Trump and his campaign staff visited Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) this week (Monday, to be exact) to honor the 13 soldiers killed during the chaotic pull-out of Afghanistan.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I should tell you that I am totally biased about this situation. And it’s not just because I’m not a Trump fan. My father is buried in ANC on Chaplain’s Hill (not Section 60). Dad was buried there on April 4, 2011, with full military honors. He had served 30 years in the US Army. He actually had two tours of duty. The first was when he reached the minimum age at the end of World War II. The second was after he graduated college and seminary in the mid-50s. I can’t remember the actual year since I was so young at the time. He was deployed to Vietnam in 1966-1977, arriving home in time for my sister’s high school graduation.

NOTE: Though he was a Chaplain, he had to move to front line troops via helicopter to provide services. Yes, he was shot at more than once! Despite regulations, he refused to carry a gun during those “missions”.

ANC has always been a place of reverence for me. While Dad was assigned to Ft. Belvoir in Virginia, the family did the normal touristy things, visiting all the monuments, the Smithsonian, etc. We were at Belvoir when JFK was shot and killed in Dallas.

We moved back to the area, specifically Alexandria, while Dad was in Vietnam so my sister could graduate from her favorite high school, Mount Vernon. Lucky her!

Any way, when we were there the second time, we visited ANC to view the Eternal Flame at JFK’s grave site. It was so somber and inspiring. So, yeah, I am particularly biased on this subject!

On Monday, Trump and his campaign ignored the ANC policy regarding using the cemetery for political purposes. There was a reported “incident” with an ANC official, which resulted in a report to Military Police. But, the official refused to press charges, so the incident has been closed.

Nonetheless, the whole thing could have been avoided had the campaign followed policy. Trump and his campaign claim he was invited by the family of those killed in Afghanistan and that the family asked if they could have a picture with him at their loved one’s grave. He, of course, said yes.

But, was that all it was? Was it as innocent as they claim? I think not. One need only see that still image of Trump amid family members with thumbs up and a ridiculous smile on his face! Who does that? Who gives a thumbs up at a grave site? That was so inappropriate!

If you look at the photo, there is another grave on the left that is clearly legible. The family of that fallen hero was not asked if it was okay to include the grave in the photo. In the background are other families visiting the graves of their loved ones. They weren’t asked if it was okay to include them in a public photo!

Since Monday, video has been posted on various campaign social media accounts. This clearly shows Trump and his campaign intended to use the “event” for political purposes. I find it repugnant and offensive.

Steven Cheung, Trump campaign spokesperson, denied an altercation. “There was no physical altercation as described and we are prepared to release footage if such defamatory claims are made,” Cheung said in a statement. “The fact is that a private photographer was permitted on the premises and for whatever reason an unnamed individual, clearly suffering from a mental health episode, decided to physically block members of President Trump’s team during a very solemn ceremony.”

So, not only do they call the official (a woman) a liar, but they also say she was mentally unbalanced. Sound familiar? Not surprisingly, the campaign has NOT released the video to prove their point.

Let’s see – who do I believe? The Liar in Chief Trump or the ANC woman official? Hmmmm – I think I’ll go with ANC on this one!

Like many other users on Twitter (sorry Musk, I’m not going to call it X), I feel Trump has once again escaped any consequences for ignoring rules! When, oh when, will he be held accountable? I am so sick of this man, in general. But, I HATE that he gets away with anything/everything! I so wish the military would have pressed charges for the altercation and for snubbing the policy ban on politically motivated appearances!

I am disgusted and offended that Trump went to ANC at all. I’m sorry to the families of those killed at Abbey Gate, but that doesn’t give them license to okay a campaign stunt by Trump.

Let’s face it, Trump was only there for the photo op. He’s been taking a lot of heat for the resurfaced comments he has made in the past about veterans – suckers & losers, what did they get out of it, nobody wants to see that (a disabled veteran who lost his legs in combat), etc. He needed to rehabilitate his image with veterans. What better way than the have a photo op at ANC? He used those families, pure and simple. And the sad thing is they don’t even realize it. They were a means to his end.

