The nostrum “Give the new president a chance” on the surface seems eminently decent. We’re a country of second and third chances. We forget the past, even the recent past, with remarkable alacrity. Why not wipe the slate clean and extend a new president a honeymoon? The problem is this is not a normal presidency nor a president-elect whose views and judgment deserve deference. Unfortunately, the “give him a chance” sentiment readily transforms into an all-purpose rationale for turning a blind eye to early outrages and, on the right, for remarkable hypocrisy.
One can “give the new president a chance” and yet promptly rebuke him for egregious early decisions. In fact, early rebukes and candid pushback are essential if the novice president is going to improve. The moment President-elect Donald Trump announced his selection of Stephen K. Bannon as chief strategist and retired Gen. Mike Flynn as national security adviser bipartisan outrage should have sounded. If we are silent, or worse cheer, the appointment of men who’ve dabbled in conspiracy theories and promoted bigotry and who lack the temperament and the respect for democratic values, we lower the bar for acceptable nominees and condone their prior rhetoric. In short, we now say someone who demeans an entire religion, flacks for a foreign government or provides a platform for white nationalists is fit to serve at the highest levels of government. The time to give the new president a chance was before he announced such hires; when he did so, he used up his chance.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member