President Trump was in Key West a few weeks ago. I once said
I wouldn’t walk across the street to see him even if he came here. But when it
was announced that he was coming and would be driving past the block where I
live, I did walk to the corner to watch him pass.
I stood in the glaring sun for twenty or thirty minutes at
the corner of Von Phister and White Street. The motorcade turned from Atlantic
Boulevard onto White Street and sped towards us at lighting speed. First
there were several Key West motorcycle police, then a few black SUVs with
flashing lights, and then the Presidential limousine. The limousine sped down
White at a breakneck speed as if fleeing from something. A few more SUVs, two
ambulances, and maybe one hundred Monroe County Sheriff motorcycle patrolmen
followed. Gone and done in sixty seconds or so. What was he fleeing? Why so
fast? I am really serious. Why so fast?
These few people on the side of the streets were not going to hurt him.
45 comments:
November 22, 1963 is the reason.
It is more than Dallas. Each President has his way of being President. I have had to sit in traffic in Denver when President Ford and later President G. H. W Bush were in town. Ford was easy going. Bush was a steady pace - maybe 25 to 30 MPH. Trump was a speeding down White like he was running from something. I am not being negative about him. I don't understand what the need for speed was.
The Presidency has turned The Presidency into something approaching imperial.
Maybe he was not thrilled about the "fuck off" signs that some of our classy conchs had hanging on their front picket fences. Excellent way to treat a President.
Perhaps next time we should write our signs in Russian and have them held by the personnel at Bare Assets on Truman Avenue. Our imposterer in chief seems to respond well to Russians and promiscuous women holding dollar bills/rubles.
Yes you could do that. Or you could call Bill Clinton and see if Monica would give him a lap dance on the corner of Simonton and Duval. That would surely be something anyone would respond to.
Write the signs showing your ignorance in any language you'd like...just be sure to include "Mr. President" at the top.
I thought this blog was about Key West real estate. Let’s keep politics as well as religion and sex out of the conversation please.
Thank you sir for exercising your 1st Amendment right of free expression. While I am certainly ignorant as to how a completely unrelated even occurring almost a quarter of a century ago has anything to do with our current situation, I respect your right to express your opinion. I also celebrate the greatness of this nation which gives us the freedom of expression itself, and prevents the Thought Police from requiring citizens to hold signs expressing support for our “Dear Leader”. As long as I still have my rights, I choose to write the language of my own signs, thank you very much.
As for this blog, it is primarily about Key West real estate, but that is not divorced from it’s citizens, it’s history, it’s traditions and it’s events. In fact, Key West has always had a strong history of independent thought, non-conformism, and outspokenness. Indeed, our history is ripe with disagreements on many important issues of the day. Whether it was divisions on issues such as prohibition, succession, slavery, the Civil War, homosexual rights, immigration, etc., the citizens of Key West have always freely discussed our opinions, even when we have disagreed strongly. This is what makes our community special and unique and ultimately what makes us who we are today. So this ignorant man will leave you with a quote from one of our wise Founding Fathers, I think. Let us agree and pray that we are once again blessed with such leaders again.
“We are all ignorant, but we must work really hard to remain stupid”.— Benjamin Franklin
Agreed. I have written all kinds of tales that have nothing to do with real estate and more to do about me and my experiences growing up or just in dealing with being gay in a here-to-now straight world. I say that because more and more men and a lot of ladies are becoming more "fluid" as they say.
Key West is more than the houses we live in. You gotta be rich to buy or even rent here. But the rewards are awesome. I was in Omaha over the weekend. It is a really nice city. Lots of trustworthy people. Generations of families who live by good old American values. But there is also a lot of conservatism. I was watching CNN on the television one morning in the breakfast room of Hampton Inn. The desk manager came over and switched the channel to local news. He didn't ask if I minided or if I was watching (I was. i was sitting in a chair right in front of the TV watching it!). Maybe if I was watching FOX it would not have mattered. I don't know.
