Just Politics

[janice shell]

It's a curious case. I've never thought of this before, but I wonder if people into domestic abuse are often in denial of it. I know that many guys who do this "make up" extravagantly afterwards, saying they're sorry, being especially nice for awhile, and buying lavish gifts for their victim. But do some talk themselves into believing it never happened?

I have lots more questions. The second wife has been interviewed several times now. She says she absolutely believes what the first wife said. But did she know about what happened to the first wife when she married Porter? Did he not tell her, or, if he did, did he explain that it didn't happen as the first wife described it? And did the second wife, madly in love, decide to believe him?

I know that if'd I'd been her, once Porter began his emotional and physical abuse, I'd have got in touch with the first wife to see what she had to say.

I'd also like to know when he first became abusive to both. The first wife got her black eye on their honeymoon. Was that the first incident? And when did he start in on the second wife? Many authorities say they usually begin early in the the relationship, and escalate as time goes buy.

But the bottom line here is that he should have been thoroughly vetted before he was hired. The transition period lasts two and a half months. That should be long enough to turn up skeletons like these. The FBI did a background check. When? As soon as the White House learned of it, they should have confronted Porter with it. Or maybe they should just have decided not to take him on, without bothering to listen to his denials.

In that case, no lives would have been "shattered", to use Trump's word. He could probably have found employment in the private sector. At this point, I think that may be very difficult for him.