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Here are a few examples of Presidents facing their own “Consoler-in-Chief" Tests, from recent History ...
We will never forget them nor the last time we saw them — this morning as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and slipped the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God.
President Ronald Reagon: Challenger spacecraft disaster
www.npr.org
Let us let our own children know that we will stand against the forces of fear. When there is talk of hatred, let us stand up and talk against it. When there is talk of violence, let us stand up and talk against it. In the face of death, let us honor life. As St. Paul admonished us, Let us "not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Yesterday, Hillary and I had the privilege of speaking with some children of other federal employees -- children like those who were lost here. And one little girl said something we will never forget. She said, "We should all plant a tree in memory of the children." So this morning before we got on the plane to come here, at the White House, we planted that tree in honor of the children of Oklahoma. It was a dogwood with its wonderful spring flower and its deep,enduring roots. It embodies the lesson of the Psalms -- that the life of a good person is like a tree whose leaf does not wither.³
My fellow Americans, a tree takes a long time to grow, and wound stake a long time to heal. But we must begin. Those who are lost now belong to God. Someday we will be with them. But until that happens, their legacy must be our lives.
President Bill Clinton: Oklahoma Bombing Memorial Prayer Service Address
www.americanrhetoric.com
The president, who had been in office less than eight months, grabbed a bullhorn and started thanking the fire fighters and other first responders at the scene, telling them that they were in the country's prayers. Someone in the crowd shouted that he couldn't hear the president, and Bush replied with the words that made history.
"I can hear you!" he declared. "The rest of the world hears you! And the people – and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon." The crowd reacted with loud, prolonged chants of "USA! USA!"
President George W Bush: On the rubble of the Twin Towers, after 9/11
www.usnews.com
But as he laid out the executive actions he’s taking to curb gun violence in the East Room Tuesday, the President wiped tears from his face. His emotions were stirred while reflecting on the “college students in Santa Barbara, and from high schoolers at Columbine, and from first graders in Newtown” who had their “inalienable right to life” stripped from them by a barrage of bullets.
He repeated “first graders,” before pausing to rest his arm on the podium, his eyes beginning to fill. “Every time I think about those kids it gets me mad,” he said with a stream trickling down his nose.
President Barack Obama: Reflecting on the Victims of Sandy Hook
time.com
And when former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were threatened by Pipe Bombs in the mail — Did Donald Trump step up to console them, to offer them help, to calm as panicked nation?
Not by a long shot:
“Republicans are doing so well in early voting, and at the polls, and now this ‘Bomb’ stuff happens and the momentum greatly slows – news not talking politics. Very unfortunate, what is going on. Republicans, go out and vote!” the president tweeted.
Pretender Trump: as Pipe Bombs were still being sent to prominent Democrats and supporters. Suspect not yet arrested.
www.theguardian.com
When the suspected Pipe Bomber was apprehended, sporting MAGA paraphernalia galore — Did Donald Trump step up to challenge of the moment, to dial down the rhetoric, to call for calm and nationwide introspection?
Not hardly, he simply threw more fuel on the fire — a fire of his own making:
"Fake News Must End!" [Trump] tweeted Monday. "There is great anger in our Country caused in part by inaccurate, and even fraudulent, reporting of the news. The Fake News Media, the true Enemy of the People, must stop the open & obvious hostility & report the news accurately & fairly. That will do much to put out the flame ... of Anger and Outrage and we will then be able to bring all sides together in Peace and Harmony. Fake News Must End!"
Pretender Trump: After the arrest of the MAGA Bomber suspect
www.chicagotribune.com
And when the unspeakable happened, when a madman armed with automatic weapons and Trump’s dire warning of “enemies invaders” — when this ‘lit fuse’ shot up a Synagogue of peaceful worshipers, leaving 11 Jewish Americans dead in his anger — Did Donald Trump step up as the nation’s "Consoler-in-Chief"?
Well after crashing the funerals, where he was not invited, Donald Trump returned to form, and mourned that one thing he cares about in the world most: himself and his prospects, and his personal agenda:
"We did have two maniacs stop a momentum that was incredible, because for seven days nobody talked about the elections," he said during his closing remarks at a Missouri rally. "It stopped a tremendous momentum."
[...]
"More importantly, we have to take care of our people, and we don't care about momentum when it comes to a disgrace like just happened to our country," he added. "But it did nevertheless stop a certain momentum, and now the momentum is picking up."
Trump's remarks echoed his tweet last Friday lamenting the "news not talking politics."
Pretender Trump: After the arrest of the Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooter suspect
Since Donald Trump blew repeated opportunities to “bring the Nation together”, after ‘Twin tragedies’ happening on his watch last month — it would seem that Trump has failed his presidential "Consoler-in-Chief" Test. Donald’s grade, when compared to other recent Presidents: F.
Apparently Donald Trump was just too pre-occuppied with his Caravan storyline, to be bothered.
Millionaire Trump just does not has the “right stuff” for the Job, he somehow finagled. No temperament for what the Job has traditionally required. And he no interest in OTJ training either.
Donald Trump is the Nation’s ultimate “slacker”.
When tragedy and terror strikes Americans — Trump can only perceive and process these horrific national events, in how they impact him. Also known as his Number One concern: himself.
Pretender Trump has no empathy, has no humility, has no care at all, for what happens to Americans who are not members of his hate-baiting club. And even those MAGA-members, more often than not, are mere “props” in one another one of Trump’s grandiose lamebrain Reality-TV-scripts.
As useful to him, for ever long the Trump-show episode lasts …
America — we CAN do better than this.
America — we DESERVE better than this.
A simple survey of recent history, shows us so. (see above quote, for those more Presidential examples.)
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PS. This is our time people. Our time when we get to Fire and Hire the people who claim they want to represent us. This is our time to pick the right Candidates for the Job.
This first week in November IS when the power of The People shines — BUT it will only break through the dismal clouds, if and when enough sane, compassionate like-minded people, get up and use it — Only when the enough of us Get Out and Vote — and take our country back, from the crazies who only have enough room for Hate.
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