Donald Trump Is Going to Puerto Rico This Week?

This week, in the last few days, our illustrious President Donald J. "You're Kidding Me Here" Trump took it upon himself to insult the Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico. In Tweets, of course.

Trump attacks San Juan mayor 

over hurricane response

Not done there, that, alone, wasn't bad enough, he went on to INSULT THE ENTIRE CITIZENRY of that nation.

Trump attacks hurricane-ravaged Puerto Ricans as lazy

So, now, given all this, what could he possibly, possibly think he can do to help these people, given that he has, again, insulted each and every one of them, already?

What good could he possibly do now?

How are they to receive him?

Response Number Two to Trump's Attack On the People of Puerto Rico Today

This second one is from political commentator, professor, and author, Robert Reich. He served in the administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter and was Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton.

The disaster in Puerto Rico continues unabated, and the response from the Trump administration is woefully inadequate. So what does Trump do? He spends another weekend at his golf resort in New Jersey, and blames the messengers.

Trump’s first target this morning was Yulín Cruz, the mayor of San Juan Puerto Rico: "The Mayor of San Juan, who was very complimentary only a few days ago, has now been told by the Democrats that you must be nasty to Trump," he tweeted just after 7 a.m. Trump then turned to the news media: "Fake News CNN and NBC are going out of their way to disparage our great First Responders as a way to 'get Trump.' Not fair to FR or effort!," He followed that tweet up with: "The Fake News Networks are working overtime in Puerto Rico doing their best to take the spirit away from our soldiers and first R's. Shame!" Trump did all of that before 8 a.m. on the East Coast.

Our morally disabled president is incapable of hearing criticism, even when human lives are at stake.

Links:

Robert Reich

Robert Reich - Wikipedia

Trump attacks hurricane-ravaged Puerto Ricans as lazy

On Twitter, Trump attacks mayor of San Juan for 

'poor leadership'

Response Number One to Trump's Attack On the People of Puerto Rico Today

From reporter, writer, Dan Rather, today:

Excuse me, Mr. President but your tantrum tweet storm this morning attacking the mayor of San Juan, a fellow American citizen dealing with a real-time life and death struggle for hundreds of thousands of her constituents on an island of millions in crisis, is not only far below the dignity of the office you hold. It fails even the most basic test of humanity.

Did she have harsh words for your Administration's response to the aftermath of Hurricane Maria? Yes. It's called a reality check, and one that conforms to every firsthand account coming out of Puerto Rico no matter how much you try to deflect with your "Fake News" epithets. To take this personally is to put ego before country. And you also blame the Puerto Ricans themselves? That they want "everything done for them"? No. They just expect to be treated as any other American would.

I have seen more than my share of wretched desperation over the course of my career. I have reported from crisis zones where matters of life and death hang moment to moment in the balance between action and inaction, where communication is limited, and the sense of panic is building. I have seen the most steadfast of leaders feel the crushing weight of responsibility as they survey a landscape of almost incomprehensible need.

It does not take a saintly amount of compassion or empathy to feel for those who are struggling to stay alive, who are worried for the fate of family and friends, and who have seen so much that they have known and loved blown and washed away. You swore to "faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States" and that means a responsibility to look out for all Americans, even if they live on an island in the ocean, or look different or even speak a different language than what you think is America.

I worry that whoever has your ear has not adequately impressed upon you the gravity of this situation, or even the political price you are likely to pay (although that can be no where near the top concern at the moment). Or perhaps you have been told and haven't listened.

Regardless, what Puerto Rico needs now is not rhetoric but help, not a bumbling response, but the precision and competence we expect of our government. I do not believe "blame the victim" is what Americans expect of their president.

Meanwhile, Mr. Trump can't be bothered. He's off at his New Jersey property today, this weekend.

Golfing.