Right after the World Trade Center towers collapsed on September 11, 2001, Donald Trump boasted that now his building in the Wall Street area was the tallest.
Audio of the real estate mogul’s comments was obtained and published by Politico reporter Michael Kruse on Saturday. In the middle of a 10-minute conversation with local television station WWOR, Trump took the opportunity to plug his 71-story skyscraper located in the financial district, just blocks away from the doomed towers.
“40 Wall Street actually was the second-tallest building in downtown Manhattan, and it was actually, before the World Trade Center, was the tallest — and then, when they built the World Trade Center, it became known as the second-tallest. And now it’s the tallest,” he says in the clip, as footage of the towers falling rolls on screen.
In another twist, critics charged that Trump applied for and received $150,000 in federal funds intended to help small businesses in lower Manhattan recover from physical or economic damages. Politifact rates this claim half-true, because he did receive $150,000 from the recovery fund; his business was not physically damaged. He collected from a fund meant for small businesses, and technically he qualified because his building had only 28 employees. It is hard to believe that when Congress established the criteria for “small businesses” below 14th district, that they had Trump in mind.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Perhaps the comment was a not so subtle reference to his small hands.
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Ha! As a once New Yorker cartoon caption contest finalist — so humbly — to you, Duane, that was a good line.
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Thanks LCT!
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Not quite sure what made it necessary to post this, especially with the statement at the end… “He collected from a fund meant for small businesses, and technically he qualified because his building had only 28 employees. It is hard to believe that when Congress established the criteria for “small businesses” below 14th district, that they had Trump in mind.”
The government had small businesses in mind. And they set a limit to what they considered small business. Having 28 employees met that standard. What galls me was: He applied for it…!
Of course, if this is the kind of material you want to find, I would be more than happy to supply you with Hillary tidbits…
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Pretty shameful that a billionaire took advantage of federal funds intended to help small businesses harmed by the devastation of 9/11. Other wealthy people were giving at the time. Trump was taking. If you don’t understand how disgusting that is, Rudy, then we live in different moral universes
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That trick didn’t work for Wal Mart in the ’60s. They tried to assert that since each of their stores had less that 50 employees then Wal Mart as a whole was a “small business” exempt from the minimum wage laws at the time. The courts decided otherwise.
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Do you have a sources for that information, UAN? TIA, Duane
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This incident speaks to his narcissism, egomania, moral tone deafness and lack of empathy. Other than that, he’s also a demagogue.
All that being said, I am worried about Hillary’s pneumonia and the video of her nearly collapsing as she was taken to the SUV. That will be played up by all the usual suspects. As one who has had pneumonia, it’s nothing to play with and if one doesn’t get enough quality rest and sleep, it can come back and bite you in the arse. After my bout with pneumonia, I got the pneumonia vaccine and then a few years late a booster shot. Maybe Hillary is a lot tougher than I was and can get through the illness and still carry on her campaign. Here’s hoping because I most definitely do not want to be subjected to 4 years of President Trump. Blechhh.
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Clinton should have been forthcoming about the pneumonia from the time she got the diagnosis. However, given the way the right has been playing up everything as being a MAJOR HEALTH ISSUE, I can’t say I blame her. IMHO, she’s the better choice even if she’s on her deathbed, however. The choice between Tim Kaine and Trump is an easy one.
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The choice between Kaine and Pence is easy. He was a radio talk show host. A warmer version of Rush Limbaugh.
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No one has cast even one vote for Tim Kaine. He was a campaign choice. If something were to happen to Hillary, why would Tim get any position at all? Is this still a democracy???
Oh I forgot…
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Huh? Both Kaine & Pence were voted into various state offices several times. Either (both campaign selectees) as VP would have to take over if ‘something happened’ to Pres. What’s not democratic?
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Was ANY VP candidate ever voted on, to be selected as the candidate – other then by the conventions?
Just one more stick to hit those whom we do not like.
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Rudy, it has long been the tradition and practice that presidential candidates select the person they want to run as their vice-president. You may be unfamiliar with this. That is not a stick to hit anyone with. It is the American way, which you may not be aware of. It is also a way of seeing the judgment of the candidate. John McCain, for example, is a very wise and experienced man, but made the inexplicable error of choosing Sarah Palin. That reflected poorly on him. Trump selected the homophobic Pence. Clinton selected Kaine, a man who has been elected mayor, governor and senator in his state.
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Pence has been elected Representative and Governor of his state. Just sayin’. Just because Kaine’s been elected doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a good VP choice.
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Pence is a homophobe as he showed in his vigorous campaign for the law that would allow discrimination by employers and businesses against gays in Indiana.
