The deafening, devastating sound of John Kelly's silence

[brooklynite]

Washington Post

Kelly is no Trump fan, not in the wake of his unceremonious firing and Trump’s derisive assessment. (“He got eaten alive,” Trump said Friday, suggesting Kelly might be a Goldberg source. “He was unable to handle the pressure of this job.&quot

But does anyone beyond the most reflexive Trump supporter really believe that a career Marine, a four-star general, a Gold Star father, would invent such a story — however it managed to make its way to Goldberg? Goldberg describes Trump’s visit with Kelly to Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day 2017. They stood at the grave of Kelly’s son Robert, killed at 29 in Afghanistan when he stepped on a landmine leading a platoon of Marines. “Trump, while standing by Robert Kelly’s grave, turned directly to his father and said, ‘I don’t get it. What was in it for them?’” Goldberg writes.

Does anyone believe that Goldberg — an experienced and well-regarded journalist, with a track record of scoops and a deep bench of military sources — would make this up or run it without fully checking? Full disclosure: I’ve known Goldberg for more than 30 years, since he was an intern at The Post, and I have complete confidence in his professionalism. A credibility contest between Trump and Goldberg is no contest at all.

Not to mention: Every damning incident in the story is consistent with what we already know of Trump’s character and attitude toward military service. His avoidance of the Vietnam draft, with seemingly bogus claims of bone spurs. His public derision of the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), “I like people who weren’t captured.” His 2016 belittling of a Gold Star father who appeared at the Democratic convention.

So what should we make of Kelly’s silence? Ingrained habits of stoicism and convictions about duties of confidentiality and loyalty to a commander in chief, even this one, seem to be at work here. This is perplexing, to say the least. There are persuasive arguments on the other side about countervailing duties, including to warn the country about the man seeking a second term. But heroes are scarce among those who chose to serve Trump. Kelly’s tenure in “Crazytown,” as Bob Woodward quoted him in describing the Trump White House, included overseeing the implementation of the administration’s cruel policy of separating migrant children from their parents.

[RockRaven]

1. John Kelly is a traitorous piece of shit who sold out his country because the wannebe fuhrer

is as racist and morally depraved as himself.

[Warpy]

2. I'm not so sure

I remember years ago reading an unceremoniously fired employee who remarked that Mattis and Kelly discussed tackling Dumdum if he ever went for the "football" containing the nuclear codes.

I think the whole thing left a spectacularly rotten taste in Kelly's mouth and I think he wants it behind him. I doubt he joined that maladministration because he was a great fan, although he did buy into the party's bullshit. His silence quite possibly means he just wants to have a quiet retirement while he lives the whole thing down.

If we oust this bunch, he might be more willing to talk, but maybe not.

[stopdiggin]

12. a fairly tepid defense

And perhaps about on par with what the man deserves.

Maybe we could start by 86ing the assumption that all military leaders of a certain rank are men of great moral fiber and rectitude. No matter how steadfastly we cling to it -- the idea (and the ideal) is a myth.

And the fact that the man had a son that fell in the line of duty makes him a figure of certain deserving sympathy -- but, again, does not elevate his own moral or ethical stature. A man can be (often is proven to be) a total sh*theel in other aspects of life.

I'm not waiting for any "redeeming" moments of rescued or salvaged honor from Mr. Kelly. I think he is who he is.

[Warpy]

14. The closest I ever got to being in the military

was working as a nurse in a VA hospital, but that was enough to disabuse me of any notion that the brass were deserving of blind obedience and unending respect. They're as boring and fallible as the rest of us.

So yes, it's s tepid defense and it's about what he deserves at present. That might change in the future if it all boils over and he speaks out, even if he waits until Dumdum is a civilian.

I just don't consider him a particularly demonic presence. He's certainly not in the same class as, say, Miller.

[stopdiggin]

16. agreed. I think everybody that served this

president is complicit (each in their own individual action and circumstance) to some degree. And I would put him (Kelly) in about the same frame as McConnell or Giuliani. Maybe not evil -- but certainly (and conspicuously) carrying water for a dangerous threat.

