In just a little over 24 hours Donald J. Trump will take the Oath of Office and become the 45th President of the United States of America.
Historically Presidents-Elect have entered their inauguration day riding a wave of goodwill and rising popularity. Not so for this President-Elect. Donald Trump’s favorability numbers have tanked since the election; dropping an eye-opening 10 points. When Donald Trump places his right hand on the Bible his 38% favorability rating will be the lowest in recorded history; a phenomenon for which he has only himself to blame.
Most Presidents-Elect use the post-election transition period to mend political fences and organize their administrative staff. Trump has done neither.
Rather take on a more conciliatory tone in an effort to forge relationships across the aisle; Trump has remained in full campaign mode. He has lied to the American people…bragged about his electoral victory…taken credit for accomplishments in which he played no part…and bullied both his opponents his own party. Party politics aside…the American people do not take kindly to liars, braggarts and bullies.
The constant conflict and chaos that emanates from Trump Land has clearly exhausted the American people. Hence the dropping poll numbers. Yet Trump persists.
President Obama sends troops to Norway and Poland as a show of force against Russian aggression and solidarity with our NATO allies. Trump calls NATO “obsolete” and starts a twitter war with Meryl Streep. In response to Russia’s interference with our elections, Obama imposes sanctions against Russia’s leadership and orders 35 Russian diplomats (spies) to leave the country. Trump’s response is to denigrate the US intelligence community that discovered the Russian hacking and to praise Vladimir Putin; the Russian leader who would gladly dance on America’s grave if given the opportunity.
Not only does Trump’s erratic temperament continue to be disconcerting; the transition period has also unveiled an alarming lack of organizational skills.
One of Trump’s first post-election acts was to fire the guy in charge of his transition team; Chris Christie. When Trump finally realized that Christies’ “Bridgegate” scandal wasn’t going away he kicked the New Jersey Governor to the curb and essentially tossed out all of Christies’ transition work as well. The Trump team was starting from scratch and the results continue to negatively impact the President-Elect’s efforts to hit the ground running.
Trump dragged his feet in selecting his cabinet nominees and those nominees have been poorly vetted. In spite of the transition team’s efforts to railroad the nominees through the confirmation process their shortcomings are there for all to see. As Trump enters office he will not have a cabinet in place.
Equally disconcerting is the lack of progress Trump’s team has made in filling the over 4,000 thousand administrative positions that will become vacant at noon Friday. Many of these middle management functionaries do the grunt work of developing the information on which the President and his cabinet rely to run the country. Most notably are the foreign affairs desks that keep watch on trouble spots all across the globe and form a key component of our national security. 90% of those positions have yet to be vetted or filled.
As President Obama prepares to turn the keys to the government over to President-Elect Trump we are provide with a sharp contrast in both their style and substance.
In his final news conference President Obama reminded us of that which we have a right to expect from our president. Thoughtful, reflective, humble, calm; President Obama reminded us that these transitions of power happen all the time. That they do not mark the end of the world. That at his core he believes that we will be ok because the office is bigger than the man. Obama’s reflection and compassion a glaring contrast to the bombastic Trump.
Barak Obama will leave the office and the country better than he found it; his presidency untainted by scandal…his strength of character above reproach. A loving husband, doting father…a good man.
I have debated whether or not to watch the inauguration. I have carried that debate within myself because I do not believe that the incoming president is deserving of the office.
To be clear…I believe that Donald Trump is the duly elected, legitimate 45th President of the United States. I believe the Russians interfered with our election and may have tilted the scales in his favor. But disinformation campaigns are a part of our politics and nobody put a gun to the head of the 60 plus million people who elected Donald Trump to the highest office in the land.
I believe that Donald Trump played upon the anger of the American people to gain for himself the ultimate victory. I believe his supporters bought into the con that he would look out for their best interests when in fact the only loyalty that Trump has is too himself. None of which diminishes the legitimacy of his election. It only furthers my belief that he is unworthy of the office.
I will watch the inauguration not out of respect for the man but out of respect for the process. For the peaceful transfer of the most powerful position in the world is in my mind one of the most moving and important aspects of the democracy we hold so dear.
And as I watch with trepidation as Donald Trump assumes the presidency I know that I will reflect back on the strength of character of his predecessor.
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