In a very dramatic few hours last night, Donald Trump gave an address to the nation announcing a new temporary travel ban from most European countries; an airstrike in Iraq – reportedly carried out by an Iranian-backed militia – killed two US and one UK soldier; US markets have tanked; Tom Hanks has announced he has Coronavirus; and the NBA has suspended its season. Slow news day…
In his TV broadcast, Trump announced the US is to suspend travel from the Schengen area of the EU for 30 days, including any foreign nationals who have spent more than 14 days in the newly-banned countries prior to their US visit. US citizens will remain unaffected, as will the UK. It’s nice to see the special relationship in action…
To add to the chaotic nature of events, Trump made three errors during the speech he seemingly struggled to read from the autocue; not least that the ban applies to cargo as well as people, which the Whitehouse has now clarified is not the case. Perhaps most bizarrely of all, American audiences at the time were watching a performance by 2008 Republican Vice Presidential nominee, Sarah Palin, who was rapping while wearing a pink bear costume, before networks tuned into the President’s address.
Inevitably Saturday Night Live had Tina Fey reprise her Sarah Palin…
“I want you to try to picture this, it’s a nice thing to picture. Exactly one year from tomorrow, former President Barack Obama. He packs up the teleprompters and the selfie-sticks, and the Greek columns, and all that hopey, changey stuff and he heads on back to Chicago, where I’m sure he can find some community there to organize again. There, he can finally look up, President Obama will be able to look up, and there, over his head, he’ll be able to see that shining, towering, Trump tower. Yes, Barack, he built that, and that says a lot. Iowa, you say a lot, being here tonight, supporting the right man who will allow you to make America great again. God bless you! God bless the United States of America and our next president of the United States, Donald J. Trump!”
Framing it as a run against the establishment…
Sarah Palin endorses the Donald…
“He builds things. He builds things that touch the sky.”
