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© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020.Biden calls for 'real leadership' after Trump alludes to violence after police killing
By Michael Martina DETROIT©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
100 Comments
SimondB
A racist, promoting racist violence, to appease his base. He cares not a brass farthing should black protesters be shot, probably privately he would condone it. The nightmare continues.
PTownsend
In appealing to his core base Trump's approach has been to further divide the long divided country. His base is made up primarily of people from his own demographic. (But only a smaller percent of those from his financial class.) Trump's base represent 32% to 45% of the US population, depending on data source.
Trump will continue to throw fuel on the fires. As will his media and his social media warriors in the US and 'abroad'. Previously Russians have used KKK and NRA publications, among other right wing ones, to push messages to increase divisions.
https://www.npr.org/2019/09/27/765037952/senate-report-reveals-nra-was-foreign-asset-to-russia-ahead-of-2016
The Avenger
I'm glad Biden spoke plainly. No mealy mouthed euphemisms. I was going to vote for him anyway, but he just gave me one more reason.
PTownsend
Biden's taking a political position, attempting to appeal to a segment of the US population who might understand this latest flareup resulted from a policeman murdering (allegedly) a Black man.
Just like Trump's once again attempting to appeal to a segment of the population - some of whom might even be called 'very fine people'.
HonestDictator
Anyone who is out there looting are just the usual criminally minded "opportunists" that always exploit whatever disruption they can to take advantage for their own selfish desires. I can understand rioters attacking the police department involved in the situation (which is still stupid because their tax dollars paid to build it....), but in this day and age Americans forget that they don't have the right to destroy other Americans private property that have nothing to do with it. We need to be taught that in order to have our own individual rights as Americans respected and upheld.... WE HAVE TO RESPECT AND UPHOLD THE RIGHTS OF OUR FELLOW AMERICANS....
Yrral
Trump has offended every racial group, he is working on offending, his White Spiteful base
bass4funk
Utter and total nonsense.
Once again liberals are using the race card to fuel the flames of divisions. Did you see the police station what these criminals have done.
You can’t destroy, rob, loot or do what you feel like, cause violence and destruction because you feel injustice, you are undermining your cause and your message gets drowned out and I’m not saying that these people shouldn’t protest or don’t have the right, but all of the destruction and millions of dollars that it will cost to rebuild is mind blowing. If the police don’t take action you have to under all circumstances provide civil order, but the police ran and left and did nothing, so law wasn’t enforced and the leadership of that city completely dropped the ball. There should have been a curfew initiated the first or the second night at the very minimum.
Sadly, a lot of these buildings won’t be rebuilt and that city will turn into another hollowed out South Central that still have damaged, destroyed and vacant buildings that were never rebuilt after the last two riots. All the innocent black store owners that put work, sweat and tears into building their businesses to see all of their work and endeavor come to a shocking end.
ulysses
No surprise our beloved president, trump is using racist phrases, he needs to use this opportunity to appeal to his base.
Heard Biden speak today morning and he was really impressive. Can’t wait for January 2021.
Strangerland
The ironic thing about Trump's war with Twitter, is that now they will be legally required to censor his posts that go against the T&C, or they'll be liable for prosecution.
Of course, Trump is too stupid to realize that.
bass4funk
Oh, really? What’s racist? He said something derogatory about Blacks? Are liberals now saying using terms like “rioters or looters” are racist tropes? Dear lord, soon calling someone a criminal will be a racial term, so how should we call these people? “Emotionally angered and disgruntled individuals who confiscate property?”
His base doesn’t need it, but the poor innocent people do need the cowardly mayor to step up and restore order.
bass4funk
This is exactly right, but liberals need a bogeyman to shroud their failures. Liberals could care less about these communities except when it comes to an election year, but other than that, these people continue to vote for the same people and same policies that continue to keep these people down.
ulysses
If you do not know that, you need to read more.
I don’t know where you come up with such nonsense.
ulysses
I am sure the poor innocent do, but our beloved president, trump is not going to do anything.
Expect a few more racist statements as the situation gets worse!!!!
Artemis Rogers
Nearly all major American cities are under Democrat leadership because Republicans are such garbage at running cities the bigger they get.
Plus conservatives did a good job driving out the brown people from their rural communities so little opportunity for jack boot cops to shoot them. Also the people there and from there tend to support police corruption and abuse anyway. Bootlicking is as popular as barbeques with them.
sunfunbun
Trump is. One who can say something like, 'there were good people on both sides' when white supremacist groups march and kill in Charlottesville.
