In an interview last week with Variety magazine, Sir Elton John had a suggestion for President Donald Trump, a suggestion that Elton said might make Donald Trump the greatest president ever - and shot some plaudits in Trump's direction, as well.
The "Tiny Dancer" spoke with Variety on Tuesday about his nameske\ AIDS Foundation and the support he has received from Republican lawmakers such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., in the past. From there, he encouraged the Trump administration to continue work toward the goal of eradicating the disease.
"The bipartisan thing makes common sense," John said. "To see us come so far with the medical and scientific advances, and to think this is the only disease that can be completely cured in one’s lifetime. President Trump has maybe solved the peace problem. If he wants to go down as one of the greatest presidents in history… if he ended AIDS, that would really be a feather in his cap."
President Trump, according to Elton John, "...has maybe solved the peace problem." Well, peace isn't really a problem so much as it is a desired outcome, but you understand his meaning. Some of us understand that peace is an interval in which to prepare for the next war, but, likely, Sir Elton isn't a big student of the history of conflict.
Last year, my colleague, RedState's own Nick Arama, brought us the story of another Variety and another unexpected bit of praise for President Trump.
Read More: Elton John's New Remarks About Trump Are Likely to Have Dems Losing Their Minds
Nick wrote:
As our sister site Twitchy noted, John was interviewed by Variety when they asked about Trump referencing his "Rocket Man" song in relation to the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The reporter prefaced it by saying, "I know you're not a supporter of Donald Trump." so it sounded like he was trying to lead Elton to a shot at Trump. Except that's not what he got.
Elton John on his reaction to Donald Trump calling Kim Jong Un “Little Rocket Man”: “I laughed, I thought that was brilliant... I’ve always been friendly toward him, and I thank him for his support. When he did that, I just thought it was hilarious.” https://t.co/QXV9VqAtuT pic.twitter.com/MNhsNzFwlR
— Variety (@Variety) September 7, 2024
Sir Elton seems to be something other than the usual range of empty-headed celebrity.
Read More: Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s 'Levon' Is a Masterclass in Songwriting
Curing AIDS is neither as simple as it sounds, nor is it the priority it was 40 years ago. In the '80s, AIDS, the HIV virus, was a death sentence. Nowadays, it's a long-term thing, a chronic progressive condition one can live with for many years. It's still a serious illness, but it has a lot of company.
The problem is that the HIV virus is an agile little jerk. The virus comes in 4 major groups, one of which, Group M, is responsible for the vast majority of infections. Group M has nine variations. Some are more prominent in various parts of the world than others. A vaccine would have to cover all the groups, all the variations - or one would require a vaccine for every single variation.
As of this writing, there isn't a post-infection cure for AIDS. There are therapies, but no cure. But it can be managed, and daily retrovirals can lead to what's called a "functional cure," in which a person with AIDS can live a normal lifespan, or at least, most of it.
As for President Trump: He has a lot on his plate, and it seems likely that AIDS isn't going to be a high priority. It's a safe bet that he'll keep on working on the "peace problem," though.
Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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