Horowitz: 2-Out-of-5 Ain’t Good
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Donald Trump’s appointments of alt-right champion Steve Bannon as Chief Strategist, Muslim-demonizing and fact challenged former Lt. General Michael Flynn as National Security Advisor and hard right Senator Jeff Sessions(R-AL) as Attorney General raise serious questions about whether he was just giving the American people lip service when he pledged to be President of all the people in his victory night speech.
As the winner, President-elect Trump has earned the right to make these appointments and it is not surprising that he is selecting people who were strong and loyal supporters and who he believes are best capable of implementing his policy choices. But the Businessman and Former Reality Star, also earned a perception shared by a majority of voters that he is racially biased and divisive.
If he truly wants to dispel that impression, he needs to go the extra mile Taken together, these selections are a big step in the wrong direction, reinforcing Trump’s reputation as someone willing to divide the nation along racial and religious lines.
It would be wise of Donald Trump to keep in mind that, despite his victory, a majority of Americans have an unfavorable view of him. At this moment, he is the most unpopular person to be elected President at least since the beginning of modern polling. Additionally, he is going to end up losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton, by nearly 2 million when the count is finalized.
With most of his key appointments still ahead of him, there is time for Donald Trump to fix the problem he is creating for himself and the nation by making more mainstream selections—ones without a history of racially and religiously incendiary remarks and attitudes--- and by adding women and members of minority groups whose absence so far is glaring.
I share President Obama's view that we should root for Donald Trump to succeed and give him a chance. But it is up to him to capitalize on the good will that most Americans-whether they voted for him or not- extend to a new President. If the President-elect continues on his present path, that goodwill is bound to dry up pretty fast.
Rob Horowitz is a strategic and communications consultant who provides general consulting, public relations, direct mail services and polling for national and state issue organizations, elected official and candidates. He is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at University of Rhode Island.
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