HARLAN RICHARDS
June 13, 2017

Reality TV President

In my opinion, reality TV is the lowest, most degrading form of mass media entertainment. It is designed to get a hook into your emotions and string you along episode after episode. Donald Trump is a master at playing to a reality TV audience. His huge ego and love of attention compel him to say and do things which will get a rise out of his audience.

His dedicated followers hang on every word and thrill at each new twist in Trump's latest program: Reality TV President. The rest of us are shocked, appalled, incredulous, and very ashamed of our current president. There is no way of knowing if he is actually as irrational and delusional as he appears or whether he is putting on an act for his target audience. I have heard him utter so many obvious lies, I have a hard time believing it's an act.

The latest episode where ex-FBI Director Comey testified about his meetings with Trump is just another chapter in a mind-boggling presidency which is only five months old. Trump claims that Comey vindicated him while the rest of the world thinks Comey indicated Trump in unethical, possibly actions to stop a federal investigation.

What amazes me is that the news media (and everyone else) seems to have forgotten that Comey is the reason Trump won the election. Had Comey not announced the late October re-opening of the Hilary Clinton email investigation while simultaneously withholding the fact that there was an ongoing investigation into Russian meddling in the election on Trump's behalf (including collusion with Trump campaign members), Trump would not have won. To Trump, it appeared that Comey was a loyal supporter and Trump was merely clarifying to Comey what else he expected Comey to do for him. I can imagine Trump's surprise when Comey balked. After having misread Comey so badly, Trump fired him so he could appoint a more cooperative person as head of the FBI.

Comey may be honest and above corrupting, but he certainly has poor judgment—especially when it comes to other people. How could Comey not know that Trump owed the election to Comey's Fall 2016 actions (and that Trump knew it as well)? How could Comey believe that he could go back to "business as usual" after giving the presidency to a man who did not deserve it and is incapable of competently performing its duties?

Slowly, Republican legislators are coming to realize that we'll all be better off if Trump is impeached. All that remains is to determine when and for what pretext it occurs. I predict it will occur after the midterm elections. Hopefully, a Democratic sweep will take Governor Walker out of office as well.