Trump says he's not 'morally obligated' to defend Obama against claims

[brooklynite]

Source: CNN

Donald Trump on Saturday said it is not his job to correct supporters' claims about the President, defending his decision not to take issue with a man who disparaged Muslims and said President Barack Obama is not an American.

But Trump did not dispute the man's allegations made at a town hall event this week, and added that if someone criticized him to Obama, there would be "no chance" the President would come to his defense.

"Am I morally obligated to defend the president every time somebody says something bad or controversial about him? I don't think so!" he tweeted Saturday morning.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/19/politics/donald-trump-obama-twitter/index.html

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This is the kind of bluster that I think is going to backfire...

[niyad]

1. donny boy, you have a moral obligation to be truthful--but then, not being truthful is sort of your

modus operandi, is it not?

[cheapdate]

26. +1

[mainer]

2. So now he's saying he DID hear the question?

and he just decided not to refute it?

[Fred Sanders]

3. "I am not morally obligated to make conclusions based on facts". Not good thinking, for a President.

Birther Trump.....Act II...The Sinking.

[DeeDeeNY]

4. Even McCain corrected that crazy woman in 2008

This makes even McCain look better.

[pangaia]

6. He barely corrected her.

And..umm... I don't think trumple's behavior relates to McCain at all.
I mean, just two people. One a mentally disturbed, frightened, empty blowhard' the other, a failed, frightened, empty shell.

[Lychee2]

27. "Frightened"?

Why did you choose that word?

[pangaia]

32. They are frightened because they feel a deep emptiness inside,

know they have wasted their lives, and fear death.

[Lychee2]

33. Could be.

Or they could be so self-deceived that they think they are big achievers, who will go to heaven because of all their good deeds in promoting free enterprise and self-reliance, whose benefits trickle down to everyone.

[pangaia]

66. Could also be.

But,, I rather think they are empty shells... and know it...

[Lychee2]

68. That queasy feeling might always be there.

Except for the real psychopaths. Trump, for example.

[jmowreader]

63. Which was which?

[pangaia]

67. Your question could be taked seriously...

or as sarcasm.. because they are both so disturbed.

I mean, I had a particular one in mind for each example, but....

[graegoyle]

5. When you have no positive morals, then, no, you are not morally obligated.

[erronis]

11. Great statement. But it's all relative to who's doing the analysis.

By DT's perspective, everyone else is immoral since they're not sliming their way to the top like he did.

[Lychee2]

34. No.

It's not all relative. People can make moral mistakes and commit moral misdeeds regardless of whether they think they are doing the right thing or not.

[Lychee2]

28. Wrong.

People can be obligated to do things whether they think so or not.

[graegoyle]

50. When a person is financially bankrupt...

(which TheRump has used to protect his wealth) you don't, necessarily, expect payment. When a person is morally bankrupt, you, similarly, don't expect payment. When a person's moral deficiencies are such as TheRump's, you should not ask for apologies; you should just mock and ridicule.

[Lychee2]

52. "Expect."

Right, you don't anticipate good behavior from an a**hole. But that doesn't exempt him from the obligation not to be an a**hole. Otherwise, we could all just declare moral bankruptcy by admitting that we are a**holes and never get blamed for anything again!

Next time I spill wine on my host's carpet, I'll try that. I'll say, "Don't blame me! I'm an a**hole."

[graegoyle]

58. I never said he should not be blamed.

On the contrary: He should be mocked and ridiculed. Remorselessly and relentlessly.

[christx30]

60. And when someone else declares themself

morally bankrupt, treat them like we treat someone that is financially bankrupt, and don't get them a bit of credit for anything at all.

[Lychee2]

64. I stopped reading at "themself."

[Enoki33]

7. Confirmation

here in Trump's response of how reprehensible he is and how low his level of moral responsibility really is. I wonder if all his business activities would withstand a little closer scrutiny. Anyone who thinks their ego supersedes all has much to hide.

[world wide wally]

8. Of course you're not "obligated" to tell the truth.

It's a matter of character and class which you would have no clue about.
But it does prove one thing: Even $10 billion can't buy you class or character.

