Trump Is Deplorable in Texas

"What a crowd, what a turn out," Trump, standing atop a ladder, told the crowd gathered outside a firehouse in Corpus Christi, per pool.

— Patrick Svitek (@PatrickSvitek) August 29, 2017

You would be forgiven if you imagined that was a bit of gallows humor; if it were someone making a bit of pointed commentary by suggesting that Donald Trump, famously obsessed with his crowd size, stooped to commenting on his crowd size even in the midst of visiting a small part of the vast site of a deadly hurricane, which continues to engulf streets and homes and businesses and plains and property.

But it is not a bitter commentary. It is a straightforward report. The President of the United States actually said this.

President Trump addresses crowd in Corpus Christi, Texas: "We are going to get you back and operating immediately." https://t.co/cLa9uwX7zA

— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 29, 2017

Thank you, everybody. I just wanna say: We love you. You are special. We're here to take care — it's going well. And I wanna thank you for coming out. We're gonna get you back and operating immediately. Thank you, everybody. What a crowd. What a turnout.

He then added: "It's historic. It's epic. But I tell you, it happened in Texas, and Texas can handle anything." Then he waved the Texas flag for the crowd.

Tell the families of the people who have died that "Texas can handle anything," Trump. Tell the people who have lost every single thing they own that they'll be "back and operating immediately."

Covering Trump's administration, being obliged to watch him and listen to him and sift through the assailment of vile indecencies he wreaks upon this nation and its most vulnerable citizens every day, gives me a physical feeling that I cannot precisely describe. All I can tell you is that there are moments when his villainy causes a sensation that I believe is every cell of my being vibrating with rageful resistance to his very presence on this planet.

I feel that way right now. I feel it mightily.