Appearing as a guest on Saturday's Smerconish show, CNN presidential historian Douglas Brinkley was blatantly negative in his assessment of President Donald Trump's first year in office as the liberal historian fearmongered about "climate change" and the President "desecrating public lands" He also dismissed the Republican tax cut as something that "doesn't really excite people."
At 9:05 a.m. ET, Brinkley began his analysis by complaining about Trump pulling out of the Paris Accord:
Well, just take a look at what you said, pulling out of the Paris Accord. Yes, he did that. What does that mean in the end? And it means Donald Trump has turned his back completely on climate change -- what history may show as the overridingly important issue of our time. I mean, we've got the unusual wildfires, hurricanes, glaciers melting. The planet is really alarmed right now, and Donald Trump decides, "Ah, it doesn't exist. I don't want to believe and listen to the scientists."
After complaining that the EPA is being "gutted," and that the Trump administration is authorizing more mining on public lands, he further griped:
What does that mean 100 years from now when we start just willy nilly, you know, desecrating public lands for gouging quick-gain profits? Conservation is always about our children's children. So there's a lot that went on this year that I don't think is going to shine well on history. It will be remembered for Charlottesville, Pocahontas, NFL -- issues that divide the nation around race and identity.
A bit later, after recalling that President Harry Truman created the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and that President John F. Kennedy founded the Peace Corps and boosted the space program, the liberal historian suggested that President Trump's first year does not measure up, and that the tax cut he signed is not significant:
What's Trump known for? All over the world, he's seen as a bully -- that's the net takeaway at the end of the year -- and perhaps a bigot. And so it's very hard to see why history is going to be shining a flashlight on a President with a 35 percent approval rating, the lowest since polls have been taken. His big home run was a tax bill. That doesn't really excite people. It is a success at the end of the year, and he did get Gorsuch. But it has been a very rocky first year.
Below is a transcript of the relevant portions of the Saturday, December 23, Smerconish show on CNN:
9:05 a.m. ET
MICHAEL SMERCONISH: There's a lot to be said for that which takes place through inaction. Differentiate between action and inaction and what it means for this presidency.
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, CNN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Well, just take a look at what you said, pulling out of the Paris Accord. Yes, he did that. What does that mean in the end? And it means Donald Trump has turned his back completely on climate change -- what history may show as the overridingly important issue of our time. I mean, we've got the unusual wildfires, hurricanes, glaciers melting. The planet is really alarmed right now, and Donald Trump decides, "Ah, it doesn't exist. I don't want to believe and listen to the scientists."
So, by that very inaction this year, we're losing momentum. We're not educating the society on what to do and make some changes with climate change. I just picked that one -- you can go all over and see, you know, he's gutting the Environmental Protection Agency by 33 percent. Okay, you can save some money right now -- you're also making a little money by mining and leasing of public lands. What does that mean long-term?
What does that mean 100 years from now when we start just willy nilly, you know, desecrating public lands for gouging quick-gain profits? Conservation is always about our children's children. So there's a lot that went on this year that I don't think is going to shine well on history. It will be remembered for Charlottesville, Pocahontas, NFL -- issues that divide the nation around race and identity.
(...)
What did Donald Trump create this year? What is he going to be remembered for? I mean, John F. Kennedy, his first year in office, Michael, did some bold things. He said we're going to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. He started getting money in places like Huntsville, Alabama; and Houston, Texas; infrastructure money on technology that worked down at the space program. Kennedy created his first year the Peace Corps, Alliance for Progress.
What's Trump known for? All over the world, he's seen as a bully -- that's the net takeaway at the end of the year -- and perhaps a bigot. And so it's very hard to see why history is going to be shining a flashlight on a President with a 35 percent approval rating, the lowest since polls have been taken. His big home run was a tax bill. That doesn't really excite people. It is a success at the end of the year, and he did get Gorsuch. But it has been a very rocky first year.
