Mike Pompeo: Last in His Class at West Point in Integrity. Though he reportedly argued privately to the president to keep Yovanovitch in place, Pompeo faithfully executed Trump’s order without uttering a word to defend his ambassador’s reputation in public. The secretary of state’s behavior has been cowardly and self-serving. Emmanuel Macron. Thomas Jefferson was the first person to hold that job. His behavior is one of the most shameful things I have seen in 40 years of covering U.S. diplomacy. Or it’s as simple as this: “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, but lose his soul?” — Mark 8:36. The West Point graduating class of 1846 included the three biggest names known to most anyone; George McClellan, Thomas ‘Stonewall’ Jackson, and George Pickett. George Edward Pickett No single group of men at West Point has been so indelibly written into history as the class of 1846. But they’re G.O.P. As Yovanovitch put it to the House Intelligence Committee on Friday: “Individuals, who apparently felt stymied by our efforts to promote stated U.S. policy against corruption — that is, to do the mission — were able to successfully conduct a campaign of disinformation against a sitting ambassador, using unofficial back channels. After five grueling years the ordeal of West Point ended on June 11, 1909 when Patton was commissioned as a second lieutenant of cavalry. How can Pompeo think he’s got what it takes to make the hard decisions needed to lead a nation as president, and send soldiers to war, when he can’t make a clear-cut easy decision to protect one of his own diplomats from being smeared by people acting outside our system. Those were the words of Pompeo’s own deputy! His behavior is one of the most shameful things I have seen in 40 years of covering U.S. diplomacy. As for Ambassador Yovanovitch, thank you for your service. Right before his commissioning, he was forced to resign in May 1930 after it was discovered he had married — a … I have only met Pompeo once. But I have tried to cleave to the most technical definition. Before he played in the NFL, Chris Cagle was part of West Point’s Class of 1930. 1 even though he must have flunked all his courses on ethics and leadership. I guess he was really good in math. politicians, people we now know who will do anything to avoid giving up their $174,000-a-year salaries and free parking at National Airport. Some of these men are well-known to most Americans, like George Armstrong Custer and Confederate General George Pickett of Pickett's Charge. But the mark of Cain on his forehead will not wash off. Par RichardPrasquier, Why the EU needs a common foreign policy (and what it would take to have one) by Riccardo Perissich former General Director of the EU Commission, Les surprises de la Covid par Richard Prasquier. And here’s our email: letters@nytimes.com. I get the fact that Congressman Devin Nunes and Senator Lindsey Graham have a contest going over who can debase themselves in public the most by defending indefensible actions by Trump. Historically, it was the largest at the time and now, the most famous class of West Point. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, but lose his soul?” — Mark 8:36. I would never, ever, ever want to be in a trench with that man. Technically, the Goat is the person who comes in last in his class. Pompeo instead let his ambassador to Ukraine — who depended on him for protection — be stabbed in her back with a Twitter knife, wielded by the president, rather than tell Trump: “Sorry, Mr. President, if you fire her, I will resign. Hold your head high. 5. I get the fact that Congressman Devin Nunes and Senator Lindsey Graham have a contest going over who can debase themselves in public the most by defending indefensible actions by Trump. Mike Pompeo: Last in his class at West Point on ethics in leadership. The class of '46 fought in three wars and produced twenty generals total, ten on the Union side, including George B. McClellan, who survived the war, and nine on the Confederate, including Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson and Ambrose Powell Hill, both of whom were … Pompeo: Last in His Class at West Point in Integrity. As Yovanovitch put it to the House Intelligence Committee on Friday: “Individuals, who apparently felt stymied by our efforts to promote stated U.S. policy against corruption — that is, to do the mission — were able to successfully conduct a campaign of disinformation against a sitting ambassador, using unofficial back channels. But Pompeo did not attempt that, because he wants to run for president after Trump — and did not want to risk alienating Trump. But Pompeo is the secretary of state. Changer ), Vous commentez à l’aide de votre compte Twitter. Mike Pompeo: Last in his class at West Point on ethics in leadership. He took an oath to defend and protect Donald J. Trump and Pompeo’s own future political career — above all else — and that’s exactly what he’s been doing. I believed he was, yes.”