How Long Can Donald Trump's Art of Deflection Work?
Indeed, but let us not be deflected from the main point, which is the apparent unreliability of Trump's sources.
How long can this go on? It took the president only four days to wipe away the good feelings left by his widely praised joint speech to Congress. He wiped away his newly enhanced presidential image by reverting back to childish tweets.
But this time, the message is downright dangerous. Presidents don't accuse their predecessors of felonious wrongdoing without good cause. Or, at least, they haven't in this country -- until now.
Trump's spokespersons want us to ignore what the president says and concentrate on what they say he means. That may work in the short term.
But the coincidence that dustup happened over a weekend in which North Korea resumed missile tests raises a bracing question: What happens in a national crisis?
Will Americans believe what this president says? Or will we scratch our heads trying to figure out what he means?
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(E-mail Clarence Page at cpage@chicagotribune.com.)
(c) 2017 CLARENCE PAGE DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
