Growing up, I heard my father refer to people as “uncouth.” As the definition implies, it was not meant as a compliment. Rather, he viewed the object of his frustration as lacking basic home training and an innate inability to carry or express themselves in a respectful manner. Someone comfortable being unlearned and sharing this with society.
Donald Trump is the most uncouth and offensive person to occupy the Oval Office. In addition to being a racist, he lacks a humanity and compassion that one would expect of a neighbor, much less the president.
Here are a few of the president’s “greatest hits” of uncouth and offensive comments offered either before or after assuming office:
– “Why are these people from s—hole countries coming here?”
– Haitian immigrants “all have AIDS” and Nigerian immigrants will never “go back to their huts” in Africa. “More immigrants should come from places like Norway.”
– “You were here long before any of us were here. Although we have a representative in Congress who they say was here a long time ago. They call her Poca.”
– “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He’s fired.”
– “They’re trying to take away our culture. They’re trying to take away our history. These things have been there for 150 years, for a hundred years. You go back to a university and it’s gone. Weak, weak people.”
– “I think there is blame on both sides. You also had people that were very fine people on both sides. Not all of those people were neo-Nazis, believe me. Not all of those people were White supremacists by any stretch.”
– “He’s not a war hero. He’s a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured.”
– “If you look at his wife, she was standing there, she had nothing to say. Maybe she wasn’t allowed to have anything to say. You tell me.”
Trump said 15,000 recent immigrants from Haiti “all have AIDS” and that 40,000 Nigerians, once seeing the United States, would “never go back to their huts in Africa.”
– “Look at my African American over here. Look at him.”
– “Well, just so you understand, I don’t know anything about David Duke, OK? I don’t know anything about what you’re even talking about with White supremacy or White supremacists.”
– “Ah, I don’t know what I said. I don’t remember,” visibly mocking a disabled reporter.
– “I, Donald J. Trump, call for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what the hell is going on.”
– “I watched when the World Trade Center came tumbling down. And I watched in Jersey City. New Jersey, where thousands and thousands of people were cheering.
– “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems. … They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists, and some, I assume, are good people.”
– “I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab ’em by the p—y.”
In a recent speech in Johannesburg, former President Obama said, “We now stand at a crossroads. We see the utter loss of shame of political leaders when they are caught in a lie, and they just double down and lie some more.”
As a lifelong Democrat, I want my president to be of that party. However, more important than that, I want my president to have compassion, above-average intelligence, to be well-read, put politics above party, be truthful and serve as president for all Americans, not only his base. In addition, I want my president to be loyal to America first and foremost. Releasing tax returns once the nomination is secured is also important, regardless of party.
Indeed, I long for the days when parents could have their televisions on in front of their children while the president is speaking at a political rally, and not have to worry about expletives coming out of the mouth of the commander in chief. I can accept political differences, frankly, with any president — that’s why we have elections. I cannot, however, nor will I, accept a basic lack of civility in him or, one day, her.
Unfortunately, an uncouth and offensive presidency has become the norm for many. But not for me. America is better than this, even if President Trump is not.
Cooper is president of Cooper Strategic Affairs, Inc.