Kaine has been a consistent supporter of civil rights and civil liberties. As a lawyer, he represented people who had been victimized by unscrupulous landlords and real estate agents. Pence was a talk show host along the lines of Rush Limbaugh.
Which would you prefer to be a heartbeat from the presidency?
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We, in Africa and Nigeria in particular, are watching the American voters with a keen interest. Would they will allow a mindless megalomaniac like The Trump, a tenancy in the White House? How can a hunter of Mr. Trump’s caliber, carrying an elephant on his head and still digs a cricket with his big toe? Cleaning out the small scale operators of a whooping $150,000, is callous and portrays a greedy individual who relishes in massaging his xenophobic ego and his misogynistic tendencies.
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Reblogged this on Politicians Are Poody Heads and commented:
Well, of course “the Donald” would make such a tone deaf statement 15 years ago. All he thinks about is himself.
And of course he would take money meant to help small businesses recover, when he didn’t really need it. Hey, money is money, to him.
😟
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Gag. I’d been away from downtown so long I didn’t realize Trump had bought the 1930 architectural icon back in the ’90’s. How gross of him to re-name it “The Trump Building”. I wonder if people who work in the financial district actually call it that, or just “40 Wall” as it has been known under every other owner.
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This doesn’t matter. Trump already said he could kill someone and his supporters wouldn’t care. Neither would the media.
Never have I felt the loss of Jon Stewart’s media coverage so acutely. He was the only man who held those reporters up to a mirror and showed the hypocrisy between the very high self-image they have of their “even-handed” reporting and the reality that is obvious when you see the clips of what they actually say and write.
I suspect that if Jon Stewart had been covering reporters’ breathless panting to investigate Hillary’s so-called “lies” about her health and their complete acceptance of Trump’s ridiculous fake doctor’s letter (signed by a “real” one), maybe they would have started to act like real journalists.
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There are two things that we have to acknowledge,
Thing one :Trump is Deplorable, a good percentage of his supporters are deplorable and delusional.
Thing two : Hillary Clinton is a very flawed candidate. Between policy and appearances, if not for Trump she would be trailing any other Republican .
What does Hillary have to do. Stop trying to get Republicans to vote for her. There is as much chance of Hillary getting significant Republican support as there is getting me to vote Republican. The Deplorables have always been in the Trump camp. The polls are tightening because the Republicans who are just as deplorable as the Deplorables (in different ways )are returning home. `
“If Clinton loses this election, it will not be because Americans are
dumb, racist misogynists who would cut off their noses to spite their
faces in refusing to elect a sane woman over an insane man. It will not
be because too many Americans “selfishly” voted for a third party or
didn’t vote at all. It will be because Clinton refused to compromise her
allegiance to Wall Street and the morally bankrupt center-right
establishment positions of her party and chose not to win over voters.
This election is hers to lose, and if this nation ends up with President
Trump, it will be most of all the fault of Clinton and the Democratic
Party that backs her.”
http://www.truthdig.com/report/page2/this_election_is_hillary_clintons_to_lose_and_shes_screwing_it_up_20160908
How does she change the perception now?
Since the convention she has been throwing mud in the face of progressive wing of the party.
The platform fight was pulling teeth when it should have been a no brain-er for real Democrats. Kayne was the middle finger to the progressive wing . Ken Salazar oh god here we go again.
I will say it again Hillary can only motivate the base to get out and vote by going to war with the President on the most visible symbol of corporate domination. An issue that unites Labor,Environmental and Consumer groups . An issue that Trump has captured (not that I believe the importer and chief). It is not a trade agreement it is a Corporate domination agreement . Ronald Reagan brought a thousand Bankers to Justice . Obama ZEROOOOOOOOOO
She wont , and I hope she squeaks by, only because the alternative is unthinkable.
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Joel,
I prefer the term “Despicable.”
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“Thing one :Trump is Deplorable, a good percentage of his supporters are deplorable and delusional.”
I usually agree with what you write Joel, but no, one can’t conclude and/or “acknowledge” that statement. Your statement actually indicts you as “deplorable and delusional” for using the same smearing and degrading tactics which I hope you deplore. (And yes, I understand that I have just used the same tactic to illuminate it.)
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Most of Trump’s followers are not just deplorable. They are despicable. To see them, watch the video I posted about the Neo-Nazis and KKK supporters at his rallies.
