Where Are You, Men of Courage? Responses to Trump's Latest Assault on the Dignity of His Office

In Jay Caruso’s on-spot piece this morning, he talked about the problem with the leader (?) of the free world spending so much of his time focusing on what morning talk show hosts think of him, then responding like a snot-nosed high school boy.

President Trump used his Twitter sword this morning to go at MSNBC “Morning Joe” hosts, Joe Scarborough, and Mika Brzezinski, and it was ugly, low, and unbecoming.

I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2017

…to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year's Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2017

Trump’s loyalists are either stupidly defending this nonsense, or ignoring it, as just “typical Trump.”

Neither of those responses are healthy. Or sane.

As Jay pointed out:

It is not Donald Trump, the reality television host popping off about Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough. It is an official statement issued by the President of The United States.

The White House has said, as an answer to those who openly express a desire to see Trump tweet less, that his tweets were official statements, directly from the president.

So how is any of what went on this morning excusable? How can anyone see a United States president behave in this manner and not mourn the discourse at the upper levels of our government?

We have all seen just how ugly and combative politics can be, when men and women have a vision for the direction of this nation that so inflames their passions, that they battle as if for their very lives.

And yes, it gets tedious. It gets nasty. It has proven to often be unproductive.

Never, however, has it gotten quite this juvenile and ignorant.

There are still adults in government, however, and they’re speaking out.

I’m not actually talking about Democrats, in this instance. As the “opposing team,” it’s expected that they will use this as a future campaign tool.

That is to the disadvantage of the president’s own party.

It is those members of the president’s current party inclination, however, that are unafraid of drawing the wrath of Trump’s alt-right marauders, speaking out against this behavior that can be counted as true men of courage.

I never thought I’d hear myself call Senator Lindsey Graham a “man of courage,” but he stepped up, and for whatever other differences I may have with how the man conducts himself on the job, I appreciate this comment.

Mr. President, your tweet was beneath the office and represents what is wrong with American politics, not the greatness of America.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) June 29, 2017

Another who has stepped up and spoke in terms of plain decency is Senator Ben Sasse.

Please just stop. This isn't normal and it's beneath the dignity of your office.

— Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) June 29, 2017

Decency.

Sadly, Sasse and Graham will probably be attacked, rather than lauded by many who have been emboldened by their leader to flex their internet muscles.

Finally, there is Senator Marco Rubio’s early morning tweet.