President Donald Trump recently traded barbs Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) for “mischaracterizing” his visit to a Dayton, Ohio hospital to visit mass shooting victims. Earlier, Brown suggested that Trump is more focused on “protecting his own ego” than “protecting them from gun violence.”
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited the victims Wednesday, as Battleground State News reported. Democrats’ attacks against the president began even before he arrived, including by Brown. Whaley also took a jab at the president.
“I’ve heard that he’s coming Wednesday but I have not gotten a call,” she said. “And you know he might be going to Toledo, I don’t know,” she jibed, referencing the president’s misstatement from Monday’s press conference.
After the visit to Dayton, Trump accused Brown and Whaley of “mischaracterizing” his reception at the Dayton hospital.
“Just left Dayton, Ohio, where I met with the Victims & families, Law Enforcement, Medical Staff & First Responders. It was a warm & wonderful visit. Tremendous enthusiasm & even Love,” Trump tweeted after his visit. “Then I saw failed Presidential Candidate (0%) Sherrod Brown & Mayor Whaley totally misrepresenting what took place inside of the hospital. Their news conference after I left for El Paso was a fraud. It bore no resemblance to what took place with those incredible people that I was so lucky to meet and spend time with. They were all amazing!”
Just left Dayton, Ohio, where I met with the Victims & families, Law Enforcement, Medical Staff & First Responders. It was a warm & wonderful visit. Tremendous enthusiasm & even Love. Then I saw failed Presidential Candidate (0%) Sherrod Brown & Mayor Whaley totally…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2019
….misrepresenting what took place inside of the hospital. Their news conference after I left for El Paso was a fraud. It bore no resemblance to what took place with those incredible people that I was so lucky to meet and spend time with. They were all amazing!o
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2019
Brown and Whaley appeared in a joint press conference after Trump’s visit and seemed to praise Trump for visiting, saying he was well-received. After Trump’s tweets, Whaley said she was “confused” by his comments, saying “oh well.”
Brown gave CNN an exclusive statement:
“I’ve said before Donald Trump is a bully and bullies are cowards. I don’t care what he says about me. But the people of Dayton deserve a President more focused on protecting them from gun violence than protecting his own ego.”
In her interview with The Cincinnati Enquirer, Whaley pressed for gun control and said she does not believe Trump will ban assault weapons because “he’s bought by the gun lobby.”
Brown also reportedly used Trump’s visit as a way to lobby for gun control and for saving the Affordable Care Act, USA TODAY said.
“He only said ‘we will get things done,'” Brown said. He added that he also called on Trump to not repeal the Affordable Care Act if the president cares about mental health.
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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.
Photo “Nan Whaley” by Nan Whaley.
