I see my wife’s texts because we share the cloud, so I caught this text on Thursday, sent by her school friend’s husband: “is your husband still singing from the Trump songbook?” He included the doctored-up MSNBC graphics above. I can’t recall meeting the chap, and that’s not about to change, but who sows discord in another marriage or takes pleasure in lost wealth? And – isn’t this the time to build up our nation, rather than tear it down?
It is time for every American – regardless of political stripe – to appreciate the constitutional construct of one commander in chief at a time. Trump doesn’t uplift like Reagan or comfort like Bill Clinton, but that’s not why he was elected. After eight years of Obama malpractice, a strong leader was voted into office to rescue working-class citizens, whose households and communities had been devastated.
Personally, I voted for a blunt instrument to confront one-way trade partners and free-loading allies. American workers and tax-payers needed relief. Now, our war against coronavirus absolutely requires a blunt instrument calling the shots, just as England needed a blunt instrument, Winston Churchill, to survive the Nazi threat. Crisis leadership has never been a popularity contest.
Like Trump, Churchill had few friends outside his family, easily insulted others, and possessed peculiar habits – but was consumed by his country’s greatness. Like Trump, Churchill preferred bold action to mistake-free leadership, and his own great ideas to the consensual plans of committees. Look around: there has never been a statue erected to a committee. Big threats require big persons – not Miss Congeniality!
America needs entrepreneurial energy; a quality Obama, Clinton and Biden lack. To wit, Hillary couldn’t even campaign seven days a week. Stamina matters, and Trump has another gear, which he found in big risk/reward real estate deals. If he has to tweet to relax, so what? It’s preferable to drinking (Churchill) or injections (Kennedy). Theses times demand a 24-7 president.
America needs a business leader that understands speed to results, which Trump proved by completing so many projects ahead of schedule. We have seen his antagonists waste time parsing a previous plan after Trump has already moved on to another plan. Trump acts in real time: in contrast to Biden’s Obama-era tales. Entrepreneurs are confident without a playbook, and I see Trump keeping his head while others are (obviously) losing it.
It’s no coincidence that Democrats Cuomo and Newsom speak supportively of President Trump, because they are neck deep in this crisis. They know only one chief executive makes the call – as you saw when Governor Cuomo (NY) overrode Mayor DeBlasio. They know positive outcomes require support – not derision – as you’ve heard from Governor Newsom (CA).
Voters and historians will judge President Trump by the lives he saved – not the fear citizens felt, the size of the deficit, or his caustic comments. This is the USA, where we the people place one right above all others: the right to life.
Let’s return to the partisan gloating text. Truth be told, it stirred feelings of pathos – not fear or anger. I stand with 55% of Americans who approve of Trump’s handling of the crisis (source: ABC News). I know most Democrats take no joy in the suffering of their fellow Americans. Above all, the man’s presumption was wrong: Trump is singing from my songbook. I voted for change by a blunt instrument. Oorah!