GOP’s New Defense of Trump: The Guy’s A Toddler, He Doesn’t Know Any Better.
From taking sides in the Qatar dispute to leaning on an FBI director to drop an investigation, Trump’s blunders should be excused, the argument goes.
WASHINGTON – Republicans attempting to explain President Donald Trump’s behavior appear to be trying out a novel approach: He ought not to be blamed for his mistakes because he doesn’t know any better.
“He’s new at government and so, therefore, I think that he’s learning as he goes,” House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) told reporters Thursday, explaining how Trump could have thought it was OK to lean on the FBI director to drop a criminal investigation.
Call it the toddler defense. Trump cannot be expected to understand appropriate behavior for a president because he is a businessman, not a politician, and is still only learning.
“Trump is like a parasite that invaded the body politic, and the part that is most rotten right now is the RNC,” said John Weaver, who ran Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s presidential campaign last year. “They should be ashamed of themselves.”
Weaver added that in addition to being wrong, reflexively defending Trump was bad politics. “Handcuffing yourself to a president who’s at 34 percent and sinking is not a good strategy,” he said.
More: GOP's New Defense of Trump: The Guy's A Toddler, He Doesn't Know Any Better
So, he doesn't know any better? We all remember how Trump campaigned against being "politically correct" and how his supporters applauded and cheered him on. Therefore, Trump and his supporters cannot now plead ignorance as an excuse by saying this is all new to Trump since he had no prior political background.
From taking sides in the Qatar dispute to leaning on an FBI director to drop an investigation, Trump’s blunders should be excused, the argument goes.
WASHINGTON – Republicans attempting to explain President Donald Trump’s behavior appear to be trying out a novel approach: He ought not to be blamed for his mistakes because he doesn’t know any better.
“He’s new at government and so, therefore, I think that he’s learning as he goes,” House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) told reporters Thursday, explaining how Trump could have thought it was OK to lean on the FBI director to drop a criminal investigation.
Call it the toddler defense. Trump cannot be expected to understand appropriate behavior for a president because he is a businessman, not a politician, and is still only learning.
“Trump is like a parasite that invaded the body politic, and the part that is most rotten right now is the RNC,” said John Weaver, who ran Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s presidential campaign last year. “They should be ashamed of themselves.”
Weaver added that in addition to being wrong, reflexively defending Trump was bad politics. “Handcuffing yourself to a president who’s at 34 percent and sinking is not a good strategy,” he said.
More: GOP's New Defense of Trump: The Guy's A Toddler, He Doesn't Know Any Better
So, he doesn't know any better? We all remember how Trump campaigned against being "politically correct" and how his supporters applauded and cheered him on. Therefore, Trump and his supporters cannot now plead ignorance as an excuse by saying this is all new to Trump since he had no prior political background.
