Trump, the Fighter
The Republican National Convention (RNC) billed Donald Trump as a “changed” man, one more softened and spiritual, after surviving that assassination attempt. But the Trump who droned on last night was all too familiar. He gave the longest presidential nomination speech in US history, spewing the same divisive rhetoric and policies in a stream of dystopian, self-aggrandizing lies.
On the other hand, Republicans lived up to their reputation as raging hypocrites. Because, while hailing this softened and spiritual Trump, they were also boasting that he’s a “tough badass.”
Republicans kept pointing to the iconic image of the defiant, fist-pumping way Trump escaped his assassin’s bullet by the skin of his ear. They seem to think the president’s main job is to win fake cage matches. But the last thing America needs is a president issuing clarion calls for Americans to “fight, fight, fight” each other.
America needs a thinker
America doesn’t need a brawler. It needs a smart, principled thinker who can make sound judgments in moments of crisis. Ironically, the way Trump fought his Secret Service detail to turn his assassination attempt into a photo-op makes clear that he has neither the smarts nor the judgment to serve as president of the United States.
Not to mention, his reckless narcissism in fist-pumping for the cameras risked getting him and his agents killed.
Again, this isn’t the WWE. The country doesn’t need a champion who just flexes muscles and throws punches. It needs a leader who can navigate complex geopolitical issues, handle domestic crises with a cool head, and unite a divided nation.
Hulk Hogan pandemonium
With all due respect to Trump, the media are hailing Hulk Hogan’s WWE-style speech as the best at this week’s RNC. But a fake wrestler, whose most appealing feature is idle bombast, serves as a fitting metaphor for the Trumpism Republicans worship these days.
“Whatcha gonna do when MAGAmania runs wild on you, brother?” And yes, by ending every sentence with “brother,” Hogan was unwittingly reinforcing MAGA’s intent to turn America into a version of the chauvinistic Gilead in The Handmaid’s Tale.
But the optics of turning a near-tragedy into a photo-op and a chance to flex like WWE entertainers reflect a worrying lack of seriousness. While Trump and his supporters might get a kick out of the drama, it does nothing to address the real issues facing the country.
What America truly needs
In times of crisis, we don’t need a showman. We need someone who can think, plan, and execute. Trump’s theatrical antics might make for good reality TV, but they don’t make for good governance.
America needs a president who understands that real leadership isn’t about looking tough. It’s about being tough-minded. It’s about making decisions in the best interest of all Americans, not just the ones cheering in the stands.
So, no, MAGA. America does not need a fake fighter like Trump. America needs a good thinker like Biden (or Kamala Harris — as the case might be)