Just to set the record straight – yes, the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan occurred during the Biden administration. But, let’s not forget, Trump was the one who negotiated the withdrawal before he left the White House.

Trump negotiated with the Taliban, without including the Afghan government. Trump negotiated to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners as part of the withdrawal. Trump negotiated the timeline. Trump was the one who lowered troops in the area to 2,500, even though he was told they needed more!

I remember when Trump bragged to the media that he’s the one who got us out of the never ending war. He was responsible for the withdrawal and the timeline. No question, the execution of the withdrawal was not great! But I think there would have been chaos no matter when the withdrawal would have taken place. Deja Vu! Remember the withdrawal from Vietnam??

Due to the unfortunate mishandling of the withdrawal and resulting public outcry, Trump has since backed off his initial stance that he was responsible for the end of the war. Nothing new there. He, alone, was responsible for overturning Roe v Wade, until that generated a backlash. “Everyone wanted it overturned. All Democrats, all Republicans, everyone wanted it overturned and sent to the states. I did that.” Sorry, that bucket has holes in it – it doesn’t hold water any more!

So, in my humble opinion, Monday’s appearance at ANC had all the hallmarks of a Trump photo op to rehabilitate his image! Almost reminds me of something – oh, yeah, clearing the square in Washington D.C. so Trump could be filmed crossing over to a church for a photo op! With an upside down Bible!

Pure political stunt! IMHO . . .

Oh come on, MAGA! Surely you can do better than trying to denigrate Tim Walz (pronounced Walls), Kamala Harris’ pick for her running mate, with such a lame nickname. Of course, I’m not sure why a nasty “nickname” is needed at all. Are these adults or what?

So, where did the nickname come from? It seems Governor Walz signed a bill that requires all schools in Minnesota to provide menstrual supplies in all bathrooms. Since the bill did not specify only female bathrooms, the supplies are required in both girls and boys restrooms! Free supplies, no less! Heaven forbid – what will they think of next?!?

From what I’ve read, Megyn Kelly found this bill offensive and thus, called Gov Walz “Tampon Tim” because of it. Not just because he made the supplies available but also because he included them in the boys’ restroom!

I am old enough to remember when the girls’ bathroom in my schools had sanitary napkin dispensers. These were not free, but at least they were there. I also remember when one of my schools didn’t have the dispensers.

I was a freshman in high school in Brooklyn, NY. I unexpectedly started my period mid-day and didn’t have anything with me. There were no supplies in the restroom, so I went to the nurse’s office (we had a full-time nurse in the school in those olden days). Surely, she would have supplies.

Nope! The nurse didn’t have any supplies either. I asked her if I could call my mother to bring me supplies. She said I had a choice – I could just go back to class (and bleed on my clothes) or I could call my mother to take me home “sick”! Really? That’s the solution!

Obviously, I couldn’t stay at school and be embarrassed so I called Mom. She wasn’t upset that I wasn’t really sick but said I should be prepared next time!

I applaud Gov Walz for being sensitive to the issues that young ladies face when at school. I was not the first young girl who had the problem, I doubt I was the last, and I’m sure there will be more in the future. Thanks to Gov Walz at least the girls in Minnesota won’t have to choose between embarrassing themselves or missing class.

As for providing the supplies in boys’ restrooms? I think it’s a good idea. I don’t know about any of you out there, but I have used a boys’/mens’ restroom when I had to. Things happen and necessity is the mother of invention. If the ladies room is not available, for whatever reason, girls will use the boys room. When you gotta go, you gotta go!

The right seems to think this is a winning issue for them, so they have tried trending #TamponTim on social media. It has backfired with a huge BANG! Period poverty is a thing and it’s real! Providing free feminine hygiene products ensures protection for embarrassment while allowing girls to concentrate on learning!

What is wrong with the right? Why don’t they care about their daughters, sisters, friends? I just don’t get it!