All Trump had to do was stay on script and read the statement, but the undisciplined President had to toss in an absurd exaggeration while talking about the congressional baseball practice shooting.
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Trump said, “Congressman Scalise is a friend and a very good friend. He’s a patriot and he’s a fighter. He will recover from this assault. And, Steve, I want you to know that you have the prayers not only of the entire city behind you, but of an entire nation and, frankly, the entire world. America is praying for you and America is praying for all of the victims of this terrible shooting. I spoke with Steve’s wife, Jennifer, and I pledged to her our full and absolute support — anything she needs. We are with her and with the entire Scalise family.”
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The entire world is not praying for Steve Scalise. Rep. Scalise got shot in the hip, which is terrible, but 12 people died, 75 people are hospitalized, with more fatalities expected after a tower fire in London. It is an absurd exaggeration for the President Of The United States to claim that the world is praying for Steve Scalise when the congressional baseball practice shooting isn’t even close to being the worst thing that has happened in the previous 12 hours.
The bar is so low in situations like these, for any president. All Trump has to do is stand there and read the script in his indoor voice, and everything would have been fine. Instead, he had to ad lib an exaggeration and showed America that no matter what the situation there is no hope that Donald Trump will ever be able to act like a president.
Those in the press who get fooled by Trump’s this is what I think a president is supposed to sound like tone and deem him presidential every time he manages to say three sentences without imploding miss the point.
The presidency requires discipline, and Trump’s lack of personal discipline leads to foolish exaggerations, and an inability to carry out even the most basic duties of the job.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
