Vermont's Response: Trump's First 100 Days
Vermont Public Radio spent the past few weeks gathering reactions to the first 100 days of the Trump administration. We wanted to know if anything about President Trump surprised you or concerned you or made you feel relieved. Most of all, we wanted to check the pulse of the region in this moment, nearly 100 days in.
We asked a simple question: How are you feeling?
Here is some of what we heard.
Inclusion in this project does not represent an endorsement from VPR. We did our best to include comments that represent the many views we heard.
-
"This has been the busiest time of social action and the most stressful political period in my life."
Listen
Kelly McCutcheon Adams
Essex Junction, Vermont
-
"He's almost like a turtle on a fence pole. You know that he's uncomfortable there. Don't know how he got himself there. And he just wants to get the heck out."
Listen
Randy Bright
Putney, Vermont
-
"I continue to support Donald Trump and believe he has had significant accomplishments during his first 100 days."
Listen
Chet Greenwood
Derby, Vermont
-
"I struggle to explain right and wrong to my kids knowing full well that it is completely relative and largely depends on how rich you are."
Read more
Matthew Gagne
-
"I wish it were the last 100 days."
Listen
Carol Ballou
Belmont, Vermont
-
"For the first time in my life — and I’m 68 — I am not proud of my country. I’m embarrassed."
Listen
Deecie Denison
Fairlee, Vermont
-
"He has made me so much more aware of my government, as he dismantles all that I have grown to love and respect about this country."
Read more
Sonta Menichelli
Underhill, Vermont
-
"I feel ... hopeful that hate and bigotry will never overpower the voices of kindness and acceptance."
Listen
Anonymous
Canaan, New Hampshire
-
"I feel convinced that I will be prevented from getting a Ph.D., buying a home, perhaps even marrying my girlfriend or adopting children together."
Listen
Samantha Grayck
South Royalton, Vermont
-
"Part of democracy is raising our voices in opposition to things that we don't agree with. And I intend to keep doing that."
Listen
Nate Lewis
Waterbury Center, Vermont
-
"I am pleased to see a president who is not afraid to stand his ground … I only ask President Trump to re-evaluate his stance on environmental issues."
Read more
Mollie Curtis
Burlington, Vermont
-
"Concern for the well-being of the people of this nation is not even a pretense anymore."
Read more
Judith D. Schwartz
Bennington, Vermont
-
"I would like to see him impeached, but I have softened somewhat on a few things."
Listen
Cecelia Kane
Peacham, Vermont
-
"I am profoundly disturbed by what is happening under the Trump administration."
Read more
Robert Godin
Montréal, Canada
-
"As a business owner, I feel the confidence in my customers and within the business market. We are heading somewhere."
Listen
Tim Boltin
Barre, Vermont
-
"I do understand wanting American politics and policies to change. I truly get it. I refuse, however, to have the change come at the cost of my country's dignity."
Listen
Kylie Eastman
Chelsea, Vermont
-
"Mr. Trump's words and behavior have lowered the standard on civility, dignity, honesty and integrity, humanity, literacy — the things that make us decent."
Listen
Lynne Lawson
Peacham, Vermont
-
"He's giving us exactly what he advertised he would give us."
Listen
Rob Friesel
Essex Junction, Vermont
-
"He stopped our country's headlong descent into the abyss of dictatorial socialism..."
Read more
Kenneth Weigel
-
"I’m concerned about nuclear war."
Listen
Katrina Dreamer
Burlington, Vermont
-
"His disrespect of women retraumatizes sexual assault survivors."
Listen
John Calvi
Putney, Vermont
-
"All he's been doing is signing executive orders. That's not the job of a president ... executive orders don't save everything."
Listen
Ian Bundy
Rutland, Vermont
-
"I am terribly frightened that my body will no longer be MINE."
Read more
Valeria Dean
-
"I see a degradation of the dignity of the office."
Listen
Chris Varney
Underhill, Vermont
-
"As an Environmental Studies major at the University of Vermont, I am nervous."
Read more
Eva Hoskin
University of Vermont
-
"Speaking as a Muslim woman of color, it's been hard seeing what's happening ... seeing the world kind of turn its back on you."
Listen
Kiran Waqar
South Burlington, Vermont
-
"In the here and now, I am wishing our leaders were in the backseat — far removed from steering wheel, pedals, and horn."
Listen
Susan Reid
Montpelier, Vermont
-
"I have been able to exhale!! I have found ways to listen to the president without imploding."
Read more
Carol Pratt
Burlington, Vermont
-
"He’s a loose cannon, and I hope we do not end up with World War III with Korea."
Listen
Tom Federlin
Saratoga Springs, New York
-
"The ship is sinking but the band keeps playing."
Read more
Jan de Vries
Underhill, Vermont
-
"Only an hour from here in Montréal to the joys of Vermont. But, it will be another 1,360 days before I lift my personal boycott of Trumplandia."
