New Presidential?

 Tonight's blog has been hijacked by Peter's editorial staff. We had to vent...

A few days ago, President Donald Trump made a speech at the dedication of the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford that was both respectful and presidential. It wasn’t a particularly great speech, just the usual stuff about proud Americans and how great our service people are, while politely acknowledging all the VIPs in the room, even those he’d previously denigrated. For a bar set as low as it is right now, it was a high point for a struggling president. There was hope that maybe he was beginning to “get it.”

Today, he had the opportunity to build on that momentum as he spoke to the safest, and certainly most impressionable audience he would ever face, the National Jamboree of the Boy Scouts of America. If ever there was a moment to stay on teleprompter and make a solid, standard, polite, PRESIDENTIAL speech, this was the time. Trump apparently felt differently…

“What the hell!” Trump exclaimed early in his chat with the boys. The lads roared back in boisterous approval, and Trump was on his way down to a new Limbo record. (The bar has been lowered yet again) Then came "Who the hell wants to talk politics... " as he began to talk politics. Hey mom and dad, remember that word you told me it’s not polite to use… Well go to HELL! The president says it’s OK.

He warned the boys not to believe the dishonest news media and told them to pursue success above all else. He trotted out members of his cabinet as sterling examples of former Boy Scouts like destroyer of the environment Scott Pruitt, destroyer of health care Tom Price, and destroyer of something, but he forgot what it was, Rick Perry. (Price he “jokingly” threatened to fire if their failing health care bill doesn’t pass congress.) Trump himself was never a scout, but at least he hires them. (10 of his cabinet members are former scouts… kinda makes you wonder what they’re teaching those boys?) Loyalty and obedience… important tenets of the BSA, but to Trump they were what Eagle Scout Jeff Sessions (not in attendance) was lacking.

He commented again and again on the huge size of the crowd, daring the cameras to show how many kids and parents were there for him. (He forgot that this was the last day of their annual, national jamboree, and Trump was just one act in a four day show. Sort of like Melanie taking credit for Woodstock.)

He denigrated congress, the judiciary, political correctness, Hilary Clinton, President Obama, the press, and anyone else he could think of. It was Trump’s greatest hits on tour, and his audience of mostly white, teenage and younger, boys ate it up like they would a heavy metal concert. Trump basked in the glory of their adulation, receiving a much-needed boost of star worship. (It should be noted that Complaints from parents have come pouring in since the conclusion.)

As Trump pointed out again and again, it was a love fest. Trump didn’t want to leave. He called Washington a swamp, then corrected himself and said that it was really a cesspool. He railed against the horror of Obamacare, because nobody appreciates the intricacies of healthcare like 10-17 year old boys, and he blamed everyone he could think of. He told the boys that Obama didn't care about them, and they responded by booing lustily at the mention of the previous President. The nastier he got, the more the boys loved it. To them, Trump was like the coolest role model ever.

Scout Law  reads: "A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent." Donald Trump is really none of those things. The flood gates are wide open now boys… go out and respect nothing!

We now return the blog to Peter