Louisiana Voice

“We have to prime the pump. Have you ever heard that expression before? Because I haven’t heard it. I came up with it a couple of days ago and I thought it was good.”

–Donald Trump, in an interview with The Economist.

The Kingston Trio sang about having to “prime the pump” in their 1963 recording of Desert Pete:

https://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_kingston_trio/desert_pete.html

…and President Franklin Roosevelt used the expression in describing his efforts to speed recovery from the Great Depression, but the expression actually dates back at least to the 1800s.

“It is worth noting that Bangladesh is NOT Ukraine”

—Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a formal statement Friday following a profanity-laced tirade directed at NPR reporter Mary Louise Kelly after he dared her to identify Ukraine on a blank map—and she correctly did.

(Perhaps it was Pompeo who misidentified Ukraine on the map. Whatever, it’s pretty evident that he ignored the old courtroom tenet known by any good lawyer: never ask a witness a question unless you already know their answer.)

“Why does NPR still exist?”

—Conservative radio host Mark Levin tweet, following the exchange between Pompeo and Kelly.

“A very good question”

—Donald Trump’s (tweeted) response to Levin’s question. (the answer might be it’s the only shred of balance remaining in radio after repeal of the Fairness Doctrine, which required broadcast licensees to present both sides of controversial issues. The policy was eliminated in 1987.)

“We have to protect Thomas Edison. We have to protect all of these people that came up with originally the light bulb and the wheel and all of these things.”

—Donald Trump, interview with CNBC at World Economic Forum in Davos. Jan 22, 2020. (Did “all of these things” include the inventor’s patent for fire?)

“You know, I tweeted today. Don’t worry, I’ll give it up after I’m president. We won’t tweet anymore. Not presidential.”

—Donald Trump, April 25, 2016.