Mixed emotions towards Trump

Five men sitting at a bar found reason Friday to salute a new chief executive in the White House as Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th American president.

“Best thing since sliced bread. Our long national nightmare is over,” said Frank Newman of Lake Kiowa, quoting President Gerald Ford in reference to the departure of Barak Obama from the presidency.

But Joan Wooster and Glenda Carlisle of Tioga, who were sitting at a nearby table at American Legion Post 550 in Pilot Point, were less enthused about Trump’s inauguration.

“I’m not impressed,” Carlisle said, explaining she thinks Trump is too opinionated.

“I’m just not sure,” Wooster said of Trump, although she knows his business background and his accomplishments in that area.

Bob Heuman, a former member of the local City Council watched the inauguration of the bar’s TV.

“I think it’s great for the country,” Heuman said, noting that he liked Trump’s business background.

Bill Keith of Pilot Point, a Vietnam veteran who described himself the “town fool,” watched parts of the inauguration.

“It’s going to be interesting to have someone who’s not a puppet to maybe get this ship going in the right direction,” Keith said. “Something’s going to have to give.”

He said there was no particular issue he would like to see Trump target.

“A chicken in every pot,” Rick Baze of Collinsville said as he laughingly evoked the campaign slogan,

“A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage,” of former President Herbert Hoover. He watched part of the inauguration and joked about that’s how he found out about receiving that chicken.

“I’m going to wish him the best in the world,” Baze said about Trump.

Trump was not Baze’s “first choice by any means, but look at what he was running against,” he said to others at the bar, referring to Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

“He’s got a good group of people,” Baze said. “I think he will do very well. [Let’s] wait and see. I hope he’ll be a pleasant surprise.”

David Phillips of Tioga said he saw bits and pieces of the inauguration. He didn’t offer any opinions other than to say the new president has his support. He hopes Trump will be a good president.

“He’s the commander in chief,” said Phillips, a former Marine. “I took an oath.”