangeness, as soon as the endorsement is publicized, he finds a way to double cross them.
In this case, it was the National Fraternal Order of Police. They endorsed Donald Trump for the presidency last week.
“He’s made a real commitment to America’s law enforcement, and we’re proud to make a commitment to him and his campaign by endorsing his candidacy today,” Fraternal Order of Police President Chuck Canterbury said in a statement last week.
“He is a proven leader, and that’s what we need for the next four years – a leader unafraid to make tough choices and see them through.”
Yeah. About that…
Today, while speaking with an African-American congregation in a Cleveland Heights, Ohio church, Trump inserted himself into the controversy surrounding the shooting of an unarmed black man by the police in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“I watched the shooting, in part, in Tulsa, and that man was hands up,” Trump said. “That man went to the car, hands up, put his hands on the car.
“To me, it looked like he did everything you’re supposed to do. The young officer — I don’t know what she was thinking. But I’m very, very troubled by that.”
“These things are terrible. That was, in my opinion, a terrible, terrible situation,” Trump said.
“Did she get scared? Was she choking? What happened? People that do that — maybe they can’t be doing what they’re doing,” Trump said to the Cleveland Heights congregation, making reference to the female officer involved in the shooting.
This isn’t to suggest that what happened in Tulsa is to be written off. There should be an investigation. All evidence should be weighed. Testimony of witnesses should be considered.
Then let the system work.
We have seen the system disrupted by information released too soon to the public and matches tossed in powder kegs by politicians and instigators, unwilling to withhold judgment until all the facts are in.
What Trump said today put an uncomfortable spotlight on the police, at a time when they are struggling not just for their reputations, but their lives.
Responding to Trump’s Wednesday comments, FOP Executive Director Jim Pasco said, “We would ask that in this case, as in the case of any police involved shooting, people reserve judgement until a full investigation has been completed and the findings evaluated.”
He did not respond to questions about his organization’s support of Trump and Trump’s comments.
Trump was pandering to the crowd he was speaking to, in the moment. Were he speaking before police officers, the content of his words would have been the exact opposite, no doubt.
With more unrest, this time in Charlotte, North Carolina, expect more turmoil, and more dumb statements from Trump.