And I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts -- that Kelly knows loads about the Russians, the Ukrainians, MBS, Syria, Stone, Manafort ....... i.e. truly treasonous acts

[BamaRefugee]

3. Kelly ain't jumping off the caged children gravy train. Grifter gotta grift.

[link:[link:https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/03/politics/john-kelly-caliburn-international/index.html#:~:text=%28CNN%29%20Former%20White%20House%20chief%20of%20staff%20and,Services%2C%20which%20operates%20shelters%20for%20unaccompanied%20migrant%20children.||

[KY_EnviroGuy]

13. I suspect that job is why he's clammed up.

Essentially he has been told if he want to keep his cushy retirement job at Caliburn, "keep your trap shut about Trump".

Quote from article:

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Friday slammed Kelly's career shift as "corruption at its absolute worst."

"John Kelly oversaw many of the Trump Admin's most morally repugnant immigration policies," she tweeted. "Now he could be making big bucks serving on the Board of a company that's profiting from the same cruel plans he put in place."

Caliburn knows their child trafficking grift is likely to be over and done after Joe Biden is elected.


KY......

[Warpy]

15. Yes, his silence is paid for

I rather doubt he's doing any hands on work at this point, they'd want him as far away as possible.

The gravy train is going to come to a screeching halt as soon as Dumdum is gone. Then we'll know what's really going on.

[LuvNewcastle]

4. If Kelly isn't speaking up because he has a personal

rule about not disclosing information that is supposed to be kept confidential, I can understand that. It isn't a reason I accept in such an important situation, but I understand it. But surely he knows that it's wrong to keep silent when speaking up is the patriotic and mature thing to do. I hope he's just looking for the right words to say and the right time to say them.

[onetexan]

7. Kelly knew what a snake the Con is when he jumped on that wayward ship. I think he's ashamed of his

time working under such a hideous man. He had been a 4-star general who commanded thousands of troops yet had to deal with a complete embecil who berated them. I also think it's cowardly of him to have remained silent when he witnessed the disrespect of our military, and to still remain silent now that it's all over the media. He could have refused to serve and keep his integrity intact. Yet he chose to sell himself out to a Conman, and in keeping silent he is complicit to the Con's crimes.

[LuvNewcastle]

9. Yes, Kelly could have a major effect on

this election if he would speak up. It should be obvious to most people by now that Trump is an evil man and allowing him to continue in this position is a terrible danger to this country and the world. Kelly has an obligation to speak up. Anyone with a moral compass should be feeling the urge to throw cold water on Trump's candidacy. If I had knowledge about Trump that could wreck his chances in this election and I didn't speak up, I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

[Blue_true]

18. The best that we can hope for is that Kelly is waiting for the first week

of October to unload on Trump. We can hope that, although my sense is that a man who would aggressively implement Trump’s inhumane immigration policy and who regularly showed disdain for African American office holders is no one that we should invest any faith in.

[Blue_true]

19. Bingo. nt

[msongs]

5. and every elected republican in the usa nt

[Walleye]

6. Kelly is a prick. Remember when he called congresswoman Federica Wilson an empty barrel?

[lunatica]

8. I've never forgotten that.

I was just going to post that Kelly is as empty as an empty barrel. Or maybe that part where his soul should be is empty.

[Withywindle]

10. If it was false, he would have said so. n/t

[BainsBane]

11. Even the White House believes the story

which is why they came up with the "he's just an asshole" defense.

[Blue_true]

17. Why does Kelly stay silent? He hates the same people as Trump. He fundamentally believe in the

same things as Trump. He supports that unpatriotic rotten apple over a patriotic, decent Joe Biden, and he won’t do anything to change that, even as Trump insults him and minimizes his life.

[TeamPooka]

20. Gen. Kelly is a white supremacist.

[ananda]

21. Kompromat -- profiting off kidnapped migrant kids.

..

[wiggs]

22. He thinks Trump and GOP are going to come out on top in November. nt