JOHN CURLEY

Did we catch a glimpse of the real Donald Trump?

Aug 16, 2017, 10:34 AM | Updated: 11:11 am

White House chief of staff John Kelly, left, watches as President Donald Trump speaks to the media ...

White House chief of staff John Kelly, left, watches as President Donald Trump speaks to the media in the lobby of Trump Tower, Tuesday. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Though he was arguably days late in denouncing a race-fueled rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, President Donald Trump did eventually condemn white supremacists.

But the president stepped back on those comments, again blaming “both sides” for the violence that left one woman dead and at least 19 injured during a press conference that some have referred to as historic.

After the press conference, which was focused on infrastructure, Trump went head-to-head with reporters in a heated exchange over why it took him so long to specifically denounce those behind a white supremacist rally. Though he called the man who drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters “a disgrace” and “murderer,” he also expressed support for people trying to maintain a monument of Robert E. Lee.

“You also had people that were very fine people, on both sides,” he said.

Basically, the president backtracked, Tom Tangney says.

“It was very clear that his chief of staff got him to present a much more socially acceptable condemnation that most people, even in his own party, were demanding,” Tom explained. “But any time you try to cage the president he then becomes unleashed at the first opportunity.

“He basically took back everything he said … and went back to the first statement ‘I was right the first time!'”

Tom says you could see Chief of Staff John Kelly shrinking back as he listened to Trump.

“It was an amazing press conference. Absolutely historic, in a lot of ways; most of them bad.”

Tom believes this is a glimpse of the real Donald Trump.

Listen to the entire conversation here.

John Curley on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • listen to tom and curleyTune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 3pm for The John Curley Show.

John Curley

John Curley

Follow @https://twitter.com/jcurleyshow...

John Curley Show

‘America needs to start waking up’: Former USS Cole commander warns U.S. infrastructure needs better protection against drone threats

Former USS Cole commander urges better protection for U.S. infrastructure against increasing drone threats to ensure national security.

2 hours ago

millionaires' tax (1)...

John Curley Show

‘It’s incredibly out of touch’: Senator rejects expanding WA’s millionaires’ tax to $250K earners

Washington Sen. Jesse Salomon defended his support for the millionaires' tax but pushed back against his Democratic opponent.

13 hours ago

daycare...

John Curley Show

‘They basically pled the Fifth to us’: WA Rep. Travis Couture rips state’s response to alleged daycare fraud

Rep. Travis Couture accused state officials of dodging questions about childcare subsidy payments, arguing that taxpayers deserve investigations.

3 days ago

seattle wilson police hiring...

John Curley Show

‘We’re kind of backsliding’: Kettle cautions that Wilson’s budget flatlines Seattle police hiring

Seattle Councilmember Bob Kettle says headlines about Mayor Katie Wilson adding police are misleading and that her budget freezes SPD staffing at 1,250.

3 days ago

seattle restaurant wage...

John Curley Show

‘A recipe for disaster’: WA Hospitality CEO warns of more restaurant closures as Seattle’s minimum wage climbs again

WA Hospitality CEO warns of increased restaurant closures as Seattle's minimum wage climbs again to $22.14 an hour on Jan. 1.

3 days ago

Follow @https://twitter.com/jcurleyshow...

John Curley Show

‘What a total waste of money!’ Curley blasts Sound Transit’s $240M Pinehurst Station

KIRO Newsradio host John Curley criticized Sound Transit’s new Pinehurst Station, arguing the cost doesn't justify another light rail in North Seattle.

3 days ago

Did we catch a glimpse of the real Donald Trump?