Sunday, April 2, 2017

Commander in Chief

Trump has an army.  It is now part of the Trump body language and brand.

Donald Trump knows how to look commanding.  He dressed in dark blue suits, a white shirt, and usually a red tie.  He is tall.  He knew exactly what he was doing when he loomed over Hillary, standing next to her in a debate.  Sure, he was criticized for appearing to stalk her.  That did not hurt him.  The people disinclined to vote for him were not dissuaded by this gesture but people who were getting an "impression" or "feel for the guy" got the message:  Trump did not care if women thought him overbearing.  Trump dominates and he wanted to communicate that.

In the matchup against Hillary Clinton Trump knew better than to say that she was a woman.   He said she "lacked stamina."  It was code: Trump is strong, she is weak.  We get it.

Recently there has been press commentary on The Trump inaugural parade idea of having tanks and missile launchers in the celebration.  The specific proposal got scratched but the idea and impulse did not.  Trump wants the power and prestige of the military to attach to the Trump brand.

GOP congressman Devin Nunes justified his visit with the White House by saying that Trump was, after all, the Commander in Chief and he had a "duty and obligation" to inform him of the information being learned.  Committee member Trey Gordy said "My understanding is Chairman Nunes briefed the commander in chief on matters unrelated to the Russian investigation.  So if the commander in chief cannot be briefed by the chairperson of the House Intel Committee on a matter that has nothing to do with the FBI briefing then I don't know what they can talk about.  He is the commander in chief."  Once again, we get it.

Yesterday's post noted that Trump's archetypal hero was the bad boy truth teller who could change the system because he knew the system.  An element of that image was Trump's strength, matched with a willingness to be cruel and brutal.  His mocking and belittling of "low energy Jeb" and ugly Carly was not a bug.  It was a feature.  Much of the public read Obama's calm manner and tone as weakness.  Trump was the antidote to Obama.  Tall, strong, brutal, willing to do violence.  Hillary Clinton announced hawkish policies--indeed more hawkish than did Trump--but Trump was the candidate who communicated hawkish power.

Part of that image is his connection to the armed forces.  Trump understands that the role of commander in chief puts him above politics.  House members scrambling to protect Trump in the Russian influence probe cite not his presidency but his task as commander in chief.  It is part of Trump's protective armor as the investigation turn up confusing and troubling matters.  

Presidents are subject to checks and balances, but Trump as commander in chief can attempt to be above that and immune from it.

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