As he exited the stage in the aftermath of President Trump's first inaugural address in 2017, President George W. Bush reportedly said: heard by 3 different people “There was something wrong with that,” he was supposed to say.
It is true that President Trump's “American genocide” rhetoric from eight years ago, Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address (“Have no malice towards anyone, but benevolent to all”) or Thomas Jefferson's first work (“We’re all Republicans, we’re all Federalists”).
Most Americans and media commentators, ironically, predictably predict President Trump's ability to shock and unsettle, or as my high school senior would say, “inspire” his audience. reasonably believe that it is impossible. His speeches are a halting combination of discontent laced with bravado, often chaotic, but highly entertaining riffs on meandering consciousness, reminiscent of Barack Obama's ambitious tenor or Bill Clinton's common man. It is far from eloquent.
Of course, no one knows what he will say in his second inaugural address on January 20th. Maybe he'll give a triumphant MAGA speech. But if Trump wants to stay true to form, and use the grandest of political stages to convey a message that no one expected at all, he will do so with true humility and grace. will take an attitude. He will acknowledge his potential for division, freely admitting that half the country is somewhere between disappointed and horrified by the prospect of Trump's re-election.
He could go further by generally admitting that he made mistakes in his first term, and since he is flawed and human like everyone else, perhaps He will commit many more in his next term. Rather than fanning the flames of ideological division and partisan resentment, this speech, underpinned by a spirit of true civil reconciliation, will surely help Americans of all political stripes grow weary of their own cynicism and division. At certain times, it will act as a painkiller.
For him, there could be no better time than January 20 to claim a higher, historical basis for lasting relevance. He should take it and shock the world in the process.
Indeed, this may be hoping for a political fairy tale that is unlikely to materialize. Why would Donald Trump change? He is already in office. The 22nd Amendment prohibits re-enforcement. Even his detractors will admit that he overcame the odds and found safety. The greatest political revival in American history. his approval rating is all-time high.
For a 78-year-old famous for doing things his own way, what does his past suggest that an inaugural address rooted in unexpected loftiness is even unlikely?
A few things.
First, there are those who believe that the assassination attempt diminished President Trump's rough and vindictive side. Since winning his second term, he has spoken compassionately about the so-called Dreamers, saying he believes they are them. should be allowed To live permanently in that country.
Second, it's good politics. he I'm not bullying Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. He decided to give Marco Rubio's vacant Senate seat to his daughter-in-law, as most political observers expected him to do. Most surprisingly, he hasn't even promised to support a primary challenge by a Republican that could reject some of his own candidates.
This is not without precedent. Other presidents have made sudden and dramatic shifts in their political careers. Lyndon Johnson famously opposed civil rights for decades, until he used the public grief over President Kennedy's assassination to aggressively push for the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
President George W. Bush campaigned in 2000 on a “humble” foreign policy and spoke derisively of “nation-building” in a way that could never have been predicted after the 9/11 attacks. Even Lincoln, the great emancipator, focused in his early years on stopping the spread of slavery rather than abolishing it completely. Jefferson opposed strong federal executive power until he had the opportunity to unilaterally complete the Louisiana Purchase.
At their best, the inaugural address can, paradoxically, capture both a specific moment and the enduring spirit of America's national polity itself. By emphasizing the value of unity, by emphasizing the power of Unam over Pluribus, And by declaring the beginning of his presidency a totem of rebirth in the wave of American history, Trump can rise to the occasion.
Will he do it?
Probably not. But something strange happened in the twists and turns of the American republic. The people can look forward to it. And I hope, I think so.
Jeremy S. Adams is the author of a book recently released by HarperCollins titled .Lessons of Freedom: 30 Rules for Living from 10 Extraordinary Americans. ”
