In attacking Donald Trump, President Obama has managed to anger one of the nation’s largest and oldest veterans’ groups.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars took offense at Mr. Obama’s assertion that its members are confused by right-wing media pundits.
“I don’t know how many VFW posts the president has ever visited,” VFW National Commander John A. Biedrzycki Jr. said Thursday, “but our near 1.7 million members are a direct reflection of America, which means we represent every generation, race, religion, gender and political and ideological viewpoint.”
He added, “We don’t have confused politics, we don’t need left- or right-wing media filters telling us how to think or vote, and we don’t need any president of the United States lecturing us about how we are individually effected by the economy.”
During a speech Wednesday in Elkhart, Indiana Mr. Obama said, “I’m concerned when I watch the direction of our politics. I mean, we have been hearing this story for decades — tales about welfare queens, talking about takers, talking about the 47 percent. It’s the story that’s broadcast every day on some cable news stations, on right-wing radio. It’s pumped into cars and bars and VFW halls all across America, and right here in Elkhart.”
The president went on, “If you’re hearing that story all the time, you start believing it. It’s no wonder people think big government is the problem. No wonder public support for unions is so low. No wonder that people think the deficit has gone up under my presidency when it’s actually gone down.”
Mr. Biedrzycki said the president’s comments were insulting.
“Our nation was created and continues to exist solely because of the men and women who wear the uniform,” he said. “Let’s not denigrate their service, their sacrifice or their intelligence.”
