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phylny

(8,353 posts)
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 08:31 PM Feb 2020

Hell has frozen over - my Fox-watching father thinks Trump is "insane."

My father is 92 years old and has been a Long Island Republican for as long as he's lived there (62 years). In Nassau County, it was helpful to be a registered Republican because of the way the county government operated, i.e., if you wanted help, it helped to be a Republican. My father hated Obama - he watches Fox and that changed him from being a reasonable person to being unreasonable.

In any event, he loved Trump. Didn't like Hillary, although "I voted for her the first time" (NY Senate). He gets Trump mail, Trump emails, and still watches Fox and OAN.

Long story short, Dad fell last week and longer story short, I called him from Virginia twice, got no answer, and had his neighbor check on him. He'd been on the floor for over 12 hours, alone. Dad was gravely ill, but he didn't have a stroke. Longer longer story short, he was hospitalized for a week and is in rehab now.

My sister-in-law reported tonight that Dad told her that he changed his party affiliation to Independent. He said there are too many "gutless" people in Washington. And that "Trump is insane."

I'm stunned. I said to my sister-in-law, "Are we SURE he didn't have a stroke?"

I love my Dad. This makes it easier for me to love him unconditionally.

55 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Hell has frozen over - my Fox-watching father thinks Trump is "insane." (Original Post) phylny Feb 2020 OP
That is real question are there enough voters out there who have come the same conclusion. Thomas Hurt Feb 2020 #1
We know one thing...he hasn't gained any voters. nt UniteFightBack Feb 2020 #5
I'm happy he was ok. dewsgirl Feb 2020 #2
Thank you! phylny Feb 2020 #8
Perhaps during his hospital stay he didn't watch fox and watched local tv or cnn kimbutgar Feb 2020 #3
I wonder? He did watch some Fox, but not a lot. phylny Feb 2020 #10
Exactly what I was going to say packman Feb 2020 #23
My Mom is 82, and is now using a Life Alert. She's incredibly independent, and this bullwinkle428 Feb 2020 #36
He sounds like a good man, to come around like that. coti Feb 2020 #4
Thank you! phylny Feb 2020 #11
Strong Island, Strong Man. nt UniteFightBack Feb 2020 #6
He's a keeper. phylny Feb 2020 #15
Good to hear, phyl, elleng Feb 2020 #7
Thank you! phylny Feb 2020 #12
Everything in hell MFM008 Feb 2020 #9
Wow. MontanaMama Feb 2020 #13
I told my sister-in-law that it was so difficult not to be angry with my father phylny Feb 2020 #14
Oh yes. MontanaMama Feb 2020 #16
:) For sure. But in a real sense he already has. Hortensis Feb 2020 #18
Wishing you the best for your father. My mother fell mid Summer last year, and .. SWBTATTReg Feb 2020 #17
I'm so sorry about your mom. phylny Feb 2020 #30
Congratulations. Better late than never!❤ Karadeniz Feb 2020 #19
I hope you dad is on the mend Joinfortmill Feb 2020 #20
Great post. Very smart of you to get neighbors numbers so you can call them to check on your dad. n Blue_true Feb 2020 #21
Yes, neighbors across the street have known him for 40 years. phylny Feb 2020 #32
Your dad sounds like a tough guy. nt Blue_true Feb 2020 #34
I'm so glad you dad survived the floor for 12 hours Loryn Feb 2020 #22
Thank you! phylny Feb 2020 #33
That's very encouraging. ooky Feb 2020 #24
Hugs from this old Queens girl eleny Feb 2020 #25
I so hope that he is ok and gets well soon. efhmc Feb 2020 #26
I'm glad your dad is okay. Ohiogal Feb 2020 #27
No way I continue liking let alone loving 1/2 my family if Trump wins again. In laws are mindless Rs Pepsidog Feb 2020 #28
My 90 year old Rebl2 Feb 2020 #29
Hope he recovers quickly! tavernier Feb 2020 #31
Thank you all for the kind wishes, and everyone who did not have a Valentine's phylny Feb 2020 #35
So glad you got him back! MLAA Feb 2020 #37
I am glad your dad is in rehab. How horrible for him--and you, his family. riversedge Feb 2020 #38
Wishing your father a full and speedy recovery in every way! GeoWilliam750 Feb 2020 #39
I wish we could all have this outcome coeur_de_lion Feb 2020 #40
Trump will point to that frozen hell and say. . . Collimator Feb 2020 #41
I'm thinking . . . Aussie105 Feb 2020 #42
I'd love to see an ad campaign that features voters who have crossed over from the orange side. diva77 Feb 2020 #43
I hope he recovers from the fall. At that age they can be bad. LiberalFighter Feb 2020 #44
A defoxification drug in the hospital? roamer65 Feb 2020 #45
Congrats, cilla4progress Feb 2020 #46
These redemption stories aren't aired, but they're happening. lindysalsagal Feb 2020 #47
I try telling people that there are a lot of those folks out there; I know some. oldsoftie Feb 2020 #48
What caused him to change his mind? starphlo Feb 2020 #49
Perhaps his brush with mortality jimlup Feb 2020 #50
I'm so happy and relieved your Dad is OK sdfernando Feb 2020 #51
Maybe he can convince some of his rehab buddies Ilsa Feb 2020 #52
Yay! whathehell Feb 2020 #53
My two Republican bosses read headline "Acquittal". Both scoffed and said ridiculous. krissey Feb 2020 #54
my 94 yr old great-aunt fell on easter + luckily we were early. spent hours in her bathroom w/ a pansypoo53219 Feb 2020 #55