I do know that not everyone in Key West is a pinko. I do know there is homophobia still. I have experienced it. There is one certain Realtor who hates gays and makes no apology. Actually, there are two at one of the big national companies and one guy who owns his own little kingdom.
You folks can write what you want. Just do not say anything negative about a house or condo I write about. I can get into trouble. I will not allow that.
Gary
I'm sorry. Your stupid then. Thanks for setting me straight. Have some respect in the future.
Gary you said you have to be rich to live in here but that’s not true- lots of Conchs and military and middle class own homes and work on non tourism jobs and are far from rich -these are the people you see every day at the park with their kids or at the grocery store or working on your alarm system or pool or at church or courtroom or permit office or health department or whatever. Average folks who are both conservatives and liberals and non partisan. Get out and see the island for what we are - bubbas and Conchs who have our own lives far removed from your so called rich. And we aren’t going anywhere- this is our home and has been for generations and will be for many more.
Kettle, black, sir/madam, kettle black. I’m sure in the deep dark recesses of what was once your mind (assuming you still have one from all the Fox Noise you consume), you understand the dire reality of our current situation. As for respect, suffice it to say, I show a person the respect one earns. While on that subject, however, I don’t know you; but I am quite certain from your obsession with events supposedly occurring over twenty years ago that you were not vocally demanding “respect” be shown for President Obama when our current fraudster in chief and his senseless followers demanded to see our President’s birth certificate, as if he wasn’t a true American citizen. So now I will leave you with another quote from an American you surely can relate to: “Stupid is what stupid does”. —- Forrest Gump
Gary we have two compulsive posters locked on a one-up manship to see who gets the last jab. Both sound like teens or sone pot soul living life sponging off their parents in the room over the garage with no friends or future- I feel sorry for them both.
You guys are children. Gary has beautiful houses for sale in a paradise of a place, and you both feel you need to defend your "superior intelligence" by insulting the other guy's view. You are both what is wrong with America -- in any place. I'm shopping for a home when I retire but hope that I find a place with more accommodating and gracious neighbors who RESPECT differing viewpoints. Anyone who thinks he is "right" all is the time is wrong most of the time. Find a way to get along -- or get out of Key West, please, before I retire.
Straight or gay realtor, either way. The problem is their spewing the "oohs and aahs" of some really nice properties, as well as houses that are garbage, and the listing goes on and on about subject property which should be a animal shelter (not new one). I think that's partly for the way that the term "listing wh**e came into being. Just continue to fall head over heels for a property you know is junk, while awaiting a fat commission check...
If your looking for those kinds of neighbors DO NOT retire to Key West. You'll be sorry to find out how people here really are.
I respect others views. I don't expect or demand everyone agrees with me. I do, however, feel very embarrassed to live in a place where we hang "F-off" signs on picket fences when the President of the United States comes to town. I personally think the man is far from ideal...but I stand for my President...man, woman, idiot or genius. I do this because our Presidents stand for us and our country.
Although I have lived inside my parents garage I now own five homes here. I love Key West and all it stands for. I'm proud to be a contributing part of our town. When I saw that banner I was ashamed and lost a little bit of that love. #Onehumanfamily.
Well said. Now enough of the politics please!
Extraordinary times folks, extraordinary times. This is not about being right or wrong. It is also not about having respect for the office of the Presidency. I respect opinions but I actually respect facts even more. We are only one year into this Mueller investigation (Clinton’s took four years) and four Trump Campaign associates (and hundreds of others) have already been indicted for criminal acts against our nation. Just today, I open my NYT to read that my supposed President committed a felony when he lied on financial disclosure reports previously denying such payments (not to mention on Air Force One); The Republican Senate Intelligence Committee concluded what we all know in that the Russians successfully interfered in our elections for the sole purpose of electing one Donald J. Trump; and his campaign willingly met with Russian agents hoping to obtain these stolen goods (emails) to be used against the other candidate; and we already know Trump lied about the purpose of this meeting, claiming it was about Russian adoptions.
