T. Belman. The reason I have posted this 2016 article is because Parkes said in this video at the end of it, if the people who put him office ( the US Military) four years ago, stand by him now, he will be reelected. If they decide they don’t want to do it, he won’t.
Perhaps his “concession” speech was in response to their unwillingness to back him again.
By David Wright, Ryan Browne and Naomi Lim, CNN .. September 6, 2016
Washington (CNN)Donald Trump’s campaign released a letter Tuesday signed by 88 retired military leaders endorsing his presidential candidacy, including four four-star generals and 14 three-star flag officers, according to the campaign.
The group, which was organized by Maj. Gen. Sidney Shachnow and Rear Admiral Charles Williams, praised Trump and declared that “the 2016 election affords the American people an urgently needed opportunity to make a long-overdue course correction in our national security posture and policy.”
Also included in the letter was Gen. Burwell Bell, a retired four-star general who commanded US forces in Korea from 2006 until his retirement in 2008, and a notable inclusion in light of Trump’s rhetoric allowing for the possibility of nuclear proliferation in the Asia-Pacific region.
“As retired senior leaders of America’s military, we believe that such a change can only be made by someone who has not been deeply involved with, and substantially responsible for, the hollowing out of our military and the burgeoning threats facing our country around the world. For this reason, we support Donald Trump’s candidacy to be our next Commander-in-Chief,” the group wrote in their letter.
The former US military leaders were sharply critical of the Obama administration’s national security and foreign policy, warning that “enemies have become emboldened, sensing weakness and irresolution in Washington” and that “in our professional judgment, the combined effort is potentially extremely perilous.”
“We support Donald Trump and his commitment to rebuild our military, secure our borders, to defeat our Islamic supremacist adversaries, and restore law and order domestically. We urge our fellow Americans to do the same.”
One of the letter’s signers told CNN his endorsement for Trump was not unqualified, citing how the Republican presidential nominee’s comments about torture and his suggestion that the military should target terrorists’ families were cause for concern.
“Yes, they did concern me and I’ll tell you why: a lot of times people say things not really understanding the consequences of their statements,” Brigadier General Remo Butler (Ret) told CNN’s Carol Costello on the “Newsroom.”
However Butler, who last worked as chief of staff at Special Operations Command in Tampa, Florida, said his concerns were assuaged by the team of national security advisers Trump had assembled.
“I would be a fool to give anyone my unqualified support,” Butler said. “I am listening to what he says. I am listening and watching his actions, and right now today, … I am supporting him.”
Other Republican nominees in recent election cycles have managed to secure a larger number of generals and admirals as public backers.
Sen. John McCain, a former Naval Aviator, was endorsed by 300 generals and admirals in his 2008 contest with Barack Obama.
An even bigger number backed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in 2012 via a full-page ad in the Washington Times.
Clinton has yet to release a full list of senior officers backing her presidential bid, but several former generals have made their support for her public, including the former commander of US forces in Afghanistan, US Marine Gen. John Allen, as well as US Army four-star generals Bob Sennewald and David Maddox.
Some of the most high-profile generals from recent conflicts, like David Petraeus, Stanley McChrystal, James Mattis and Raymond Odierno as well as Adm. William McRaven have not publicly said who they are voting for this election.
And former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Gen. Martin Dempsey, recently wrote an open letter lambasting generals for being overtly political.
The other four-stars on the list, Gen. Alfred Hansen, Adm. Jerry Johnson, US Navy, Retired and Gen. Crosbie “Butch” Saint, all retired almost a decade before 9/11.
Among the three-star generals on the list, Lt. Gen. Marvin Covault commanded the military’s response to the Rodney King riots of 1992 in Los Angeles. Covault has also publicly advocated for Common Core education standards, something Trump has regularly slammed on the campaign trail.
Lt. Gen. William Boykin a former officer in the Army’s elite Delta Force encountered controversy when he expressed overt religious views while serving as a commanding officer during the Global War on Terror.
T never used the term conceding or concession anywhere!
The left as gone MAD! MAD! MAD! Assisted by Karl Rove ‘ rinos. And they lost!
@ GreatWhiteNortherner:
I felt that the only thing that would take the wind out of Trump’s sails would be if the military went wobbly.
But now I read that, to the contrary, the military has taken charge and will be running the show. It would be good optics for them to do so and trump to sit back and wait for the military to inaugurate him for a second term.
Ted,
Parks did not say “people who put him in office”.
He said ”
“If the same people who CONVINCED Trump to stand as president, if they are as good as their word, and they don’t betray him, then there will be an executive order, there will be martial law, there will be arrests, President Trump will be reset for another 4 years.”
Even before watching Simon’s earlier remark I’ve been thinking since Nov 3 that if the judicial and legislative branches fail Trump he’ll win only if enough of the military back him.
Ted, you put “concession” in quotation marks presumably because you know Trump said “a new administration will be inaugurated on January 20th. My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly, and seamless transition”, an intentionally ambiguous statement not synonymous with conceding defeat.
Are you suggesting Trump has lost the backing of enough members of the military? I would have thought military support would be significantly bolstered after all of the deep state malfeasance against Trump these past four years
as well as agains General Flynn, someone who commands great respect and admiration across the board.
Do you know more about this or are you simply speculating/worrying the military has gone wobbly? Please elaborate.