La Crosse Dem. Congressman Ron Kind, headed to inaguration, has advice for Trump

Unlike colleagues, Kind is attending in hopes to work well with Trump.

A few dozen Democrats in Congress claim they’re going to stay away from today’s inauguration of President Donald Trump.

La Crosse Democratic Congressman Ron Kind, however, isn’t among them. Today’s ceremony will be the sixth for Kind since he began his career in Congress 20 years ago. He does have advice for the new president, though.

“You gotta put a Kevlar vest on,” Kind said. “You’re going to get criticized. It’s just the nature of the position. It’s free press, it’s free speech, it’s, again, the values of our country. 

“He’s gotta get used to that without having to feel like he’s gotta respond.”

Kind was bothered this week by Trump’s negative remarks about Congressman John Lewis, the civil rights leader who said he doesn’t see Trump as a legitimate president.

The La Crosse congressman says a president doesn’t have time to respond to every critical remark anyone says about him.

Kind had more advice for the Trump, as he transitions from businessman into president, though it seems as though he’s trying to change the job to suit himself.

“I think he needs to realize that becoming president of the United States, that your job isn’t to just go out and try to cut deals with anyone that’s out there,” Kind said. “It’s to represent who we are as a nation.”

Kind predicts there will be trouble if Trump puts his own self-interests ahead of what’s good for the country.