. I get the fact that Congressman Devin Nunes and Senator Lindsey Graham have a contest going over who can debase themselves in public the most by defending indefensible actions by Trump. Mike Pompeo: Last in his class at West Point on ethics in leadership. His final class standing was number 46 out of the total of 103 who graduated. If your class website is not listed, or if you have a correction, please update us by writing to: feedback@west-point.org. Pompeo is no Jefferson. He Graduated last in his class at west point. But it is even more impressive in Pompeo’s case when you consider that he finished No. (It’s neck and neck.) » Pompeo is no Jefferson. Jefferson would have been proud of you. By Thomas L. Friedman It seems like every story you read about Secretary of State Mike Pompeo always includes the sentence that he graduated “first in his class” from West Point. How can Pompeo think he’s got what it takes to make the hard decisions needed to lead a nation as president, and send soldiers to war, when he can’t make a clear-cut easy decision to protect one of his own diplomats from being smeared by people acting outside our system. Robert E. Lee graduated second in his class at West Point. Avertissez-moi par e-mail des nouveaux articles. He was then immediately sent to participate in the Mexican- American war, where he received to brevet promotion for being the first to climb a parapet at the Battle of Chapultepec. Because to do otherwise would be unjust and against my values and character — and because I would lose the loyalty of all my diplomats if I silently went along with such a travesty of justice against a distinguished 33-year veteran of the Foreign Service.”. But the mark of Cain on his forehead will not wash off. Though he reportedly argued privately to the president to keep Yovanovitch in place, Pompeo faithfully executed Trump’s order without uttering a word to defend his ambassador’s reputation in public. As various witnesses have recounted, they shared baseless allegations with the president and convinced him to remove his ambassador, despite the fact that the State Department fully understood that the allegations were false and the sources highly suspect.’’. He didn’t even have the decency or courage to speak to Yovanovitch personally, to look her in the eye and at least say, “Hey, I’m sorry.”, Reporters and columnists need to ask Pompeo every chance they get: “What moral code are you operating by that would justify such behavior? Goat has also been used to refer to anyone who comes in towards the bottom of the class, or to someone who has to repeat a year. (It’s neck and neck.) Trump, the cowardly bully that he is, probably would have backed down had Pompeo showed some spine. He played for the Black Knights during the 1926–1929 seasons. AP Photo/Evan Vucci. Mike Pompeo: Last in His Class at West Point in Integrity The secretary of state’s behavior has been cowardly and self-serving. Of those who survived the rigorous four years at West Point in the class of 1843, Grant graduated 21st out of 39 cadets. ", I wanted to make sure that I was not being unfair to the secretary of state, so I Googled “Pompeo Defends Yovanovitch” — just to make sure that I hadn’t missed anything. Shame on him. He was called the “Marble Model” because of his drive and focus at the military academy. Ben Fox Rubin on Lunch Break explains why it pays to be last at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Early in his last semester at West Point, Custer and some of his classmates tried to beat the odds of passing a major examination by stealing the list of questions each professor had submitted to the examining board. The plebe began working with a tutor and redoubled his efforts to receive adequate grades the remainder of his tenure at West Point, eventually graduating 46th in his class of 103 cadets. Among the force of more than 200 men wiped out by the Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne warriors on June 25, 1876, were Custers 18-year-old nephew, Henry Reed, brother-in-law James Calhoun and two younger brothers, Boston and Thomas (a Civil War veteran and two-time Medal of Honor recipient). Some of these men are well-known to most Americans, like George Armstrong Custer and Confederate General George Pickett of Pickett's Charge.