No, it's not. You don't understand Trump's base if you don't understand white supremacists are part of it. And white supremacists are admitted racists.
bass4funk
No, you just can’t definitively say, because you know you guys are wrong.
From liberals.
He doesn’t need to, the National Guard will.
Like what?
Blacklabel
Never let a crisis go to waste, Joe.
Artemis Rogers
Jailin' Joe Biden laid the foundation for today's violent and fractured America. His response to the crack cocaine epidemic was to expand the drug war by partnering with the mega-racist Strom Thurmond to ensure Black Americans would be overly penalized and our prison population would be the largest in human history, dwarfing that of much larger nations such as China and India. Who is he to even talk? He should be busy trying to undo the damage he did to the U.S.A.
Meanwhile Portugal legalized all drugs and is not wrecking people's lives over them or pushing blue death squads to lord over the destruction and try and fill the prisons.
u_s__reamer
People who insist on remaining in denial over hard-wired human behavior are refusing to open their history books that teach us that injustice provokes mob violence which can even morph into full-blown revolution "if you do the shootin'", to quote the White-House Rapper-in-Tweet.
The outraged public's violent outburst in reaction to the usual knee-jerk official foot-dragging was entirely predictable. Faux macho's "best words" were tweeted in all the bad taste he's notorious for, but Biden's "real leadership", as president, and as precedent teaches, would threaten the use of violence to quell public anger, too.
ulysses
No, the racists are wrong, including our beloved president, trump.
They sure call the National Guard fast when the minorities are protesting. Didn’t see any National Guard when the armed Klansmen were taking over the Michigan Capitol.
Have patience your leader will not disappoint you.
bass4funk
Oh, yeah? So please tell me which Black city under Democrat leadership has a sprawling neighborhoods, low crime and prosperous with an upscale mall, shopping centers and million dollar homes? Pick a few cities and tell me.
Jim Crow days are over, I have a house in Texas in a very affluent neighborhood and there are blacks, Latinos and a few Asians, it’s clean, low crime, no hate or discrimination and the best thing about it is, we don’t have a liberally run legislature.
Ahhh, reminiscing 30 years ago....
Blacklabel
Because their actions were lawful and peaceful. “Protest” not a riot. None of whom were Klansmen nor did they take over anything. No burning, theft or violence to police.
bass4funk
Then Democrats should fuel the flames
How? By calling criminals by their appropriate conduct?
Yes, because I’m not sure if you noticed, but they’re destroying their own communities. We should just let them, typical liberal response, let them run wild and hurt every innocent person and continue to destroy public and private property.
I’m sorry, how many of those people were burning and looting? How many businesses were destroyed?
Not nearly as Democrats have.
Blacklabel
Van Jones: A 'white, liberal Hillary Clinton supporter' can pose a greater threat to black Americans than the KKK.
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/500158-van-jones-a-white-liberal-hillary-clinton-supporter-can-pose-a-greater-threat
this guy gets it right every so often, like once a year.
sunfunbun
LOL.
All politicians politicize things, and Trump does it more than anyone, I've seen in my lifetime, including Nixon and the Clintons.
Blacklabel
Biden acts like this never happened during the 8 years he was VP.
Yeah it shouldnt be. And wouldnt be if the Obiden Bama administration had taken some action during 2009-2017. They had 8 whole years to do something about what was happening during their own time to prevent it from continuing now in 2020.
Strangerland
You mean like calling for the president to resign, when two Americans die of Ebola? Is that what you mean by not letting a crisis go to waste?
Strangerland
Yeah, they only ran someone over with their car and killed them, because they didn't like their political ideology.
Real fine people there.
Blacklabel
not talking about Ebola. or neckties or Ann Coulter or Russia or any other distractions. The racial riots in Minnesota or any previous occurences, what was said and what was done.
Blacklabel
did not happen at the Michigan capitol protest that your teammate referenced.
Yeah, they only ran someone over with their car and killed them, because they didn't like their political ideology.
Toasted Heretic
I suppose he is a kind of leader, of filth and racism?
He chose to belittle peaceful protests in the past, now he threatens violence as people no longer bend the knee but hurt what's most precious to trump and his ilk.
AmeriKKKa is going up in flames, let's hope America rises out of the ashes.
It's long overdue, this land of freedom and equality.
