Fintan O’Toole: ‘World Has Loved, Hated And Envied The U.S. Now, For The First Time, We Pity It’

Irish Times columnist Fintan O’Toole tells Lawrence O’Donnell that people in Ireland are “genuinely feeling pity for the U.S.” because Trump’s mixed messaging and lack of leadership has made the U.S. the epicenter of the pandemic: “I don’t think we’ve ever seen… a leader who has been active spreading a deadly virus, which is really what Trump has been doing.” Aired on 04/29/2020.
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Fintan O’Toole: ‘World Has Loved, Hated And Envied The U.S. Now, For The First Time, We Pity It’

107 comments

  1. It’s not just Trump. That is too easy. It’s clearly him and the GOP and all his enablers within and outside of this administration. And that is what makes it truly monstrous.

    1. @Didier Bordeau well shucks naw. Oh wait I didn’t accuse him. And that innocent until sh…pesky

    2. Absolutely it is the GOPhers bankrupt cynical attitude about real democracy, together with the Electoral Smallege’s lockstep complicity in allowing the Orange Blight into the White House. Weve seen this before, when the Supreme Cult appointed Bushleague to be Cheney’s Puppet.

  2. You need to compare the US performance against the rest of the world. US cases is more than the next highest 6 countries COMBINED!!! Anyone who says this going well needs their head checked.

    1. @PanglossDr well done, by your very words you have fulfilled prophecy…words spoken thousands of years ago Psalms 14 :1..funny how the constitution was written by men who had faith…non Godly people disrespect the Founders and the constitution

    2. @Lynette Wood Strange comment. I have huge respect for the Constitution. It’s a pity Republicans either don’t read it or disregard it.

    3. @PanglossDr Psalms 14 :1 says that only the fool shouts that there is no God…Psalms scrolls were found, way long before the Founders made the Constitution. they were men of faith too, they built America on faith, but now America have politics making a huge mess. Because we have so called good religious groups who say they believe in God and are Christian, do not make them true followers of Christ.

    4. @Lynette Wood The Psalms are stories, fairy-tales, legends. There is no truth in them so please shut up and stop spouting nonsense at me.

    5. @PanglossDr Your that ignorant of scrolls found? that other scrolls found that backed them up? oh but the archaelogists who found them musat be fake too. smh the ignorance of some people astounds me

    1. @bUH sNUH You’re one of those limited fellers ain’tcha. These types are harmless folks. Snicker and pass ’em by.

  3. It was nice to hear that at least some parts of the world know most of us didn’t vote for the orange buffoon. I hope someday someone figures out how many unnecessary Covid-19 deaths were caused by his incompetence.

    1. next year, during the Global Depression, you will be remembering Covid about as much as your think about AIDS today

    2. When will these Americans that are soo upset about Trump and are so eager to explain he didn’t have popular vote, begin to understand that Trump is not the problem.
      He is a symptom of something profoundly wrong in their culture.
      If Biden would win in November, the problem will still be there…

    3. mike boultinghouse, yes, you are right. I still think a lot about AIDS because it killed my cousin and a dear friend, and when we see the other side of this tragedy, I will grieve for all those whose deaths from Covid could have been prevented.

    4. Frans Mulder, you’re preaching to the choir, so far as I am concerned. I know there’s something horribly wrong with American culture. It grieves me to see Americans with so much hate in their hearts.

    5. @A Roberts no foreigners. you accents are going to give you away. wearing a MAGA hat might give you some more time, however

  4. I’m in Australia, and it’s gone from funny to very sad in the U.S. We wondered how much damage he could do and we suspected it would be a bad military decision that would end up in attack on U.S. soil, but this is just terrifying how badly he will damage the U.S. for years

    1. @Reconquista: Hinduism I’m an Australia who respects India. I have been many times. My heart goes out to the people of the US. Stay safe

    2. yes, State Department and EPA are gutted. It’ll take two generations to repair his damage. Also, it isn’t over, and he still has 20,000 nukes.

    3. Apparently according to “King Donald”… A decent sized injection of disinfectant into a major artery, and you’ll never have to bother about Covid-19 or the Trump Freakshow, ever again !… Best of luck from another Australian !…

    4. Planet G I wonder if Rupert Murdoch hoisted Trump on our country as revenge for U.S. meddling in an Australian election in the 70s. I disagree with my country’s covert actions and I understand not all Australians hold the same grudge. As we approach 70,000 dead, one might think he’d finally be satisfied and shut down his disinformation “news” media.

