It’s becoming clearer by the day that we’ve elected a child as president. I don’t say that to be insulting or partisan.
I say it as a parent. I raised three kids and recognize child-like behavior when I see it. In a child, childish behavior is normal and to be expected.
In a president, it’s just plain scary.
Example No. 1: Do you remember when your kids would torment each other with “I’m rubber, you’re glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you”?
Trump does that. He did it again the other day, in fact, when he tweeted this: “Who was it that secretly said to Russian President, ‘Tell Vladimir that after the election I’ll have more flexibility?’”
He (the rubber) was referring to President Obama (the glue), who was seeking re-election at the time he asked for a message to be sent to Putin. Shocking? Evidence of wrongdoing on Obama’s part? Uh, not quite. Point of order: When you’re president it’s OK to send messages to foreign leaders. In fact, it’s your job. It’s not OK, however, when you’re not yet the president, which is what Trump’s team did. Trump knows that. But he tweeted it anyway.
Just like a kid.
Example No. 2: My kids also used to try to divert my attention if they were trouble.
“I might’ve broken the lamp but Henry didn’t sweep the garage like you told him to. And Annie hasn’t brushed her teeth in a week. And mom dented the car.”
I used to call that the “Look! Over there!” move.
Trump does that, too. After reports that the Obama administration worked to protect potential evidence of Trump’s Russian connections, Trump tweeted this: “How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process? This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (sick) guy!”
Wow. The fact that the president of the United States either can’t spell ‘tap’ or doesn’t bother to edit his work is sad enough. But accusing a former president of a high crime without a shred of evidence is shocking, dismaying and decidedly unpresidential.
It’s also perfectly in keeping with our commander-in-chief’s behavior thus far.
Then there’s the lying. Trump, like my kids when they were young, tells whoppers. Huge whoppers. Epic whoppers. Whoppers that are so audaciously false that people chuckle or gasp – Mexicans are rapists, immigrants are out to get us, the economy is terrible, millions of illegals voted, unemployment is rampant, the nation is crumbling, he inherited a mess, only he can fix it all.
But it isn’t funny. This guy’s childishness could cause real damage.
Too bad his parents aren’t still around to tell him to knock it off.
Image credit: DonkeyHotey
Tom says
I just sent a message to Vice President Mike Pense: Get ready. It will not belong before you are our President.
Tom says
Should be, “be long.”
Bill says
Problem is that the die hard Trump supporters refuse to look at what you pointed out, Andy. Their blind loyalty to Don the Con clouds their rational judgement
Andrea says
Great column as always…..I keep waiting for one that I can take issue with, but you just keep hitting the nail on the head………………
Andrew Heller says
Oh, it’ll happen.
Jims says
As you said, it’s ok to act that way when you are a child. But to act this way when you are an adult is narcissistic personality disorder. Very serious mental condition. This man gets scarier by the day.
Cathy says
He sure does , Jims. Worked with kids my whole life & raised a couple . All have been kind, respectful, polite , & never scary. We wouldn’t allow anything less, huh? Yet the horrid behavior of dt is ‘ok.’ Yep, scarier by the day.
Nancy Oberman says
I did not elect this imbecile !!!He is a traitor to the nth degree…It’s so infuriating to me , the blood of all that have been killed and maimed since this idiot started his campaign of hate,racism,lies,corruption, is on his hands ..He has incited all of these attacks and it is escalating, something must be done to end his reign of hate and destruction ….He has also activated the GOP to destroy many departments of government that are for the safety and betterment of our country and our natural resources ..
GracieDea says
When I was a kid my dad used to say, “Never miss an opportunity to keep your mouth shut.” The more I hear from 45, the more I know his dad never said that to him. Late last week, when there were bushels of fecal matter in the rotary device concerning the Attorney General perjuring himself about meeting with Russians, 45 should have shut up and let it cool down over the weekend. Instead, he couldn’t keep his thumbs quiet and kept the issue on the front burner with his incessant, childish tweets. He’s a sick man and I fear the damage he can do before this is over.
Ernie Davis says
Oh My! Talk about hate! Where in the world are you people coming from? Have you no decently? Here is someone trying to put us back together and all I see is hate. Please! I know most here will not understand this, but I sure do not understand these horrible comments.
Andrew Heller says
Ernie, this is our country we’re talking about. You can’t possibly not be concerned.
