His title is President Donald J. Trump. There, I’ve said it. Donald J. Trump is now the 45th President of the United States with all the rights, privileges, power and responsibilities that come with the Oval Office, Air Force One, and the nuclear codes.
That’s the reality no matter where you come down on the legitimacy question. The truth may be Russian cyber tampering, voter suppression, and FBI Director Comey’s eleventh hour email investigation. But the reality is an electoral college victory that made candidate Trump the newest resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Still, I know a lot of people who refuse to accept the reality. They have checked out of all information sources—“I’m not watching any news!” they proclaim in Facebook posts. “I don’t want to talk about it,” they say firmly and change the subject if the conversation drifts to the latest political story about confirmation hearings, the new administration, or the first 100 days.
For sure there are some ‘not my president’ stalwarts—they are, after all, the most hardcore. But, I’m thinking about the smart, normally always well-informed people I know who have been in a post-election cocoon of their own design. They know he’s the President but…
I do understand the impulse to check out. I can’t say I haven’t been tempted by some moments of ‘He said what??!!’ But, hiding doesn’t change anything. Besides, I need all the smart people to be wide awake during the next four, possibly eight years.
Ironically, I think the inauguration on Friday helped make real what many were struggling to accept. Done deal. That’s even though most of the avoiders likely didn’t watch the inauguration. Those of us committed to witnessing the transition, also had to watch the Obamas say their formal goodbyes. They both leave with high approval ratings. No doubt it has much to do with how both the former president and the former first lady went beyond what was expected in upholding the dignity of the White House. Eight scandal free years—no locker room talk, no auctioning off coffee with first lady Michelle, no business deals selling the former president’s books, and most importantly for me, no nasty name calling. It’s almost laughable now to think about how much criticism the former president got for apologizing. No worries about that anymore—President Trump doesn’t apologize; there is no amount of evidence—it seems—that would prompt him to apologize. He doesn’t believe in it. Yeah, these are different days for sure.
President Trump’s election may have sent some people underground temporarily, but it has also sparked a new wave of engagement through constructive dissent. I expect that will eventually motivate the other moles to come up for air, rejoin the world, and look forward. As Zorba the Greek author Nikos Kazantzakis points out, “Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality.” Ain’t that the truth.
