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Ethan: As a bleeding heart liberal, I tend to have great empathy for the suffering, even if they have inflicted pain on others. For some reason I am not feeling that with President Donald Trump and his recent diagnosis of COVID. Can you help me find some empathy for this man?
Phil: You are not alone. Many liberal/progressives who embrace diversity and espouse tolerance, understanding, and love have revealed their cold heart when it comes to Trump. A little inconsistent to advocate one way and think another, don’t you think?
Ethan: Don’t you think Trump bears some of the responsibility here? He spent six months downplaying the disease and then you expect us to be sympathetic when it lands him in the hospital? His political disregard for basic science has killed tens of thousands.
Phil: First of all, you don’t have to be sympathetic. You asked me to help you find your bleeding heart. Second of all, we can debate whether his policy choices made it worse or better, but I don’t question the man’s desire to protect the American people.
Ethan: I do. I honestly don’t think the man cares. It’s the only imaginable answer to someone who, on his way out of being hospitalized, says to the American people “Don’t be afraid of COVID.” How many have to die for him to tell people to be scared?
Phil: Another way to interpret his words is that if we choose to be strong, think positive and carry on, we’ll beat this virus.
Ethan: C’mon, Phil. “Choosing to be strong” does not beat COVID any more than “thoughts and prayers” haven’t stopped gun violence in America.
Phil: No, but a positive attitude is important for a leader. People want hope, as your guy Barack Obama used to say.
Ethan: They do, but as Obama also made clear, hope alone is not enough.
Phil: Of course not. But I, for one, appreciate that Trump has not hidden in a bunker during this pandemic. He has been out front and put his own life at risk. Perhaps he didn’t take every precaution he should have, but he was leading the troops.
Ethan: And now many of his troops are sick, as the White House has become a mausoleum. But honestly, this image of trying to portray him as some kind of firefighter running into a burning building to save a child before the other trucks arrived is insulting to firefighters.
Phil: Where’s the balance between isolating and living life? Go read the Great Barrington Declaration where more than 9,000 doctors and scientists concur that we need to get on with normalcy. Look, I get that he is cavalier and pompous, yet in the face of adversity we need a leader who is not fretting. One who is focused on carrying out the duties of the office.
Ethan: Except “carrying out the duties” means protecting the American people and not endangering your colleagues. You can’t be that callous about something you know is lethal, yet preventable. He used the power of his office to encourage people to assemble, both in the general public and right around him. That is unforgivable.
Phil: I agree with you that it doesn’t mean ignoring danger and I hope he uses his infection as a teachable moment. Although he would probably argue the lesson he learned is that we have to choose between living in fear or living with courage.
Ethan: It will be interesting to see if he changes his behavior after four days in the hospital. I predict that he won’t, after seeing that joy ride outside the hospital to entertain his supporters. What a carnival barker.
Phil: If he was as sick as his doctors say, you had to be impressed when he walked from the helicopter, up two flights of steep stairs and then stood in the portico before the world to demonstrate he was leading.
Ethan: And then he took his mask off, demonstrating once again how irresponsible he is. Nope, not impressed.
Phil: I guess I haven’t convinced you to find even a little sympathy for the man?
Ethan: This bleeding heart has become as cold as his.
Phil Harriman, a former town councilor and state senator from Yarmouth, is the founding partner of Lebel & Harriman, a financial services firm. Ethan Strimling, a former mayor and state senator from Portland, is the president of Swing Hard. Turn Left, which promotes progressive policy at the local, state and national levels.