July 30, 2016

Of course Donald Trump was going to go after Khizr Khan, the bereaved father who spoke at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday night. He had to, because Khan stands for everything anti-Trump. Patriotism, sacrifice, and integrity. Oh, and Khan is Muslim.

Trump did not disappoint, telling ABC News Saturday that he had "made a lot of sacrifices" by employing "thousands and thousands of people," and having "tremendous success."

Here's some questions Stephanopoulos might have asked, if he were thinking on his feet. I would have asked them, anyway. How can you compare money to the loss of a child? Have you lost a child? Have you lost a child who laid down his life for his country? No? Then you've made no sacrifice greater than the one the Khan family has.

It didn't stop there, either. Trump went after Khan's wife for not saying anything on the stage.

“If you look at his wife, she was standing there. She had nothing to say. She probably, maybe she wasn't allowed to have anything to say. You tell me,” he rambled.

What a stupid thing to say. In their interview with Lawrence O'Donnell Friday, Mrs Khan explained that she can't even bear to go into the room where his picture is because the loss is still so utterly fresh for her. She didn't trust herself to maintain her composure so she let her husband speak. He, in turn, said that without her at his side he wouldn't have made it through the speech.

If you were in the room -- and we were -- you know this moment was electrifying. Simply electrifying. The Khans were private citizens who had the courage to come out and stand up for their son because they get it. As immigrants, they understand the constitution and American values better than Trump does.

We managed to get a picture of them just as they began their speech from our vantage point behind cameras and things.

dnc-2

Trump has no idea what to do with ordinary American citizens who are not white or Christian but are incredibly good. He has no idea what the meaning of sacrifice truly is.

And because he has no idea of that, he has no business being Commander-in-Chief. None whatsoever. If Donald Trump thinks money is as much of a sacrifice as someone's child, he would simply treat people as human currency to throw away in meaningless grudge wars.

The Khans stand as a rebuke to that, and voters should pay attention.

David Waldman summed it up:

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