Do you want to know what character is? That is like the NYPD officer gave a pair of shoes to a homeless man. Something you could never dream of relating to. An example of class would be when someone gives their seat to a pregnant woman on a bus.
I am sure all of this is totally foreign to you.

[Lychee2]

29. Really?

Telling the truth is not a moral obligation? That's news to me. Where did you get that idea?

[world wide wally]

39. From Trump

[smirkymonkey]

42. True, it speaks to his character more than anything.

And like most of his supporters, his is of very low quality. They will always take the easy road, do only what is best for them and only them.

[3catwoman3]

51. I have a neologism for Mr. Trump.

He is a crasshole.

[JB in A2]

9. Worth a second watch Obama puts Trump in his place

https://m.

[erronis]

15. I hadn't seen that segment - absolutely wonderful. I'll miss our current President!

[L. Coyote]

16. Excellent. Bush should use this in his commercials.

[Raine1967]

24. And, if my memory serves me correctly,

This was just after or before Bin Laden had been taken care of….

[wordpix]

38. Trumpet did not like being the butt of those jokes - O was right on

[treestar]

46. That was great!

Welcome to DU

[frylock]

48. The other GOP candidates should study this, and utilize Obama's technique in the next debate..

that bozo does not respond well to insults.

[perdita9]

10. Part of being a credible leader is calling BS, BS

Donald Trump lacks this very basic leadership skills.

[totodeinhere]

12. His supporters will eat this up of course. Their hatred of President Obama is pathological.

And most of his followers probably do believe that President Obama is a Muslim. Of course the President is a Christian, but even if he were a Muslim there would be nothing wrong with that.

[Cirque du So-What]

13. trump wouldn't recognize a moral obligation

if it jumped up and bit 'little Donnie.' Business partners & investors who lost their shirts in his harebrained schemes? Fuck'em! Wives who have grown a bit long in the tooth to qualify for 'trophy' status? Trade 'em in on a newer model! Recognize that acknowledging sexual attraction to your own daughter - without a shred of embarrassment, mind you - makes you come off as a skeevy perv? Never crossed his mind!

[Lychee2]

30. OK, so we know you hate Trump.

That's not much of an achievement, now is it?

[mnhtnbb]

14. Why should a lying POS be concerned about the truth?

This is just indicative of Trump's character. And the fact that he can't imagine President
Obama correcting an obvious falsehood about Trump? Well, that tells you he expects
everyone to be as amoral as he is.

[Geronimoe]

17. Big deal - not

Hillary in 2008, started this. She was asked if he is a muslin and she said as fair as I know he isn't. Soon after they attacked Michelle, Rev Wright for hating America and Obama's supposed association anti-Vietnam radicals.

Hillary's supper pac is already claiming Bernie is friendly to terrorists, Hugo Chavez, and other extreme socialists. Just a couple of weeks ago Hillary said the GOP are terrorists.

McCain defended Obama in a town hall meeting, however Sarah Palin continued to drum up the hate and racism.

[question everything]

18. I don't think it will backfire. Teabaggers love this kind of bluster

and most of them do agree that Obama is a Muslim and a Socialist and a Kenyan and... add your pick.

Many Republicans probably thought McCain civil reply in 2008 was a sign of a wimp.

Let's remember. Republicans have mastered the art of the "in your face." Starting with yelling "you lie" at the State of the Union Address and coming to rallies with Obama carrying guns in public.

[Sunlei]

19. Spoken just like a birther Republican. They'll all go their entire lives attacking their 'enemies' &

pretending their Republican birther scam was reality.

[Turborama]

20. But he's been hobnobbing in Indonesia, the biggest Muslim majority country in the world, recently

How's he going to explain that to his followers...?

Donald Trump's hotel group partners Indonesia's MNC to manage Bali resort

Aug 20 U.S. billionaire Donald Trump's hotel group has partnered Indonesia's MNC Group, a conglomerate controlled by tycoon Hary Tanoesoedibjo, to manage a luxury resort and residential development on the Indonesian island of Bali.

The property will be the first in Asia for New York-based Trump Hotel Collection, which launched in 2007, the companies said in a statement.

