Fake News: Inaugural Edition

Myth: All inaugurations are kumbaya moments. Incoming and Outgoing administrations hug it out and promise to get together real soon.

“Then there was outgoing president Harry S. Truman’s procession to the Capitol with incoming president Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. Eisenhower’s son John was an Army officer stationed in Korea, but he was pulled off the front lines and brought to Washington for the ceremony. Eisenhower felt that someone was trying to embarrass him by giving his son special privileges. “That makes me look bad,” Eisenhower said to Truman. “Who is the damn fool who brought my son back?” Truman’s response was, “The president of the United States.”

Myth: Swearing on a stack of bibles.

But there is no requirement that a Bible play any role at a presidential inauguration, and several presidents have taken office without swearing on one. Records from 1793, 1797 and most of the first half of the 19th century are silent on whether a Bible was used, and in 1825, John Quincy Adams placed his hand on a book of constitutional law instead.

Myth: Inaugural Balls are all that and a bag of chips.

” … Nancy Reagan wrote: ‘The reality is very different: Crowds of people are jammed together, shoulder to shoulder, just standing there; there’s no way you can dance, and it’s so noisy that you can’t even hear the orchestra.’ ”

“The food isn’t so great, either. Recent inaugural ball cuisine has included pasta primavera, ham-and-cheese sandwiches on dry biscuits, and turkey and pesto on croissants. In 2001, party planners for George W. Bush indicated that the food was being served on ‘upscale plastic ware.’ ”

Myth: Donald Trump is the only President not welcomed by all citizens with open hearts and minds.

“In 1913, on the day before Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration, an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 suffragists marched on Pennsylvania Avenue NW from the Capitol to the Treasury Building to draw attention to the cause of giving women the right to vote. Many onlookers were upset, either because they opposed the idea of women voting or because they objected to the timing of the march. Many of the suffragists were insulted, spit upon or even beaten. Because the women had not been protected, the police chief was fired. At the next inauguration, in 1917, suffragists marched in the regular parade. By 1920, all women in the country would have the right to vote.”

Myth: Teddy’s fifth cousin was the only President inaugurated four times.

“Obama was sworn in on Jan. 20, 2009. Because the oath was flubbed, he was inaugurated a second time the next night in the White House. Four years later, Inauguration Day fell on a Sunday. Following tradition, Obama was sworn in privately that day and then took the oath again in a public ceremony Monday. Two in 2009, two more in 2013: Obama ties FDR’s record.”

Whether it’s Ukraine’s leader, National Security experts or Germany’s Chancellor, Donald Trump’s brain is a steel trap. His tried and true rule is, diss me once, shame on you; diss me twice, shame on you.

So could Trump be applying the same philosophy to Chancellor Merkel? Why, not.

“He also stressed that he would ‘start off trusting both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mrs. Merkel” on taking office, but would “see how long that lasts.'”

Did Trump just mint Putin and Merkel on the same coin? Which leader could Trump be talking about as a potential enemy? Is Mr. Trump ignorant of the Germany leader’s first name or title?

Maybe it was a backhand slap to the Chancellor for her election day communique where she extolled the virtue of values I’d take those odds.

“’Germany and America are connected by values of democracy, freedom, and respect for the law and the dignity of man, independent of origin, skin color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political views,’ she said in a statement, adding: ‘I offer the next President of the United States close cooperation on the basis of these values.’”

Forgiveness is a one-way street.

Trump Quote of the Week.

Bing. Bing. Bing. That Donald does have a way with the words. They are the best after all.

““@realDonaldTrump I think, I’ll keep it . . . so I’ve got 46 million people right now — that’s a lot, that’s really a lot — but 46 million — including Facebook, Twitter and ya know, Instagram, so when you think that you’re 46 million there, I’d rather just let that build up and just keep it @realDonaldTrump, it’s working — and the tweeting, I thought I’d do less of it, but I’m covered so dishonestly by the press — so dishonestly — that I can put out Twitter — and it’s not 140, it’s now 280 — I can go bing bing bing . . . and they put it on and as soon as I tweet it out — this morning on television, Fox — ‘Donald Trump, we have breaking news'” – Courtesy of Townhall.com

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