WASHINGTON — Donald Trump’s 60 Minutes interview with Lesley Stahl was supposed to calm the nation. Instead, many staunch supporters of the President-elect feel he may have finally crossed a line.
In his first interview since winning the White House, the brash businessman looked to temper his image and balance campaign promises, but an offhand remark claimed headlines around the music world.
When asked about the string of legendary musicians who passed away in 2016, Trump said, “They’re legends because they died. I like the ones who didn’t die, OK?”
When asked to clarify which living musicians he considered legends, Trump seemed to lack a clear answer. “All the best ones. I know all the bands, all the bands they call me. You know, Phil Collins. I would say Phil Collins. Great guy. Great guy.”
Many in Washington are once again distancing themselves from Trump.
“All Americans should value the work of Mr. Cohen. He showed through tireless effort that a young Canadian can achieve the American dream,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “I am grateful for artists like Mr. Cohen who sacrificed so much to entertain us.”
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Leonard Cohen, widely regarded as one of the foremost songwriters of the contemporary era, died last week at the age of 82. Following the backlash from pundits on the left and the right, the president-elect tried to distance himself from his own words denigrating the epic songwriter.
The following night at a press conference Trump denied saying that Cohen wasn’t a legend and said, “If he’s dead, I consider him a legend. Good guy.”
But the real estate mogul who shocked the world with his underdog electoral college victory on Nov. 8 continued his attacks on music in general via Twitter later that evening.
“Music is all robot noises now. SAD!” he tweeted at 3:30 AM this morning. “Better when I was a kid, WE WILL BRING IT BACK!”