Trump Supporters Boo Mother Of Deployed Service Member

The mother of a member of the Air Force found out quite harshly what Trump supporters think of those who disagree with them:

CARSON CITY, Nevada — The woman, in a quiet voice, stood before the crowd of hundreds at a town hall-style event here with Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and announced that her son serves in the Air Force. The crowd applauded.

But then the woman said, “Time and time again, [Donald] Trump has disrespected our nation’s armed forces and veterans. And his disrespect for Mr. Khan … ”

The reaction of the crowd was immediate and fierce, drowning out her words.

The crowd began to boo as she tried to get through her question. The woman, who was subsequently identified as Catherine Byrne of Carson City, continued to speak through the jeers.

“Why are you here?” one woman shouted as the boos rained down.

But, over the boos and taunts, Byrne continued to speak.

“You’ve got a son in the military, how do you tolerate this disrespect?” she asked Pence.

Finally, after allowing the boos to continue for about 10 seconds, Pence moved to quiet the crowd.

“That’s OK,” he said. Trump’s running mate then repeated a line he deployed when confronted by protesters in Ohio last week: “That’s what freedom looks like, and that’s what freedom sounds like.”

(…)

Barbara Weisenthal, 56, said she was among those booing and that Khizr Khan did not have the “right” to say what he did about Trump at the convention. His speech “was almost like slander,” she said.

Of Byrne who asked the question, Weisenthal said it was “probably not the best place to do that.”

Jack Christenson, himself a veteran, said Byrne may have had the right to ask her question, but not “to violate everyone else’s rights,” which he said she did by speaking out at the event.

“She was claiming that Trump was somehow insulting the veterans,” said Roen Horn, 29. He called that idea “a bunch of crap.”

“She was politicizing the veterans,” she said. “She had an agenda.”

These are the people who support Donald Trump.

 

FILED UNDER: 2016 Election, US Politics, , , , , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. Moosebreath says:

    “Barbara Weisenthal, 56, said she was among those booing and that Khizr Khan did not have the “right” to say what he did about Trump at the convention. His speech “was almost like slander,” she said.”

    Since Trump cannot say 2 sentences without slandering someone, this is quite funny. Perhaps we should ask the opinion of the other candidates this year, such as “Lyin’ Ted” Cruz, “Crazy” Bernie Sanders, or just recently, the Devil Herself.

  2. James Pearce says:

    Pence looked embarrassed. (As he should be.)

    But, it should be said, he didn’t look like he was all too eager to get in on the two-minutes hate.

  3. CB says:

    “She was politicizing the veterans,” she said. “She had an agenda.”

    If you don’t laugh, you’re going to cry.

    These are awful, stupid people.

  4. Stormy Dragon says:

    Yes, I’m sure if someone went to a Democrat campaign event, went up to the mike, and said “Time and time again, Clinton has disrespected our nation’s armed forces and veterans…”, that there would be absolutely no negative response from the crowd.

    BTW, I’d note I have a cousin in the Marines, so apparently anyone who down votes this comment is evil now. ;P

  5. Neil Hudelson says:

    @Stormy Dragon:

    By extension, anyone who is evil has to downvote your comment. Oh well. *clicks “thumbs down”*

  6. Stormy Dragon says:

    “Military Family booed by OTB Commenters”

    These are the people who read Doug’s blog.

  7. Stormy Dragon says:

    @Neil Hudelson:

    By extension, anyone who is evil has to downvote your comment.

    Hmm, now I have to figure out how to downvote my own comment…

  8. al-Alameda says:

    @Stormy Dragon:

    Yes, I’m sure if someone went to a Democrat campaign event, went up to the mike, and said “Time and time again, Clinton has disrespected our nation’s armed forces and veterans…”, that there would be absolutely no negative response from the crowd.

    I know, we’re all shocked, right?
    This stuff is the best campaign Kabuki I’ve seen in a long time.

  9. James Pearce says:

    @Stormy Dragon:

    Yes, I’m sure if someone went to a Democrat campaign event, went up to the mike, and said “Time and time again, Clinton has disrespected our nation’s armed forces and veterans…”

    They may boo, but I bet they’d let them speak.

  10. John says:
  11. John says:

    @James Pearce:
    Unlikely. Safe Space violations are typically met with violence.

  12. James Pearce says:

    @John:

    Safe Space violations are typically met with violence.

    No, safe space violations are met with tears, quivering lips, and running noses. For the most part, the left in this country abhors violence.

  13. John says:

    @James Pearce:
    Ha! Abhors violence! Good one!

  14. James Pearce says:

    @John:

    Ha! Abhors violence! Good one!

    Well, I have an idea of where you’re coming from. Right wing pundits and politicians are quite interested in perpetuating the myth of the violent left.

    But the truth is, almost everyone on the left has no interest in spilling blood for anything –not to stop a criminal, not for self-defense, not to win a war.

    So yes, the left in this country abhors violence. If they didn’t, things would be MUCH, MUCH worse.

  15. Hal_10000 says:

    Barbara Weisenthal, 56, said she was among those booing and that Khizr Khan did not have the “right” to say what he did about Trump at the convention. His speech “was almost like slander,” she said.

    Wonder what she thought about the Swift Boat Vets?

    (For the record, I thought they had the right to say what they said too. I just thought it had a lot more to do with their anger at Kerry for what he did after his service than anything he did or did not do during it.)

  16. anjin-san says:

    @Stormy Dragon:

    a Democrat campaign event

    Since there is no such thing as “a Democrat campaign event”, I don’t really see what your point is, unless you are simply self-identifying as a troll.

  17. Loviatar says:

    @anjin-san:

    unless you are simply self-identifying as a troll.

    Now you know for future reference.

  18. Concerned UK Citizen says:

    The depth of the hatred, bigotry, ignorance and downright stupidity of DT and his supporters makes the Marianas Trench look like a rain puddle.

    Absolutely staggering………. and scarey beyond words.

  19. Concerned UK Citizen says:

    These are people whose only source of news (and I use the word “news” in the loosest terms) is Fox

  20. Concerned UK Citizen says:

    ……. and for DT and his supporters, No, the Marianas Trench is not a coat!

  21. An Interested Party says:

    Yes, I’m sure if someone went to a Democrat [sic] campaign event, went up to the mike, and said “Time and time again, Clinton has disrespected our nation’s armed forces and veterans…”, that there would be absolutely no negative response from the crowd.

    Well, if Hillary had ever disparaged a Gold Star family, than it would be appropriate, but since she hasn’t…

  22. BrooklynDave says:

    @Stormy Dragon: I expect there might be a few scattered boos but that’s all. Most of the audience would probably wonder where the hell the speaker got such an idea.

  23. Bill says:

    @James Pearce:

    No, safe space violations are met with tears, quivering lips, and running noses. For the most part, the left in this country abhors violence.

    That reminds me of an old episode of the Munsters where Grandpa is giving Eddie boxing lessons. Grandpa says something like- I am glad your father doesn’t see what we’re doing now. He is so opposed to violence your father might kill me.

  24. Tyrell says:

    Some misguided individuals at the DNC also booed a veteran.
    And outside some protesters were burning US flags – should have been stopped by the police.

  25. Tyrell says:

    Some misguided individuals at the DNC also booed a veteran.
    And outside some protesters were burning US flags – should have been stopped by the police.

  26. Franklin says:

    Jack Christenson, himself a veteran, said Byrne may have had the right to ask her question, but not “to violate everyone else’s rights,” which he said she did by speaking out at the event.

    Sorry, could somebody remind me which Amendment protects me from hearing a question I don’t like?

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