The GOP Nominee Finally Acts Like a President
Donald Trump’s decision to visit the catastrophic flooding in Louisiana today was yet another sign, coming on the heels of an apology nobody ever thought they’d see, that Donald Trump has begun to recognize that he’s running for President of the United States. This was smart politics and exactly what he should have done. He not only beat Hillary Clinton to the punch, he also beat the President of the United States himself, who has refused to cut short a vacation on Martha’s Vineyard in response to the catastrophic flooding that has struck Baton Rouge and other parts of the state.
Let’s put this storm into perspective. In terms of loss of life, it’s not as catastrophic as Hurricane Katrina. But it’s as damaging a storm as Superstorm Sandy was according to the Red Cross, and unlike Sandy, which hit over one or two days, this storm lasted over a week. It dumped 6.9 TRILLION – yes trillion, with a T, like our national debt – gallons of water on the area over a week. In Livingston Parish, 31 inches of rain fell in the span of 15 hours. That’s almost three feet of rain.
People don’t recognize how big a deal this is, but it’s huge – yuge, even. Whole swaths of the state are underwater. Yet given the Olympics and the presidential election, the Louisiana flooding has not gotten the kind of attention similar disasters in the past have gotten. Trump, if anything, is good at bringing cameras and attention where ever he goes – the constant theater surrounding him has largely been to his detriment, but right now, that theater is being used for a good purpose.
Whether you like it or not, there is a part of being President that’s theatrical. Ronald Reagan understood this. George W. Bush tried to do it, and while he had a few significant successes – standing with the firefighters at ground zero for instance – he also had a few failures (like “Mission Accomplished”). That means when a natural disaster strikes, people want to see their senior political leadership on the ground, consoling those who’ve lost loved ones and property, and projecting strength. That’s part of the job. It’s called a “leadership function” by our men and women in uniform. Showing the flag – letting people know you’re there and you care – is a fundamental part of being President.
Donald Trump figured this out, and got to Louisiana first, and he deserves significant credit for it. He even got credit from former Democratic Senator Mary Landrieu for being willing to show up. This is exactly what he should have done.
It’s what the President should have done, too. President Obama should be there. According to this timeline of the events of Superstorm Sandy, the storm made landfall on October 29 and President Obama was on the ground two days later on October 31, touring the area with Governor Christie – the date of the infamous hug.
Call me cynical, but maybe he got there so quickly because there was an election scheduled the next week.
After 9/11, President Bush made his trip to Ground Zero and gave his famous speech to the firefighters three days later, on September 14. Active rescue operations lasted weeks, but Bush being there gave the first responders a morale boost. Mayor Giuliani was on the ground almost immediately. That’s what leaders do. Even if they aren’t actively involved in the clean up. Even if it’s not their responsibility, they show up, because it provides a benefit to the people on the ground, and it raises spirits.
If Obama can be on the ground after Sandy in two days, and Bush can be on the ground after 9/11 in three, Obama could be there right now, like Trump is. He isn’t. He’s still playing golf.
Some have called this a publicity stunt, and complained that his trip would impede first responders doing their jobs. There’s been no evidence of that yet, but nobody seemed to complain when Bush visited ground zero three days after the attacks, in the midst of recovery operations and nobody complained when Obama and Christie toured Atlantic City two days after Sandy hit. Those who are complaining now – including the Governor of Louisiana who is trying to provide cover for the President by asking that nobody visit – seem to be playing politics rather than looking at past precedent when it comes to Presidential visits to disaster areas.
Showing up is a major part of any job, and it’s a fundamental part of being President. It has been since at least 9/11, but going back long before that. Americans expect to see their elected officials on the ground when disasters strike. The Homeland Security Secretary was on the ground on Wednesday. If Jeh Johnston can go, so can the President. You can bet, given past practice, that if Obama were on the ballot this November, he’d be in Baton Rouge right now.
But he isn’t. And neither is Hillary Clinton. But Donald Trump is there.
Say what you want about him, he made the right decision and he deserves credit for this. While I’m still skeptical that this marks a sea change in his behavior for the better, he’s made two good decision two days in a row, which is about as strong a winning streak as he’s had. Whatever impact the campaign team shake up may have had, at least it has given him two solid days on the trail.
Bottom line – this disaster is a big enough deal that it deserves at least the same level of attention, if it’s just political theater, that was given to other disasters in the past. Our leaders need to show up.
Trump did that and he deserves praise for doing so. That he made it there before Hillary is good politics. That he made it there before the President himself, is good leadership.
UPDATE: The White House has announced that the President will be visiting Louisiana on Tuesday.
