Dan Rather Rips 'Abject Cruelty' Of Trump's 'Malignant Ego' As Jobless Benefits Expire
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Veteran journalist Dan Rather scorched Donald Trump Saturday night for his callous indifference to the suffering of millions of Americans as the president kicked back at his Palm Beach golf resort while desperately needed extended unemployment benefits ran out for lack of his signature.
Trump refused to sign the COVID relief and spending bill that had been considered a done deal before his last-minute demands for larger relief checks and complaints about unspecified “pork” spending. At least 9.5 million Americans have been relying on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program section of the package that expired at midnight Saturday.
Rather tweeted that he was thinking of all those “desperate” for the help. “Heartbreaking,” he wrote. “The abject cruelty, the callousness, the lack of a single drop of empathy... during the holidays and a pandemic ... All for no purpose but a malignant ego,” he added, referring to the president.
I am thinking of all those desperate for extended unemployment benefits tonight. Heartbreaking. The abject cruelty, the callousness, the lack of a single drop of empathy... during the holidays and a pandemic, in added tragedy. All for no purpose but a malignant ego.
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) December 27, 2020
President-elect Joe Biden denounced Trump’s refusal to sign the stimulus package, calling it an “abdication of responsibility” with “devastating consequences.”
Trump didn’t even acknowledge the expiration of the critically important unemployment benefits as he continued to angrily tweet late Saturday night about the presidential election that he continues to falsely claim he won.
The unemployment package would have extended enhanced benefits for Americans hit hard in the job market and struggling mightily to cover costs for food and shelter amid a devastating pandemic.
Others were as stunned as Rather that the vital aid could simply drop by the wayside.
I will never understand or forgive this cruelty.
He must be a very sick man.— Nancy Sinatra (@NancySinatra) December 27, 2020
I was laid off earlier in 2020 when the hospital eliminated our entire department. I'm getting kicked off unemployment today, too, despite being notified this month of eligibility for a 20 week extension. As of today, my income is now zero. A rotten year has gotten worse.
— stonecircle (@stone_circle) December 27, 2020
How can he have this much power and the ability to kill thousands upon thousands of Americans & not be removed or held accountable? I'm truly not understanding how ONE mentally deranged man in the USA can hold the lives of all Americans in his hands. Why can't someone remove him?
— Kathy_H (@SouthernKat60) December 27, 2020
He’s doing it to hurt the American people.
And to make Republicans look foolish, because he’s mad at them for not helping him to throw out the election results.
Because it’s never the narcissist’s fault.— Robert Cowles (Kolz) (@CowlesR) December 27, 2020
There will be no help from Republicans. They have unleashed the Frankenstein monster on us. All we have is the promise of the incoming administration. So we will flounder until January 20.
— Nate Bartholemew (@BartholemewNate) December 27, 2020
The KKK White House and Moscow Mitch are letting unemployment benefits expire today, no extension, in a pandemic causing joblessness, because evil, greed, vindictiveness and cruelty was always the point.
— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) December 27, 2020
Unemployment benefits EXPIRE for millions of Americans today and trump has not signed a bill to extend them because he is a lazy, loser, selfish scumbag.
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) December 26, 2020
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.