Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Friday, May 10, 2024 76° Today's Paper


Top News

Obama: Americans will reject Trump’s ‘wacky’ ideas

1/1
Swipe or click to see more

ASSOCIATED PRESS

U.S. President Barack Obama pauses as he speaks during a news conference at the Landmark Mekong Riverside Hotel in Vientiane, Laos.

VIENTIANE, Laos >> President Barack Obama says Donald Trump confirms his belief that the Republican presidential candidate isn’t qualified for the job “every time he speaks,” adding that he was confident Americans would ultimately reject the brash billionaire on Election Day.

Closing out his final presidential trip to Asia today, Obama said his meetings with foreign leaders during stops in China and Laos had illustrated that governing is “serious business” requiring knowledge, preparation and thought-out policies that can actually be implemented. He urged Americans not to allow the “outrageous behavior” seen amid the campaign-season din to become the new normal.

“The most important thing for the public and the press is to just listen to what he says and follow up and ask questions to what appear to be either contradictory or uninformed or outright wacky ideas,” Obama said.

Throughout the campaign, Obama has repeatedly denounced Trump and deemed him “unfit” to serve as commander in chief, while arguing that his controversial positions and comments are a step beyond what Republican nominees have embraced in the past. Obama has endorsed Hillary Clinton and has said he plans to campaign full-force for the Democrat before the Nov. 8 election.

Obama’s remarks came at the end of a grueling nine-day trip that took him to Laos and China following U.S. stops in Nevada, Hawaii and Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. Obama said the United States and Southeast Asian nations gathered in Laos have advanced a vision of an open, competitive economic system in which all nations play by the same rules.

“When I think back to the time I spent here as a boy, I can’t help but be struck by the extraordinary progress that’s been made by the region in the decades since, even if there’s still a lot of work to be done,” Obama said.

Topping that list is the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation free-trade deal Obama helped broker. The deal awaits ratification in the U.S. Congress, where there is opposition from both parties. Obama said he planned to do everything possible to persuade lawmakers to approve it before year’s end.

Obama rejected the notion that he’d been slighted while in Asia or that leaders in the region were rejecting his leadership — a criticism leveled by Trump.

The start of Obama’s trip was overshadowed by tense moments on the tarmac in Hangzhou when Chinese officials clashed with White House aides and appeared to have failed to secure a staircase for Obama’s plane. The awkwardness continued days later when Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte called Obama a “son of a bitch” and warned Obama not to challenge him in their planned meeting in Laos. Obama called off the meeting.

But Obama ended up exchanging pleasantries with Duterte on the summit’s sidelines. Obama said they shook hands but that it was a brief interaction, adding that he’d told Duterte their aides should confer on how the two treaty allies can move forward.

“I don’t take these comments personally, because it seems as if this is a phrase he’s used repeatedly directed at the pope and others,” Obama said of the slur.

As an example of progress on the trip, Obama pointed to discussions with Southeast Asian leaders about maritime disputes in the South China Sea and suggested progress had been made in clarifying the path ahead to lower tensions between China and the Philippines. In a joint statement issued by leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, members were expected to issue a mild rebuke to China without referencing it by name.

“I realize this raises tensions,” Obama said earlier as he met with ASEAN leaders, referring to a recent international arbitration ruling against China on the maritime dispute. “But I also look forward to discussing how we can constructively move forward together to lower tensions and promote diplomacy and regional stability.”

On his final day in Asia, Obama met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose help Obama is seeking to galvanize further action on climate change, especially among developing countries. The two grinned and shook hands but made no substantive comments as reporters were allowed in briefly for the start of their meeting.

54 responses to “Obama: Americans will reject Trump’s ‘wacky’ ideas”

  1. peanutgallery says:

    After 8 years of OneBigAssMistakeAmerica, America is desperate to get back to the rule of law, and away from Clinton/Obama.

    • Boots says:

      And what rule of law is that? Lying to the America

      • Windward_Side says:

        I suppose you’re referring to both Hilary and Obama.

        • Boots says:

          Actually I was referring to republicans in general. You know, like Iraq had WMDs, and Voodoo will keep the federal budget balanced. Just remember when republicans lie, people die and the economy crashes. If Obama has lied, at least the economy has still gone up.

          I find it amazing that anyone would vote for someone who has filed bankruptcy multiple times primarily just to stiff his suppliers. I think his stiffing those young girls who sang at one of his rallies is pretty pathetic. Doubt you will find Hillary doing that. Are you proud of him stiffing young girls? What suckers they were. lol

        • Winston says:

          Yes, so much better to vote for a corrupt, incompetent, compulsive liar, one whose “memory” problem led to her using the phrase “I do not recall” 38 times during her FBI interview, one who actively obstructed justice by destroying evidence under subpoena, and one who can’t seem to open her yap without distorting fact and truth in the most obvious way. That the one we should vote for? Given her propensity to lie brazenly, over and over again BEFORE being elected, can’t you imagine the scale of the whoppers she’ll tell after gaining the protections of the Presidency?

