Flake would be right on Carter if we were in 1950

Jeff Flake believes in decorum. He believes in having respect and in showing respect for the nation’s institutions.

He believes in the unwritten rules that American politicians have adhered to no matter how much animosity they felt toward the other guys.

These were all decent things to believe in, until 2016.

Until Donald Trump. Perhaps Flake also believes in Perry Como, The Lone Ranger, sock hops, hula hoops and dressing up in your “letter sweater” to take your best gal to the drive-in.

But Donald Trump, who actually lived through those trends in the 1950s, believes in none of them.

And he doesn’t believe in decorum. And he doesn’t believe in showing respect for the nation’s institutions. And he doesn’t believe in the unwritten rules that American politicians have adhered to for decades.

For example, the unwritten rule saying that a former president should maintain a discreet silence when it comes to a serving president.

Clinton did it with Bush. Bush did it with Obama. Obama has done it with Trump.

The oldest living president, however, Jimmy Carter, broke the “rule.”

During a public forum he said of Donald Trump, “He lost the election and he was put into office because the Russians interfered on his behalf.”

When asked if he thought Trump’s presidency was illegitimate Carter answered, “Based on what I just said, which I can’t retract.”

Flake found these comments disrespectful, even sacrilegious, politically speaking.

He tweeted:

This is an awful thing for one American President to say about another. Argue that he shouldn’t be reelected, sure, but don’t say that he wasn’t legitimately elected.

Flake believes in decorum so much that even his criticism of Carter was polite.

He called it “an awful thing for one American president to say about another” without saying anything nasty about Carter. No name-calling. Nothing specific about the former president.

Trump was pretty quick to respond Carter’s remarks, however, calling Carter a “terrible” president.

The president has said similar things, and worse, about Bush and Obama.

And there is no doubt – none – that Trump will trash whoever takes office after him. Particularly if he loses in 2020. Just as there is no doubt – none – that he will continue to trash the election process (as he already has, still unwilling to accept the fact that he received roughly 3 million fewer votes

than Hillary Clinton). Just as he continues to trash the political process, the judicial process, the legislative process, and other politicians, and all of the institutions of government.

Things have changed when it comes to decorum. Or lack of it. Trump changed things.

Because of that, it is quaint – but silly – for Jeff Flake to complain about Jimmy Carter’s remarks.

Besides, isn’t truth a defense?