Posted on 08/20/2018 4:23:05 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
A few days ago, I had a dust-up on Twitter with National Review’s Jonah Goldberg. Our conflict was about Trump’s fitness to be president, a subject that has been broached millions of times on social media by other internet partisans. Twitchy posted the exchange and promoted it this way: “It’s On! Jonah Goldberg, David Horowitz Duke It Out Over Trump’s Character.” The donnybrook led to 500,000 impressions on my Twitter feed, including legions of anti-Trump zealots eager to demonstrate how creative they could be in devising insults to throw at me for defending Trump: beyond dumb, in need of psychiatric help, and probably receiving payments through offshore bank accounts.
As it happens, I’ve known Jonah for more than 20 years, admired his wit and insights, promoted his books, and put him on my platforms. I was distressed when he joined the NeverTrump chorus, but never wrote a critical word about him—hoping, I guess, that as Trump systematically undid the damage that the Obama regime had inflicted on the country, Jonah would return to his senses.
Other NeverTrump conservatives, on the other hand, just jumped to the other side. Bill Kristol even went so far as to collude with the Brennan-instigated witch-hunt by spreading talking points from the Steele dossier. It was easy to write these renegades off, though still wondering how they rationalized the betrayal of their lifetime principles, or were able to deny that they were doing so.
Afraid to Get Their Principles Wet
But a group of NeverTrumpers like Jonah adopted a less radical stance and conceded that many or even most of Trump’s policy actions were actually conservative, and ones they agreed with. What made them NeverTrumpers was his horrible, defective character. Most prominent among this group was Bret Stephens, whom I have also admired and promoted in the past. At the end of Trump’s first year, Stephens wrote a column for the New York Times—the position being an obvious reward for his defection—called “Why I’m Still A Never Trumper.” In it he praised Trump’s major policy actions since entering the White House. But then he attacked Trump’s bad character, which was unpresidential and indefensible. And averred: “I still wish Hillary Clinton were president.”
When I read his column, the first question that popped into my mind was: How can indefensible and unpresidential bad character lead to such admirable presidential decisions? I am not aware of any attempt by Stephens or Jonah or similar NeverTrumpers to provide an answer.
The posture of these NeverTrumpers is transparently self-serving. It preserves their intellectual credentials as “conservatives,” and simultaneously takes them out of the line of fire from an increasingly vicious Left whose goal is to destroy Trump and his presidency, and—incidentally—conservative America. Sitting on the fence affords them new career opportunities—appearances on CNN and MSNBC and columns in the New York Times. All that’s required is that they avoid taking sides in the political war that is engulfing the country. All this reminds me of a memorable Trotsky sneer about liberals, whom he accused of being reluctant to step into the stream of political conflict because they were afraid to get their moral principles wet.
So, when this tweet from Jonah appeared on my feed, I abandoned my self-restraint and answered it:
(TWEET-AT-LINK)
This was followed by a retweet and a new comment:
(TWEET-AT-LINK)
I don’t know whether it was the snide-ness of this comment or its absoluteness that triggered me, but it seemed so pigheadedly self-righteous, so oblivious of the complexities of human character, not to mention the nuclear dimensions of the Left’s war against Trump that I responded—and in doing so walked into a hornets’ nest.
(TWEET-AT-LINK)
Which drew this retort:
(TWEET-AT-LINK)
The nastiness of that last sentence shocked me. Evidently the hatred of Trump is so fevered it can burn through two decades of cordiality and acquaintance. I wonder if Jonah would be so hostile to someone who shared his view of Trump’s character but thought Trump’s policies were racist, and tyrannical.
Two Episodes in Trump’s Favor
As it happens, I am well aware of the vulnerabilities of what I tweeted. I should never have written it and fallen into the Twitter trap. Tweets don’t provide enough space to account for the complexities of this subject or provide sufficient examples to make one’s case. “Character” is notoriously mercurial, and complex to judge. As it happens, in referring to Trump’s loyalty I had in mind two episodes. The first was the topic of the week, Omarosa. Why did he stick with such a wretched individual for so long, despite warnings from everyone around him that she was no good? Loyalty to a fault.
The second was when the Left showed its teeth in his first days in the White House, and maliciously attacked Steve Bannon and Jeff Sessions as white nationalists and racists and even neo-Nazis. Any other Republican, freshly in office, would have thrown them under the bus, however false the accusations. Trump’s fortitude, his refusal to back down under withering fire, is also a character trait, and an admirable one—actually the key to his success where Bush and congressional Republicans had repeatedly failed. Loyalty.
