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Amid a Rising Death Toll, Trump Leaves the Grieving to Others
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/30/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-grieving.html
President Trump has led no national mourning for the more than 63,000 Americans who have died from the coronavirus, emphasizing confidence about the future rather than dwelling on the present.
By Peter Baker
April 30, 2020
WASHINGTON
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Empathy has never been considered one of Mr. Trumps political assets. He views public displays of sadness as weakness and has made a point of stressing resolve, even at the risk of overlooking the deep pain afflicting so much of the country. His favorite words in his televised appearances of recent weeks are powerful and strong. He talks of incredible days ahead without dwelling on the miserable days of now. He plans fireworks while Americans plan funerals.
The contrast with his predecessors could hardly be starker. President Ronald Reagan captured the emotions of the nation with his poetic eulogy to the crew of the space shuttle Challenger after it exploded. President Bill Clinton channeled the countrys anger and grief after the bombing of an Oklahoma City federal building 25 years ago.
President George W. Bush shed tears and shared hugs with the families of those killed on Sept. 11, 2001, and in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Even the famously stoic President Barack Obama wept openly after the school massacre in Newtown, Conn., and sang Amazing Grace at a service for black churchgoers killed by a white supremacist in Charleston, S.C.
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Indeed, Mr. Trump appears reluctant to talk about the more than 63,000 people who have died in the United States from the coronavirus. He mentioned a few times that a friend of his, Stanley Chera, a major New York real estate developer, had been infected and later died, but did not dwell on it for long. In response to a question this week, the president said that he had also lost a few other friends and had spoken with families of other victims, but he quickly shifted the conversation to distance learning for children.
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OAITW r.2.0
(24,641 posts)Every statement he makes is a superlative declaration with absolutely nothing to back up his boasts.
Response to OAITW r.2.0 (Reply #1)
Laelth This message was self-deleted by its author.
crickets
(25,983 posts)In his mind, it's not really about the dead and dying. Sociopaths don't care about others' pain except to revel in it.