In the minds of many Republicans, the 2016 election was a battle of good versus evil. Donald Trump represented everything positive and patriotic. On the other hand, Hillary Clinton clearly personified all things negative. Additionally, a large swath of the GOP looked to Trump as not only the best candidate in a crowded field, but the answer to a heavenly appeal.
During the campaign and since, too many Republicans have concluded that the 45th president is not only the man for the moment but the actual embodiment of all that is righteous. Frankly, this kind of talk is nauseating. Recently, Michele Bachmann, a former member of the House of Representatives who ran for president in 2012, did this very thing during a radio interview. In a Saturday interview with “Understanding These Times,” a Christian radio show, Bachmann said:
There is nothing wrong with believing that God placed Trump in his position for a reason. But the same should be said for any president, no matter their political affiliation. In January, press secretary Sarah Sanders stated, “I think God calls all of us to fill different roles at different times, and I think that he wanted Donald Trump to become president.” That assertion stood on rather shaky ground.
The mere fact that Trump became president doesn’t mean God endorses the man and his actions. The same can be said for Barack Obama, the two-term president who preceded him. Simply being a Republican does not make one a morally correct, holy individual whose every edict is blessed from above.
The recent claims by Bachmann are not only incorrect, but they do even more damage than Sanders’ statement. Exuberant praise for a man whose leadership you personally support and admire is one thing, but describing Trump as godly and biblical is a massive stretch for anyone who has observed his past and present words and actions. Moreover, Bachmann establishes that the electorate will “never see a more godly, biblical president again.” This concludes that previous presidents, such as George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, who were more congenial and exhibited a strong adherence to faith, lacked something of religious substance. This concludes that the man who said he’s unsure if he’s asked God for forgiveness is “highly biblical” and “more godly” than any who have gone before or anyone yet to come.
No wonder Christianity has taken a hit in recent years due to the ways some of its adherents seamlessly mix it with GOP politics. This misplaced adoration spurred on by the Trump era only sours the faithful and faithless alike into questioning much of what they see.
Among both political parties, there is a shared inability to view things as they would ideally be instead of how they are in reality. For Republicans, Trump represents the answer to eight years of creeping leftist policies under Barack Obama. Trump isn’t just the next guy in the chain of history, he is a holy, chosen leader who will not only make America great once more but will lead the country with Biblical prowess. This attitude turns a blind eye to the more negative aspects of his person. Yet, it’s the best selling point for the evangelical-heavy Republicans.
Voters should never expect a candidate or president to be perfect. President Trump has his flaws and so will successive leaders. At times, he is under even greater scrutiny, perhaps unfairly, than others. We see the opposite, too. Bachmann’s statements classify him as the godliest and most biblical inhabitant the White House has seen now and in the coming decades.
While it sounds great, the truth is just not on her side.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner‘s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