  5. America has gone from a world leader to the world’s laughing stock in less than 4 years. The office of the President has gone from winning Nobel awards and being invited to speak to several other countries Houses of Parliament and delivering international recognition on climate and environmental issues to the butt of jokes and memes.

    1. @Ann Best
      That’s how I see it, Americans are fed a certain line by their politicians and their culture, they’re told they’re great, they’re free, they’re the best country in the world, but when you look at it, it’s only that way for less than half the population. The inequality is staggering, the poverty, the gun violence. The life expectancy was a surprise to me, 46th!! The richest country in the world and they don’t live as long as people from Cuba!! But they don’t seem to care, it’s like “so what, I’m ok”.
      It’s amazing just how backward it is, like cave dwellers that have just invented the bow and arrow but still can’t read nor write nor co-operate, it’s utterly divided along both political and racial lines.
      Keep safe.

    2. @mike boultinghouse lol oh my your so mistaken there. Yes America does have a lot of food, too much of the wrong food, hence Americas obesity, sickness mental problems and every thing else it has

    3. @Lynette Wood im talking about feed the world. we sell china most of its soybeans and the world most of its fruits> when the global depression comes? many countries will be starving. unless we decide otherwise

    4. @mike boultinghouse I think we’ll be just fine on the food front, cheers, you can keep your HFCS and other frankenfoods.

    1. @Ann Best NO ONE other country wants Americas excuse for food. Its disgusting and its citizens show it…2 out of 3 Americans over weight obese…diabetes and hypertension sky high because of the crappy food. The breast heart diabetes associations over there are all financed by junk food companies

    2. Actual What The World No Longer Wants Is ONE More Minute Of TUMP/MCCONNELL/BARR. Particularly Europe 60 Million Dead during the last emergence of This Level Of Insane Pathologies.

    3. @mike boultinghouse Ireland tops world league for country ‘best able to feed itself’ Ireland, for the first time, has topped the global ranking of how well countries can feed themselves, Bloomberg reports.Sep 27, 2017

    4. @mike boultinghouse Ireland will be affected but they will survive because they have come through a lot worse than this. Now the US hasn’t had anything happen to them as bad as Donald Trump so will they survive?

    5. @Ronnie Murtagh if Biden dies in office with totally unqualified token when a Chinese missile operator in the Spratlys sinks a US destroyer? u think Ireland won’t be involved? there is a global interconnection you know. the US also tried to stay neutral and allow the big boys to straighten things out (last century) and Ireland will see the same situation this time. you will be sucked into conflict

  6. t’rump: When I’m president, the US will stop being a laughing stock around the world.
    World: 😄😅😂🤣

    1. @Ebony Filly we used to laugh and laugh, now we know he’s all show, but he’s a failure when the going gets tough.

    2. @Carlos Stranger – *YES! Especially since it’s a quote from your Dear Leader…….facts are YOUR kryptonite, Harpo!*
      .

    3. @Ebony Filly you dont get it child. The world pities America for the imbecilic moron you have in office and the equally laughable trump supporters. We dont need to see American news to see why America is going down. But be happy, most decent people outside do feel sorry for….true Americans, ones who proudly belong to America, and not any political party

  7. America is in this hole not because of Trump alone but all his enablers. Don’t forget the GOP senators in this mess.

    1. what hole do yo speak of? our economy is in shambles but we still have food and nukes. we’re good. just a downgrade. like the USSR had

    2. @James Sears… Don’t Forget Tens of Million Believe Trump…” And More The SHAME. To be disillusioned by men like McConnell, Reagan, Clinton, Bush and 40 Years of Stagnant Wages, War after War, Mass Incarceration, Exploitation by Special Interest Is Understandable. But to hand our Government over To men such as Trump/McConnell Is Voluntary Mass Homicide.And the 60 Thousand dead Americans with more coming daily is proof.

    3. @Lisa Skaggs At least the Democrats are in the fight…. Who else is even remotely putting in the same showing?