Blacklabel
so because Obama was black he was allowed to call people "thugs" and his response and lack of action over 8 years is beyond reproach no matter what he did or didnt do for race relations?
Biden isnt black, but he seems to try to speak for the black community quite often. He seems to claim he knows what is best for "them" in every situation. Based on what, I dont know.
The Avenger
In 1968, that racist segregationist George Wallace was spouting the infamous and racist "when the looting starts, the shooting starts", and now today, the current occupant of the White House, Donald Trump, is echoing racist Wallace, over 50 YEARS later. If anyone was still wondering if Trump is a racist, this should wipe away all doubts.
bass4funk
They weren’t peaceful, let’s get that out of the way first.
And the people that lost business is due to violence of looting and rioting ask them how they feel, and once again another community destroys itself and innocent people are caught up in it based on convenience and opportunity.
Not when you have race hustlers like Al Sharpton thrown into the mix.
Blacklabel
so what responsibility for this do Biden and Obama have for their lack of action between 2009-2017 to improve race relations and relations between the police and minority communities?
And Trump is off limits in the answer. As you call him a "racist" (he is of course, not a racist) he would have no responsibility to do anything because he supposedly wouldnt care. so no need to expect anything from him in your answer.
Now explain Biden's lack of action, yet he and his President's supposed authority to have a comment now.
Toasted Heretic
Never had a doubt in my mind.
But trump is just a small tumour in a country riddled with the cancer of racism.
Burn it down and start again. I'm speaking metaphorically, in case the clinincally insane interpret the diagnosis and prognosis incorrectly.
Btw, that doesn't mean I'm in favour of Biden. He's just another example of the privileged elite, he is a mere sticking plaster, not a cure.
Strangerland
Right now the Republicrite opinion is that because Biden isn’t perfect, it’s better to stay with the current utter failure in the White House.
I read an article on Fox “News” today. A guy who predicted Trump to win last time, predicted him to win this time by a landslide. They headlines this. Then you read it and halfway through the article it points out that this guy admits he didn’t factor in covid or the recession.
bass4funk
So just let anarchy prevail, no martial law, let people do what they want, let them destroy all the stores and shops and when the smoke clears and the people have no food or businesses to buy things what comes next? Poverty and then what? No one will want to invest in that city or operate a business and that that city becomes another Watts and Trump has nothing to do with it, it’s all on the people that chose to destroy their own communities and the city for allowing civil disobedience to flourish.
Like Obama: President Obama doesn't regret using the term "thug" in describing the violent rioters in Baltimore this week, spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday.
"Whether it's arson or, you know, the looting of a liquor store ... those were thuggish acts,"
And when you're looting up a convenience store or you're throwing a cinder block at a police officer, you're engaging in thuggish behavior and that's why the President used that word."
So Obama thinks these criminals are thugs as well and for once, he’s right.
Artemis Rogers
Its not what Joe says that is the problem. Its what he does and also doesn't do. His actions and inactions speak louder than his words. And its the same with Trump. Neither of these old White men are the friend of the middle class or poor people, whether White, Black or Asian, though they are supposed to represent them all. If Americans voted their conscience this November, neither of those Koch brother candidates would get a single vote.
nishikat
But the economy is falling under Republican leadership. Trump is running the American economy like his Trump university (into the ground). And with his failed TrumpCare COVID-19 is ravaging the US population. Trump also said to inject Mr. Clean to prevent COVID-19.
He said Obama was born in Kenya
Blacklabel
its a legitimate question. You had the first black President and his VP commenting about how can this happen in 2020.
Well, it happened due to their lack of action in 2009-2017. Do they have no responsibility for their lack of action in 8 years to heal the racial divide and the divide between police and the community? Its not like the kneeling before the anthem started after 2017.
Since when did Joe Biden have a mandate to speak on behalf of the black community? He does realize he is an old white man, doesnt he? Having a black friend gives you no mandate to speak for others as a white person.
Blacklabel
understatement of the year.
Both of which will be gone as election factors by November. nowhere to go but up.
Blacklabel
man, all that wear a mask and social distance stuff and "its not safe to reopen" narrative just totally out the window now, huh?
Never thought that the reason things cant reopen would be because they were burned down by rioters.
Blacklabel
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/500230-protests-vandalism-reported-outside-cnn-headquarters-in-atlanta
This. is. CNN.
bass4funk
And yet liberals are the ones that use the race card non-stop 24/7
Really metaphorically speaking? Well, so was Trump.
