Signs at a Donald Trump rally in Kinston, North Carolina, on October 26, 2016. (Photo: Reuters)
Stating the Obvious, Gingrich Confirms 'Drain the Swamp' Was All Talk
President-elect Donald Trump says the phrase "was cute, but he doesn't want to use it anymore," Newt Gingrich reveals
President-elect Donald Trump's campaign trail refrain of "drain the swamp" was "cute" while it lasted--but don't expect to hear much of it from here on out, Newt Gingrich told NPR this week.
"I'm told he now just disclaims that," Trump ally Gingrich said to NPR's Rachel Martin of the phrase. "He now says it was cute, but he doesn't want to use it anymore."
Gingrich learned as much after posting a "drain the swamp"-inspired tweet that "somebody" reproached him for. "Somebody wrote back and said they were tired of hearing this stuff," he said.
While Gingrich attributed the newfound distaste for the phrase to Trump's feeling that "as the next president of the United States...he should be marginally more dignified than talking about alligators in swamps," others pointed to a different explanation: With his cabinet choices, Trump isn't actually draining the swamp, he's restocking it.
\u201cTrump hits the "Keep #draintheswamp or hire 5 Goldmanites" junction in the decision tree, makes predictable choice: https://t.co/PQXE8XTHuD\u201d— Matt Taibbi (@Matt Taibbi) 1482372393
\u201cTrump dropping 'drain the swamp'\n\nTrump is now knee-deep in billionaire, Wall Street alligators. Way to go! https://t.co/jdAhLyJpAK\u201d— BJ Leiderman (@BJ Leiderman) 1482403504
\u201cafter nominating a cabinet full of billionaire donors, Trump disclaims his "drain the swamp" pledge https://t.co/gSZ1SyOmJr\u201d— Brendan Fischer (@Brendan Fischer) 1482333030
As the Washington Post reported:
As admissions of political expediency go, this is pretty forthcoming.
But it's also worth noting here that Trump's flip on this phrase seems to have come pretty suddenly. Just a day before Gingrich's first tweet above, Trump promised in Alabama to "drain the swamp of corruption in Washington, D.C." He said the same in Orlando the day before and in Hershey, Pa., the day before that.
So it's not clear whether a specific story or cable news item--which have a tendency to draw instant Trump policy directives and declarations--might have influenced this change of course, if indeed it sticks. But what's clear is that Trump's efforts to "drain the swamp" have increasingly been derided and scoffed at as he has named a Goldman Sachs executive to head the Treasury Department and politicians and fellow billionaires to lead other departments. And then there are the many possible conflicts of interest.
Indeed, Gingrich may just be confirming what many observers already feared. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) put it bluntly last month: "A lot of what Mr. Trump was saying to get votes turns out to be not what he intends to do as the president of the United States."
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. The final deadline for our crucial Summer Campaign fundraising drive is just days away, and we’re falling short of our must-hit goal. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
President-elect Donald Trump's campaign trail refrain of "drain the swamp" was "cute" while it lasted--but don't expect to hear much of it from here on out, Newt Gingrich told NPR this week.
"I'm told he now just disclaims that," Trump ally Gingrich said to NPR's Rachel Martin of the phrase. "He now says it was cute, but he doesn't want to use it anymore."
Gingrich learned as much after posting a "drain the swamp"-inspired tweet that "somebody" reproached him for. "Somebody wrote back and said they were tired of hearing this stuff," he said.
While Gingrich attributed the newfound distaste for the phrase to Trump's feeling that "as the next president of the United States...he should be marginally more dignified than talking about alligators in swamps," others pointed to a different explanation: With his cabinet choices, Trump isn't actually draining the swamp, he's restocking it.
