While the new design of the White House Rose Garden has justifiably centered on the flower beds that have been ripped up, people have missed the main point. Donald had trouble walking down the slope from the Oval Office and Melania has redesigned the stairs so that he does not have to navigate it.
The main picture shows ex-PM Teresa May’s visit in January 2017. They are walking from the Oval Office meeting they had had to give a press conference in the Rose Garden and walk down that slope. The handholding raised some comments in the UK at the time.
After that incident of hand-holding, Ms May’s official spokeswoman said: “They were walking along. There was an unseen ramp. He put out his hand. She took it.”
But despite the disapproval, Ms May has repeatedly been shown holding the president’s hand, with Friday the latest moment.
It led to claims that the president suffered from what is commonly called “bathmophobia”, or a fear of stairs and dirty handrails, though the term is not officially recognised.
He extends his hand and she takes it in hers to steady him down the slope. He pats her hand but when they reach level ground, he lets go.
Of course there is a more recent incident of Trump having trouble on really slippery slopes when he wears leather soled shoes.
After, note width of steps in relation to columns of portico
So how does the new design help Trump?
Before Melania redesigned the Rose Garden to have all the bucholic charm of a municipal crematorium.
If you look at the Melania design you will see that the stairs down to the lawn are now shallower and wider. The bushes have been cut back and instead of the stairs fitting between two columns, they now extend either side of the columns.
You will see that the slope starts just before the window that the stairs lead up to. (Compare the amount of wall uder the windows and the dip is obvious) Although not clear, it look like the stairs now extend in front of the columns. Instead of having to go round the left column, it is now possible to walk in front of it and avoid the slope.
What a pathetic little man who has to get his wife rip out bushes and rebuild steps so he does not have to totter down a slope in his lift shoes!
