Trump's Dishwasher Lament Generates Attention

'Now you press it 12 times. Women tell me ...'
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 19, 2019 10:00 AM CST
Why Trump Vented About Lousy Dishwashers
President Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Battle Creek, Mich., on Wednesday.   (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

President Trump gave one of his longest speeches to date Wednesday night, with ridicule of his impeachment in the House a big topic. But Trump also hit on a less consequential issue that's now generating headlines: dishwashers. As in, the machines in people's kitchens. "Remember the dishwasher? You'd press it, boom! There'd be like an explosion. Five minutes later you open it up, the steam pours out," he said. But he suggested those were the good old days. "Now you press it 12 times. Women tell me ... You know, they give you four drops of water." Some reaction and context:

  • Why? NBC News reports Trump was making the case that his administration is going to make dishwashers better by loosening regulations. MarketWatch reported last month that the Energy Department is rolling back energy-efficient requirements on them.

  • Context: Conservative groups such as FreedomWorks pushed hard for the looser dishwasher rules. As the New York Times observed in an earlier story on the subject: "Of all the conservative efforts to persuade the Trump administration to weaken the nation's environmental rules, the dishwasher lobby might be the most peculiar." That's in part because the industry itself generally opposes the move, saying it will increase costs for manufacturers and consumers.
  • Sarcastic guess: At Slate, Elliot Hannon refers to the appliance that Trump "100% has never used in his life."
  • Common reaction: Lots of commenters are highlighting the "women tell me" angle, including Andrea Mitchell of NBC News: "Trump says he's heard from women about inefficient dishwashers—unusual comment on the night he is impeached?"
(More President Trump stories.)

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