He has a large contingent of followers who hate women, gays, blacks, Mexicans, Muslims, and almost everyone who is not a white male. Whether that contingent is 40%-50%-or 60% is not clear, but Charles Blow wrote about this yesterday. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/12/opinion/about-the-basket-of-deplorables.html?_r=0
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I just don’t agree with the demonization of Trump supporters. I know personally know many, many for over 50 years and they are not “despicable” or “deplorable”. Misquided, wrong thinking and other things but as humans certainly not the words you and Joel have used. And I spar with them, and have for decades over political issues and they are decent humans.
Are Trump’s assertions deplorable and despicable? No doubt. But I also find Clinton’s prevarications deplorable and despicable. Notice I am not calling them deplorable and despicable but their statements-big difference.
And that is why I am voting for Jill Stein who represents what I consider is the necessary change and concern for this country.
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Duane
I have been one of the staunchest critic of Hillary and O. Unfortunately on this issue she is correct. Long before Trump ran, I have had to deal with racist and xenophobic friends and acquaintances. From pure anti black racism to the issue of immigrant children from Latin America and the Ebola crises. Now the dozen or so Trump supporters I personally know may not be reflective.
So would we agree that closing down all Mosques is deplorable. 33% of SC Trump supporters agreed.
I am a left wing economic populist. I believe in Extreme employer fines for future hiring of the undocumented after an amnesty. That will never happen Donald will build a wall with plenty of holes to give him cheap labor. I understand those that turn to Trump because the neoliberal Democrats have failed them. Trump will fail them as well . I will not absolve those who turn to Trump because they are racist bigots with no compassion for their fellow man.
Just as I have argued that Trump may not be all that wrong on Putin,we can not call out Hillary for the few things she gets right.
No time to proof read !!!
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See my response to Diane.
“. . . because they are racist bigots with no compassion for their fellow man.” That is one hell of an omniscient statement that is patently false on the face of it. Horse manure to that thought.
“So would we agree that closing down all Mosques is deplorable.” Maybe but I would include Xtian, Jewish and other religious institutions along with the Muslim ones in advocating for their proper taxation and paying their fair share to maintain a civil and secular society.
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There is that expression again. Could someone PLEASE explain that to me. When is a share a FAIR share? Who makes that determination? Fair in whose eyes?
Warren Buffet made every one sit up when he told us that his secretary paid more income tax then he did (in %%). He could have fixed that in a heart beat – but I noticed he did not do anything about it. All he had to do was put himself on the payroll, rather than living off his capital gains taxes. Was that a “fair share??
Is 91% a “fair” share? Fifty %? Who decides (and how is that decision made)?
I am a member of a church, and when I see where the majority of the money goes, I am good with that. Children are cared for, poor people are fed, utilities get paid. medical bills get paid… Who decides “fair?”
So far, it seems that even the rich people who want to see the “fair share” paid (Like Clinton) have no real definition, either. Clinton makes use of all the possible ways in which deductions can be made – and no one complains about her using the loopholes!
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News for Rudy: Warren Buffet does not set tax rates
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That fair share would be at least all the current taxes as applied to everyone else not deemed holy enough or rich enough for tax exempt/reduced tax status.
I’m not the first and certainly won’t be the last to consider religious tax exemptions to be complete nonsense. But then again all the pastors, priests and other high holies will just past that tax cost onto the heathens than need their brand of salvation.
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pass not past and that and not than. ay ay ay
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Duane
I will tell my friends that I have been dealing with for many years that you have granted them absolution. For their sins. Their are no racists,there are no selfish people, every body is just wonderful. Sounds like a Kumbaya moment . Did racism in this country end with Rosewood , Selma or Howard Beach. Or when Obama faked his birth certificate so we would not know he is a Muslim terrorist.
The cop who caused the death of Sandra Bland was just a sweat heart. You could tell on the dash cam video that he treated Blacks and Whites the same. (NOT!)
Deplorable according to Webster, deserving censure or contempt, deserving strong condemnation.
I have called some of my friends a lot worse. Hillary would not use the language I used but Donald has.
As for taxing religious institutions no argument here from this secular humanist.
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“Then, she continued: “But the other basket — and I know this because I see friends from all over America here — I see friends from Florida and Georgia and South Carolina and Texas — as well as, you know, New York and California — but that other basket of people are people who feel that the government has let them down, the economy has let them down, nobody cares about them, nobody worries about what happens to their lives and their futures, and they’re just desperate for change. It doesn’t really even matter where it comes from. They don’t buy everything he says, but he seems to hold out some hope that their lives will be different. They won’t wake up and see their jobs disappear, lose a kid to heroin, feel like they’re in a dead end. Those are people we have to understand and empathize with as well.”
I believe this is the half of the speech that doesn’t get covered. Not that I believe her or Trump gives a damn about them. But as statements go, it is a compassionate read of one’s opponents base.