So, if you chooses to salute an indecent man that commits felonies, collides with our enemies to win elections and subvert our democracy, go ahead. Call me a partisan but I will remind you that the Republicans control all branches of government, including the FBI. These are all Republicans doing the investigating so how can it be partisan? Call me an ignorant adolescent living in my parent’s garage, who alway needs to be right. I don’t care. I am a 50 year old veteran who proudly served this nation. I was also born here in Key West and know a bit about our past, unlike you johnie come latelies who seem to know it all, ironically call names, and suppose you know something because you have a few nickels to rub together. I love this country. I love this island. I won’t sit back and pretend this is normal. I suppose as more factual evidence comes out about the criminality of this man you call President, you will bury your head in the sand and pretend somehow it does not matter. That is your prerogative I suppose. I know a con-man when I see one. Do you? If you want to be a willing accomplice to such crimes that is fine but I will not sit idly by and see it happen because of some gingoistic morality espoused by those who probably wear that flag pin on their lapel but claimed shin splints when it was their time to serve; or demanded Obama’s birth certificate. No, you know who you are but the decent silent majority that really loves this country will not sit idly by anymore. History will be written and the facts will be revealed. Will you accept the facts or name call, bury your head in the sand, or pretend the facts don’t matter. They have a name for places where the populace choose this course of action... totalitarian dictatorships. Read about them in your fancy history books. #Resist
"Gone and done in sixty seconds or so. What was he fleeing? Why so fast? I am really serious. Why so fast? These few people on the side of the streets were not going to hurt him" If you all go back and read what I wrote (copied above), this was not a particularly negative comment about the current President, as much as it was a comment about how far things have devolved in this country.
The stretch from Atlantic Blvd to United Street, where the limo turned west, is eight blocks. The President's limo raced down White at least 50 to 55 MPH. I couldn't even take a photo he sped by so fast. He just whizzed by. I assume the limo kept peeling at the same clip the ten block to the south gate of Truman Annex.
Later I added a comment about the imperial presidency. Those readers old enough may remember Nixon once made White House Secret Service members wear "...uniforms, inspired by ones that Nixon had seen on honor guards in Europe, featured “double-breasted white tunics, starred epaulets, gold piping, draped braid, and high plastic hats decorated with a large White House crest." He was so laughed at that the uniforms were abandoned. I think every last man, maybe excepting Carter, loved the fawning when Hail to the Chief is played. Carly Simon wrote a song as a premonition to the Trump Presidency. It goes like this:
You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain (you're so vain)
I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you, don't you?
I don't think there is one person on this island that would do anything harmful to the President - not Truman, not Kennedy, not Clinton, or Trump. Holding up a sign telling him where to go is another thing. And that is fine with me. We have the right to call out anyone. Some readers call me out for simply writing a blog about real estate.
As Dirty Harry would say, Go ahead. Make My Day!
Finally, I do hope some day another President will come to Key West and s-l-o-w-l-y drive our streets in a convertible with the top down and waive to the residents. He or She would be welcomed here.
Gary
Who cares if he drove fast or slow? You don’t know what the intentions of the motorcade or security and you never will. Do you have some special security clearance or military insight to this - NO you don’t. And for all the real estate in Key West there is the same and better waterfront property on base then in town. If I want interesting intelligent discussion about politics this is not the blog to be - just drop it already and go back to real estate please.
I was on the corner of Duval and United over 2 hours waiting on him. I'll try to upload the video. Not ever close to 50mph. Maybe Trump decided to slow the entire motorcade down nearly 30mph in a few blocks...or maybe not:-)
You must know all but 4 Of the Mueller investigators are Dems, right? Also, what criminal acts has the President been convicted of?
#BeBest
Not only is it not true but it is completely irrelevant. If you call the police because your house is being burglarized are you going to ask whether the responding officer is a Dem or Repub? Nonsense.
