Vice President Joseph R. Biden, responding to comments Donald Trump made Monday about soldiers returning from battle, said Mr. Trump is “not a bad guy” but that his ignorance is “so profound.”
“He’s not a bad man, but his ignorance is so profound — so profound,” Mr. Biden said in an interview for CNN’s “New Day” Tuesday.
Mr. Biden said he has his staff contact the Defense Department every morning to find out exactly how many troops are injured and wounded “because every one matters.”
“The number of people coming home with unseen injuries — post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury — is significantly higher,” he said. “What’s this say about a guy who doesn’t have any notion of that?”
“How can he be so out of touch? He’s not a bad guy, but how can he be so out of touch and ask to lead this country?” he said of the GOP presidential nominee.
Mr. Biden was responding to comments Mr. Trump made Monday that some interpreted as disparaging to veterans.
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“When you talk about the mental health problems, when people come back from war and combat and they see things that maybe a lot of the folks in this room have seen many times over and you’re strong and you can handle it,” Mr. Trump had said. “But a lot of people can’t handle it.”
But Marine Staff Sgt. Chad Robichaux, whose question about veterans treatment at the town hall event in Northern Virginia had prompted Mr. Trump’s answer, said it’s “sickening” that anyone would twist the GOP presidential nominee’s comments to pursue a political agenda.
“I took his comments to be thoughtful and understanding of the struggles many veterans have, and I believe he is committed to helping them,” said Sgt. Robichaux, the president and founder of the Mighty Oaks Warrior Programs.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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