On the Late Show last night, Stephan Colbert referred to the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and resignation. Like our fellow Americans across the country he seemed still in the early stages. The spontaneous mass demonstrations in many of our largest cities last night would seem to be there with him. After reading my last blog (“Optimism for a Trump Presidency?), you might have guessed I was in the third stage of grief. Its final question mark was both an expression of my doubt and my hope. The combination of the two spells out “anxiety.” Gamely, I tried to see this election in an historical context. After all, our country has weathered many storms. This morning when I awoke, I realized a difference in my general attitude: the beautiful fall day outside did not frame my mood, nor did the prospect of making breakfast. Normally I bounce out of bed filled with expectations and plans for the day, beginning with a creative, healthy breakfast and a cup of coffee. Since I am not a person who abides depression, I struggled to find a path forward. Then I listened again to the President’s remarks yesterday about the smooth transition of power this democracy demands. Encouraged, I turned off the DVR, switched to live TV, and saw the most unlikely picture I could have imagined: the champion of the “birther movement” sitting next to the “Constitutional professor-in-chief.” Surreal, right?
When I heard the President Elect pronounce his respect for the President, my mind immediately began replaying all the disrespectful statements made over the last several years. Then “the Donald” said the words that must drive a portion of his constituency absolutely crazy: he intends to consult with the President often both before and during his Presidency. After their anticipated 10-15 minute meeting that stretched into an hour and a half, he was convinced he would need more advice from the man he would replace in office. And, of course, the President freely offered his service—even joked with his successor as he called an end to their brief press conference. I, meanwhile, sat back in my chair and drank another sip of coffee, asking myself what just happened in the Oval Office—and in me? Welcome to the fifth stage of grief!
Both Party primaries had a strong bench of candidates. I would have preferred Kasich as the Republican nominee. I believed Clinton was the most prepared and qualified amongst the Democratic nominees. So, I begin my post-election recovery deeply disappointed in the outcome. Nevertheless, as an American citizen, I want our President Elect to succeed. Unfortunately, he carries a huuuugge burden with him into office. That burden is his words and actions during the campaign. The media often promoted the equivalency of the mud-racking on both sides without always acknowledging the source of Clinton’s harangue. Her main witness for the prosecution of her claim of his unfitness and incompetence was Donald Trump. The new President Elect will have to spend a great deal of his time and political capital impugning this witness. Many of his supporters have said they disregarded his more outlandish statements as mere hyperbole or showmanship because they believed he wanted to bring real change to our government. Now they will witness the fact that many of the things he promised cannot and will not be done.
What he could do—such as signing a bill to repeal Obamacare or reversing all of the President’s executive orders, as he promised—would create mass confusion in our institutions, international repudiation of American leadership on climate change along with so many other Presidential initiatives, and a universal outcry of anger and rejection of his Administration by even the citizens who voted for him. In other words, our President Elect carries into office the weight of a very nasty 19th century style campaign into an office represented by a 21st century President who transformed it with his decency, reasonableness, and steady hand.
The contrast between these two men could not be more clearly drawn. Even when I disagreed with the President, I appreciated his willingness to admit his mistakes—like the ineffective diplomacy after the initial Libyan bombing or the collapse of Obamacare’s risk pool. After his reelection, he was in tears when citing his unworthiness of the dedicated support he received from young admirers. His humility was real, because it was never stated as such. The campaign version of his successor once attested to his humility in an interview with the words, “I am very humble; I’m more humble that you can even imagine.” The very definition of humility negates this attestation. My point in quoting him is to stress his need to leave ego at the door of the Oval Office. No President is without flaws. But only the successful ones can admit and learn from them.
Donald Trump must outgrow his campaign self and become the humbler, eager-to-learn President Elect who will serve the interests of all Americans and strive for the highest standards of the predecessors before him. President Obama leaves an office he has imprinted with his personal style, decency, and moral character. I want that office to imprint its expectations for moral, reasoned, and compassionate leadership on our new President Elect. Finally I have reached the final stage of grief, for I am resigned to a Trump Presidency with just one caveat: if the stature of the office does not change him, then he will not be worthy of it.