Making Compromises, Keeping Promises
Since Jonah brings up Trump’s three marriages let me ask the question: who can see inside another person’s marriage? I thought, moreover, that since Reagan—who had two wives—entered the White House and performed as a conservative hero, Republicans would have gotten over their puritanical prejudices. All politicians have flawed characters. It’s the nature of the job, which requires compromises, prevarications, dirty deals, and the like. In Trump’s case, what is important is not his loyalty to his wives (and none of them seem to be complaining) but his loyalty to the cause he champions and the people who support him.
Has Trump kept his promises to his supporters? Has he stayed the course he set for himself of making America great again? That loyalty is the character trait that matters most in a leader, and should matter most in any assessment of Trump. He has taken great personal risks and incurred great personal costs. His reputation for example, was pretty good before he ran against Democrats and their media, who fueled an epidemic of hate portraying him as a racist and neo-Nazi.
I’m betting there isn’t another Republican who would not have wilted under these attacks. Who would have had the fortitude to stay the course, and keep his promises. That’s really good character. And it’s presidential.
He’s great. I have three or four of his books. His autobiography is wonderful - a classic.
Character, gee whiz.
Has any other POTUS lost $100,000,000 in Market Value of their Personal Wealth, exposed their entire Family to death threats including receiving White Powder that mimicked Anthrax while being attacked mercilessly from every Media Outlet / Political Party (including his own) for doing exactly what he said he would do during the Campaign, the things he was Elected on?
Character is getting Elected to Office and doing your best to do the things you said you would do, not going to DC to shred our beloved Constitution, arriving without any money and leaving with a fortune.
It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both.
Niccolo Machiavelli
Yes he is a great! Glad he is on our side.
Trump’s counter offensives are a feature, not a bug. We have our first fighting President in the
culture war and I love it! Notice my slogan I’ve had for many years.
I loathe the man, but I love his agenda and goals for the nation.
Would WFB please return from the grave for an afternoon, so he can fire all the National Review “Never Trump!” snobs, including Goldberg? While he’s at it, he might want to re-hire Mark Steyn, and make an offer to David Horowitz.
Our president’s character soars above those who try to diminish it. Look at his stand on principles, look at his unwavering focus on strengthening the country, look at the end results. It takes a person of superior character to withstand the legion attempting to destroy him.
Im surprised that even folks on the right have bought into the lie - that Trump is crude, coarse and a disgusting human being.
He is none of these things. This is what the left and MSM slapped on him in order to tarnish him as soon as he decided to run.
No, Trump does not have a lifetime of coaching by some PC idiot group who teach all the politicians how to use words and those stupid hand gestures - to make them APPEAR Presidential. Reagan was about the last on I can think of who didnt have to go thru the DC “Emily Post” training. And that was because he learned his speaking from his movie career.
Trump is authentic. Ive met him. Hes as normal as you or I. Listen to him. Just because he doesnt bother with the silky smooth vocal stylings and the stupid buzz words (..”thousand points of light..”), doesnt make him crude and crass.
When he said illegals have come here and committed crimes, NORMAL folks knew what he meant. The left twisted it so to label him a racist.
Obama was a snarky, sleazy, adolescent, lying snake. But he was taught to try to keep a nice tone and use the Presidential hand gestures - so they call HIM classy... sheesh...
Jonah Goldberg has proven that he has done more against conservative values then he could ever do for conservative values. It is people like him who have lost the argument for conservative values. As is usually the case for these clowns they are incapable of seeing that reality as well. No thanks Jonah Goldberg, I’ll take President Trump & his values over your faux values every single day. He accomplishes pushing conservative values forward while conservative values pushed by the likes of you are similar to wage stagnation. I for one prefer to see positive results.
Bret Stephens still wishes Hillary was President, because of personal character ?!! Lunacy. I’m not a huge fan of Trump’s personality, but doing what you said you were going to do before the election alone puts Trump’s character above that of most politicians...
The social fear is that palpable. . . they are all, to a man and woman, cowards, fearing for their future positions should the Democrats ever regain power.
I’m so glad I didn’t renew my subscription to National Review. At one time I was a big fan of the magazine, but a few years ago I began to lose interest. They fired some writers that I really liked, such as Mark Steyn and John Derbyshire. The Never Trump crap finally killed it for me and I let the subscription lapse. Every now and then I get a letter from them that says, “We miss you!” I don’t miss them a bit. I’ve found better ways to spend my money.
What made them NeverTrumpers was his horrible, defective characteropenness and honesty and willingness to act as a regular human being instead of a tightly controlled political snob.
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