Blacklabel
Within the last 2 weeks Joe has offended the black community, the Hispanic community and the Asian community with questionable comments. He doesnt just need a black woman VP, he really needs to find a multi-racial VP candidate by now.
CNN must be shocked, Im sure they thought they are somehow "exempt" in all of this. Strangely, there is a large armed police presence defending the CNN building. SWAT team, armed vehicles. Where is this police presence everywhere else?
bass4funk
Yes and?
And that’s exactly what is happening, no government leadership as well as the City down word falling into a spiral of lawlessness. Where are the government responders also known as the law? How could they allow these riots to go on like this for days? The mayor is a disgrace to the city and community for allowing this to happen.
nishikat
Who cares? Trump attached blacks saying Obama was born in Kenya. But Biden will do a better job with the economy and we will no longer have the failed TrumpCare. Trump is so bad he wants Americans to inject Mr. Clean to fight CV. Trump is doing so badly with CV that even China is doing better than the US with the fight on CV (under Trump's watch)
Blacklabel
Minnesota: Dem state. Dem governor. Dem mayor. Dem voters (60-70% Hillary in 2016 in Minneapolis). police told to stand down.
Trumps fault?
something doesnt match.
Toasted Heretic
Aye. It worked in a variant in Catalonia in the anarcho-syndicalism collectives, but history is not a thing with some of our commentators here.
PTownsend
I'd never say the messes the country is in and has been in since Trump was elected were all on him. But I do think by catering his messages, sometimes just dog whistles, to his white nationalist base he has intentionally set race relations even farther back. Maybe once again back to the 1950s, the era he seems to want to return to.
What country ever, any time in history, has improved by going back in time while eschewing 'progress'.
Blacklabel
https://www.foxnews.com/us/black-firefighter-devastated-minneapolis-riots-bar
Hopefully we can have a GoFundme for this guy. He never even got the chance to open before the peaceful protesters burned his black owned business to the ground.
Toasted Heretic
Good. This is a fire that won't be put out, metaphorically speaking.
Their spirit will not be dimmed. They are true, American heroes. The entire world is watching and supports them.
Toasted Heretic
Er, no. It's on video and widely reported. Just not the curious way you stated.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/26/central-park-new-york-white-woman-black-birdwatcher
Blacklabel
Well, the "real leadership" for the black community wont be coming from Biden. He simply cant stop blaming others for his comments.
Good luck Joe. But you have no mandate from the black community for these riots. If you think you do, please fly there and make them stop with your words.
bass4funk
He said them, so he agrees, these people are thugs, pure and simple.
Yes, but it doesn’t mean I can’t quote the guy.
PTownsend
I've only ever heard 'Play the race card' used by white nationalists. Not surprising so many of those using the term are Trump supporters.
bass4funk
As long as they can peacefully protest, they should.
Thugs are not heroes.
Toasted Heretic
Great idea. Share the details, and I'm sure people will delve deep into their pockets. Especially the very wealthy folk who claim to care about the ordinary people.
Blacklabel
We need to be treating George Ford's memory with honor and as an impetus for real change.
Not as a way for people to get a new TV for free by looting. There was going to be a new sports bar (and jobs working there). There was also going to be 160 units of affordable housing. Not anymore, thanks liberals.
I cant wait for two weeks for CNN to gleefully report that its Trumps fault that there is an increase in coronavirus cases in these areas.
bass4funk
We know that.
Excuse.
Serrano
Exactly and guaranteed to remain in the WH even if he loses. He will never leave.
One of the more wild conspiracy theories, ranking up there with Epstein committed suicide.
I'd never say the messes the country is in and has been in since Trump was elected were all on him.
Ya think? It takes more than 3 and a half years to fix messes decades in the making. And as far as the messes since the coronavirus hit, it's virtually all on China.
PTownsend
That's one of the reasons I despise Trump and his syndicate of fellow 'elite' thugs.
Toasted Heretic
True.
Comes up every time there's a racist murder, incident, or an utterance from their hero, trump.
They enable the bigotry to continue.
Blacklabel
Disappointed that this is still happening in 2020. There was such great hope that the first black president would totally eliminate this issue during his 4, then 8 years.
Like Biden said:
"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy," Biden said. "I mean, that's a storybook, man."
It was a storybook, he also got a large number of whites to vote for him and support him. Everything was in place for total success. Then it all fell apart and had a nightmare ending, directly leading to the election of Trump.
