My dad used to tell the story of a popular radio host back in the days before television. He was good at his job, but most of all, Pops said he was known as a really nice guy.
Then one day after some kind of argument, Mr. Nice Guy lost his temper and fired his sidekick on the air. Dad said they tried to bring the fellow back…make nice…. paper it over….but it was never the same.
See, the audience had caught on. In that one searing revelatory moment, they realized Mr. Nice Guy wasn’t all that nice after all.
That sort of moment comes to mind as I think about as this latest controversy swirling around President Donald Trump and that embarrassing performance at the Helsinki Summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Trump is of course now trying to walk back whatever he can by saying he simply misspoke, accidently substituting the word ‘would’ for ‘wouldn’t’ when he said ‘I can’t see any reason why it would be Russia’ trying to sabotage American democracy.
If you don’t like our President you immediately said ‘what a bunch of malarkey!’. But I’m betting that thin explanation is a tough sell even for the so-called ‘5th Avenue’ Trump supporters.
Because just like those demeaning nicknames Trump is so good at bestowing on his opponents, what happened in Finland cuts to core of what Trump promised he was above all else—a tough negotiator and a winner.
Because when given the chance of condemn Putin and chastise him for meddling in our affairs and look tough doing it Trump wimped out, saying in essence, ‘Putin says he didn’t do it so I believe him.’
And it wasn’t just that one word. It was Trump’s whole acquiescent attitude. Where was the tough negotiator? Where was the guy who’s never politically correct? Where was the guy who sure didn’t mind insulting our NATO allies just days before? Sure, it takes some balls to look in your enemy’s face and say “You’re doing wrong, and you better not do it again.” But if nothing else Trump promised America that testicular fortitude was his specialty.
Well, he is unlikely to get a better chance to put that on display than in Helsinki…. And live in front of the whole world… he choked it.
Trump can’t blame the fake news or the Democrats for his performance though I’m sure he will try. It’s a singular moment that showed Americans exactly who is in the White House. And if we’re lucky, things will never be the same.