Read more
Brian Webber
Montréal, Canada
-
"I am incredibly grateful and take some solace that I am among intelligent, inclusive, outspoken and unafraid people in Vermont."
Listen
Tari Swenson
Waterbury Center, Vermont
-
"He was duly elected by a huge delegate count and the people who would rather someone else won the election need to accept it and move on."
Read more
Angela Gravelin
Burlington, Vermont
-
"Maybe Trump is the shock medicine we need to wake up."
Listen
Bruce Post
Essex, Vermont
-
"One hundred days in, and I'm feeling the anxiety of uncertainty that I felt when diagnosed with cancer. Only this time, we are all affected."
Listen
Beverly Birkman-McKendy
Quebec, Canada
-
"I work with senior citizens, many of whom are low income, and I fear that the few lifelines they do have will be pulled away."
Read more
Christina Shaw
Moretown, Vermont
-
"I have liked some of [his ideas] and disliked others. I do not necessarily like him, but I don't think it is necessary to like him."
Listen
Matt Fidler
Burlington, Vermont
-
"I am feeling fearfully optimistic."
Read more
Kim Kraus
Bethel, Vermont
-
"We're still a nation of laws. He won't be allowed to get away with just anything. "
Read more
Michele Clark
Plainfield, Vermont
-
"For the first time in my adult life, I actually am beginning to believe in evil."
Listen
Margaret Jackson
Pomfret, Vermont
-
"I feel like I'm living in a really bad movie."
Read more
Candy
Wells, Vermont
-
"The concepts and ideas we study are no longer being supported by many leaders within our country..."
Read more
Sophomore
University of Vermont
-
"I can't wait for this administration to be over."
Listen
Dan Thorington
Williamstown, Vermont
-
"So, my thoughts? One word, really. Impeach."
Listen
Melanie Reinhardt
Craftsbury, Vermont
-
"Having lived in other countries for many years, I see what is happening in America with other eyes."
Read more
Liz Fenwick
Shaftsbury, Vermont
-
"These past hundred days have felt like a blur, and yet I can’t believe it’s only been just over three months."
Read more
Olivia Wicklund Phillips
Harvard, Massachusetts
-
"One positive contribution this regime has created is a greater awareness about how our democracy works."
Listen
Annabelle Williams
Pittsfield, Vermont
-
"I think we need to give President Trump two years before we judge the progress he's made."
Listen
Dillon Woods
St. Albans, Vermont
-
"He is turning the attitudes of other countries against us, thus emboldening terrorists."
Read more
Susan Beard
Rutland, Vermont
-
"I'm very pleased that he's responsed to Assad and to ISIS in a way that sends a message without overplaying the U.S. hand."
Listen
Wendy Wilton
Rutland, Vermont
-
"All I can see is destruction. I feel hopeful for NOTHING."
Read more
Libre Drouin
Lyndonville, Vermont
-
"I'm saddest for our children, who are learning from adults that this is what's expected when you participate in a democracy."
Listen
Joyce Hendley
South Burlington, Vermont
-
"Despite the fact that my first political memory is Nixon resigning, I am surprised."
Read more
Leslie Pelch
Bolton, Vermont
-
"I guess I need to make my own voice heard since Trump doesn't appear to be listening."
Listen
Calla Sopko
Burlington, Vermont
-
"How do I explain to my 15-year-old daughter that grabbing pussy is an accepted policy of our commander in chief?"
Read more
George Chaleff
Johnson, Vermont
-
"I keep hoping the Republican leadership in Congress will wake up."
Read more
Stew Stryker
Windsor, Vermont
-
"I'm feeling ashamed ... I'm feeling anxious ... I'm feeling afraid ... Do I need to go on? Yes, as a matter of fact, I do ... I'm feeling angry."
Listen
Jon Clinch
Plymouth, Vermont
-
"I worry that nothing remotely progressive will happen in the U.S. for the next generation."
Read more
Robin Earle
Milton, Vermont
-
"The repercussions of Trump's decisions and lack of care will be greater felt in future generations than our own."
Listen
Tom Casper
University of Vermont
-
"It's even worse than I thought it would be."
Read more
Allie Nerenberg
Jericho, Vermont
-
"Our system is working the way it was designed."
Read more
Stephen Kraft
Springfield, Vermont
-
"I am thankful that President Trump's unfamiliarity with the political process has worked as a tanglefoot to impede some of his wilder notions."
Read more
John Nunnikhoven
Chester, Vermont
-
"As we approach the 100 day mark ... a lot of people have realized that the slow political machine that is American politics has not really changed all that much."
Listen
Kenan Van Vranken
University of Vermont
-
"At the 100 day mark, I find that I'd rather be distraught, upset and angry now than be caught sleeping again."
Listen
Emily Grimes
Colchester, Vermont
-
"I cannot just idly stand by and expect things to change and get better."
Listen
Caleb Weathers
University of Vermont
Credits
This is a project from Vermont Public Radio. Kevin Whipple created the illustration.