Toasted Heretic
If they haven't all been arrested for reporting the news.
PTownsend
Excuse? Only if you ignore the absolute horrors the Black community has had to endure for 400 years, and accept that Trump and his far right ilk, with help from 'abroad' are making race relations even worse.
And to think some of the deniers of how miserably black people have been treated are posters who threaten another 'civil war' because someone suggests they shouldn't own weaponry rivaling the military's,
Blacklabel
Did Trump do that too? Or was it the incompetent local leadership? (Dem, by the way)
nishikat
TrumpCare is making things go backwards. This crash happened under Trump's watch not under President Hillary's. It's not in China it's on Trump and his TrumpCare.
There is proof that Trump will not leave even if he loses (and Trump people should be happy about this). And what's this about Epstein exactly?
Blacklabel
Under whose direction were the CNN reporters arrested? The local police work for......who?
It was brought up, so obviously it was intended to have blame and/or context assigned to it. Unless it was just a throwaway statement intended as information and to not be addressed.
Blacklabel
Well anyway, I hope these riots stop soon, no one else is hurt and that Mr, Floyd gets justice.
There will be a time again later to discuss the aftermath, the impact on the election, if it caused a second wave of corona, all these related issues can wait. hoping everyone can just go home and let the justice system play out.
nishikat
Trump is president not Biden. But Biden will do a better job. Trump is so bad he's telling people to inject Mr. Clean. And what happened to the Trump wall? Another Trump failure. Trump can't even build a wall.
nishikat
As a white person Trump has hurt me with his TrumpCare
PTownsend
Hopefully we will learn.
The ongoing demonization of CNN - a term used by the right wing as a pejorative - has probably contributed to some hating the network, including police personnel, and the arrests.
NB I'm NOT directly blaming Trump, his media, his armies of social media warriors (US and 'foreign) instead saying I think they've contributed by daily (read JT threads) attacks on CNN and other outlets in what they call the MSN (another al right pejorative).
Not direct cause, instead an element in the dynamic.
bass4funk
No, they just don’t want them to loot and riot.
You can do so peacefully
No, because we wouldn’t let that happen in our communities
bass4funk
Non one is doing that.
No, the Democrat leaders have done nothing for the Black community for over 60 years, so again, where are the black community is where people are flocking to that are prosperous, clean and upscale, great schools, low crime, I’ll be waiting.
They are doing exactly that, by rioting and looting in depriving law abiding citizens of the civil rights, destroying their livelihoods and public and private properties, these thugs are the ones that are causing civil unrest and disobedience.
Jimizo
If that’s true, the alternative at the ballot box must be something absolutely foul.
WilliB
Meanwhile in the real world, Twitter has just acknowlegde in a mail to the White House that the Tweet does not violate Twitter rules:
"We have investigated the reported content and could not identify any violatzions of the Twitter rules".
Not that the "mainstream" media will take note.
Toasted Heretic
Yep. I can see more attacks and death threats on journalists. And the base is regularly whipped up into a fury by their leader, often using violent rhetoric (all of which is forever documented).
If only elements of the working people got the message that they're being used to continue the status quo of hate.
The thing trump and other capitalists fear most, is the people uniting and realising they have more in common with each other than is reported. Black, white, brown etc - everyone come together and the problems (motivated by greed and power) can at least start to be tackled.
bass4funk
No, that is not what they’re worried about, they’re worried about other businesses and innocent people in law-abiding citizens getting hurt and their livelihoods destroyed by this thuggish behavior.
In a peaceful manner, why not?
bass4funk
I honestly think you sadly really don’t understand the ultimate repercussions of what will happen in the end with these communities? You can’t possibly guess what’s going to happen as a result of this lawlessness, but I do.
Probably not.
PTownsend
I'll wait and see. What does the kook media report?
Hiro S Nobumasa
There goes social distancing!
Fauci must be having extreme nightmares!
The riots spreading across the USA is providing COVID-19 another gateway for a second wave.
While I'm da-kine confident that the American scientists will soon find a cure for the disease it's sadly another matter for the covert racism still existing in the country.
A leader of a country should unite and not divide the American people in times of crisis.
Sadly we are seeing the opposite and covert racism is supported by some media and the police force which just provides the embers for more racists to thrive.
On the other hand I don't think Trump truly cares about a second wave coming.
Blame it on China and the WHO will surely be a mantra again!