A year ago this weekend, Albert Kiecke and Becky Dinsmore came to Washington, D.C., but the friends of 50 years visited the nation's capital for two very different events. Kiecke came to celebrate President Trump's inauguration, while Dinsmore said it was her civic duty to protest at the Women's March.
At the time, the lifelong friends from Houston said they didn't want the country's political divisions to affect their friendship.
"I mean, Becky and other people are going to have their opinion on politics, and I have my opinion on politics," Kiecke told NPR. "And I'm not going to change your mind nor can I change anybody else's mind."
So, one year later, how do they think President Trump is doing? NPR's Scott Simon caught up with them to find out.
Interview Highlights
On what grade they give the president
Kiecke: I'd probably give him about a B - ... He's just standing up to everybody, up to the media and up to all the people that are against him. But you know then on the other hand, you know, I get discouraged when he just tweets stuff that, you know, really doesn't matter. It only just inflames people and causes more turmoil.
Dinsmore: I'm sorry to say would give him an F. You know, I think that it's difficult to divide his policies from what I would call his proclivities, Twittering being one of them. But I think the F for me is due to the fact that he is divisive, and we've got people on both far ends of the spectrum. I'm surprised to hear Albert say a B-. I don't know, maybe I'll give him an F+.
On if they're proud that Donald Trump is president
Kiecke: I guess I'm proud. But I've always held the president of the United States, even if I didn't care for their policies, I've always been proud of our presidents.
Dinsmore: Well I hate to say it because I think Albert's point is well made, which is that we should all be able to be proud of the office of president. So, I still think we're a great country, but no, I'm not proud. In fact, I'm disgusted.
On immigration and the uncertain fate of people brought to the U.S. illegally as children
Dinsmore: To me, I just think what would it be like going back somewhere you'd really never been before. And separating someone from their family and from their job, and I think there is an impact on a larger group than just that individual.
Kiecke: I think that we should allow them to stay here. It's kind of hard to send them back to the country they have no knowledge of, but also they didn't come here legally by fault of their parents, and I don't think they should be automatically granted citizenship because of that. There should be some pathway that they could get in line with all the other people that want to be citizens and get their citizenship that way.
NPR's Isabel Dobrin produced this story for the Web.
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