Trump Incapable of Magnanimity
Recent commentary has noted Donald Trump’s all-too obvious lack of empathy—the
capacity to imagine, understand, and share the feelings of others. A
much-cited example was his behavior during his visit to Puerto Rico,
devastated by Hurricane Maria, where he most theatrically connected with
beleaguered Puerto Ricans by throwing rolls of paper towels into a
crowd.
But
the focus on empathy obscures the more important flaw in Trump’s
character. More damaging to Trump’s conduct of his presidency is the
void where his magnanimity should reside: “loftiness of spirit
enabling one to bear trouble calmly, to disdain meanness and pettiness,
and to display a noble generosity” (Merriam-Webster). Americans are
accustomed to their presidents rising above the criticisms, even
insults, inevitably directed toward them. The stronger ones would even
join in the fun when satire was directed at them: witness recent
Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama laughing at the gibes during the
annual correspondents’ dinner. In a more solemn time, Abraham Lincoln,
variously portrayed as a drunk, baboon, or vampire, urged Americans at
the end of the Civil War to forgive those who had been enemies, to
reunite, and rebuild the nation.
Where Trump could rise above or at least ignore perceived slights, he instead attacks. When San Juan Mayor Carmen
Yulín Cruz begged for help for her constituents, criticizing the
lagging relief efforts in Puerto Rico, Trump returned a string of
insults via tweet. He was incapable of keeping the focus on people in
dire need.
We
expect our presidents to be better than our worst selves. Most
Americans instinctively know that when a man, particularly one with
great power, cannot be magnanimous, underneath lies a small, cramped
spirit, deeply insecure at the core. The nation is badly served and
threatened by such a leader.
Tom Denton
Publishing history
Poughkeepsie Journal 10/18 online, 10/26
NP Times 11/2
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