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Joel Herman says:
“Hillary Clinton is a very flawed candidate”.
Every candidate in history has been a “very flawed candidate”. I believe Hillary Clinton is no more flawed than Obama, Kerry, Dukakis, Gore, etc. If you want to call them all “very flawed” because they are all too much in bed with corporate interests, then I agree with you. But the media has turned Hillary Clinton into something that is very different from those men. And that is very dangerous. No way would I assume the same media couldn’t destroy Bernie Sanders the same way, and everyone would be talking about how flawed he was and if only Hillary would have been nominated she could have beaten Trump.
It is the notion that Hillary is MORE dishonest, MORE money-grubbing, MORE in bed with billionaires, MORE willing to sell our US security in exchange for money that has caused people who aren’t among the “deplorables” who are voting for Trump.
They don’t hate Hillary because she is a typical Democrat. They hate her because the media has portrayed her as far worse than a typical Democrat.
Hillary could have offered a platform to the left of Bernie Sanders and those people voting for Trump would have STILL believed she was a lying corrupt treasonous sell-out whose promises had less value than Donald Trump’s. She would have been characterized as the dishonest lying one, as she is now. And I have no doubt that had Bernie won, he would have already been smeared and any slight missteps turned into signs of his corruption.
There are no people voting for Trump who care about Hillary’s platform being too conservative. Those people are voting for Jill Stein.
The people voting for Trump are voting for him for 2 reasons:
They are the racist xenophobes who like Trump’s deplorable message.
They have been convinced by the media that Hillary is the most lying and corrupt candidate in history and it doesn’t matter what promises she makes or what she says – she will sell out this country for the right price.
What I don’t understand is how the people who claim to admire Bernie Sanders could at the same time believe he would sell out this country to endorse Hillary Clinton instead of Jill Stein. If Hillary Clinton was truly what the media portrays her to be (and Bernie never did), Bernie would have endorsed Stein. He owes NOTHING to the Democrats.
It’s ironic that the same people who admire Bernie also believe he’d sell out everything he worked for just to have a seat at the table with a candidate as corrupt as Clinton. They love Bernie, but still think he is a lying sell-out no different than Clinton. After all, he endorsed her. So if he were ever to take her place on the ticket, the right wing would have a field day with Bernie’s corrupt, power hungry agenda.
There are no real Bernie supporters voting for Trump. If they are, their support for Bernie would not have withstood the assault he would have received from the right wing.
The non-deplorable people voting for Trump are convinced Clinton is the most corrupt candidate in the history of this country and she can’t be trusted to be the country dog catcher. And if you want to change that perception, you’ll have to approach them a different way to remind them that the way Hillary has been portrayed in the media is an out and out lie.
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“If you want to call them all “very flawed” because they are all too much in bed with corporate interests, then I agree with you.”
Then we agree
It ain’t the emails “Spanky.” It’s the policy positions from 16 years of the NDC.
C.W.Mills details in “The Power Elite” the way influence works, Details the social relationships that determine policy decisions at State and Defense.
Dean Baker parrots him. The aren’t playing Golf with Jack the Plumber. Or going to cocktail parties with Rosie the Riveter.
http://billmoyers.com/story/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-and-the-money/
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The only things bigger than Trump’s skyscrapers are his ego and his narcissism.
Goodness, Rudy! For someone who is Dutch, you have the air of an uninformed American. How did you go from the Netherlands to here and get so rooted in right wing and free market ideology?
Ah, the lost souls of Europe . . .
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Are you having fun or is your head spinning from all the “exceptionalism” on this side of the Atlantic.
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My head is spinning from all the exceptionalism.
America is exceptional in many good ways . . . Your universities, musicals, cinema, dance and rock and roll and jazz are gifts to the globe. Your struggle to try and rid the society of a slave-based economy is admirable. You have a black president, albeit he is a horror story and veritable hypocrite; but still, he is an important symbol to America and rest of the world. One you get over the symbolism, you find out that the substance is tainted, corrupted, vapid, and self serving.
But America is exceptional in many horrible and uncivilized ways, such as your military campaigns, your economic predatory and trickster nature, your style of wealth distribution in the public and private sector, and your utter medieval lack of a single payer healthcare system.
When I say “you”, I refer to the ruling elite, here, not the general citizenry. But I do think the latter is finally coming around to becoming more active politically because they are becoming more aware politically.
America is a mess, but there is tremendous, real hope as it continues to evolve. I am hopeful. I really am.
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Although we’ve been coasting on the rock ‘n roll and jazz for several decades now.
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