President Trump earlier today addressed the US Coast Guard Academy, Class of 2017 graduates in New London, Connecticut. If the graduates expected to hear the president inspired them with a message of hope in these chaotic and unpredictable times they did not get that message. The message they got included complaint against the media and of being treated unfairly.
For some reason, Mr. Trump failed to recognize that a commencement speech is not about the speaker but the graduates. What graduates want to hear is a message of hope to face the challenges that await them – not the speaker's personal problems. That Mr. Trump did this is hardly a surprise as he is fond of talking about himself in adulatory terms, blaming others or complaining when he is criticized or makes a misstep.
During the past two weeks the president has been embroiled in a number of controversies - firing the FBI Director, James Comey; meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister and Ambassador in the White House; divulging classified information to the Russians; and alleged obstruction of justice related to Comey’s investigation of Flynn and Trump’s ties to Russia . Naturally, the media has been in a frenzy over these stories - and this is very irritating to the sensitive president.
At the Coast Guard graduation ceremony, the president in his address took the opportunity to lash out at the media when he said,
Look at the way I've been treated lately, especially by the media," Trump said. "No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly. You can't let them get you down. You can't let the critics and the naysayers get in the way of your dreams.
President Trump probably has a short-term memory problem or simply does not count Pres. Obama as a person or politician. Trump himself started and promoted the Birtherism conspiracy against Pres. Obama. And even after Obama produced his birth certificate Trump never apologized or acknowledged that he was wrong. What was even more painful was that as part of the White House transition, he met with Pres. Obama and never found it within himself to apologize to the president.
It would be inexcusable for anyone not to see how Mr. Trump's demonizing of Pres. Obama was grossly unfair. Yet, today he complained about unfair treatment. Mr. Trump went on to tell the graduates,
Adversity makes you stronger. Don't give in, don't back down and never stop doing what you know is right. Nothing worth doing ever, ever, ever came easy and the more righteous your fight, the more opposition that you will face.
Trump is right about this statement, but in his case, the adversity he experiences have been ones he created. His words ring true for his predecessor whom he demonized. Pres. Obama faced unfair adversity from Mr. Trump and the Republicans throughout all his eight years in the White House. Despite all of this he never gave a hint of being discouraged as he kept performing his presidential duties with dignity, conviction, and honesty.