As for crimes, well check back with me after Mueller concludes his investigation. In the meantime, we should be able to agree that the President sure does pal around with a lot of criminals. He’s either involved or a really poor judge of character and very naive to not see what is right in front of his face, no? Meanwhile, another day, another indictment.
As for “idiots and dumbazzes and malcontents” perhaps but make sure to stay tuned.
#FOLLOW THE RUBLES.
Who cares? No one except those voices in your head trying to have the last word. It’s over- move along and stop annoying the viewers,
Viewers? Don’t you mean readers? Obviously I got in your head, no? You speak only for yourself. Thank you and have a nice day. #BeBest
And no possible way you could be a veteran. Not with how you speak about a President. #lastword
Again with the viewers versus the readers? You people can’t even think straight when someone has the audacity to bring up anything contrary to what you have been programmed to parrot back from your TrumpTV. Instead of having a discussion, you fly off the handle and start with the name calling. “Dumb, dumber, mentally impaired morons, voice in your head, idiots, dumbazzes, malcontents, fools, adolescent garage moocher, non-veteran, etc. This all started because Gary wondered why a modern day President could not simply drive slower or get out and meet the good people of Key West during his visit. You people immediately got defensive as if this was a personal attack against the President. I know you guys are so used to getting the last word and telling people to shut up but the good people in this nation are not going to keep quiet anymore. We are going to speak up every single time and yes get the #lastword. You do not speak for me or anyone else. I don’t care whether you think I served or not, as if all veterans pledge their loyalty to this criminal imposter occupying the White House. Are you going to ask for my birth certificate too? Do I not meet your test for being able to speak my mind, which is basically only if i agree with you? I earned my right to speak. You guys probably took your student deferment or pretended to have shin splint when it was time to serve. Again, if you choose to bury your head in the sand, or give away our country, it is your right. I choose to speak out loudly and clearly every single time and will never stop speaking out for what is right and just. This is not the first demagogue who tricked a populace with lies and corruption. Does it hurt you so much to admit you have been taken in from the lies so you just double down? #resist.
#counterpuncher
As others have listed, we viewers are tired of the unwarranted rants and raves of the few imbeciles that have found this blog. ENOUGH od this FOOLISHNESS!!
If you are tired, go to sleep. Watch some more of your TrumpTV. You can’t believe someone actually knows more than you and talks facts rather than resorting to name calling. “Too much time”, “Too little brain cells”. You just can’t help but name call, huh?
Oh and Yes I agree Trump won the electoral college and that is why he is President. Of course, that is self evident. However, he sure got a lot of illegal help from the Russians and got creamed in the popular vote. Yes, despite accepting (and perhaps colluding—.Mueller will let us know) illegal assistance from foreign adversaries, more Americans went to the polls and voted for a very unpopular candidate named Hillary Clinton. We will soon see if Mr. Trump wins reelection, gets resoundly defeated, resigns, gets impeached or gets indicted. I do not think all of these indictments will help his cause. I also don’t think attacking the criminal investigators is a good long term reelection plan.
Now this session is over, unless you want some more. You can control your actions but you won’t control mine or me speaking my mind.
Oh and one last thing, your last comment just exposed you for exactly what you are and who you are not. You are not a smart intelligent moral or pious person expressing your opinion. You are a Trump apologist who will forgive anything this man has done or will do in the future, no matter how indecent. That sir/madam says what I suspected all along. You guys who pretend to be so unbiased and above it all are voting for this guy no matter what, even if he was convicted and sitting in a jail cell you would vote for him. It took awhile but you flat out admitted it. You will scream, yell, call names, question my residency (as if that matters) or my military service to win. Win, win at any costs not matter how indecent or low you must go to win. So, again, the majority of Americans are wise to you and these tactics. The funny thing is that you exposed yourself in the end. #exposed
No one is listening to your insanity- do you really believe the venom you spew????
