Words over delivery style
Regarding Andrew Silow-Carroll’s column “Trump is beyond parody, which is exactly where he wants to be” (Oct. 29), many years ago there was a popular song which began with the words “You got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative.” His column does the opposite.
Silow-Carroll ignores all of Pres. Donald Trump’s accomplishments because he disapproves of his writing and speaking style.
On the positive side, Trump respects Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, recognized the strategic importance of the Golan Heights, and doesn’t call Israelis occupiers.
Trump has succeeded in bringing some long-lost bodies back to this country from Korea and things have calmed down, for now, in the region.
Despite provocation from Iran through drones and ship piracy, there has been no further escalation in that area. ISIS has been given a hard blow. Nationally, economic figures in terms of employment and wages continue to be good.
When it comes to parody, it is Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) who read his own version of the president’s infamous telephone call to the Ukraine. When this was pointed out, Schiff simply said, “I am doing a parody.”
The speech Trump delivered on D-Day 2019 was probably the best that any president gave on that occasion. Not only did he honor the veterans who survived and those who did not survive that day, he gave recognition to the Holocaust.
Words are important, but I would choose not to compare character traits to manners of speaking. Pres. Bill Clinton’s behavior with a young intern in the White House was not exactly presidential. But he is a Democrat, so the media reaction was, “he only lied about sex,” “the young woman was at fault,” and “he is doing a good job for the country.”
Pres. Barack Obama made a few unpresidential remarks but any criticism of him was countered by words like “birther” and “racist.”
Who is a real mensch and who is a parody?
Elli Epstein
Ocean
comments