    1. I feel sorry for America who has a leader who thinks only of the economy and not of the people. Without them there will be no economy but he is to ignorant to realise that

  8. The fact that Trump has the support he has, is very disturbing. Imagine…all the ‘supposedly ethical’ men and women in powerful GOP governmental posts supporting a man so obviously inappropriate and divisive. Trump, I’m afraid, may be just a catalyst for troubles far greater than we’ve yet imagined.

    1. @mike boultinghouse Tempo por ĵeti la diablon en la vulkanon…at least that’s what most seem to be sayin’. Ain’t metaphor wunnerful? Never as good as the real thing but whattaya do…

    2. @Ruud de KoffI wonder why in American history only presidents with a positive mission were assassinated. Or let me rephrase it: why did JFK had to die and DJT is still breathing?

    1. He’s got blood on his hands. I don’t know how he is going to get away with 60k+ deaths is beyond me. He ignore the pandemic warnings and weaponized Coronavirus.

    2. jb pb Your Leader throws around hatred and calls people names like no other leader in American history.
      Your Leader pretended for the first few months of this virus that it was all going to go away magically by Easter. instead of taking protection against it.
      It is because he is an inapt narcissistic psychopath only considering himself in every situation.

  9. I have ZERO pity for Trump supporters……….ZERO.
    As for the rest of the USA – absolute best wishes to you all.

    1. @Lynette Wood there are stupid people i ireland as well. Yet the IRA won the war, and we shall win ours BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. all foreigners OUT OF MY COUNTRY

    2. @mike boultinghouse you misunderstood you racist ignorant muppet….. good wishes americans, apart from this stooge

    3. @mike boultinghouse
      He never said they are. So you are not able to comprehend his post and call him stupid?

    1. the head man will be in need of baskets to catch his products…long live the French revolution

    2. speaking of lists? the Deplorables have theirs. we havent forgotten your coup attempts

    3. Absolutely. Trump/McConnell/Barr First. Remove and review ALL Judicial Appointments made by McConnell.

    4. @Ann Owens Instead we will attack EACH foreigner we see still in my country. BEGINNING WITH CHINESE. your families are in danger here! get out or you will be in body bags. Not one foreigner is allowed here no,,green card or not

  10. As presidential historian, scholar and author Douglas Brinkley said – Trump’s words on injecting disinfectant are ‘cavernously stupid.’

    1. mike boultinghouse Actually they will be. If you don’t know what happened before you are horribly unprepared.
      Just like our president.

  11. Folks, this is only going to get worse. Trump is frustrated and he feels cornered. No telling what evils he will commit when he sees he re-election fading away even more. Get ready.

    1. CherBear When trump loses the new president will be in charge of the police and the Military. 😊

  12. Greetings from Canada 🇨🇦. We love Americans, it’s trump that is giving the country a bad reputation. So vote him out in November. If you re-elect him though, sympathy from the rest of the world will evaporate. Good luck in the fall.

    1. First of all, Love ya back! Second, Voting him out is easier said than done. It has to do with our stupid election process. Each state is given a number based on it’s total number of representatives in Congress. And whoever wins the state gets that number. Since I live in California and California votes Democrat, my vote will go to Democrat no matter what. Let’s say I vote for the Republican Trump (something I will NEVER do), my vote will automatically go to the Democratic nominee, which will most likely be Joe Biden. That’s why Trump lost the popular vote, but won the election. I normally vote for the best candidate, which is neither Democrat nor Republican. I usually vote for a candidate from one of the minor “third” party’s as a symbolic gesture. I hope Biden wins, because it’s completely out of my hands.

    2. Daniel Escobar wish you luck. But the republicans will do so much damage that it will affect his base. The worst is yet to come. They are so stupid they can’t think more than a month out.

    3. thanks. We love Canada! I’ve been to seven provinces, and I’d like to see more one day. Stay safe.

    1. Bobby Ding — I don’t understand what you mean. What about American culture causes problems? Honestly I’m not baiting you – I’m actually curious.

      A brief explanation would be helpful.

  13. “The country needs to open up!” “Liberate Michigan!” “Georgia is opening too soon, strongly disagree!” “Chloroquine, take it!” “CNN is fake news!” “Can we inject the bleach?” “It’s going to go away, magically!” – Yup. Gibberish from an old, dangerous, empty mind.

    1. The latest censored fact is that the US is now the largest source of imported infections across the world

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