Trump presidency a mockery of the position
For at least the second time this year, the president, the all-time champion king of flip flops, has rescinded an invitation to the White House.
We remember that the plan for the Philadelphia Eagles to come to celebrate their stunning Super Bowl victory was yanked away at the last minute when it became clear that the skeleton crew that would have been likely to come would have served to embarrass Mr. Trump. Naturally, he and chief propagandist, er, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, insulted and condemned the team and the people of Philadelphia when he decided at the last minute that the members were no longer welcome.
Most recently, the foolish offer to visit made to ruthless despot Vladimir Putin, a man who is referred to by many objective and knowledgeable individuals as a thug, was put on the back burner when outrage flowed from the members of both parties, who feared that Putin pal Trump might allow him to not only have dinner at the White House, but to address a joint session of Congress, something which he might have done to an empty chamber.
It should also be prominently noted that it took two days before the president rejected out of hand what he described Putin’s “incredible offer” made during the Helsinki summit debacle, which would have allowed Putin’s intelligence agency to interrogate former American officials who have spoken against the Russian dictatorship. It is stunning that a Senate vote (98-0) was necessary to reflect the disgust and outrage of that body toward Putin’s offensive suggestion.
We saw the type of individuals with whom Donald Trump consorts and admires when he brought the motley crew of Sarah Palin, Ted Nugent (who has referred to Barack Obama as a mongrel, among other things), and Kid Rock to yuk it up as they stood under a portrait of former First Lady Hillary Clinton (“crooked Hillary” to this bunch), mocking her.
I would never have believed that any American president would be so reckless as to adopt the Trump credo, which is to say or do whatever you feel like and without consulting with intelligent, knowledgeable advisors, instead relying on his favorite and only source for “news” Fox News Channel. Then when what you have done evokes an all consuming furor, say you were joking or completely reverse yourself.
May the stain that the Trump presidency is inflicting on our nation not prove to be indelible. May our stunned and worried allies recognize that this president speaks for but a vocal minority of the American people.
Oren Spiegler is a resident of South Strabane Township.