While the physical work of responding to the riots is a state and local responsibility outside of DC, the President has a pretty important role in showing moral leadership in response to this nationwide phenomenon. A couple examples:
1. Don’t make idle threats to “take control” or send in federal troops and then back off like Obama in Syria, He should either do what he says he’s going to do, or, better yet, don’t make the threat in the first place because it is probably unconstitutional. And leave aside empty bombast like “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.” He can never back that up.
2. Show some leadership, and speak much more clearly, consistently, and forcefully. Be much clearer about what these “protests” represent, and that there is a clear line between peaceable assembly, which is Constitutionally protected, and rioting, looting, and vandalism, which are crimes that will be punished. Make it clear that the federal government stands for and will protect the Constitutional rights of all citizens.
3. Along those lines, make it clear that interstate conspiracies to instigate riots will be investigated and prosecuted at the federal level.
4. Speak for the silent majority. America is not a racist country. It may not be perfect but it is the best place in the world to be a racial, ethnic, or religious minority.
5. Really, for the millionth time, stay the hell off of Twitter. It doesn’t help him in the slightest. Except to a fairly small subset of the people who are going to vote for him anyway, it just makes him look like he doesn’t know what he’s doing and has no control over his own administration. You can’t be the “law and order” candidate when your own messaging is chaotic.
Great advice. Thanks for posting.