President Trump sarcastically apologized to the country for causing record Thanksgiving traffic jams, slamming the “Fake News media” for a story they didn’t actually write while continuing to dodge the Khashoggi question.
Having credited himself and his Saudi pals with lowering gas prices earlier this week, the president has extended his sphere of influence to include all actions performed with that gas, including driving.
You just can’t win with the Fake News Media. A big story today is that because I have pushed so hard and gotten Gasoline Prices so low, more people are driving and I have caused traffic jams throughout our Great Nation. Sorry everyone!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2018
While a story blaming Trump for Thanksgiving traffic jams doesn’t sound too far-fetched for the likes of CNN, most of the mainstream media have passed up on the opportunity this time. Some stories do actually “blame” lower gas prices for the decade-plus record number of holiday travelers – but none mention the president at all.
Not that the American people wouldn’t like an apology for something…
Oil prices getting lower. Great! Like a big Tax Cut for America and the World. Enjoy! $ 54, was just $ 82. Thank you to Saudi Arabia, but let’s go lower!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 21, 2018
Trump seems determined to avoid the realization that slower holiday travel is not what people are upset with him about – indeed, social media users spent Wednesday afternoon debunking his idea of “low gas prices.”
Price of a barrel of oil was $ 53 in Jan 2017. You, Russia & Saudis drove it up to $ 82. Now you want credit for it coming down? But thanks for inventing Thanksgiving & traffic jams on the 3rd Wed in Nov. I bet a lot of people will go shopping on Friday for the first time ever too.
— Facts Do Matter (@WilDonnelly) November 22, 2018
According to Blumberg a gallon of gas today is the highest price during the week of Thanksgiving in 4 years. “Americans hitting the road for Thanksgiving can expect to pay the highest holiday pump prices in four years.”
— Jack Doyle (@jack102515) November 22, 2018
Instead, Americans are upset over his unwavering embrace of Saudi Arabia, whose crown prince Mohammad bin Salman is suspected of ordering the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, then his body hacked up and disposed of. Rather than condemn bin Salman as even the CIA – not known for their concern for human rights – have done, Trump has adopted a “wait and see” approach. That’s heavy on the “wait,” and hold the “see” altogether, as he told media he would not listen to the audio recording of Khashoggi’s murder, calling it a “suffering tape.”
This is, of course, the same Trump who said he wants to bring back waterboarding “and a hell of a lot worse.”
Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee even put aside their differences to ask Trump to launch a human rights probe into bin Salman. The president, unmoved by the rare display of across-the-aisle cooperation, could only venture the most lukewarm condemnation of the prince, stating that while “it could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event,” the US would remain a “steadfast partner” of Saudi Arabia and keep raking in that sweet, sweet Saudi cash – $ 450 billion can buy a lot of moral flexibility!
Khashoggi’s death seems to have done what 85,000 dead Yemeni kids, a famine threatening millions of lives, and decades of brutal human rights violations could not, uniting American politicians against the kingdom’s leaders. Saudi Arabia has historically been one of America’s closest allies thanks to its control over global oil supply and pricing as well as its willingness to purchase billions of dollars’ worth of American weapons.
