By Professor Nate Odenkirk | Staff Writer
President Donald Trump was never perfect. At the same time, the media has mostly avoided talking about Trump, because his administration has thus far been incident-free. It seemed for so long that we would be in for a cut-and-dry presidency, like that of Jimmy Carter the peanut man or the late great HW. There were always minor slips and small faux pas that I would expect of any new administration while learning the ropes in DC. An indictment here, misuse of taxpayer funds there.
I know these are all normal mistakes. As a presidential historian at Stain Valley Technical and Commuter School System (go Wildflowers!), I specialize on the presidencies between Woodrow Wilson and Taft, and believe me, they screwed up royally.
For the first time, we may see The White House on full damage control.
But today, 691 days in, marks the beginning of a new era of the Trump Administration. Robert Mueller as head of the special counsel issued an arrest warrant for longtime lawyer Michael Cohen. Here’s my two cents: having carefully studied the news, it seems clear to me that Michael Cohen and Trump knew each other—possibly even before the 2016 election. This of course raises the inevitable question: what were they doing together, and for how long? Trump would be wise to get in front of the media frenzy that is sure to follow.
For the first time, we may see The White House on full damage control. Let’s see what Trump does. I suggest he issue a statement that reads something like “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again,” or more courageously, “my bad.”
These steps are key to getting back on track and gaining the public’s trust in his administration. With 690 days of level-headed leadership under his belt, Trump won’t have to say much. The American people deserve nothing less, and nothing more. ♦