South Korean leader credits Trump—and so does Trump
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has credited his US counterpart Donald Trump with making a “huge” contribution to bringing the North and South together for landmark talks…
“War must not break out on the Korean Peninsula again,” Moon said. “My goal is to resolve the North Korean nuclear problem and solidify peace during my term.”
I have no idea what this will lead to, but it’s big enough news that not only is CNN covering it in the article I linked, but so are ABC (“I extend my gratitude to President Trump,” said Moon), the NY Times, and other MSM outlets that aren’t ordinarily into giving Trump much credit. I guess when Moon gives the credit, it’s news.
The Times couldn’t resist a subtle dig about Trump’s ego, though:
His comment reflected a tactful maneuver for Mr. Moon: stroking the ego of the American leader, who has claimed credit for the inter-Korean dialogue, while easing fears in Washington and among his conservative critics at home that in his eagerness for dialogue, he may be too accommodating to North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un.
In a post on Twitter last week, Mr. Trump asserted that North Korea had gone to the negotiating table because he had been “firm, strong and willing to commit our total ”˜might’ against the North.” Mr. Moon agreed on Wednesday that Mr. Kim’s decision to start a dialogue with the South could be a sign that the Trump administration’s policy of applying maximum sanctions and pressure was working.
After Trump wrote that tweet last week, it was followed up by some remarks I think very interesting (this was prior to Moon’s public statements thanking Trump):
Speaking to reporters at Camp David in Maryland on Saturday, at the end of a week marked by the publication of an explosive book about his administration and his mental capacity for his job [the writer can’t resist adding that reference, just to remind us], the president was asked if he would speak to Kim on the telephone.
“Sure, I believe in talking,” he said. “”¦ Absolutely I would do that, no problem with that at all.”
Asked if that meant there would be no prerequisites for such talk, the president said: “That’s not what I said at all.”
Trump added: “[Kim] knows I’m not messing around, not even a little bit, not even 1%. He understands that…
“If something good can happen and come out of those talks it would be a great thing for all of humanity. That would be a great thing for the world. Very important.”
Trump also said President Moon Jae-in of South Korea had thanked him “very much for my tough stance” and added that previous US governments “you know, for 25 years they haven’t been using a tough stance, they’ve been giving everything”.
“You have to have a certain attitude and you have to be prepared to do certain things and I’m totally prepared to do that,” he said…
He added, “and it’s not just a stance.”
Does that sound like a man who’s cognitively challenged? Not to me, it doesn’t. It’s certainly not elegant in terms of expression, but it’s an improvement on the claptrap that’s been issued about Korea by Democratic and Republican administrations for the past several decades.
Not “cognitively challenged,” but not artful, either. It would be nice if he would think a little before talking rather than having to amend his comments right away.
The TV cabinet meeting yesterday probably helped too. Trump knows how to use TV better then the TV moguls. Reagan was good with his quips and his humor in an age when the TV was slightly less hostile. Now, Trump has no choice but to use Twitter. I sometimes wish he was not so bombastic but he knows more about TV than I would even want to know.
You can take the promoter out of the WWE but u can’t take it out of the promoter, even now he is the president of the US. sometimes in life you just have to take the good with the bad. if the choice is between the elegant but incompetent Obama and vulgar but effective Trump, I would take Trump all day every day. you can’t choose to elect a nonpolitician due to getting fed up with being lied to by sweet talking sophisticated lawyer turned politician then turn around complain that this nonpolitician doesn’t sweetly lie to you and turn back from his promises to his supporters like a typical sophisticated lawyer turned politician
It’s certainly not elegant in terms of expression, but it’s an improvement on the claptrap that’s been issued about Korea by Democratic and Republican administrations for the past several decades.
Which so many forget.
” I guess when Moon gives the credit, it’s news.”
As far as the MSM is concerned, if a progressive like Moon says it, it must be true. Or partially true, or at least strategically useful.
Cross the line and we will Hussein you. I wonder if it would be sufficient to promise that we will not Gaddafi him.
After reading what Scott Adams has been saying about Trump and Korea, and considering Scott Adams’ interesting ideas about the situation as well, I am willing to predict that Trump will accomplish more to improve the situation with North Korea than anyone since the cease fire started. Adams has done an amazing job of dissecting Trump’s strategies and I think he really gets it. He understands why and how Trump has been effective, despite his many shortcomings.
It’s Good Cop — Bad Cop.
Our President’s role HAS TO BE Bad Cop.
This is something that totally eluded every president from Bush 41 to Soetoro 44.
&&&
This is clearly evident with Trump and Tillerson, with Trump being the Bad Cop, time and again, so that Tillerson can be the Good Cop.
As for that “subtle dig” from the Times; well, they can go ahead and keep up trashing Trump – even with subtle digs – they are only making themselves look petty.
No doubt, many on the left are just jealous because their golden child, Obama, couldn’t deliver half as much in eight years what Trump has delivered in one.
And they will, no doubt, pin their hopes and dreams on another false god – Oprah.