Reader question:

Please explain “take the heat” in this: “I want Trump to run. He’s proven he can take the heat.”

My comments:

Donald Trump, that is, former President of the United States who’s running for the 2024 election to retake the White House.

Here, the speaker is a Trump fan expressing his support for Trump’s second run for the Oval Office. This person thinks Trump has proven he can work under pressure and take criticism on the chin.

That’s what he can “take the heat” means.

The heat, literally, refers to heat (warmth) of the sun or fire. During summer and at noon time, the sun can be scorching hot. The fire on the stove, on the other hand, is burning hot.

In other words, extremely hot.

If you cannot take the heat of the sun, you’re probably not qualified to be a cotton picker in hot temperatures. And, as the saying goes, if you can’t take the heat (of the stove), you shouldn’t work in the kitchen.

Metaphorically, the heat is synonymous to the pressure and stress of a job. Have you heard, for example, that some people work under pressure-cooker situations?

Well, those people are definitely able to take the heat.

In other words, they can take the pressure and endure all the criticism or scorn thrown their way, especially for a mistake or wrongdoing.

Donald Trump, whatever you may think of the man, has indeed proven that he can take the heat. He’s proven, time and again, he can survive those situation and even thrive in them.

And the latest assassination attempt over the weekend only adds to Trump’s legend.

Right now, Trump has the momentum going and may very well be elected President one more time.

For better or worse.

Oh, well, let’s read a few examples of people taking the heat, i.e. absorbing all the pressure, scrutiny and criticism involved in a particular job or situation:

1. Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam will stand in support of quarterback Baker Mayfield and any other Cleveland players who kneel during the national anthem this season.

Mayfield was one of the first prominent NFL players to say he intended to take a knee as a way of protesting social injustices. The 25-year-old said before Friday’s first practice of training camp that he still intends to kneel and isn’t concerned about any fan backlash.

“Right is right, and wrong is wrong,” he said. “There is a human rights issue that has been going on for a long time, and I believe in that.”

On Sunday, the Haslams said they have the young QB’s back and respect any Browns players who join him.

“One of the great things about this country, one of the many great things, is the ability to have freedom of speech and being able to express yourself,” Jimmy Haslam said on a Zoom call with his wife. “So we are going to support our players.”

The Haslams said they are prepared for any negative blow back from anyone who sees Mayfield’s actions as unpatriotic.

When nearly two dozen Browns players knelt before a home exhibition game last season, the actions triggered condemnation from some area veterans groups.

But while vowing to protect their young quarterback and other players, Jimmy Haslam said something is being lost in the debate over why people protest in the first place.

“I think all too much attention is called to whether somebody kneels or stands or what their statement is, and not nearly enough attention is called to what they do afterward,” he said. “Dee and I can issue some great statement, but what you all really ought to look at is what ourselves, our coaches, our players are doing the rest of the week, if you will, to make this country a better place to live, work and raise a family.”

Over the past two years, the Haslams have actively engaged with Browns players in making an impact in the Cleveland community. The team launched a social justice initiative to help area residents build stronger relationships with area police among other programs.

The Haslams understand their choice to support players kneeling may be unpopular with some fans, but they’re willing to take any heat.

Jimmy Haslam said the rhetoric is clouding any meaningful messages.

“There is just all of this condemnation from one side versus the other, rather than everybody trying to understand, ‘Well, why is that important to you, Baker? You are a thoughtful young man. You understand the ramifications,’” he said. “So we are going to be fully supportive of our players no matter what they decide to do. We just ask that, as a country, we have a lot more thoughtful dialogue.”

- Browns’ owners to support players kneeling for anthem, GoErie.com, August 17, 2020.

2. Don’t mess with Dolly. Both Whoopi Goldberg and Dolly Parton‘s sister are coming to her defense after the 77-year-old country star’s sizzling Dallas Cowboys cheerleader costume at last week’s Thanksgiving NFL halftime show took some heat from critics who thought that the revealing outfit wasn’t age-appropriate.

Goldberg especially had some strong words – two of which may or may not have been “bite” and “me” – for the “9 to 5” singer’s haters. On the Monday (Nov. 27) episode of The View, the EGOT winner passionately brought up Parton’s outfit, joking that her own social media stir regarding her gloveless Thanksgiving turkey preparations wasn’t “the only subject online that people were hating.”

She continued, “77-year-old superstar Dolly Parton stole the show on Thanksgiving at the Cowboys-Commanders game dressed as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, but some critics told her to act her age.” Then, looking into the camera, the Goldberg firmly said, “Bite me!”

“Everybody that participated in this,” added the Sister Act star, “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

Her comments seemed to earn a rare unanimous agreement from her View cohosts, with Sunny Hostin chiming in, “If I looked like that in one of them Cowboys things, I might have everything out. I don’t know if that’s a belly ring or what, but I want what she has.”

- Whoopi Goldberg Has a Message for Critics of Dolly Parton’s Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Outfit: ‘Bite Me’, billboard.com, November 28, 2023.

3. Boeing took a lot of heat on Capitol Hill in a pair of Senate hearings Wednesday. The aircraft manufacturer is under scrutiny after whistleblowers made allegations of major safety failures with the company’s planes.

The Senate Homeland Security Investigations Subcommittee said the allegations against Boeing are “serious and shocking.”

An engineer-turned-whistleblower has accused the company of taking shortcuts in the making of its 777 and 787 Dreamliner jets. Sam Salehpour claimed crews, who have been building these planes since 2011, have failed to properly assemble separate parts. And as a result, he says the jets are vulnerable to breaking apart. Salehpour said he told his superiors but was threatened, transferred and silenced in retaliation.

Boeing has been doing damage control since a door-plug blew off an Alaska Airlines plane in January.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) asked Salehpour if the planes are safe. Salehpour shook his head no and responded, “Right now, it’s like an earthquake.” He added, “Let’s say, if you’re talking about a building, have to be prepared to accommodate that type of let’s say shakeup. It has to be built properly. Right now, from what I’ve seen, the airplanes are not being built per spec and per requirement.”

In a statement on the 787, Boeing said, “In 13 years of service, the global 787 fleet has safely transported more than 850 million passengers on more than 4.2 million flights. A 787 can safely operate for at least 30 years before needing expanded airframe maintenance routines. Extensive and rigorous testing of the fuselage and heavy maintenance checks of nearly 700 in-service airplanes to date have found zero evidence of airframe fatigue. Under FAA oversight, we have painstakingly inspected and reworked airplanes and improved production quality to meet exacting standards that are measured in the one hundredths of an inch. We are fully confident in the safety and durability of the 787 Dreamliner.”

The FAA is investigating the matter. In a separate hearing with the Senate Commerce Committee, an expert panel described Boeing having a “broken safety culture.”

- Boeing whistleblower says company cut corners in building 787 Dreamliner, KKTV.com, April 18, 2024.

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About the author:

Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.

（作者：張欣   編輯：丹妮）