Stop wasting time on here and go start the preparations for your next sign showing the world what a jackass you are #sadperson
I just noticed how many times you posted in a row! I suppose someone who spends time crafting ignorant signs and lying about service to our country probably has no friends and nothing else better to do. Gotta go check on my five rental homes now. Don't worry...I already know you feel like rental prices are too high in Key West. Don't even need to cry about that. Maybe if you hang a polite sign I'll cut you the deal every local wants...something great for nothing at all!!
Do I believe the Russians stole emails from the DNC for the purpose of stealing the election? Do I believe the Trump Administration at the very minimum actively encouraged such behavior because they thought it would help their chances of winning? Do I think in the day of emails, breaking into the DNC email files is equivalent to burglarizing the DNC like in Watergate? Do I think the Chairman of the Trump Campaign, Paul Manifort, Don, Jr., Jared Kushner took a meeting with Russian operatives for the sole purpose of obtaining stolen emails from the Russians? Do I think the Chairman of Trumps campaign is a criminal that not only laundered money for the Russians and other hostile foreign powers? Do I think Trumps NSA Flynn is a felon who worked as a foreign agent while simultaneously serving as NSA? Do I think Flynn, Manifort, Popodopolis, Kushner, and Jeff Sessions, all key campaign advisors, all failed to disclose contacts with Russians on mandatory security disclosure forms, a felony under the law? Do I think Trump was actively trying to open a Trump hotel in Moscow during the campaign and lied about it. Did the Trump campaign actively lobby to take out anti-Russian language from the RNC plank, which was added to chastise Russia for it’s invasion of the Ukraine? Did Trump refuse to impose sanctions for Russia’s role in invading Ukraine and for interfering with our election? Did Trump campaign advisor and personal friends Stone and Guilante miraculously predict on live television when illegally stolen emails would be distributed and which people would be implicated? Do I think Trump lied about his wealth and laundered money for Russians and this is the reason for his not releasing his tax returns? Do I think it was unusual that Trump had a Russian only meeting with Russians in the Oval Office shortly after being elected wherein he bragged about firing James Comey and said to the Russian embassador that he fire Comey because of the Russian investigation? During that same meeting did Trump accidentally give top secret government secrets provided by Israeli intelligence to the Russians? Do I think Trump settled a multi-million dollar fraud case involving Trump University AFTER he was elected? Do I think Trump was found guilty after he was elected President in a Palm Beach County Court of law for defrauding members of a country club? Do I think Trump had an affair with a porn star while his son was a six month infant and then lied about it? Do I think he paid hush money to this porn star and then lied about it? He is being sued for slander for his lies. Do I think Trump has multiple non disclosure agreements with multiple women to hide his affairs on his wives? Do I think Trump is self-dealing by not divesting himself of conflicts of interest and is personally enriching himself by using the Presidency? Do I think Trump is using his power to retaliate against political enemies such as Jeff Bezos who owns Amazon and the Washington Post? Do I think Trump is racist? Did he make inappropriate anti-Muslim comments about a gold star family? Did he call Hispanic immigrants rapists and murders? Do I think Trump retaliated against Qatar by sanctioning this nation that houses one of our military basis because they would not bail out Kushner’s 666 Park Avenue boondoggle? Do I think they retracted punitive measures after they were shaken down and Qatar finally agreed to bail out Kushner’s 666 Park Avenue? Do I think Trump fired James Comey to obstruct Justice? Do I think it’s despicable that Trump attacks our FBI, Media, Judges, etc. on a daily basis? Yes. Are the indictments and convictions to date very much real? Yes.
This is how someone with zero friends or people that want to listen to stupid babble talk. They ask themselves questions then answer them with what they want to hear! #feelsadforyou
Again with name calling. You have no facts whatsoever to rebut the truth so you call names. Do you realize that name calling and saying I have no friends is deflecting, and more than likely projecting. I take this all to mean, as I thought, you cannot rebut any of the facts whatsoever. You are apologists plain and simple. I lay out all the questions and all you can do is name call. Typical response by those who have nothing to say and no defense for their behavior. Don’t feel bad for me, as if you are capable of such emotion. Thank you very much. No one has a better life than me. Focus on improving your own life and maybe you will not have to find scapegoats for your life failures; become a winner and you will not need to seek out false prophets who promise you a greater life. #Winning
No one is reading this dribble. We just gone here to be the last post.
