Panto president brings his office into disrepute
“DOESN’T this guy have anything better to do with his life?”
The Trump comment on the silly supreme leader of North Korea could just as easily apply to The Donald himself.
Just as the ridiculous Kim Jong-un was firing rockets at gawd knows who, the equally absurd president of the United States was firing punches at his perceived enemies in the media.
Bringing his office into disrepute is a hallmark of the Trump presidency. But the feelings of disgust he generates reached a low this week with the spoof wrestling video in which he appears to pulverise a man representing CNN, the global news network.
For some, it was the latest manifestation of a ratings-driven pantomime presidency which is indistinguishable from the reality TV world he once dominated. For others, it is far more sinister – an incitement to violence against the media and, by extension, anyone who stands up against him.
Criticising journalists is something many politicians succumb to on occasions. But government leaders posting videos of them being attacked for public entertainment is unprecedented in mature democracies.
The spoof video Trump chose to share with his 33million followers came from a source which is indeed hostile to tolerant, liberal democractic values.
The offensive video came from an internet user who regularly posts racist material and calls for violence against Muslims.
This subscription account is known as r/The_Donald, so it is run by one of the president’s unpleasant army of admirers.
According to research by the BBC, one post on the site, which has 440,000 subscribers, shows CNN employees with the star of David next to their heads – antisemitic by anyone’s measure.
Followers of the site have speculated that Trump himself must read it, as how else would he have obtained the offending video or “meme”? Reading his online fan mail is the kind of narcissism we have come to expect from this president.
The CNN response speaks for many Americans who cringe daily at the antics of their clown-in-chief.
Ben Stelter, their media correspondent, said: “It’s a sad day when the president of the United States encourages violence against reporters.
“Instead of preparing for his overseas trip, his first meeting with Vladimir Putin, dealing with North Korea and working on his healthcare bill, he is instead involved in juvenile behaviour far below the dignity of his office.”
More than half of America didn’t vote for Trump. That’s the portion who are today hiding under the collective duvet hoping he’ll go away.
It’s embarrassing for Scots too – he is the first president in some time to have strong Scottish connections, his mother being from Lewis.
We can only take comfort in the fact that half of America’s founding fathers were of Scottish decent – many we can be truly proud of.
They included Fife-born lawyer James Wilson, who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the US constitution. He is credited with the principle of the checks and balances that safeguards American democracy, in particular the independence of the Supreme Court.
It is these checks and balances Trump is accused of undermining.
Meanwhile, in the 21st century, we in Scotland must gird ourselves for our own assault by the president.
His latest golf course at Trump Turnberry was opened only last week by his son, and it can only be a matter of time – maybe even days – before Trump lands in Ayrshire.
Maybe his fellow traveller in the alt-right journey, Ruth Davidson, will be there to greet the helicopter. With her aggressive approach to political campaigning, the Scottish Tory has torn more than one page from the Trump instruction manual. ● IT’S great that Kezia Dugdale welcomes the SNP’s commitment to end the public sector pay cap.
It’s a pity her own party in Scotland want to wipe out those pay increases by increasing the basic rate of tax for low-paid workers and everyone with an income of £11,500 and above.
Even Jeremy Corbyn opposes this policy for the UK – so why do Kezia and her Scottish colleagues still want to grab the cash of nurses and teachers up here?