Trump Unaware, Alt-Right in White House

The American President-elect: Donald Trump, in an interview recorded Friday with Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes, said he was unaware of the incidents of racial and ethnic hatred across the country since he was elected president on Tuesday. The interview aired last night.

DT: I am very surprised to hear that … I hate to hear that, I mean I hate to hear that …

LS: But you do hear it?

DT: I don’t hear it … I saw, I saw one or two instances…

LS: On social media?

DT: But I think it’s a very small amount.

Reacting to what was news to him, Trump said, “I am so saddened to hear that. And I say, ‘Stop it.’ If it … if it helps. I will say this, and I will say right to the cameras: Stop it.”

Trump told Stahl he’s not the man portrayed by the press in the election. “No, I think I’m a sober person. I think the press tries to make you into something a little bit different. In my case, a little bit of a wild man. I’m not. I’m actually not. I’m a very sober person.”

Trump admitted that in some places his vaunted “wall” on the Mexican border will be just a fence.

On his promise to deport 11 million illegal immigrants, Trump said he would first eject 2-3 million illegal immigrants who are criminals, then figure out what to do next.

He said he will not accept the $400,000 presidential salary and will take a dollar a year instead.

Trump dodged the question of whether his administration will try to prosecute Hillary Clinton, but his transition advisor Rudolph Giuliani and prime candidate for Attorney General said he wouldn’t rule it out. Giuliani told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, “You want equal justice under the law, and if she has violated the law … you know, the FBI never completed the [Clinton] Foundation investigation. That’s, as far as I know, that’s still an ongoing investigation.”

It’s modern tradition for presidents, particularly the rich ones, to put their business holdings in a blind trust. But Giuliani said that would be unfair to Trump’s adult children, who work for his empire. “The man is an enormously wealthy man,” Giuliani said, “I don’t think there’s any real fear or suspicion that he’s seeking to enrich himself by being president. If he wanted to enrich himself, he wouldn’t have run for president.”

But what has not been revealed is the extent of Trump business holdings and deals in countries he’ll have to deal with in his foreign policy.

In Transition: The Trump campaign announced that Republican Party Chairman Reince Priebus will be chief of staff in the White House. Steve Bannon, former head of the Alt-Right Breitbart News will be chief strategist. John Weaver, who advised John Kasich’s presidential campaign, tweeted, “Just to be clear news media, the next president named a racist, anti-semite as the co-equal of the chief of staff.”

Quake: A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the South Island of New Zealand just after midnight yesterday, triggering tsunami waves and killing two people. The quake zone ran between 50 miles north of Christchurch on the South northeast to Wellington on the southern tip of the North Island.

There’s major damage to buildings and roads. A river was dammed up by a landslide.

Downhill: Champion skier Lindsey Vonn severely broke an arm in training at Copper Mountain, Colo. The arm bone was put back together in surgery with screws and a long plate. Vonn, who’s only 11 wins from the all-time World Cup victory record, has had several serious injuries, particularly to her knees. She says she’ll be back.

The Obit Page: Leon Russell, the long-haired, bearded singer/songwriter whose “Tightrope” is an evergreen, died at age 74 after deteriorating in health over the past six years.

Russell was a creature of the 1970s, a two-fisted piano player who fronted his own act, was a backup musician to countless acts, and produced for Bob Dylan. Russell wrote “Delta Lady” for Joe Cocker and organized the Mad Dogs & Englishmen band.

“Oh, you’re mine delta lady/Your mine, be all mine/Delta lady/Please don’t ask/How many times I found you/Standing wet/And naked in the garden.”

-30-

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Page Two

The Most Corrupt Justice

Monday, October 2, 2023

Democracy and Video in the Dark

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Page Two: Do the Right Thing

Tuesday, February 1, 2022

Page Two: Sound Recall

Monday, September 13, 2021

Page Two: Cuomo Must Go

Friday, August 13, 2021

Trump and the Truth

Tuesday, November 3, 2020

The “Great” President

Monday, March 30, 2020

The Wright Stuff

Saturday, February 29, 2020

It's Been Said

"In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn. There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate, and I should have, no excuses."

-Andrew Cuomo, resigning as governor of New York after accusations of sexual harassment

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