You get an F-. Despite being poor students, here are a few more questions for you to consider when a constitutional crisis is officially declared, You will undoubtedly ask me my opinion then. You will say: “Remember that really smart gal who at my lunch, I wonder what she thinks?” “How did she know so much”?
1. Can a sitting President legally obstruct justice?
2. Can a sitting President be impeached?
3. Can a sitting President pardon himself and his family members?
4. Will Congress have the guts to put country ahead of political party?
Hint: If the answer to #4 is no, we are all in big trouble!
No one cares- last post!
Gary you need to stop comments on this blog before this gets more ridiculous than it is now. This spam will alienate your loyal readers who will leave as their worthwhile comments will be overcome by the never ending posts from this poster who is trying to take over your blog.
I have seen this happen before where one poster hijacks the comments section and alienates the loyal reader and they stop reading- which would be detrimental to your business.
Shut down the comments or risk losing your fanbase. We come here to see your views and stories and not this garbage.
Yes Gary, shut it down. This guy thinks he has all the answers. He posts inflammatory rhetoric, gets upset when someone else makes a point, calls me names when he has no real response, and now pretends he has your best interest at heart. He is a know it all know nothing Trumpster who thinks a conversation is over because he has nothing more to say. As if he cares about your fan base. All he cares about his the fact that he has nothing more to say, someone called him out for his ignorance and now he wants the conversation to stop. Thank you Gary for all you do. I promise not to respond anymore if this guy does the same. I told him I will not let him get the last word so long as he keeps bringing up right wing propoganda. Then he goes and brings it up again. This will be my last post so long as he stops showing off his nonsensical name calling. #Class Dismissed #EpicFailure.
In my April 7, 2012 blog I wrote about a different President and a totally different motorcade. "On June 26th 1963 three other kids and I left our group to see if we could get a glimpse of President John F. Kennedy. He spoke at two different locations on his famous trip to Berlin. He gave his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech at the Schöneberg Rathaus (City Hall) in Berlin. We went to the other location, the Free University of Berlin. We got to our location to get a good view of the Presidential motorcade. We stood in the hot sun for what seemed like an eternity. The longer we waited, the more people arrived. By the time the motorcade arrived the sidewalks were crowded with Germans. As he approached the crowds roared with applause. The limousine got near and I raised my camera above the assholes that had crowded in front of me to catch a better view of My President. I as so excited to see him that I took four very blurry photos. But more than the photos I remember the adulation the German people had for Our President. So many of the people who lined that section had brought American flags. And they screamed in delight of the man who symbolized America. It was a feeling I will never forget. Equally amazing was the reaction of my often bunk-mate, Bill R. He was a waspish little Republican if there ever was one. We lived only a few blocks apart. He, like me, was Irish and freckled, and as I later found out, gay. Only his family was Republican and anti anything Democrat. How surprised I was to see Bill scream and yell for Kennedy. He's retired now and lives in the California with his partner of over 32 years. I wonder if he is still a Republican."
#BeBest
Gary
Thank you Gary for the insight but this entire 40 plus posts from so many (or one delusional) posters should provide evidence that if you want comments on your blog you are bound to get a war of words from the childish. The internet brings out those who hide behind anonymity in search of an audience which they lack in the real world of social interaction and people. Yes this is now done. Out.....
I said, you have an assignment and I do not want to hear from you until you do your homework. Why are you going to the Principal and bypassing your teacher? Do you have some special need to which I should be aware child? Are you trying to imitate your “Dear Leader” when he declared an end to the Obama Birtherism scam he started? #ISayWhenWeAreDone. #Recess Is Over
Always address me as Sir or Colonel...think I've earned it.
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