Every time a new administration comes into power in Washington, pundits fall all over themselves trying to figure out who they govern like. Is it Kennedy? Is it Reagan? Is it Hoover? (OK, maybe not so much that last one) Donald Trump is no exception. Supporters try their best to compare him to Ronald Reagan. Opponents try their best to compare him to Attila, just without the brains and charm. So, here’s my two bit opinion, for what it’s worth.
The first 100 days of the Trump administration are eerily like the first 100 days of the Clinton administration. Both were filled with scandals both private and governmental. President Clinton had questions about business dealing and investments before he became president. The same for Trump. Both Clinton and Trump were (are) accused of using the office to further private business dealings for themselves and supporters. President Clinton was accused of manipulating energy policy to benefit supporters. There have been questions concerning the Trump family’s private business dealings in light of some of their policy decisions. President Trump fired the FBI director. President Clinton fired an FBI director. President Trump has had some nominees step aside due to controversies real and imagined. people forget President Clinton too released an assistant attorney general and had to go through three AG nominees before settling on Janet Reno. Because of all this, Clinton was seen as so inept that he may not make it to the midterms before either leaving office or being forced out by scandal. There are already calls for Trump to be impeached.
In both cases, there are so many scandals some wonder if the administration “likes” it. With Clinton, it was postulated that the Clinton’s used the scandals to provide cover for their legislative agenda. A similar theory has been put forth for Trump. In both cases, if you are someone who takes governing and the affairs of government seriously, the constant din of scandal and loud repudiations that the media is “out to get me” gets old in a hurry. Anyone who knows me knows that to this day I don’t see the “charm” Bill Clinton is supposed to exude. I also am waiting for someone around Donald Trump to have the guts to take his smartphone from him and smash it against the nearest wall.
(BTW: Notice I’ve stayed away from comparing Bill Clinton’s constant high color with Donald Trump’s “Hulk Hogan circa ‘85” orange hue.)
So there it is. Donald Trump is Bill Clinton with an R in front of his name.
We are well and truly screwed.
The KahunaReb 