President Trump has just landed in El Paso to visit the victims of Saturday’s shooting at a WalMart. It is his second stop today after first visiting the hospital in Dayton, Ohio where victims and first responders of Sunday morning’s shootings outside of a bar are being treated.
Somehow the media and Democratic leadership turned the President of the United States’ visit to give his condolences and show support for a community that is mourning into a vicious publicity stunt instantaneously.
Immediately following Trump’s visit, Ohio’s Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown and Dayton’s Democratic Mayor Nan Whaley gave a press conference which the President said mischaracterized the visit.
According to The Hill, “Trump spent more than an hour at Miami Valley Hospital meeting privately with medical personnel, victims and families affected…he did not speak publicly and avoided the dozens of protesters who had gathered roughly a mile away, near the site of the massacre.”
Ohio Dems Brown and Whaley told reporters “they urged Trump to support background checks for gun purchases, ‘red flag’ laws and government programs that provide access to mental health resources” The Hill reported. At the press conference Brown said, “He was received as well as you can expect by the patients…they are hurting. He was comforting. He and Melania did the right things. It’s his job in part to comfort people. I’m glad he did it.”
I think anyone can agree that’s what is called a “backhanded compliment.” Brown applauds Trump for doing what is “his job.” The Hill stated that “Prior to leaving for Dayton, Trump told reporters he felt his opponents were politicizing the recent mass shootings and that he ‘would like to stay out of the political fray.” That is, of course, until the press conference.
President Trump took to defend himself on twitter:
Just left Dayton, Ohio, where I met with the Victims & families, Law Enforcement, Medical Staff & First Responders. It was a warm & wonderful visit. Tremendous enthusiasm & even Love. Then I saw failed Presidential Candidate (0%) Sherrod Brown & Mayor Whaley totally…misrepresenting what took place inside of the hospital. Their news conference after I left the El Paso was a fraud. It bore no resemblance to what took place with those incredible people that I was so lucky to meet and spend time with. They were all amazing!
Just left Dayton, Ohio, where I met with the Victims & families, Law Enforcement, Medical Staff & First Responders. It was a warm & wonderful visit. Tremendous enthusiasm & even Love. Then I saw failed Presidential Candidate (0%) Sherrod Brown & Mayor Whaley totally…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2019
White House President Secretary Stephanie Grisham, and social media director Dan Scavino also sent out tweets insinuating that the Press Conference was way off base on what the actual environment was during Trump’s visit in the hospital. They said the Senator and Mayor were “LYING and completely mischaracterizing what took place with the President’s visit to Miami Valley Hospital today” and that the “President was treated like a Rock Star inside the hospital.”
