America is a nation in mourning after the death of war hero and longtime Arizona Senator John McCain at 81 on Saturday and the Madden 19 tournament mass shooting in Jacksonville, Florida where 24-year-old David Katz killed three people including himself and injured at least 12 others.
This weekend, there was also a fire in Chicago that killed eight people including six children. The last two days have been horrific for this great country.
In moments like these, Americans tend to turn to faith and the president for an uplifting message. Religious leaders accross the country are trying their best to keep the pieces of a divided nation together, but the White House is mostly absent from these conversations.
President Donald Trump‘s statement about McCain’s service was timid at best. Trump’s supporters will say that the New York businessman is just being true to himself — he did not like the Vietnam veteran when he was alive he should not fake it now that he is dead.
And, yes, the late senator derailed a crucial Trump-backed Senate vote on Obamacare. However, McCain’s service and devotion to his country were more important than a feud with Trump. The office of the president is more significant than a single man.
Trump has won in his fight against insiders like McCain, and he took over the Republican Party. So, being a bit magnanimous in this situation would not have cost him anything. Being gracious might belong to yesterday in cool places, but it is still appreciated in others.
In the middle of all this chaos and despair, Trump is busy tweeting about his approval with Republicans and the general population.
Over 90% approval rating for your all time favorite (I hope) President within the Republican Party and 52% overall. This despite all of the made up stories by the Fake News Media trying endlessly to make me look as bad and evil as possible. Look at the real villains please!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2018
Part of his tweet is erroneous because he is touting a number that is nowhere out there. Moreover, Trump is probably talking about his 52 percent disapproval rating in the latest NBC/WSJ poll that came out Sunday.
There was no mention of Jacksonville in his Twitter feed. No one expected Trump to embrace gun control or mental health legislation, but a few words of support would have been nice since he had no problem using Mollie Tibbetts‘ murder to build support for his wall.
Politics was always a dirty business, but leaders like McCain always understood that from time to time public servants are asked to think about something other than themselves — the American people.