kimbutgar

(20,882 posts)
3. Perhaps during his hospital stay he didn't watch fox and watched local tv or cnn
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 08:38 PM
Feb 2020

He then got deprogrammed rather quickly.

That said I’m glad he is doing better. I just got back from visiting my mother in law. She is 88 and lives alone and I see her getting more frailer. She uses a cane when she is out I public but At home she walks without it. I asked her about getting a life alert but she keeps putting it off.

phylny

(8,353 posts)
10. I wonder? He did watch some Fox, but not a lot.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 08:57 PM
Feb 2020

I hope your M-I-L stays safe. We definitely want a life alert button for him, among other things.

 

packman

(16,296 posts)
23. Exactly what I was going to say
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 09:34 PM
Feb 2020

From personnel experience, laying in a hospital bed with few channel selections for a week or two (especially if the hospital didn't have Fox as one of its channels) can deprogram a person.

bullwinkle428

(20,626 posts)
36. My Mom is 82, and is now using a Life Alert. She's incredibly independent, and this
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 10:05 PM
Feb 2020

gives us lots of peace of mind should anything ever occur.

coti

(4,612 posts)
4. He sounds like a good man, to come around like that.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 08:38 PM
Feb 2020

People can always be redeemed in things like this.

phylny

(8,353 posts)
14. I told my sister-in-law that it was so difficult not to be angry with my father
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 09:00 PM
Feb 2020

for voting for Trump. Now, I hope he lives long enough to vote him out of office.

SWBTATTReg

(21,859 posts)
17. Wishing you the best for your father. My mother fell mid Summer last year, and ..
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 09:04 PM
Feb 2020

unfortunately it was outside, so she was unable to get up and get back into the house. She did get found by the neighbor kids next day. A sad event, we think that perhaps she had a stroke that caused her to fall, we don't know what came first, the fall or the stroke.

The mental condition of your father sounds really good. Again, best wishes for a full and speedy recovery of your father. Take care!

phylny

(8,353 posts)
30. I'm so sorry about your mom.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 09:54 PM
Feb 2020

Falling is such a traumatic event. My father has his mind, which is really amazing.

phylny

(8,353 posts)
32. Yes, neighbors across the street have known him for 40 years.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 09:56 PM
Feb 2020

The entire story is incredible, but when he went back to check on my dad (he said he'd had a "hard time understanding him, and I wondered aloud if he had had a stroke, which he did not) I called my father's house, the neighbor answered and said, "He's on the floor, what should I do?" I answered, "Call 911 and do NOT listen to him when he tells you not to" which of course my father did

Loryn

(941 posts)
22. I'm so glad you dad survived the floor for 12 hours
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 09:28 PM
Feb 2020

and will be cared for in rehab.

Changing his party affiliation is an exciting bonus for all!

ooky

(8,885 posts)
24. That's very encouraging.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 09:35 PM
Feb 2020

Both that he is recovering from his fall and being freed from Trumpism. I'm sure that was a very scary ordeal for him and glad to hear he's recovering okay.

eleny

(46,166 posts)
25. Hugs from this old Queens girl
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 09:38 PM
Feb 2020

I bet you remember old Long Island like I do. Farm stands and old "highways".

