High Minded Mitt lashes out at Trump

What should we make of Mitt Romney's diatribe in WaPo against Donald Trump?

He attacks Trump in Mitt Romney: The president shapes the public character of the nation. Trump’s character falls short. The attacks are directed at things such as the departure of cabinet members he liked and Trump's drop in European popularity polls. But he begrudgingly agrees that many of the things Trump has done are good for the country.

Romney believes that a president should be an example for the rest of us. To wit:

To a great degree, a presidency shapes the public character of the nation. A president should unite us and inspire us to follow “our better angels.” A president should demonstrate the essential qualities of honesty and integrity, and elevate the national discourse with comity and mutual respect. As a nation, we have been blessed with presidents who have called on the greatness of the American spirit. With the nation so divided, resentful and angry, presidential leadership in qualities of character is indispensable. And it is in this province where the incumbent’s shortfall has been most glaring.

That's a high minded goal, and maybe someday a president can accomplish that. But it will be hard to find a candidate who posses those qualities and could get elected president. Romney, who is more critical of Trump than he ever was of Barack Obama, certainly couldn't.

Sometimes it takes someone with a strong General George S. Patton type personality but who is not particularly likable to get things done. Someone like Donald Trump.

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2:06 PM 1/2/2019

Comments

[Rob O.]

I'll begrudgingly admit that many of the things Trump has done are good for the country too. But his character falls short of what we'd expect - nay, demand - out of an 8 yr old child.

(Seriously, how are we supposed to reconcile that school-age children are REQUIRED to be better-behaved than the President of the most powerful nation in the world.)

Part of any position of leadership, but certainly a public office, is being an example for your subordinates or constituents. It isn't (only) that Donald isn't up to that task, but more that has no regard for that prerequisite and you might even make a case that he has nothing but contempt for anyone whose last name isn't "Trump."

It isn't that Trump isn't likable, the issue is that he's almost entirely detestable and indignantly stupid. Perhaps he's still the lesser evil (which is why he got my vote) but he only clears that very low bar by the slightest margin.