Letter: Reality and presidential politics
In early 1987, President Ronald Reagan apologized for lying to America about trading weapons to Iran, saying, “My heart and my best intentions still tell me that’s true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not.” The evidence notwithstanding, Americans forgave their president, still as ever swept away by his full head of black hair, movie-star looks, and tough talk straight from the gut.
In 2004, a senior adviser to George W. Bush scoffed at liberals and their “reality-based community,” asserting, “… we create our own reality.” The Bush administration tried to make WMDs in Iraq a reality, warning of mushroom clouds and anthrax, but that was just another untruth conservatives were able to overlook because it was told in earnest.
Today, many are looking favorably at Donald Trump (and his hair), whose claims about Muslim Americans cheering 9/11 and doubts about the president’s citizenship have been disproved, but nevertheless he leads in many polls. Supporters know Trump exaggerates, but love the way he speaks his mind.
Learning from history, Democrats are indeed a “reality-based community,” but as evidenced by Trump’s involvement with The Apprentice game show, Republicans are becoming a reality-TV based community.
Xander Lih, Richland
This story was originally published January 26, 2016 at 5:13 AM with the headline "Letter: Reality and presidential politics."