, Columnist
Trump’s Presidency Isn’t for Everyone. Just Listen to Him.
His failure to even attempt to represent the whole nation is a departure from his predecessors.
Turning his back.
Photographer: Zach Gibson/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Many Republicans felt that Barack Obama and Bill Clinton made no attempt to be president of the whole nation – and many Democrats believed the same about George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan. They were wrong. Those partisans were projecting their own antipathy towards one or another president onto those presidents.
It’s true that all presidents do sometimes talk directly to only part of the nation, and when they do that they are most likely to speak to their supporters. It’s also true that all presidents tend to have a better rapport with their supporters.