General Mark Milley's public mea culpa in an effort to put himself on the right side of political correctness is itself a political statement, which he says he deplores. One need only ask whether he would be eager to make that statement, or would even be forced to make that statement, if the "photo opportunity" had been at a burned out black church?
But there is a broader problem here, why are so many high-ranking generals heading for the nearest camera to separate themselves from President Trump? What does this imply for his election chances in November?
What does it say about Trump's ability to get along with his generals? When is former personal Chief of Staff, when his former Secretary of Defense, when his current chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff all undermine him publicly, must we not ask, is the problem with Trump? Should we also consider whether the pressure on these generals has become so pervasive that they simply buckled? Could it be that these generals are in effect neo-conservatives who oppose his determination to extract American forces and commitments from these no win wars which they thought they had won?
I find it incomprehensible to believe that the generals actually hold a serious fear that the president will usurp the powers of government, tear up the Constitution, and impose some sort of tyrannical martial law. The allegation is absurd. In fact, the president has not acted anywhere except in a very few cubic yards immediately in front of the White House. Where is the threat to our liberty?
Of course there is no threat to our liberty, but note yesterday Joe Biden expressed doubts the President of the United States would voluntarily leave the White House if he lost the election. Yes, they tried that in 2016 in a slightly different scenario, but obviously there is a Democrat push to paint Trump a power mad tyrant. Why have the generals bought into this absurd charge?
One might well ask, why has the President found himself handcuffed and unable to use military force under the Insurrection Act? Why has the President been lied about by these generals concerning the facts of his administration's clearing Lafayette Park? Are these generals afraid of an image of General MacArthur cleaning out the bonus marchers in Washington, or are they simply in thrall to the Democrat party? Are they flotsam on a title wave of national madness coming out of a video of the death of George Floyd and simply succumbed to our national neuroses?
I think intellectual honesty compels us to admit the possibility that there is something in the president's personality that has simply rubbed these generals the wrong way in their personal interactions with him. Perhaps the allegation of a photo shoot is really a metaphor for their personal distaste of the way he might have (repeat "might") have used them for props to advance his personal political fortune.
It is possible the generals smell a real electoral defeat for Trump in November and it is equally possible that they want influence in a new Democrat administration, especially. One in which Joe Biden will be merely a figurehead and who will open the door to the deep state, including generals, to actually run the country. It may be that these generals know that their financial futures are tied to that deep state. They no doubt will be aware that board positions on giant companies will come only with the approval of the deep state. In essence, they figure Trump will be toast in November and they, despite parading their patriotism, are selfishly looking out for number one.
I am afraid it goes even deeper than that, I fear that every institution in America (more than our "entire government" which you properly identify) because of race politics has now come to the conclusion that Trump is politically toxic. Race is the ultimate radioactive charge in American politics making it once again time to remind us of Nathan's first maximum of politics: all politics is not local but ultimately racial. Trump has weathered allegations of misogyny (the "pussy" tape) but allegations of race are an order of magnitude more lethal.
I dearly hope that this is not so. There is no rational basis for it but our country is not in a rational state of mind. The country is now essentially a mob. The parallels to the French Revolution, the Salem witch trials, the Chinese cultural Revolution are all too plainly being played out on our television screens every night.
I believe the president must go before the public and make the speech of his life to present himself as President in Chief, the Sane Adult, the Savior of Corona, the Economic Wizard in Chief who can save us from China. Above all, he must present himself as the figure of national sanity who can save the country. He must focus the inevitable backlash to his campaign without appearing to be a racist. He must show the Democrat abdication of the rule of law to be actually a power grab. He must be a President but he may not appear in any way divisive. A tall order, a thin line to walk, and absolute decisive moment for his presidency, his campaign, the future of the country.