GracieDea says
I understand Ernie’s concern with the tenor of civil (?) discourse in our America. However, those of us who did not vote for Mr Trump belong to the party that said, “When they go low, we go high.” 45 goes low, then lower, then lower….
He has a long list of things he says he wants to accomplish, yet just this morning soon after 5a.m. he’s shooting himself in the foot on Twitter again. He’s demanding an investigation into supposed wiretapping of Trump Tower to throw the election. What a sore winner.
Judith Brooks says
I am seriously afraid for my country. Have never seen a more immature, divisive, impulsive person in public office. Someone needs to take that phone away from him before he gets us in a war with his tweets.
Matt Wyneken says
Another “child” in charge of a country is in North Korea, and he is firing off test missiles. The United States needs true, mature, cool-headed, leadership in the face of this grave international threat.
If those who voted for Trump find his behavior acceptable, then I suggest that they need to take a good, hard look at themselves.
Vicki says
I am dumbfounded that DT has any supporters that are not related to him and/or on his payroll.
Jim III says
My gosh the tactics of Lenin, Mao, Hitler, and Saul Alinsky are alive and in full swing here. One of the tactics used by Lenin and Hitler was to blame the opposing party of causing the riots in the streets and other law breaking.
The recent vandalism of a Jewish center was committed by a member of the democratic party. He is a left wing socialist. The person is not a President Trump Supporter. He is a hilliary clinton supporter.
If George Washington had been the person that had been running against hilliary clinton and won. The democrats would still be rioting in the streets.
All the rioting and damage to property has been caused by democrat supporters. There have been no republicans calling for riots of other acts of violance.
Funny hilliary lost the election and now the clinton foundation is closing up shop and is not going to give the money to charity, instead it is going to line the pockets of slick willey and hilliary. From other things that I have read if also appears that slick willey and hilliary cannot seem to get any high priced speaking engagements anymore. Of course that could change.
The democratic party is the party of hate, lies and all sorts of malfeasance.
The kkk was started by democrats. The democrats wrote the Jim Crowe laws of the south.
Andrew Heller says
Jim, as usual, your post is absurd. I’d love to see the source for the assertion that the vandalism of “a” Jewish cemetery is magically a “member” of both the socialist and Democratic parties. And even if that’s so, why would that matter? I think the point here is whoever did it is a hater/slash a-hole. Not sure what party affiliation has to do with it.
Jim III says
There is not a nickel’s bit of difference between a socialist and a democrat today. There might of been a smidgen of difference years ago, but not now.
The name of the man who had been making at least 8 known threats against the Jewish centers is Juan Thompson of St. Louis, MO.
He is a Bernie supporter. Hates President Trump and all sorts of white people, well, republican supporters anyways.
ABC news did do a short blurb on his arrest, then they dropped the story when it became apparent that he leaned very left in his beliefs.
A site called the “The Daily Signal” carried on from where ABC left off.
There is no so blind those that refuse to see things as they are in America and the world. You are a President Trump hater.
You do not know or refuse to understand the history of both the democratic and socialist parties.
If hilliary had been elected eventually her policies would have you really being upset at her policies. Then you would find yourself in deep doo doo. You would end up like the nazi brownshirts and the white Russians under lenin. They were among the first imprisoned and murdered by their respective leaders.
Fred says
“One of the tactics used by Lenin and Hitler was to blame the opposing party of causing the riots in the streets and other law breaking.”
And that is exactly what you are doing. Thank you for confirming what I already suspected.
Jim III says
Fred,
Was your comment meant for the writings of Andrew Heller or for Jim III?
I know htat hitler and lenin used that tactic on a regular basis. That is what the democrats are doing today, among other things.
San Fran nancy pelosi has blamed all the violence on republicans.
When it comes to dealings with the Russians, pelosi was quoted as saying that she had never had any kind of meetings with the Russians. It did not take long for pictures of her hobnobbing with Russians officials.
As for saving the enviromet the people that were protesting the pipeline in the Dakotas left a huge mess behind themselves. It took the EPA and other government agencies about 2 weeks to clean up the mess. I wonder how much that cost us taxpayers.
Fred says
And you are still blaming all the violence and destruction on Democrats; the party you oppose.
I am sure you don’t need me to spell out your own logic for you further.
Glenda Semerad says
Thank you for saying what needs to be said. I have thought from day one that Trump acts like a spoiled child. Now I believe he is a lying, delusional, mentally ill child. By saying that I have alienated family and friends who mysteriously support him. It does my heart good to hear a voice of reason.