When it comes to Donald Trump, there is no shortage of opinions and Brothers Deli diners served up their viewpoints on the Congressional inquiry into the president’s impeachment Friday.
“He hasn’t lived up to the title of what a president should be,” impeachment supporter and Lynn resident Maria Angelone said.
The Washington Post and other media outlets on Tuesday reported U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s announcement supporting an impeachment inquiry into the revelation that Trump pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate potential 2020 Democratic rival and former vice president Joe Biden.
Angelone said an impeachment process that could send Trump packing doesn’t make the United States look good in the eyes of the world. But she thinks Trump, in word and deed, has become too much for the American public to bear.
“There have been a lot of unnecessary things that come out of his mouth,” she said.
Terri Tirabassi doesn’t think the impeachment inquiry is going to end with a vote to expel Trump from the White House.
“I don’t think it’s going to happen. They don’t have enough evidence,” the Salem resident said.
She thinks the Ukrainian investigation is just the latest example of Trump haters “pulling at straws” to find a way to end his presidency. She knows that vocal Trump opponents don’t share her view that the president “is trying to bring the country back to where it was.”
“I love Trump but he opens his mouth too much,” Tirabassi said.
National Public Radio posted on its website Friday results of an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll finding 49 percent of 864 Americans polled favored impeachment.
Curtis Lockett of Winthrop isn’t surprised Trump opponents finally launched impeachment. No fan of politics, Lockett is convinced the president’s wealth and influence will keep his hold on the White House secure.
“He’s super powerful,” Lockett said.
But Lynn resident Atyana Johnson said Trump has been on a collision course with Congress since the start of his presidency with his insistence on building a wall to keep immigrants from entering the U.S.
“That’s crazy. Everyone should be welcome in this country,” she said, calling impeachment “a step in the right direction.”
A Brothers customer who declined to give her name said Trump should resign the presidency before the impeachment process plays out. She said Trump acted improperly if reports of his exchange with the Ukrainian president are verified. Peabody resident Maria Hayes compared Trump’s reported dealings with Zelensky to a corporate chief executive who shares business secrets with other companies.
“I don’t like him. He’s not a leader. He’s done a lot of dumb things,” she said.
But Hayes doubts the impeachment inquiry will end with Trump being removed from office. Brothers owner George Markos said he is disappointed Trump’s presidency has reached led to an impeachment inquiry.
“Impeachment is an embarrassment for every American,” Markos said.
