Opinion
Why won't Trump lead against riots?
by Tom Rogan
| June 01, 2020 12:38 PM
The riots are inflicting chaos, injury, death, and even more economic misery on businesses across the country. How has the nation's chief executive responded?
With inane tweets such as "FAKE NEWS" and "LAW & ORDER," attacking governors — "most of you are weak" — and by taking solace in his favorite television show, Fox and Friends. This is not leadership. It is ludicrousness.
True, many governors and mayors have handled the riots inadequately. Their early effort to cool tensions by directing police to allow looting only fueled the rioters' sense of possibility. That sense has now reached a critical mass, which will be harder to drain. President Trump was right that the riots should have been handled more forcefully sooner. In equal measure, the president's early, halting statements of sympathy and concern over George Floyd's fate offered him a stepping stone to reach out to the public. Unfortunately, he didn't take the steps.
Rather than trying to unify politicians and citizens under a common cause, Trump has resorted to partisan bickering. Yes, I realize that some Democrats are doing much the same, but Trump is the president of the United States. In moments of crisis, the president is supposed to stand apart. Think about George W. Bush in that first week following the 9/11 attacks.
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