On Wednesday, power in the United States will transfer from President Trump to President-elect Joe Biden. As we near the end of the Trump presidency we’re speaking with people from both sides of the political spectrum.
At Craig Bennen’s home you’ll find a large Trump flag. Along with that flag, Bennen is flying the American flag upside down. The Vietnam veteran says it’s not a sign of disrespect but symbolizes a country in distress. As the President prepares to leave office, Bennen’s support is solid.
“We’re not going to shut up. We’re going to stand up and praise what he did. He’ll always be my president unless somebody comes up with something that’s really nefarious that we didn’t know about,” said Bennen.
“I think it’s a legacy of lies and bigotry,” said Richard Westmoreland.
Westmoreland is a retired Marine fighter pilot who wrote a scathing article for the Louisiana Illuminator on Tuesday. It criticized President Trump and the veterans who support him. Westmoreland’s views put him at odds with some of his fellow Marines, but he said more people needed to speak out on the President’s lies about the birther movement and a stolen election to name a few.
“The onus is on us. Whether you’re a veteran or not a veteran, when you hear this nonsense, you got to speak up man. you can’t let this go by,” said the retired Lieutenant Colonel.
Westmoreland said the Capitol insurrection was the sad but logical conclusion to Trump’s presidency.
“That’s going to be a stain forever. That’s going to be in his obituary,” said Ed Chervenak, Political Scientist at the University of New Orleans.
Chervenak says whether you love or loathe Donald Trump, you have to recognize how he turned politics upside down, certainly for the GOP.
“We have not seen anything like this. This was a complete takeover of the Republican party by an individual,” said Chervenak.
Chervenak said Trump shifted the party’s base away from the upper and middle class and connected with the working class. Craig Bennen said Trump showed Republicans how to win.
“If nothing else, he taught them how to fight. they just got walked over too much in the past, he stood up to everything they threw at him.”
Chervenak said another major and lasting impact of President Trump will be his three conservative appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court. It’s hard to predict when Congress and the country will be less partisan.
Until that time of unity, Bennen will likely keep his American flag in its current upside-down position.
