President’s messaging will be put to the test
Without question, Donald Trump knows how to deliver a menacing message. He lurks ominously in photos, wearing his signature dark overcoat and moving with grim determination. His face rarely creases into a genuine smile; instead, he relies on hand gestures to indicate approval or acknowledgement, perhaps a thumb’s up here or a pointed finger there. Words are clearly not his métier but he is not alone in this regard. Other historical figures faced similar challenges.
In the Oscar-winning movie The King’s Speech, King George VI courageously struggles to overcome a frightening speech impediment, the kind of disability Donald Trump may have mocked. By persistently struggling to vanquish his public speaking demons, the King gained the respect and love of his people. His broadcast words brought hope and strength to his listeners at a critical time for his nation.
Luckily for Donald Trump, speech-making today is augmented by other means of communication because it could be argued that his stilted and repetitive cadence is an impediment to thoughtful discourse. But unlike King George, the apprentice-president gets his message across — loud and clear — in other ways. It was that over-arching message that dominated his inaugural speech. Trump commands messaging. He tweets often and forcefully, targeting anyone he does not like, including the media. As president, he now has access to the ultimate bully pulpit — the White House. Additionally, he has assembled a hard-edged team drawn from his family, pundits and skilled political operatives to hone his message and drive it forward. Often intimidating through the sheer force of his personality and ego, he can equally slip off the edge of his apparent strength, with thin-skinned reactions to criticism.
He had every reason to be nervous as he approached his inauguration speech. He has never been elected before. He received a much lower popular vote than his opponent. Allegations that Russia interfered in the American election to procure his victory are leading to investigations. He was in Washington, a place that he calls a swamp to be drained. He was surrounded by enemies on the inaugural dais. And to add insult to injury, the weather gods were unhappy. It rained as he began to speak. (The only somewhat joyful moment was following his Oath of Office, as his family uncharacteristically embraced in family hugs). However, he seemed impervious to any challenges — perhaps showing simultaneously his greatest strength, stubbornness, and his greatest weakness, insensitivity.
The delivery of his speech was surprisingly strong but any inspirational moments were weak. There was no appeal to “better angels” as Abraham Lincoln stated in 1861, nor was there an appeal to civic obligation as John F. Kennedy exhorted in 1961. Rather than inspiration, there was desperation as he appealed to anger and mistrust. But it wasn’t only what he said; it was equally what he did not say.
No one was credited with anything. No heroes were mentioned. Hillary Clinton was ignored. With the exception of references to education and crime, social justice issues were disregarded. Women were referred to only as “mothers” who with their children “live in poverty.” These glaring omissions speak volumes.
He was happy, however, to talk about foreign countries who have “ravaged” American jobs, used American money and depleted the American military. Using the loaded phrase of “America First,” he drew a border of protectionism and nationalism around the perimeter of the United States, potentially causing severe problems for Canada. What a shame and what a squandered opportunity for a deepened friendship and alliance.
Michael Kergin, who served as Canadian ambassador in Washington from 2000 to 2005, remembers happier inaugurations as “people events” and recalls “seeing the red and white of our flags prominently evident against the white stone of our embassy, the only foreign flags in sight between the White House and Capitol buildings.”
The pomp is over now. The flags have stopped fluttering. The streets are quiet. The people have gone home. But President Donald J. Trump remains. If his words weren’t clear, his message was. America will go it alone. The expectations are high. Terrorism will be immediately vanquished. Communities will be made safe. Jobs will be repatriated.
The British people stayed with King George VI as he struggled through his reign. Will the American people stay with Trump as he embarks on his presidential term? It’s a good thing he is skilled at messaging because he has four very long years of communication ahead of him.