The inaugural speech of Donald J Trump as America’s president has just ended. It was a long and aggressive speech, carefully crafted to appeal to the peculiarities of his supporters. I previously thought of him as a joke but less so now, I’m angry and worried. Gone is the age of dignity, facts, circumspection, intelligence. Now is the hour of petulant, puffed up bombast.
“You came in your tens of millions to be part of an historical movement the likes of which the world has never seen before” he reminded his waterproofed supporters. Worrying. It has to be said the crowd was sparser than one might have expected. Must have been the weather.
The main thrust of the address was put “America first”. He claimed: “We’ve made other countries rich. The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and redistributed across the world.” I thought America has made no country richer than itself, on the backs of cheap labour from other countries. I guess I was wrong.
He then reiterated his clarion call to “every foreign capital across the land… America first in every decision… When we’re united, we’re unstoppable, protected by [the military]… and by God.” Uh oh.
His rousing speech was met with smatterings of applause. He then repaired to look shifty during the multi-faith blessings. I felt for Obama, having to listen to this idiot who will no doubt destroy most of the good work he did in office; Trump has already vowed to scrap Obamacare. The dignified and real Obamas have been replaced by a self-confessed sex pest and his fembot bride. Please come back, Barack.
The BBC coverage included interviews with his supporters, two of whom looked like extras from Deliverance but without the humour. “He’s one of us” the one with the bigger moustache asserted. “When he’s finished this he’ll probably go back to work and that’s the way it should be in Amuurca.” He’s quite patently not one of you, he’s a billionaire for a start. This Trump is a triumph of magical thinking that will have very real consequences.
PS. The fact the Daily Mail is calling him the don makes me feel physically sick. Don’t try and make him cool. He’s not cool.
INCH 