The public has no interest in whether the President acts boldly or timidly in his personal affairs.
Trump's narcissism deadens any ability he might otherwise have had to carry out the duties of a president in the manner the Constitution requires. He's so self-obsessed, he can only act for himself, not for the nation. It's why he was impeached, and why he should have been removed from office.
Ever the blameless narcissist, Trump always insists that the buck stops wherever convenient - for him, personally.
Particularly as a supposed 'conservative,' Trump ought to know something about the relationship between the federal government and the states.
Confronted by a skilled examiner, Trump would melt down in minutes. He'd be humiliated, and he knows it - which is why he's too terrified to give testimony under oath, and why it won't happen.
If there's one thing we know about President Trump, it's that he lies and he cheats. Endlessly. And shamelessly. But still, mostly, incompetently.
Just as crises can provide a test of anyone's character, they do so especially with presidents.
Trump's behavior is conscienceless, showing utter disregard for the safety of others, consistent irresponsibility, callousness, cynicism and disrespect of other human beings. Contempt for truth and honesty, and for norms, rules and laws. A complete inability to feel remorse, or guilt.
America promised equality. Its constitution said so. My schoolbooks said so. The country wasn't perfect, to be sure. But its ideals were. And every day brought us closer to those ideals.
Trump is not some random, embittered person in a parking lot - he's the president of the United States. By virtue of his office, he speaks for the country.
In a case involving his private conduct, a President should be treated like any private citizen. The rule of law requires no more - and no less.
A President's unofficial or non-presidential actions do not affect millions of people.
Trump's lying, his self-regard, his self-soothing, his lack of empathy, his narcissistic rage, his contempt for norms, rules, laws, facts and simple truths - have all come home to roost.
For Trump, it's always about Trump and only Trump.
Instead of channeling Trump, and attacking the courts in ways that are as bad as or worse than the president's, public officials who ought to know better should behave better.
Of course, Trump will always take credit for positive developments - even those he didn't cause, create or do - like the economy he inherited, an electoral 'landslide' that never happened and the Christmas holiday he didn't need to save.
For Trump, success always has a single father - himself. Failure has a hundred - everyone and anyone else. The media. The Democrats. The 'deep state.' Disloyal staffers. Prosecutors. Judges. Anyone who doesn't do his bidding or sufficiently sing his praises.
That's what it's all about for Trump. It's always about winning - winning for Trump, by making him look good in each day's reality-television production. It's never been about the country.
President Trump is treating the judiciary the way he treats the media. But the harm created by these attacks could be far greater.
It's simply not bias for a judge to explain her reasoning in a dissent.