MNC Group has businesses including media, financial services and property.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/20/trump-indonesia-idUSL3N10V2A720150820

[Wibly]

21. What Morals

Last edited Sat Sep 19, 2015, 03:02 PM - Edit history (1)

What would Trump know about morals. The guy wants to do his own daughter for goodness sakes.
He's not fit to comment on what is morally right or wrong.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

22. What am I; my bruddah's keepah, or sumpin'?

Anyone who sez dat is a looooosah.

[Raine1967]

23. One needs to have morals to be morally obligated.

So, I guess he answered my next question: Does Trump have any morals at all?

[Lychee2]

31. No.

People can be morally obligated whether they think so or not.

[world wide wally]

44. And in the real world, how are they held to this obligation?

[Raine1967]

61. perhaps.

Trump however, is the exception.

he made it pretty clear that he does not care about morality.

[Bradical79]

25. I thought Trump made it clear he agrees

Wasn't he one of the lead birthers that fueled this idiot train?

[wolfie001]

35. Repukes lie as a rule

It's their MO, it's what makes their fantastical, make believe world tick.

[Jack Rabbit]

36. Horsepucky: Trump is morally obligated to refute such claims

This isn't just something bad or controversial about President Obama. It's complete and utter nonsense.

The charge that Obama is a Muslim and a foreign agent of some kind is false, has been proved false and isn't taken seriously by any intelligent person anywhere. Assuming that Mr. Trump is an intelligent person, then he is just pandering to the lowest, most ignorant part of American society.

He owes the President and the American people an apology, but I won't hold my breath waiting for this boor to make it.

[LuckyLib]

37. Denying the truth: it's what Republicans do.

[passiveporcupine]

40. "This is the kind of bluster that I think is going to backfire..."

Not with his base. They love this stuff. They also hate Obama.

[restorefreedom]

41. truthiness

as only colbert can explain it

http://www.cc.com/video-clips/63ite2/the-colbert-report-the-word---truthiness

[Gothmog]

43. Trump is a coward

[David__77]

45. I don't think it will backfire.

...

[cynzke]

47. NEAT TRICK!

Shifts blame to Obama to deflect from his own FAILURE. Trump is a PRO at this. When asked a difficult question or challenged, he deflects by attacking his opponent.....hey guys, I FU and gave a stupid answer, failed miserably, but now I'll point my finger at that guy over there and make some excuse. PATHETIC, but it works with STUPID people.

[awoke_in_2003]

49. "This is the kind of bluster that I think is going to backfire"

I don't think so. Republicans eat that shit up.

[Ichigo Kurosaki]

53. I agree, While trolling some

RW postings around the web I saw some using Harry Reid as an example of a double standard.
It was along the lines that we didn't defend Mitt when Harry accused him of not paying taxes for 10 years so why should they defend Obama.

[alcibiades_mystery]

56. Welcome to DU

[DisgustipatedinCA]

54. I'd be interested in knowing what he believes his moral obligations are.

I really would.

[moonscape]

55. Trump turning this into some sort of equivalency is audacious,

just like everything else about him.

He doesn't scare me in terms of having any chance, but in terms of my country allowing this man such a microphone.

[oberliner]

57. I think we are in the last phase of the Trump phenomenon

I predict folks are done with him completely within a month.

[christx30]

59. I don't think this is going to hurt trump

like Romney's "47% thing" hurt him.

People that are going to vote for trump aren't going to be bothered by this at all. They'll celebrate it. I've been reading it all over the other sites I frequent.

And people that are offended by this weren't going to vote for trump anyway.

[davidpdx]

62. I hope it does too, but not so sure it will be the last straw

He's said a lot of stupid things and gotten away with it.

[no_hypocrisy]

65. Ethically speaking, Trump has the obligation to correct and

replace mistakes with facts. That gives him credibility and integrity, both of which he sorely lacks.

[Rose77]

69. he doesnt even understand the job he

wants us to give him!!! the highest office in the land has many legal and moral obligations that he is already saying means nothing to him other than money and power which I believe he is losing....

Feeling the Bern!! a man who stands with us ALL.