        • livinginhawaii says:

          I’m confused – I thought the claim of Iraq’s WMDs came directly from several individuals within the CIA through examination of satellite imagery. I do not recall “republicans in general” making this up out of thin air – rather, that a majority of them along with democrats (except for Abercrombie) chose to believe in what these individuals in the CIA were suggesting at the time. Boots – was this not what happened?

      • lespark says:

        Boots, the pressure getting to you? Ten point lead vaped?

        • Boots says:

          We shall see. Frankly I see little reason why anyone especially “conservatives” would vote for the Donald. How can people think so little of the presidency of the United States when they think a person with zero political experience can actually do the job? Might as well go to the town butcher for brain surgery.

          That saiid, there are some things I agree with the Donald about and I have long felt that he was the best republican candidate running. Sadly that is not saying much.

        • Keonigohan says:

          Vaped…poof…she panicking. Did anyone see that NYPD confirmed hiLIARy was wearing an inductive EARBUD?

    • BluesBreaker says:

      Apparently, you’re speaking for yourself and your fellow wingnuts who post here. Based on the polling seen in state after state, so far voters are desperate to avoid having an unhinged nutcase named Trump in the White House.

    • klastri says:

      Yes. Well, if you’ve proven one thing with your comments, it’s that you are certainly an expert and an authority on the law and presidential power. Exactly.

      Right.

      • Keonigohan says:

        Good morning …didn’t see anything from you on the OBAMACARE story here on Sept. 6…check it out.
        Also did you see the story on hiLIARuy wearing inductive earbuds as confirmed by NYPD?
        Hey Matt did a credible job didn’t he.

    • raiderDogs says:

      Amen to that Obama is in like the Cash song the burning ring of Fire. His lies to America and actions to change our country are catching up on him. How can he support the person that eight years ago both he and his wife referred to as being a really bad person. He too has graduated from the Clinton school of lying with honors.

    • kuroiwaj says:

      PeanutGallery, agree with your post and will add that the Hawaii born President Obama must end his dividing of America.

  2. serious says:

    Yes, Trump is “wacky” he uses the men’s restroom.

  3. MichaelG says:

    Trump is fanning the fears in our nation under the disguise of nationalism and scapegoating minorities, mainly Mexicans. A horrible dictator in the 30’s/early 40’s did the same and brought War to Europe.

    • Boots says:

      The Donald is the typical republican who should he become president will plunge this country into another recession. Voodoo just does not work. Tax cuts for the rich while building a worthless wall will not do anything good.

    • Windward_Side says:

      It is comments such as these that are ‘fanning the fears in our nation’. Trump has always referred to ‘illegal immigrants’ that needs to be deported. And what’s wrong with vetting immigrants from known terrorist areas.

  4. Ikefromeli says:

    Trump is entirely unprepared, unsophisticated and without a clue. By way of specific example, his inane utterance that to the winner goes the spoils and that we (the US) take Iraq’s oil.

    So many things wrong with the statement. First, no military leaders, current or retired, support such preposterous actions. Two, this is not 14th century Europe where you become the possessor of a conquered county– which leads into point three, Iraq is a country in which we are allies. Fourth, they (Iraq) is a recognized sovereign and as such we have no rights to their oil and moreover would not give up such important resource rights. Fifth, our military is not a mercenary force, and to say you would use it to protect oil companies where they extract oil, goes against the very grain of the objectives of our military. Finally, what would a country do without their oil? It is a primary, if not the largest, source of national revenue…..

    An entirely simplistic but moreover impractical comment by an equally analogous man……

  5. soundofreason says:

    ““The most important thing for the public and the press is to just listen to what he says and follow up and ask questions to what appear to be either contradictory or uninformed or outright whacky ideas,” Obama said.”>>> Sounds like he just described his own O’bamacare program and statements.

  6. ready2go says:

    Obama’s correct. It’s easy to talk the talk and huff and puff! Being in the canoe and actually paddling is absolutely different from being a spectator who watches the canoe races from the beach. Monday morning quarterbacks are dime a dozen!

    • wave1 says:

      Will just see what happens when in 2017 Trump gets into that canoe, I’m betting he will install a couple gas turbines coupled to a adjustable pitch prop…

      • MillionMonkeys says:

        Another cute, vague metaphor. But what is his actual policy on canoe racing? He said he was gonna make the Hawaiians pay for his canoes. But when a big Hawaiian dude appeared, he obediently said “I love Hawaiian people. They are ‘beyond reproach, spectacular, hard-working people.’”

  7. wave1 says:

    Don’t understand why current Pres tries to tell the Public who is qualified to be Pres. This is a freaking democracy, we will be the judge of that.

  8. Winston says:

    Truly hilarious that our “president”, who produced the obamacare train wreck, a failed middle east policy, a stimulus that didn’t stimulate, a national debt double his predecessor, and an economy that is practically dead, is worried about Trump’s “wacky” ideas.

  9. justmyview371 says:

    Obama be quiet. You can get another term so your comments are irrelevant.

