Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes recently interviewed President Trump. The interview is scheduled to be aired October 25, 2020.
I’m curious. What will I learn?
I met Lesley Stahl a year or so ago. Before I explain what I learned, I’ll explain the circumstances.
My wife chairs an organization that yearly invites four bestselling authors to speak before a luncheon crowd of about 700 charitable people, in support of our local library system. On a couple of occasions, I’ve helped by escorting an author. With only one exception, the highly acclaimed authors I’ve escorted have been warm and friendly and have chatted with me as if we were friends.
Lesley Stahl was the exception. When I extended my hand as we met, she most reluctantly shook it. She never made eye contract, not even during lunch as we sat at the same table; instead she worked in a huddle with her assistant throughout lunch. There was no goodbye or nice-to-meet-you.
Before lunch, Lesley Stahl presented a pre-lunch lecture to a small group of patrons. She whetted our appetites with stories about her meetings with President Trump and Nancy Pelosi. Here’s what I learned about those meetings. When she visited President Trump in the White House, she was surprised to learn that he is a very polite gentlemen, and that he is very comfortable in his position as president. When she visited Nancy Pelosi in her San Francisco home, she was surprised to learn how big and beautiful her house is.
After lunch, Lesley Stahl was to make her presentation to the entire group. When she took the stage, she announced that she would not make a presentation. She announced that, instead, she would sit for an interview. During her interview by a local newswoman, she became upset at the questions. She snapped at the interviewer: Why don’t you ask me questions about the book I wrote? She left the stage, leaving the audience cold.
Unlike so many authors who donate their speaking fees to the organization or charge reduced speaking fees, Lesley Stahl demanded a very large speaking fee and private jet travel (without comment about the environment).
On October 25, what will I learn from Lesley Stahl about President Trump? What more do I need to learn about Lesley Stahl?
Stephen Benisch
October 21
In 2016, the orange-headed Muppet was the best Republicans had to offer. A TV reality star who hosted a “game show” featuring B-Level celebrities and was best known for yelling, “You’re Fired!!” Wow. What a great choice for president!
This know-it-all had the audacity to not once, but twice insinuate Sen. Ted Cruz’s dad was involved with Lee Harvey Oswald. Who says something so bizarre about a fellow challenger? Did carrot-top have any limits? No. Linking a competitor’s father to the man who assassinated JFK sets the bar pretty low. Actually lays the bar on the ground.
At this point, I had enough; it was really down to Cruz and Trump. So I purchased the biggest sign I could find and put on my truck: “F*** Trump.” No one ever bothered me or my vehicle. I am not the most approachable guy, but I figured at least one mop-head supporter would say something. Nope.
During the primaries, Trump did teach me some valuable life lessons: With a rich Dad, there is a good chance you will become very wealthy with just a little ambition; no matter how bad your hair looks, and you have lots of money, you can get the ladies; you think a project may not be great, spend other people’s money — makes bankruptcy a lot easier on your own net worth.
Or my all-time favorite — when asked under oath your worth, it is completely reasonable to state any ridiculous amount. Why? Because you are a Brand, baby.
Of course, he became the official nominee of the Republican Party. What to do? My friends and I reached the same conclusion: Anyone was better than Hillary. Down came the sign. I held my nose and voted for him. Miraculously, he won.
We didn’t expect much from him. Basically, all of us just wanted him to act presidential — take away his proclivity to act like a teenager on Twitter — and handle the low-hanging fruit: oil pipelines, support fracking, decrease taxes, and hire the best Secretary of Defense possible.
He did all of those and so much more — we all know about the economic growth, ending our dependency on buying oil from people who hate us, and Mad Dog bombing ISIS off the map.
I was undeniably wrong — President Trump is damn good.
He has worked relentlessly on improving our economy, renegotiating trade deals, upping our military budget, creating more jobs, and raising the wealth of the middle class. President Trump has handled COVID as well as one can expect considering how the Mainstream Media treats everything he does negatively.
President Trump is our only hope to save America!
If you would have told me this four years ago, I would have laughed. But now, it is not a laughing matter.
Biden and Co. are looking to put in place ideology I find way too far left. Here is an article listing the mind-numbing direction they are looking to go. Plus, Joe has a long history of not telling the truth; in essence, he is a serial liar.
I understand you may want to vote Republican, but not for Trump — leave the president choice blank or select a third-party candidate. DON’T.
You aren’t marrying the guy. You don’t have to love him. You simply need to recognize President Trump does put America first. He does care what happens to this great land of ours; with him as president, there is no chance we will move closer toward a socialist society. Trump only wants success for our nation; it won’t be on his watch America strays further away from our Founding Fathers’ vision.
“If the world were perfect, it wouldn’t be.”
You will never find the perfect candidate. President Trump is worthy of your vote.
A. Reaper
October 19
The fitting punishment for Twitter is capitalism. Twitter is censoring the American president and others for the crime of exercising free speech. Twitter has failed to do its job properly, and President Trump needs to tell Twitter in front of millions and millions and millions, “You’re fired!”
President Trump should switch to Parler and parley with the American people. The publicity arising from such a move would be enormous. The curiosity of people over such an event would lead them to try to find out why Twitter had been dropped by millions. This curiosity would lead them straight to the censorship by Twitter of Joe Biden’s corruption.
Dropping Twitter for Parler looks like a win-win situation to me.
Joel Thomas Keener
October 17
Dan,
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What you wrote about Rush Limbaugh was wonderful. He has been a rock for me for the last 30 years. I have been devastated about his diagnoses, and am praying for him. I was horrified when he spoke yesterday. How can he be of such good cheer with that hanging over his head? I think his brother must have something to do with Rush’s new attitude. I wish I had a smidgen of his joie de vivre. He has a lot in common with Andrew Breitbart, I think.
Janice Johnson
October 20