But to the important thing, I'm glad that your dad is recovering from his ordeal. Hugz to him, too, from afar (Colorado). I bet you have some good conversations in the days ahead. It's wonderful that you still have him.

efhmc

(14,709 posts)
26. I so hope that he is ok and gets well soon.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 09:40 PM
Feb 2020

Glad he has realized how crazy DJT is but hope he is better soon.

Ohiogal

(31,661 posts)
27. I'm glad your dad is okay.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 09:44 PM
Feb 2020

And that now after all this time you have something in common!

Hugs to you both.

Rebl2

(13,311 posts)
29. My 90 year old
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 09:53 PM
Feb 2020

life long Republican father told me recently he can’t stand Trump. He never cared for Bush 2 either. Wasn’t exactly surprised, but was happy to hear him say it. My Mom has never liked him thankfully. She so wanted to see a woman become President. Not sure that will happen in her lifetime.

phylny

(8,353 posts)
35. Thank you all for the kind wishes, and everyone who did not have a Valentine's
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 10:00 PM
Feb 2020

heart on this thread does now

Collimator

(1,639 posts)
41. Trump will point to that frozen hell and say. . .
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 10:37 PM
Feb 2020

This is proof that Global Warming is a hoax!

Kidding aside, I am very happy for you that your father was found and is receiving care. The clearing of his mind from the Fox Fog is a joyous thing indeed.

Aussie105

(5,214 posts)
42. I'm thinking . . .
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 10:50 PM
Feb 2020

that every time Trump opens his mouth to abuse someone, and every time he fires someone, he is whittling away at his rusted on base.

Some of them, surely, must be going 'Nah, that is one bridge too far, I'm not following this idiot any more!'

Trump only knows greed, bullying, name calling, revenge and hate, personality features inappropriate for a POTUS and seen as negative traits by most Americans.

diva77

(7,604 posts)
43. I'd love to see an ad campaign that features voters who have crossed over from the orange side.
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 10:58 PM
Feb 2020

Kudos to your dad! May he heal quickly.

cilla4progress

(24,588 posts)
46. Congrats,
Fri Feb 7, 2020, 11:02 PM
Feb 2020

phylny!

So proud of my 92 yr. old MIL, who has been a strong Democrat all her life! Union strong!!

lindysalsagal

(20,440 posts)
47. These redemption stories aren't aired, but they're happening.
Sat Feb 8, 2020, 09:11 AM
Feb 2020

Unless there's blood, jail, or sexual organs involved, nothing gets airtime.

oldsoftie

(12,410 posts)
48. I try telling people that there are a lot of those folks out there; I know some.
Sat Feb 8, 2020, 12:32 PM
Feb 2020

But they WONT vote for a Sanders type. They may just stay home, which is still a partial win. Still COULD vote again for trump, who knows. Two that i know SAID they'd cast a vote for Bloomberg. But ANY loss of trumps original group is GOOD. Because i dont see him GAINING many new ones

jimlup

(7,968 posts)
50. Perhaps his brush with mortality
Sat Feb 8, 2020, 02:41 PM
Feb 2020

caused a crises of conscience. I hope he is well. My dad is 88 but he's a stalwart dem and has been since '70

sdfernando

(4,896 posts)
51. I'm so happy and relieved your Dad is OK
Sat Feb 8, 2020, 02:53 PM
Feb 2020

Not to make light of things but maybe he got some sense knocked into him?

Cherish the time you have with him every day and let him know he has a whole DU family that is proud of him.

My Dad is also 92 and will be 93 before Election Day. He is in assisted living and really isn’t mobile but one of us kids will make sure he votes.

Peace ✌️ ☮️

 

krissey

(1,205 posts)
54. My two Republican bosses read headline "Acquittal". Both scoffed and said ridiculous.
Sat Feb 8, 2020, 03:31 PM
Feb 2020

I didn't know which way they were going, assumed they didn't like Trump was impeached and tried to shut the conversation down. My surprise? They think he is guilty and should have been removed.

pansypoo53219

(20,906 posts)
55. my 94 yr old great-aunt fell on easter + luckily we were early. spent hours in her bathroom w/ a
Sat Feb 8, 2020, 05:51 PM
Feb 2020

broken hip. other than no moving after surgery she lived til 98.9. so hope he recovers.

and remind him a vote for not D is a vote for the moron.

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