President Donald Trump has declared that this week is “National Character Counts Week” and is encouraging Americans to “recommit to being more kind, loving, understanding, and virtuous.”
On Sunday, CNN’s Jake Tapper took a few moments to call out what he saw as hypocrisy in Trump’s proclamation.
“This week, the president declared, ‘Every opportunity to show consideration for another person is also an opportunity to build habits of kindness and strengthen our character … we recommit’ the president said ‘to being more kind, loving, understanding, and virtuous.’ That’s an interesting message for this president, especially when you compare his words to his deeds,” Tapper said.
He continued, “The president proclaimed that character is, ‘exemplified every day by the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who risk their lives to defend the cherished blessings of liberty we hold dear.’ Yes, yes, such a true statement from a man just days ago spread vile and deranged lies that Obama and Biden may have had SEAL Team Six killed to cover up the fact that they didn’t really Bin Laden.”
“Character, he said, has ‘never been needed more than in recent months as we have battled the coronavirus pandemic.’ Very true, sir. And he said this as the pandemic continues to rage out of control, infecting more than eight million and killing nearly 220,000 to date. And while he continues to hold rallies … no distancing, no masks required. It is a matter of fact that Americans have contracted the virus at his rallies,” he added.
Watch the video below:
CNN’s @jaketapper on President Trump launching National Character Counts Week: "It’s an interesting message for this President, especially when you compare his words to his deeds” #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/JKNgNxdLna
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) October 18, 2020
Tapper pointed to the portion of Trump’s proclamation, where he said, “We recognize that character is a learned attribute acquired through consistent, purposeful action, not an inherent trait.”
He then played a clip of Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) appearing to poke fun at Sen. Kamala Harris’ (D-Calif.) first name during a Trump rally over the weekend.
“So much of what the president said in his proclamation about National Character Counts Week is just so right,” Tapper said, adding, “Character does count. Character counts not only this week but also the next week, and the one after that which happens to contain election day. Character counts. Thanks for the reminder, Mr. President.”
