“Mr. Smith,” you’re needed on the set, immediately. The demand for sincere, artful communication in Washington hasn’t been this desperate since 1939 when Jimmy Stewart dramatized the power of well-chosen words in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”
For months now, we’ve been subjected to President Trump’s unscripted, messy communication – the sort that leads to misunderstandings and creates unnecessary consternation. Or worse, emboldens a volatile foreign leader, such as when he taunted Kim Jong-un by tweeting this schoolyard-like response, “North Korea just stated that it is in the final stages of developing a nuclear weapon capable of reaching parts of the U.S. It won’t happen!” (@realDonaldTrump, 1-2-17).
(LEAVE) WORDS TO THE WISE
Trump will do well to expand his innermost circle with a handful of professional wordsmiths. Lead by a veteran print journalist, for objectivity and credibility, the team should be complemented with the following members:
- Historian — to reference previous presidents’ successes for authority and context; and to ensure this administration neither forgets nor repeats past failures
- Editor – ostensibly to cleanup language, to literally and figuratively add semi-colons and periods to run-on sentences; but more importantly to attempt to modify those questionable thoughts and messages
- Fact-checker – the busiest staffer, whose primary vetting role is to constantly remind the president of Daniel Moynihan’s classic declaration: “You are entitled to your own opinions but not your own facts.”
- Devil’s advocate – prerequisite: confidence to question things, and to say “No,” “stop” and “please put that down, Sir”(a position as perilous as the rear gunner on a WWII bomber, but, if successful, equally as heroic)
At minimum, these artful communicators, working together around-the-clock, could prevent more indefensible misfires like:
- “I do actually have much more humility than a lot of people would think.” (“Face the Nation” during the campaign)
- “Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest – and you all know it! Please don’t feel so stupid or insecure, it’s not your fault (@realDonaldTrump, 5-8-13)
With the stamina and resolve required of a babysitter of a precocious, spoiled child, these wordsmiths will have their work cut out for them. No less than the administration and America’s reputation are on the line.
THE BEST DEFENSE IS … NECESSARY
Author Douglas Adams famously warned, “Words used carelessly, as if they did not matter in any serious way, often allowed otherwise well-guarded truths to seep through.” For the certain times President Trump’s “pathological self-regard” betrays commonsense, this clandestine team of defenders should be on-call 24/7:
- Comedy writer — to use humor, satire and self-effacing humility to disarm detractors and deflate pompous pundits
- Interpreter – to sand down splintery edges with nuance and substance; or once more blame the media
- Apologist – to act as designated “walk-backer” when actions simply cannot be justified
Of course none of this may matter if, as it appears, journalists and the public simply get fed up with and disregard Trump’s showy ramblings. “The menu is not the meal,” observed British philosopher Alan W. Watts. After it’s all said and done, words are noisy, but actions speak louder.
“You are entitled to your own opinions but not your own facts”–what a great line. I love it.
He never learned the correct use of the possessive in grammar….but in everything else he has a very good grasp of it.
How can “artful communicators” expand his verbal vocabulary to more than 20 words? Impossible. And yes, actions speak louder than words.
Wondered what the professionals are thinking about this mess too bad he didn’t hire you. You would think he would have figured some of this out from business, but if you got away with managing and a tyrant I guess you think you can govern as one.
The problem is knowing you have a problem and then the above words are a peach.