Ben Rhodes
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Podcast Appearances
And then he sits down and they bring the cameras in and he just starts getting insulted to his face by people who can demonstrate no degree of empathy. I mean, like they don't even, not even a perfunctory, you know, tribute to what the people of Ukraine have done. And they insulted not just Zelensky, this is important, They insulted the Ukrainian people.
And then he sits down and they bring the cameras in and he just starts getting insulted to his face by people who can demonstrate no degree of empathy. I mean, like they don't even, not even a perfunctory, you know, tribute to what the people of Ukraine have done. And they insulted not just Zelensky, this is important, They insulted the Ukrainian people.
He said the only people you can get to fight are conscripts that you force to the front line. So that's insulting the troops. That's insulting the Ukrainians that have been fighting and saying they don't want to be there. They're only there because Zelensky made them go there. When in fact, Putin is the one that conscripts people. Putin is the one that did the mobilization.
He said the only people you can get to fight are conscripts that you force to the front line. So that's insulting the troops. That's insulting the Ukrainians that have been fighting and saying they don't want to be there. They're only there because Zelensky made them go there. When in fact, Putin is the one that conscripts people. Putin is the one that did the mobilization.
And so we can talk later about whether Zelensky erred tactically here, but I have a great deal of empathy for what he had to go through.
And so we can talk later about whether Zelensky erred tactically here, but I have a great deal of empathy for what he had to go through.
Yeah, there's a lot in that one, too, Tommy. I mean, first of all, boy, to say that Zelensky is the one that's gambling with World War Three when Putin is the one that invaded the country. I mean, the Ukrainians didn't want they don't want to be in this war.
Yeah, there's a lot in that one, too, Tommy. I mean, first of all, boy, to say that Zelensky is the one that's gambling with World War Three when Putin is the one that invaded the country. I mean, the Ukrainians didn't want they don't want to be in this war.
Yeah. Yeah. Like what's so fucking bonkers about this is like the the. All the things that Trump and Van Say presuppose that Zelensky somehow wants this war and wanted this war when he was just invaded by Russia. They're the ones that raised the risks of World War III. Then to hear them lecture him about needing to thank Mr. Trump, you know.
Yeah. Yeah. Like what's so fucking bonkers about this is like the the. All the things that Trump and Van Say presuppose that Zelensky somehow wants this war and wanted this war when he was just invaded by Russia. They're the ones that raised the risks of World War III. Then to hear them lecture him about needing to thank Mr. Trump, you know.
first of all, Zelensky always thanks the United States repeatedly. He's done it, by the way, since Trump has been president, expressed gratitude for the support the United States supplies, even though, by the way, Donald Trump is not the one that provided that support. It was Joe Biden and the United States Congress on a bipartisan basis.
first of all, Zelensky always thanks the United States repeatedly. He's done it, by the way, since Trump has been president, expressed gratitude for the support the United States supplies, even though, by the way, Donald Trump is not the one that provided that support. It was Joe Biden and the United States Congress on a bipartisan basis.
But they want Zelensky to behave like, you know, a Trump staffer there. Thank you, Mr. Trump, for being such a great president. And they don't do this
But they want Zelensky to behave like, you know, a Trump staffer there. Thank you, Mr. Trump, for being such a great president. And they don't do this
to other leaders you know they don't hector other leaders like this in the oval office they you know they they they they're picking on him they're like schoolyard boys picking on a small injured person to impress their friends and it's like three on one you can hear all of them like chiding him be like yes you were mean yes you did say that it literally sounds like a schoolyard taunting and he didn't insult when did he insult did you do you know what they're referring because he shouldn't insult the u.s he just explained facts facts are insulting to true
to other leaders you know they don't hector other leaders like this in the oval office they you know they they they they're picking on him they're like schoolyard boys picking on a small injured person to impress their friends and it's like three on one you can hear all of them like chiding him be like yes you were mean yes you did say that it literally sounds like a schoolyard taunting and he didn't insult when did he insult did you do you know what they're referring because he shouldn't insult the u.s he just explained facts facts are insulting to true
Yeah, and he needs everything to be about himself and not about like the reality of what is happening in the world, particularly a reality that is counter to his narrative and inconvenient to him in any way, shape or form. And Zelensky is this guy who's only trying to share facts, you know, and each time he does –
Yeah, and he needs everything to be about himself and not about like the reality of what is happening in the world, particularly a reality that is counter to his narrative and inconvenient to him in any way, shape or form. And Zelensky is this guy who's only trying to share facts, you know, and each time he does –
They act as if he has personally offended them and come down even harder on the guy. And by this point in the clip, they're just picking on him. And to say that because he's not kissing Trump's ass, he's insulting the whole country, just shows you what Donald Trump's view of this country is, that he is the only thing that matters.
They act as if he has personally offended them and come down even harder on the guy. And by this point in the clip, they're just picking on him. And to say that because he's not kissing Trump's ass, he's insulting the whole country, just shows you what Donald Trump's view of this country is, that he is the only thing that matters.