On Tuesday, February 28th, President Trump gave his first Congressional address. Before he even began speaking, after Paul Ryan's introduction, it was clear from his reception that Congress held mixed expectations and opinions of our new Commander-in-Chief and his nascent administration. There were cheers issuing forth from the crowd, applause, and exclamations of excitement throughout the group, but among all of the positivity there stood silent, unimpressed, figures. Congressman John Lewis's demeanor revealed a certain distaste for the proceedings and reflected the mood of many in the crowd that evening. Nonetheless, after the applause ended and the members of Congress once again took their seats, Trump began his address. He spoke clearly, handled himself well, and managed, somehow, not to level a single attack at "fake news" that has been dogging his campaign. While these facts mark a significant change from our President's usual behavior, it's not something anyone should be getting excited about.
Can I just say, when it comes to Trump, news outlets are more torn over their opinions than I am when picking out which Ben & Jerry's pint I want for the night. Do I want Cherry Garcia or Cheesecake Brownie? Is Trump fixed in his ways or has he yet to reveal his truly Presidential side? Maybe Americone Dream? Maybe there is hope for our POTUS? Admittedly, it can be hard at times; there are just so many delicious flavors, but Presidential acumen and Phish Food ice cream are two very different things.
I suppose this whole situation with the media sets me off because this has been going on since his campaign. I'd turn on my television in the summer and face off against the hopeful eyes of reporters as they predicted his vitriol and hate mongering would disappear after inauguration, if he ever were to be inaugurated. If he stayed off of Twitter for a night, journalists across the country swooned and then surged to their keyboards. The next morning, headlines would proclaim a new, more professional, political, and grown-up Trump had arisen. Then, inevitably, he'd make a comment about locker rooms that went beyond the pale, and the media would return to lambasting his every breath. I can't stand it. Truly, I can't. I can't stand him, but most of all, I can't stand the way we dance around him. He is both the big orange elephant in the room and the toupeed bull in the proverbial china shop. He can't be ignored, but while we try to, he goes around breaking all our good dishes.
Now, I know we aren't ignoring him, per se. His actions being covered by the media, scathingly by the better outlets and passively by others. His lies aren't going 100% unchecked, and the movements of his administration are being publicized and criticized. People are speaking up, weighing in, and doing their job as citizens. All in all, it's not a terrible set-up. Yet, journalists still continue to salivate whenever he acts even slightly like a decent human being. Yes, in his speech to Congress he acknowledged the recent attacks on the Jewish community in the nation. Yes, he spoke up about education and a desire to unite the country under one common nationalistic goal, yet someone he still managed to come across as the same ol' Trump while doing so. He described his electoral college victory as a rebellion, and an earthquake. He toned down his comments on undocumented immigrants and “Radical Islamic terrorism”, yet he still slipped in topics like the new VOICE office, an office dedicated to demonizing undocumented immigrants in the eyes of the country, and a defense of his ill-willed anti-Muslim travel ban, saying, “It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur. Those given the high honor of admission to the United States should support this country and love its people and its values. We cannot allow a beachhead of terrorism to form inside America -- we cannot allow our Nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.” While his caustic tone had disappeared, the rhetoric was still there, and so Trump remained Trump, whether he neatly ironed the wrinkles out of his words or not.
The man has taken this country on an emotional and political roller coaster since he began his run for Presidency. He's been up, he's been down. He's been left, right, diagonal, and backwards. He's calmed himself, from time to time, but only superficially. He's never once not been himself, and we need to stop acting like he'll magically evolve into a better man. This isn't Freaky Friday. He isn't going wake up in the body of Jamie Lee Curtis or Bernie Sanders. The best we can hope for is a swift impeachment or the rapture, but either way, news outlets, journalists, bloggers, everyone, it's time to accept that Trump isn't going to change.
