Merkel Has Harvard Cheering Attack on Trump's Politics of Deceit

[groundloop]

Source: Bloomberg

<snip>

Without ever mentioning the U.S. leader by name, the German chancellor checked off a list of policy issues where she has clashed with Trump -- from trade, to immigration and climate change -- that left her audience in no doubt as to whom she might mean.

When she called on the students and university alumni to "tear down walls" they rose to their feet -- Trump’s 2016 battle cry, of course, was to "build the wall" to keep out immigrants coming across the border with Mexico.

“Tear down walls of ignorance and narrow-mindedness, for nothing has to stay as it is,” Merkel said in a speech that drew from her own experience of life behind the Berlin Wall to argue that positive change is possible.

Yet she also warned of the damage done to public life when people treat "lies as truth and truth as lies" and suggested it’s better to stop and think before acting on "first impulses" -- comments that prompted cheers and laughter.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-30/merkel-attacks-trump-s-unilateral-world-view-in-harvard-speech

[Evolve Dammit]

1. That ought to piss off Dotard 45.

[mahina]

23. Here's the video

I’m sure you’re right!

[Evolve Dammit]

29. I couldn't get the link. Sorry.

[babylonsister]

2. "Tear down walls of ignorance and narrow-mindedness, for nothing has to stay as it is," Merkel said

Brava!

[MyOwnPeace]

3. How great........

What a brilliant idea to have Chancellor Merkel as the commencement speaker - way-to-go, Harvard!

[Judi Lynn]

9. Brilliant is the word. She is a star! She stands her own against a malicious idiot.

[MyOwnPeace]

10. I LOVE the sincere.....

W-T-F looks she's giving in the first 2 pics!

[riversedge]

4. she is a fighter!

..........The crowd sprawled out on the university campus embraced the chancellor as the antithesis of Trump-era politics, applauding when she pledged climate neutrality by 2050 -- even though she’s pilloried at home for missing targets.

Merkel, who says she won’t run again when her current term ends in 2021 at the latest, was aiming to burnish her legacy. She denies seeking another political office, including heading one of the European Union institutions, said Thursday that her post-chancellorship future is “completely open.”

Merkel joins a list of prominent commencement speakers in recent years, from Facebook Inc. co-founder and Harvard dropout Mark Zuckerberg to “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling and television host Oprah Winfrey. Last year’s address was given by U.S. civil rights pioneer and U.S. Representative John Lewis.

[iluvtennis]

5. Bravo Chancellor Merkel

[gademocrat7]

6. Chancellor Merkle is a remarkable woman.

A true world leader.

[OMGWTF]

7. Merkel is the legit Leader of the Free World!

[SergeStorms]

8. "Tear down walls of ignorance and narrow-mindedness"....

well, there goes the republican party. All of the smart republicans have turned into Democrats.

[BigmanPigman]

11. She did a similar thing a few months ago when Ivanka was in the audience

and she didn't react at all. The princess knew who Merkel was talking about at a world finance speech in Europe but she sat there like she was frozen when all eyes turned toward her.

[Scarsdale]

15. Just like daddy,

Ivanka loves to be the center of attention, even when it is negative. Merkel is brilliant, and we all know tRump despises intelligent women. Gold diggers are more his style. She is staring at his anus shaped mouth just the way a lot of us so, wondering what the HELL is wrong with him? This weekend the Brits will see firsthand what American royalty (?) looks like. The entire tRump family is visiting. Maybe the Forst Lay-Dee will take some tastefully framed nude photos of herself along to give as gifts? Show those royals what real class looks like!! Dear God, please make this farce end - SOON.

[BigmanPigman]

18. Did you see the photos and article in the Daily Mail

from when Melanie went to Japan. Apparently English people aren't aware of her past naked photos since they took photos of the sun shining through her dress barely showing an outline of her legs (like Princess Di before she got married they said). They ran three photos of her compared to Di's photo. Do they really believe this?

[TheRealNorth]

26. What? This wasn't front page news here in the U.S.

Because remember when Michelle Obama's bare shoulders was a travesty.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

12. wow...looking for a candidate who can inspire like that. Literally make people

rise to their feet

“Tear down walls of ignorance and narrow-mindedness, for nothing has to stay as it is,” Merkel said in a speech

#jealousofgermany

[FailureToCommunicate]

13. It was amazing to see her today! Imagine a world leader with gravitas...

like the President we once had... before this buffoon who can't finish a simple sentence without stumbling over his ego.

[smirkymonkey]

14. Leader of the Western World.

[sop]

16. That image of Trump seated - arms tightly folded, a look of stupid obstinacy on his ugly face,

his little pig eyes staring angrily away, avoiding any eye contact with his betters, surrounded by exasperated world leaders, while Merkel leans forward on the table, glaring at him with pure disgust - should be in every history book whenever his presidency is discussed.

[mahina]

19. Yes except that pigs are more aware

and their eyes are livelier and warmer. I don’t know what living being shares that vacuous malevolent dead gaze. I’ve seen more warmth of life in the eyes of dead reptiles.

[sop]

20. Sharks? Snakes?

[mahina]

22. Maybe dead sharks.

[Lifelong Protester]

17. He's a moron.

She's playing chess while he's playing tiddlywinks

[Kurt V.]

21. the part i watched she was speaking English then switched to German with and interpreter. which

language did she use for that part?

[FailureToCommunicate]

25. The remainder of her speech was in German with

translation every few sentences. There were also LOTS of applause interruptions. Captivating address!

[Kurt V.]

27. thnx.

[DFW]

24. Merkel has a knack for sticking knives in without the recipient ever realizing it

This was another brilliant example. Here in Germany, she gets criticized for that very skill. Much of the press here is frustrated by her quiet competence, along with her willingness to admit imperfection. The arrogant, the incompetent and the corrupt will be glad to see her go (she has said this will be her last term). The rest of us will mourn the end of her era. Instead of being bound by the limits of her party, she rose above it to truly be her country's leader. She scares the lesser-minded, and she didn't have to specify the name of the person she meant in her address.

[burrowowl]

28. K&R

[Maxheader]

30. A big yowser for harvard students...may they carry forth with the battle cry in november..2020

And hopefully the rest of the younger generations in americu will do the same..