The little boy president

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Marcia Townsend
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1 The little boy president By Michael D'Antonio Updated 8:58 PM ET, Thu May 11, 2017 Story highlights Michael D'Antonio: Trump's firing of Comey is just the latest impulsive and childlike move he has taken as President He seems incapable of behaving maturely, even if it's in the interests of the American people, writes D'Antonio Editor's Note: Michael D'Antonio is the author of the book "Never Enough: Donald Trump and the Pursuit of Success" (St. Martin's Press). The opinions expressed in this commentary are his. (CNN) most little boys, Donald Trump can be disarmingly honest, as when he once said, "When I look at myself in the first grade and I look at myself now, I'm basically the same. The temperament is not that di erent." The trouble is that the first grader is now President of the United States, and his temperament is on display for the world to see. Unpredictable, impulsive and immature, Trump acts in a way that would be expected of a 6-year-old boy, but is terrifying in a man whose moods dictate decisions carried out by adults on behalf of the most powerful nation in the world. Trump's dismissal of FBI Director James Comey o ers a sterling example of the childish -- and reckless -- Trump style. When Comey broke with bureau tradition and spoke negatively about Trump's rival in the election, though initially he was criticized by candidate Trump, he was later praised -- and e usively. Over and over again, Michael D'Antonio the soon-to-be-president described how Comey had done the right thing in criticizing Hillary Clinton. Comey remained in Trump's good graces after he was inaugurated, and Trump's team expressed confidence in him up until last week. As CNN's John King and Je Zeleny reported, the change in Trump's feelings about Comey were evident to a friend who spoke with him last weekend and noticed the President was "white hot" over Comey's recent testimony on Capitol Hill. Comey had said he felt "mildly nauseous" about the possibility of having a ected the November election. This, and continued investigations into possible connections between Trump's associates and Russians who meddled in the election, were

2 Views on Comey's firing Trump puts his interests before national interest How close was Comey to the truth? Callan: The first step to impeachment Zelizer: Trump's nuclear option on Russia probe How Republicans in Congress can win on Comey Trump had to do it Comey should have been fired, just not now Is Roger Stone making good on a 40-year grudge? Psaki: GOP Congress, don't 'stand by your man' Europe view: American democracy isn't as strong many a 6-year-old, the stewing President chose to act on his feelings. Within days he had signed a letter dismissing the director. But instead of doing the adult thing and firing Comey face-to-face, Trump sent his former personal bodyguard Keith Schiller to deliver it to Comey's o ce -- while Comey was away in Los Angeles. Schiller's last star turn involved bullying newsman Jorge Ramos out of a Trump rally. Long a human security blanket for Trump, Schiller now hangs out at the White House. His appearance at FBI headquarters signaled that the buddies -- Trump and Schiller -- were in charge of this power play. a boy who plays with matches and sets the back yard on fire, Trump has been surprised by the e ects of his actions. He expected Democrats who resented Comey's election season performance to applaud the firing. Of course, this thinking ignores the fact that Comey was in charge of investigating Russia's influence on the election and very real concerns about providing stable leadership to the American people. The FBI is so vital an agency that directors receive 10-year appointments precisely because they shouldn't be fired on the basis of presidential pique. In the aftermath of the President's incendiary act, we have seen the adults around him scramble to put out the fire. White House spokesman Sean Spicer reportedly met with his sta near bushes on the White House grounds while nearby reporters sought comment, and Kellyanne Conway was dispatched to o er on-air gobbledygook to CNN's Anderson Cooper. At one point, she complained to Cooper that people "are looking at the wrong set of facts."

3 Related Video: Comey's out: What's next? 01:30 with cleaning up the Trump/Comey debacle resembled the frenzied e ort of parents who do whatever they can to shield fellow diners when a child has a meltdown in a restaurant. They know they have lost control of the situation, but there's not much you can do once the meatball has sailed across the room and the spaghetti has been dumped on the floor. White House o cials have tried to cover the mess with shifting explanations. First it was a sudden loss of confidence. Next it was a long-simmering dissatisfaction. And, most recently, Trump told NBC's Lester Holt it was because Comey was a "showboat." But the equation doesn't add up. Fortunately, the President himself, true to first grader form, can't help but give us clues to his process. In his first tweet about the controversy, he taunted "Cryin' Chuck Schumer" and complained that the New York senator had gone from Comey critic to defender. Hours later he was at it again, tweeting that Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal "cried like a baby" during a previous and unrelated controversy. In the tweet, which was written as Blumenthal spoke on CNN, he called the senator "Richie" and said, "He should be the one who is investigated." Next he's going to say, "I'm rubber, you're glue..." Watching Trump this week recalls the days when he was a tabloid sideshow in New York City, and his antics energized headline writers who couldn't get enough of his boy-in-daddy's suit behavior. In the most notable example, Trump became a source in the war of scoops over his divorce from his first wife Ivana. But now the man is President, and he seems incapable of Follow CNN Opinion controlling his temper even if, in the long run, maturity would Join us on Twitter and Facebook serve the country's interests. If you want proof, just consider the report from Time magazine on Trump's odd White House habits, including the fact that he got extra dessert when he dined with the magazine's writer. A grown-up, upon getting two scoops of ice cream when others at the table only received one, would quickly fill his companions' dishes. A child, who sees every moment as an opportunity to demonstrate he is the special boy, would, as Trump did, just wolf it down. The solution to the problem posed by the fact that we have a first grader in the Oval O ce lies in whatever systems exist to take decisions out of his hands. The courts have already acted to thwart him on his proposed ban on Muslim visitors to the United States, and Congress possesses the power to moderate other initiatives.

