Stature of the President
On Friday night the United States went to war. US military forces attacked targets in Syria. Lives were at risk, and the full force and might of the strongest nation in world history was on display.
Following tradition dating back to the founding of the Republic, President Trump spoke to the nation. He outlined his reasons for the attack, and he explained what choices Syria could make to alter their future. He ended his speech with the phrase, “God Bless our military, and God bless the United States of America.” It was, as another President stated, “…all together fitting and proper…”
It was quite a turnabout for President Trump. Just a few weeks ago, he was making fun of “being Presidential,” and even made fun of the phrase “God bless you, and God bless the United States of America” as pompous and outdated. He is the President who talks “real.” But when the US forces were at risk, when missiles were striking, Trump wanted to be traditional, and Presidential. He knew that the situation required the stature of the President.
The stature of the President: it is more than just a performance. When President Trump agreed to meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un, he “equalized” Kim in the eyes of the world. The North Koreans are desperate to be seen as a legitimate, in fact, so desperate that they starved their own people in order to pay the cost of developing the missile and nuclear technology that is their pride. Now Trump is meeting head-to-head with Kim, two heads of state sitting together, equally.
The stature of the President: the White House invited Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to visit. He is a man who likely had a reporter thrown to his death from a fifth floor window last week; who master-minded the 2016 attack on our elections; who sheltered Syrian weapons and troops from the US attack last weekend. He is to be “wined and dined” with full honors in view of the eyes of Americans, Russians and the rest of the world. His actions and his country equalized by the stature of the President.
The stature of the President: Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the United Nations, obviously knew that the Administration was agreed in placing additional sanctions on Russia. Trump clearly changed his mind Sunday afternoon, then let his advisors try to make the mixup about Haley’s confusion. Her response: “with all due respect – I don’t get confused.” Her stature remains clear, while the President’s looks indecisive and confused. Is that the view of the President we want the world to see?
And finally, this morning the President tweeted about a sketch made by a porn star of her possible assailant. It doesn’t even matter if he’s right or wrong, had sex with her or not; the President personally arguing and “dissing” a porn star? Is that the stature he wants as President?
Most would say: this IS the President we elected. He is a “post-stature” President, with tweets and porn stars and screaming fits in the White House. He was elected “warts and all”: we knew what we were getting. And they would be right.
But, after the speech Friday night, it is clear that the President recognizes the power of his stature. He used it in the appropriate way for a most serious situation, I wish he could find it in himself to see that power in every action he takes. He needs to recognize that his stature impacts the world – from Kim to Putin to Stormy Daniels.
The proposed meeting with the Korean dictator in no way implies “equality”, it acknowledges “reality”. Kim has the power to do lots of harm, and if a meeting with Kim has any potential to eliminate that possibility, it is the best of many bad options.
Trump’s insulting turnabout with regard to Haley’s announcement is inexplicable, (unless he is setting the stage to have Haley replace him as President in 2020) and his continued attempt to cozy up to Putin is dangerous.
Doug – I would disagree. When the President sits down with a leader of another nation – the world sees it as equality. When we question the legitimacy of a regime, but then sit down with the leaders of that regime, we are sending a confusing message to the world.