  10. MillionMonkeys says:

    Putting all politics and ideology aside, voters should consider Donald J Trump’s personality/thinking type. He does have a unique thinking style, which his followers think is great and his opponents think is dangerous. It might help to look at one of the many models out there:

    https://www.16personalities.com/personality-types

    Trump is clearly an Explorer type (entrepreneur, entertainer, adventurer). There is NO Analyst, Diplomat, or Sentinel in him. Everyone agree?

    The notable characteristic of an entrepreneur is unusually high optimism. That’s what it takes for a person to quit their safe job, invest their life savings (even go into debt) for the unlikely chance of hitting the jackpot. The majority of entrepreneurs go broke, so it takes an unrealistic optimism and disregard for details to do all that [Do a search on what happened with Trump Airlines].

    He doesn’t even notice that his original deportation plan, “all illegal immigrants must go,” is different from one he said a few weeks ago, “send back just the bad criminals!” He doesn’t notice or care that 11 million is not the same as 700,000. Those are details he, the owner of the business, doesn’t deal with; his managers have to sort that out and translate to the public.

    It’s a fascinating approach to life and business, which explains his pop culture recognition decades before his deserved success in his “The Apprentice” reality show. The Apprentice would not have succeeded if they’d put a regular successful businessman in Trump’s place. Without Donald’s flair, it would have been boring.

    However, keep in mind that what makes a salesman, entrepreneur, or entertainer successful does not necessarily transfer to other business and organization functions. Top salesmen don’t do well as sales managers; a so-so salesman will make a better sales manager, while letting the top salesman do his thing. Disaster always happens when an innovative project leader is rewarded with the CEO post; you need a steady, intellectual, diplomatic (yes, boring) person to be the CEO.

    Campaigning is like a long sales campaign, combined with reality-show entertainment. Donald outsold all his boring Republican opponents in the primary. He’s doing surprisingly well in keeping it close with Hillary, who has a supposedly perfect resume to be elected.

    But the actual POTUS job is like being a CEO who should be intellectual, team-oriented, and socially proper. Trump is already frustrating his own staff by not paying attention to any details, and changing his stances without noticing it himself. This is not a John Wayne or Dirty Harry movie where you can just say some cool phrases and wipe out all the bad guys. “Extreme vetting” and “generals are reduced to rubble” all sound great on the news, but have no real-world application because Donald put very little thought into his latest cool slogans.

    If you’ve read this far, good. Voters, please pay attention. Trump won’t pay attention, so you should.

    • CEI says:

      Then there’s Hillary Clinton…This from Wikipedia:

      Defining characteristics of pathological lying include:

      The stories told are usually dazzling or fantastical, but never breach the limits of plausibility, which is key to the pathological liar’s tactic. The tales are not a manifestation of delusion or some broader type of psychosis; upon confrontation, the teller can admit them to be untrue, even if unwillingly.
      The fabricative tendency is chronic; it is not provoked by the immediate situation or social pressure so much as it is an innate trait of the personality. There is some element of dyscontrol present.
      A definitely internal, not an external, motive for the behavior can be discerned clinically: e.g., long-lasting extortion or habitual spousal battery might cause a person to lie repeatedly, without the lying being a pathological symptom.[2]
      The stories told tend toward presenting the liar favorably. The liar “decorates their own person”[3] by telling stories that present them as the hero or the victim. For example, the person might be presented as being fantastically brave, as knowing or being related to many famous people, or as having great power, position, or wealth.
      Pathological lying may also present as false memory syndrome, where the sufferer genuinely believes that fictitious (imagined) events have taken place. The sufferer may believe that he or she has accomplished superhuman feats or awe-inspiring acts of altruism and love — or has committed equally grandiose acts of diabolical evil, for which the sufferer must atone or already has atoned in her/his fantasies.

      If you’ve read this far, good. Voters, please pay attention. Hillary won’t pay attention, so you should.

      • MillionMonkeys says:

        Thanks for reading at least half my post. The subject is Trump and his personality/thinking type. He has a lot of likeable qualities, most people would agree, as a businessman and reality show star. Yes, most people like having him as part of our culture—until he became a candidate for the most powerful position in the world!

        People are afraid that if he runs the USA the way he ran Trump Airlines, or the way he’s running his own campaign—ideology and politics aside—there will be a lot of operational issues that could lead to some serious problems. Does that make sense?

    • wave1 says:

      You make some good points. The thing I like about Trump is that he will through a monkey wrench into the entire screwed up political mess we are now in. You need to break some eggs to make an omelette.

  11. 64hoo says:

    Obama was not qualified for his job, very terrible on domestic and foreign policy he is a joke. Hillary has no qualifications on domestic or foreign policy for this job. she is a joke. they both burned America, and Hillary will do just as bad. Trump will do a better job on domestic and foreign policy.

  12. lespark says:

    When Obama said Hilliary is the most qualified even above himself and Bill he was dead serious. Two of the worst POTUS going for three.

  13. Maipono says:

    Obama is really helping Trump, by implying that HilLIARy is more qualified than he was and that she will continue his messed up policies, Obama is driving more people away from HilLIARy.

Leave a Reply