The Heartland is finally out of hibernation and chattering away, as magpies around an ear of corn are wont to do. As farmers await the perfect temperature for planting and summer sports dominates small-town culture, the intrepid members of Attica’s Liar’s Roundtable keep the news of the day broadcasting on the local grapevine.
Mike has emerged as the official political ringleader for the group that meets at the local diner seven days a week to drink coffee, share contraband donuts and cookies brought in from home, and gab.
Mike, fearless leader of the Liar's Roundtable
This week found the guys at full-steam discussing the de-nuclearizing of North Korea and the end of the Korean Civil War, a conflict that America conceded after attempting to stabilize the region.
“Trump should absolutely win the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with both South and North Korea, and putting a stop to their struggles over the peninsula,” Donald said, as he waved the waitress over for a refill.
Nobel, the Swedish chemist who invented dynamite, died in 1896 a wealthy man, but with an intent to share his wealth through awards each year for excellence. One such award is the lauded Peace Prize, which is given to those who have “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."
Residents in Attica aren’t the only ones touting Trump’s diplomacy as deserving of a nod from the Nobel Peace Prize folks.
South Korea’s president, Moon Jae-in, has expressed his belief that Trump deserves the win on the cease-fire between his country and North Korea, saying, “It’s really President Trump who should receive it; we can just take peace.” And through South Korea, citizens are chanting “No-bel Trump.”
On the home front, Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) joined the call for Trump’s nomination saying if Trump “can lead us to ending the Korean War” coupled with “getting North Korea to give up their nuclear program” the President certainly “deserves the Nobel Peace Prize and then some.”
Even USA Today, normally leaning a bit to the left, ran an op-ed piece declaring that Trump should win the prize.
The accolades stopped short with some naysayers and never-Trumpers, who wouldn’t be happy if they won the lottery, especially the leftists that dominate our systems of higher education. After scouring the internet, I finally found someone dumb enough to slam Trump on Korea. Meet Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian at Rice University:
“I don’t think the chemistry is right at this moment for the word ‘Nobel’ to be put anywhere near Trump’s name. But right now, the screaming of ‘Nobel’ was like ‘Lock her up’ during the campaign. It’s like something you get at a big-time wrestling rally or a kind of mob chant. I don’t think anybody takes it seriously.”
Sore loser, much?
The guys at the diner kept at it as my interview came to a close. As I said adieu, and left cash on the table, Mike sat grinning as his friends – Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike – agreed that Trump was the catalyst to bringing South and North Korea together in peace. As he patted my arm, he said, “Trumplomacy is working and even the Democrats are agreeing with me today. Give him the darn award already.”
