Trump Mocks Journalist for Disability

Mocking the weak is not a desirable trait in someone seeking the most powerful office in the world. Donald Trump would be in hot water if he were any other candidate but he's apparently immune to such things mainly because so many love the way he confronts his opponents and the media (is that redundant?).

His candidacy, while built on his immigration stance, has persevered because many refuse to let the media take him down. It's not just appreciation for Trump, it's also anger at the media. I'll admit I've gotten a kick out of him at times. But Trump's latest is, I think, revealing of his character. And it's not pretty.

He apparently did not just mock someone with a disability but he may very well have mocked him specifically for his disability. Trump, whose campaign advised us to "Forget love" when talking about immigration policies, clearly seems to mock former Washington Post reporter Serge Kovaleski who suffers from arthrogryposis, a condition which severely limits the mobility of his arms. When Trump quotes him he awkwardly holds his hands up and gesticulates awkwardly.

Here's Trump:

Now here's Kovaleski talking about something completely unrelated but you'll be able to spot the similarities between what Trump is doing and Kovaleski:

For those who say he wasn't mocking the journalist's disability, I just don't see how you can come to that conclusion. Trump even says "you've gotta' see this guy" before imitating him. And the journalist has claimed to have interviewed Trump several times so it would be difficult to believe the Trump campaign's excuse that Trump didn't even know the reporter.

To be clear, I have no idea if Trump saw thousands of Muslims celebrating 9-11 in Jersey City. No idea. I doubt he saw thousands but he might very well have seen some. And I think it's ironic that newspapers, which tend not to admit they got something wrong, now seem very willing to disavow their own earlier reportage that some Muslims were celebrating on 9-11. But let's put that aside. Let's even grant that Trump was perhaps justifiably upset about how the media is handling him on this issue but to mock the journalist for his disability is way out of bounds.

Please recall in 2009, President Barack Obama went on The Tonight Show and talked about how he's gotten better at bowling and now bowls a 129. "That's very good, Mr. President," Leno said sarcastically. The president responded, by saying it's "like the Special Olympics or something." And he rightly received a great deal of criticism for that remark and the administration was forced to issue an apology of sorts.

Trump, who is not a fan of apologies, should apologize for this. He likely won't because he thinks it makes him look weak. And I guess we know how he feels about weakness.