On Feb. 20, 2017, a series of “Not My President” rallies were held around the country in protest of President Trump’s January inauguration. Though the one-day gatherings were limited in nature, and did nothing but garner a few headlines, the phrase “not my president” stuck. From then until now, the rejection of Trump by vocal defiance has been a hallmark of this political era. But like it or not, the duly elected leader of our nation is the president of all Americans. This holds true whether the commander in chief is Republican or Democrat — and it certainly doesn’t change in a time of crisis.
The COVID-19 pandemic will surely go down as one of the most trying times in world history. The infection rate and death toll have been catastrophic in some countries. America’s rise to become the nation with the most infections (though we certainly can’t trust China’s numbers) is an unwanted reality no matter which side of the political aisle you’re on. In February and early March, Trump dismissed the seriousness of the coronavirus, betting on a very small number of infections and focusing on the economy, among other things. Thankfully, around mid-March, he changed his tune. Last week, the president extended the nationwide guidelines to April 30. And then on Tuesday, the president struck a somber tone, mentioning that some projections foresee a coronavirus death toll in America surpassing 100,000.
Despite presidential candidate Joe Biden’s claim that he would navigate the crisis in a more appropriate fashion than Trump, there’s no way of knowing how a leader will act until they go through a serious struggle. These are unprecedented times. It’s one thing to criticize the president when needed, as has been done when reflecting on his initial tone. It’s another thing to hope he fails in his role as our leader.
Whether or not you want Trump to win in November, we should all be hoping he succeeds now.
This national emergency should not be seen through a partisan lens. There is no segment of the population that remains untouched by the virus in one way or another. It does not prey on one political party or socioeconomic status. We should view those hurt by the pandemic in our own country as our countrymen and nothing else. Since the physical and economic repercussions are felt across-the-board, the virus should not be used as a political football.
We should hope for a quick, logical resolution to the crisis led by Trump. His success at the helm becomes a victory for us all.
For those who are political opponents of the president, their wish to defeat Trump in November should be entirely separated from their feelings about the job he’s doing on the coronavirus pandemic. There’s no use wondering how Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, or Biden would have handled things. Reality is fixed, and Trump is in charge. When he soberly admits the truth of the situation, urges extreme caution, coordinates in a bipartisan fashion with governors, or defers to medical experts, his actions should be praised. Desiring the best for our country and those who are struggling is not the same as endorsing the man in charge.
Even during this crisis, the nation’s partisan divide remains as wide as ever. But despite the political differences that remain, our primary focus should be the goal of returning to a prepandemic measure of physical and economic health. There is an appropriate time to take ideological sides in both discussions and the voting booth, but that is not now. When our president succeeds in leadership, the country as a whole will flourish.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a columnist at Arc Digital.
