Certain points in history have tested the mettle of American Presidents. Washington had armies of posh, pesky Brits to battle. Lincoln had to out manoeuvre chicken eatin’, cotton pickin’, slave drivin’, secession seekin’ Southerners. FDR stared down squadrons of suicidal, Zero-flying, empire building Asians. President Trump, who at first underestimated the power of this invisible enemy, has in election year, upgraded his presidency to that of a ‘Wartime President’. Declaring the COVID19 pandemic a war zone, as well as a destructive disease.
War on COVID19! Former White House right-hand man, Steve Bannon came out in support of Trump’s assumption, ‘We are at war and now by necessity he is a ‘wartime’ president. Churchill rose to the occasion and secured his place in history. Trump’s moment is here, to grasp or to lose.’ Churchill and Trump used in the same paragraph? Now there’s something you don’t see every day.
Doctor Donald & Mr Trump? The President continues to be two sides of a very confusing coin. Trying his best to be Churchillian, reassuring his fellow Americans that together their nation will prevail against a deadly, microscopic foe. The other is of course the familiar Donald that we all know and hate. Belligerent, anti-science, racially divisive, airing grievances and resentments. While singling out those to blame but never ever taking responsibility himself.
Spinning Soundbites. It seems like a Republican spin doctor has had a word in Donald’s shell-like. The President’s tone has lately become more sombre, likening the fight against COVID19 to the struggle against The Axis Powers in the 1940s. ‘Every generation of Americans has been called to make shared sacrifices for the good of the nation and now it’s our time. We must sacrifice together because we are all in this together and we’ll come through together. It’s the invisible enemy.’
Trump2020! If we needed reminding, the President takes every opportunity to remind us where COVID19 originated. Replacing ‘Corona’ and labelling Coronavirus, the ‘Chinese Virus’ Donald is pandering to his xenophobic Rural heartland. Trump detractors always said that Donald would crack under the strain, when a real crisis arrived on his doorstep. That time is now.
Come November. If the American death toll continues to spike and the economy tanks as a consequence, I’m not sure even Melania would give her old man a chance come November. But if by some miracle Coronavirus deaths decline and the reopening of America is reflected in share prices taking an upturn, Trump won’t be backward in coming forward claiming he was up to the task. A stellar wartime leader, that former Vice-President, Joe Biden is going to find difficult to replace.
Donald, The Curve Flattener? Claiming credit for flattening COVID19’s curve, is a smart political move by President Trump. Voters will be reluctant to show Donald the White House door, if he’s effective against this invisible enemy. He has started to sing from a familiar song sheet. One that he utilised to get him elected in 2016. ‘I alone can fix it!’, will land for many as a call to stick with a leader, who can lead them out of a global crisis.
Blowing his own TRUMPet! Playing into these fears, Donald wiped his brow like old ‘Satchmo’ used to do, puckered his lips and blew loudly into his own trumpet. ‘You have a leader that will always fight for you and I will not stop until we win. This is going to be a victory.’ Then as if rallying his troops, ‘No American is alone as long as we’re united.’ Knowing Donald, this might do the trick and I'll have another four years of material to write about. x
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