I used to understand the calculus of politics. I understood the structural dynamics of campaigns, candidates, and the electorate. I worked on three different campaigns for Congress, attended campaign manager training, received a master’s degree in political science, and I worked as a legislative liaison for one of the nation’s largest companies, building a grassroots political organization and working with company lobbyists (both internal and external) to craft and pass legislation.
I thought I knew my stuff. But the more I observe the current state of politics, particularly at the national level, the more I think I don’t know anything. Here’s what I mean:
Going back as far as I can remember, politicians were careful about what they said or did in public. They wanted to have a clean reputation in the eyes of the voters, and they wanted to make sure they didn’t do anything that could be used against them in a campaign. Sure, there were plenty of politicians who misbehaved and got caught, but at least whatever they were doing was done in private. They weren’t advertising their bad behavior. Just the opposite. They were trying to hide it.
That’s not the case today, at least not with Donald Trump. His bad behavior is on display for everyone to see. In some respects, that bad behavior is worn like a badge of honor, both by him and his supporters. And that’s the part of the political calculus I no longer understand.
The most recent example of Trump’s over-the-top bad behavior occurred a little over a week ago at Arlington National Cemetery. He was invited to the cemetery by some Gold Star families to participate in a wreath laying ceremony. Trump not only accepted the invitation, he brought along a crew to film a campaign ad. After the wreath laying ceremony, in which photos were taken by a Trump photographer, Trump went to another location in Section 60 of the cemetery where war dead from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are buried. He posed with supporters, including Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, for several different photos, while standing over the graves of fallen soldiers. In the photos, Trump (and several of his supporters) are smiling and giving a big thumbs up.
Of course, it is illegal to do what Trump did. Federal law prohibits political campaigns or election-related activities to be conducted within Army National Military Cemeteries. Trump’s campaign was advised of this law prior to their arrival at Arlington. Yet, they carried on with the illegal activity. And when an employee of Arlington National Cemetery tried to intervene and stop the illegal photo shoot, she was verbally and physically assaulted by Trump campaign aides.
I assume you know what Arlington National Cemetery is and why special rules apply there that might not apply elsewhere. Whether you are or not, I would recommend you read this editorial in the San Francisco Chronicle written by Sandy Alderson, former president and general manager of the NY Mets, and more importantly, a former Marine. In his editorial, Alderson, who was detailed while in the Marines to provide military honors at dozens of burials at Arlington National Cemetery, wrote:
“Not once, in all my visits to Arlington over the past 50 years, have I ever witnessed a ceremony, or heard of one, arranged, in whole or in part, for political gain. What I did see on those visits were families, many in their most vulnerable moments, coming together to honor loved ones who sacrificed so much for our country. Even for the grieving families who invited Trump, his campaign’s actions make clear they were the ones being used for his purposes, not theirs.”
Another read I would recommend is this poignant essay from Charlotte Clymer, a former Army soldier assigned to “The Old Guard,” the unit that provides military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. In her essay, Clymer gives us a glimpse into what it’s like to serve in such a sacred and important detail. It is both heartbreaking and inspiring to hear what lengths military members go to in order to bring honor to our fallen heroes and comfort to their families.
It’s worth reading Clymer’s entire essay, but I wanted to share a few concluding paragraphs she wrote:
“I fully admit to being a partisan, but for me, none of this is about politics because none of the Republicans or conservatives I have ever known would so much as consider showing anything but respect and admiration for our service members, our veterans, and their families.
“This is not about favor for any party or campaign because the moment you enter Arlington, politics are to be left at the gate. It’s not about you or me or anyone other than those buried in that ground and their loved ones who will never see them again because of their collective sacrifices.
“But Donald Trump is unwilling or unable to understand that because he cannot conceive of offering the highest degree of selfless service to our nation. The concept of ‘all gave some, some gave all’ is entirely incomprehensible to him. And therefore, he cannot extend proper respect to our military.”
After the debacle at Arlington, Gov. Cox used one of the photos taken of him at a gravesite in a campaign email. But he quickly issued an apology for the email and for participating in the politically motivated photo opportunity. He seemed to sense that what had been done–using the graves of America’s war dead as a prop for a fundraising email—had gone too far.
Former President Trump, on the other hand, showed absolutely no such remorse, taking a decidedly combative stance. Initially, his campaign accused the cemetery employee of having a mental health episode and denied that there was a physical altercation. But the Army issued a statement indicating that, in fact, a physical altercation had occurred, but that the Army employee didn’t wish to pursue charges because she was afraid of the repercussions that Trump supporters might carry out against her.
Next, Trump suggested that the Gold Star families who participated in the photo opportunity with him may have set him up for the bad publicity. Trump’s campaign quickly shut down that suggestion, and instead claimed that they had video evidence showing that no physical altercation with the Army employee had occurred. However, they refused to turn over the supposed video evidence to back up that claim.
Most recently, after feeling the backlash from both civilian and military groups, Trump has claimed that there was no controversary during his visit to Arlington (Remember, the Army had already issued a statement indicating that members of Trump’s campaign verbally and physically assaulted the Army employee) and blaming Kamala Harris (who he smugly refers to as “Comrade” Kamala Harris) for spreading what he called a “hoax.”
Such behavior from any other political figure would quickly derail their campaign and likely end their political career. This is especially true considering the previous instances where Trump disrespected our military members, calling them “suckers” and “losers,” and refusing to attend a ceremony to honor them because it was raining and he didn’t want to get his hair wet. He also disparaged former Sen. John McCain for being shot down and taken captive during the Vietnam War, saying he liked people who weren’t captured. In addition, he claimed that the Presidential Medal of Freedom was a better award than the Medal of Honor, the U.S. Military’s highest award, because most of the people who received the Medal of Honor were either all shot up or killed. And of course, how can we forget that time he verbally attacked the parents of a soldier who had been killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq after they spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2016? Any of the incidents on their own would be a death knell for a political candidate. But not for Trump. Instead, his supporters stand behind him, using pretzel logic to make excuses for his behavior or denying that such behavior even occurred, despite loads of evidence to the contrary.
This is the part of the political calculus that I no longer understand. With very few exceptions, through the years, both political parties have nominated people of character and integrity to represent them in the presidential election. But Donald Trump has proven time and time again that he is completely lacking in character and integrity. In addition to his behavior at Arlington National Cemetery and his complete lack of remorse, consider that he has been adjudicated as a rapist, hung around with one of our nation’s most infamous pedophiles, has been convicted on 34 felony counts, and has been indicted on dozens more. Yet, he has been the Republican candidate for president in the last three elections, and the party stalwart continue to support his candidacy. I don’t get it.
Donald Trump has said and done many things since he descended that golden escalator in 2015 that have repulsed and angered me, but there’s nothing he has done in his public life that has so thoroughly disgusted me as the stunt he pulled at Arlington National Cemetery. Arlington is hallowed ground, perhaps the most sacred place in our nation. How Trump is still a viable candidate with a very realistic chance of becoming our next President is beyond my comprehension. I just don’t see how anyone who considers themselves a good citizen and who holds firm to American values can still support such a despicable, disrespectful, and dishonorable human being. I don’t understand, and I’m not sure that I want to.
