Fatigued by Trump Derangement Syndrome
First things first.
I have a correction to make.
In my column about my love of high school basketball last week, I talked about how the Raider Dozen (Uniontown High School鈥檚 spirited pep band) would start playing 鈥淪weet Georgia Brown鈥� as the Red Raider basketball team came on to the court.
I was wrong.
Tom George, one of Uniontown鈥檚 legendary band directors of the 1970s, reminded me it was really 鈥淲hen the Saints Go Marching In,鈥� that the Raider Dozen played.
My mistake.
I鈥檒l try harder.
Unlike some people who balk at learning facts, I don鈥檛 mind admitting I鈥檓 wrong.
Not like some twice-impeached, disgraced one-term presidents.
There I go again 鈥� letting my 鈥淭rump Derangement Syndrome鈥� get the best of me.
That鈥檚 what some people claim I have because I鈥檓 quick to point out the utter ridiculousness of the nation鈥檚 45th (man-baby) president.
Mrs. Owens frequently reminds me that the news media is forever making Trump more important than he really is. That the nonstop Trump coverage should probably stop. Well, I tell Mrs. Owens, 鈥淭hen write your own darned (I don鈥檛 use the word darned) columns then.鈥�
I get her point.
But I鈥檇 ask, who has the worst case of 鈥淭rump Derangement Syndrome?鈥�
TRUMP!
He alone thinks about himself more than any other living human being. He鈥檚 his own hero. His only savior.
From time to time, the news media does other stuff.
Although, there鈥檚 a tendency to chronicle Mr. Trump鈥檚 many misadventures.
His recent dinner with the antisemite formally known as Kanye West and that well-known white supremacist 鈥� Nick Fuentes 鈥� have created a brand-new groundswell of anti-Trump hostility.
The folks on ABC鈥檚 鈥淭he View鈥� were beside themselves with what some would call 鈥淭rump Derangement Syndrome.鈥�
鈥淭his is yet another reason why this man should never be allowed to be in a position of power. Not even a crossing guard,鈥� said one of the show鈥檚 co-hosts, Sunny Hostin, last Monday.
That was part of a segment that featured 19 mentions of Trump in a matter of a few minutes.
Having a 鈥淒erangement Syndrome鈥� named after a president isn鈥檛 new.
Democrats complained that Republicans had 鈥淥bama Derangement Syndrome,鈥� during his term.
And Republicans complained that Democrats suffered from 鈥淏ush Derangement Syndrome鈥� during his term.
So, it鈥檚 apparently an equal opportunity 鈥渁ilment,鈥� I suppose.
But there鈥檚 also a new 鈥淭rump Derangement鈥� variant.
Trump鈥檚 former White House communications director, Anthony Scaramucci, said he suffered from 鈥淭rump Fatigue Syndrome鈥� after only a few days in his job.
That appears to be an affliction suffered by a growing number of Republicans.
It鈥檚 rather hilarious watching congressional Republicans avoid reporters after Mr. Trump says, or does, something most people would never say or do.
If a reporter does corral one of them, they鈥檒l surely do a verbal tightrope walk or two to steer clear of a subject that could land them in hot water with Trump 鈥� by them only telling the truth.
All they鈥檙e doing is saying that a former president of the United States should never break bread with a white supremacist, or an antisemite, and then lie about knowing who the white supremacist is. All of that while still hoping to, once again, be the head of government.
Some Republicans are still mum because Trump has such an abundant talent for vengeance.
Others, though, are starting to talk.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, told reporters, 鈥淎nyone meeting with people advocating that point of view (antisemitism or white supremacy) in my judgment are highly unlikely to ever be elected president of the United States.鈥�
A little late. But clearly, he鈥檚 suffering from 鈥淭rump Fatigue Syndrome.鈥�
So are (potential presidential candidates) former vice president Mike Pence, former secretary of state Mike Pompeo, and former New Jersey governor Chris Christie 鈥� who have all taken a firm stand against Trump鈥檚 recent antics.
That list is continuing to grow with several former hard-wired Trump supporters taking a decidedly dim view of his political future.
They鈥檙e all waiting for Trump to fail, so they can get on with their political lives.
Edward A. Owens is a multi-Emmy Award winner, former reporter, and anchor for Entertainment Tonight, and 50-year TV news and newspaper veteran. E-mail him at freedoms@bellatlantic.net.