4 Rosenstein was the author of a critical memo that the White House is citing to justify Comey's dismissal. By all accounts, he is an adult who understands the need for a credible investigation of Russia's meddling in the 2016 election. He should act before he's hit by a meatball. Note: An earlier version of this article cited news reports that Sean Spicer hid in the bushes to avoid reporters' questions. It has been updated in light of a correction in the Washington Post, which said, "Spicer huddled with his sta among bushes near television sets on the White House grounds, not 'in the bushes.'" Russia's biggest question: what's Trump's next move? MTV Awards go genderless SE Cupp: Kellyanne Conway is wrong about Anderson Cooper's Holtzman: We forget Watergate at our peril Recommended by

5 The new Samsung Gallaxy S8 Get the phone you really, really want. On the best network. Free Onlliine Workouts Try Yoga, Cardio, Weight Training & More FREE for 30 DAYS Learn More LEARN MORE Stiillll Usiing Spreadsheets? Give better access and get better insights with Domo. WE MAKE MEDICARE EASY! Compare Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama Medicare Plans Learn How! Call Now 1584 comments Sign in Newest Oldest Hot Threads RealityCheck 2 hours ago Trump probably fired Comet because he is taller than Trump, even though I'm sure Comey tried to use small words when he spoke with the President. Trump sees it as Comey always talking down to him. Or was having trouble reaching up to shake Comey's giant hands. 3

6 Nailed him. Cold. :) 3 buzz 2 hours ago Anyone else read the story today about how Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Senator Diane Feinstein just came out and confirmed that THE FBI IS NOT INVESTIGATING DONALD TRUMP COLLUSIONS IN RUSSIA? Case Closed my liberal friends! Buckaroo 2 hours You keep drinking that FixedNews koolaid, boy. When you finish I have a lollipop for you. 4 Daniel Laney 1 hour You mean the story that was in your head and dreams, but not in the reality that your asking people? Nope. Didn't read that one. 3 Gaunt 33 minutes ago

7 1 buzz 2 hours ago when a coach lead you to victory, nobody question the process//the words uses..nobody parses words its all result oriented sdh20 1 hour Actually many people question the process and no, the end does not always justify the means. And right now it looks like the "coach" is driving the team bus o of a cli. 1 buzz 2 hours ago the ironic thing, in the face of so much opposition is trump has done everything correct in a masterful way for moving the country forward just goes to shows u the power of cultural group think and promotion

8 @buzz What you said is totally correct, if we're playing opposite of what you said day. 2 David Pirtle 2 hours ago The problem is that when a 6 year old child acts this way, you can spank it. What do you do with a 70 year old president? Send him to his room? 3 cankles1 3 hours ago The man-child 4 year old dinglebarry was just hit by a meatball!!! Dinglebarry, the man-child, got TWO scoops of ice-cream and the rest of us just got one. All hail the dinglebarry!!! 2 Carnivore 3 hours ago Please don't insult six-year-olds. I was not allowed to bully and throw tantrums when I was younger than that. I think of him as more the Toddler-in-Chief.

9 Barbara 3 hours ago Trump is a codependent. His social and emotional development was stunted because he had an obsessive "smothering" mother, an obsessive" authoritarian workaholic father, and an older brother who dominated him when he was young. He is codependent in all his relationships with people and work. He is a reactor who is dangerously dysfunctional since his coping mechanisms are those of a child. namely avoidance and denial. His sense of self and identity is weak, but is masked by his crude and aggressive behavior that is typical of children who bully younger children or hurt animals. His spectrum behaviors are greatly impacted by chronic stress, and he does not need to be in the position he is in because it leads to continued mental stagnation and denigration, which will eventually result in severe dementia. That is, if he doesn't destroy the planet first. 5 America in Color 3 hours ago I'm shaking my head over all these anti-cnn posters who claim Fox News is more accurate, CNN is biased, blah, blah, blah, and yet, here they are, not on Fox, which caters to their views, but on CNN, which doesn't. 4

10 @America in Color CNN slowly downgraded to the MTV of news over the years. Comrade Trump 4 hours ago im not sure whats wrong with me, i have giant veins in really... medium size hands but I can cr--ush a walnut with hardly any e ort. I like walnuts. 1 Comrade Trump 4 hours ago messagess going poof poof poof Comrade Trump 4 hours ago Jack him o, jack him o... Comrade Trump 4 hours ago He left this message for us

11 Oh no, pop is dead, long live pop It died an ugly death by back-catalogue And now you know it gets you nowhere And now you know, you realize Oh no, pop is dead, it just gave up We raised the dead but they won't stand up And radio has salmonella And now you know you're gonna die Tony 4 hours ago Mirror mirror on the wall who's the fairest president in the land. You, my president, are fair so true, but... (complete) dixey 4 hours but wait! I see this behind you. 3 Comrade Trump 4 hours admit it, you like an--al... Not judging bu-tt... dixey 4 hours ago

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The Political Assassination of Michael Flynn

NATIONAL SECURITY The Political Assassination of Michael Flynn 2169 FEB 14, 2017 10:09 AM EST By Eli Lake If we are to believe the Trump White House, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn just resigned