\u201cTrump hits the "Keep #draintheswamp or hire 5 Goldmanites" junction in the decision tree, makes predictable choice: https://t.co/PQXE8XTHuD\u201d— Matt Taibbi (@Matt Taibbi) 1482372393
\u201cTrump dropping 'drain the swamp'\n\nTrump is now knee-deep in billionaire, Wall Street alligators. Way to go! https://t.co/jdAhLyJpAK\u201d— BJ Leiderman (@BJ Leiderman) 1482403504
\u201cafter nominating a cabinet full of billionaire donors, Trump disclaims his "drain the swamp" pledge https://t.co/gSZ1SyOmJr\u201d— Brendan Fischer (@Brendan Fischer) 1482333030
As the Washington Post reported:
As admissions of political expediency go, this is pretty forthcoming.
But it's also worth noting here that Trump's flip on this phrase seems to have come pretty suddenly. Just a day before Gingrich's first tweet above, Trump promised in Alabama to "drain the swamp of corruption in Washington, D.C." He said the same in Orlando the day before and in Hershey, Pa., the day before that.
So it's not clear whether a specific story or cable news item--which have a tendency to draw instant Trump policy directives and declarations--might have influenced this change of course, if indeed it sticks. But what's clear is that Trump's efforts to "drain the swamp" have increasingly been derided and scoffed at as he has named a Goldman Sachs executive to head the Treasury Department and politicians and fellow billionaires to lead other departments. And then there are the many possible conflicts of interest.
Indeed, Gingrich may just be confirming what many observers already feared. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) put it bluntly last month: "A lot of what Mr. Trump was saying to get votes turns out to be not what he intends to do as the president of the United States."
President-elect Donald Trump's campaign trail refrain of "drain the swamp" was "cute" while it lasted--but don't expect to hear much of it from here on out, Newt Gingrich told NPR this week.
"I'm told he now just disclaims that," Trump ally Gingrich said to NPR's Rachel Martin of the phrase. "He now says it was cute, but he doesn't want to use it anymore."
Gingrich learned as much after posting a "drain the swamp"-inspired tweet that "somebody" reproached him for. "Somebody wrote back and said they were tired of hearing this stuff," he said.
While Gingrich attributed the newfound distaste for the phrase to Trump's feeling that "as the next president of the United States...he should be marginally more dignified than talking about alligators in swamps," others pointed to a different explanation: With his cabinet choices, Trump isn't actually draining the swamp, he's restocking it.
\u201cTrump hits the "Keep #draintheswamp or hire 5 Goldmanites" junction in the decision tree, makes predictable choice: https://t.co/PQXE8XTHuD\u201d— Matt Taibbi (@Matt Taibbi) 1482372393
\u201cTrump dropping 'drain the swamp'\n\nTrump is now knee-deep in billionaire, Wall Street alligators. Way to go! https://t.co/jdAhLyJpAK\u201d— BJ Leiderman (@BJ Leiderman) 1482403504
\u201cafter nominating a cabinet full of billionaire donors, Trump disclaims his "drain the swamp" pledge https://t.co/gSZ1SyOmJr\u201d— Brendan Fischer (@Brendan Fischer) 1482333030
As the Washington Post reported:
As admissions of political expediency go, this is pretty forthcoming.
But it's also worth noting here that Trump's flip on this phrase seems to have come pretty suddenly. Just a day before Gingrich's first tweet above, Trump promised in Alabama to "drain the swamp of corruption in Washington, D.C." He said the same in Orlando the day before and in Hershey, Pa., the day before that.
So it's not clear whether a specific story or cable news item--which have a tendency to draw instant Trump policy directives and declarations--might have influenced this change of course, if indeed it sticks. But what's clear is that Trump's efforts to "drain the swamp" have increasingly been derided and scoffed at as he has named a Goldman Sachs executive to head the Treasury Department and politicians and fellow billionaires to lead other departments. And then there are the many possible conflicts of interest.
Indeed, Gingrich may just be confirming what many observers already feared. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) put it bluntly last month: "A lot of what Mr. Trump was saying to get votes turns out to be not what he intends to do as the president of the United States."