Peggy Noonan:
The president’s primary problem as a leader is not that he is impetuous, brash or naive. It’s not that he is inexperienced, crude, an outsider. It is that he is weak and sniveling. It is that he undermines himself almost daily by ignoring traditional norms and forms of American masculinity.
He’s not strong and self-controlled, not cool and tough, not low-key and determined; he’s whiny, weepy and self-pitying. He throws himself, sobbing, on the body politic. He’s a drama queen. It was once said, sarcastically, of George H.W. Bush that he reminded everyone of her first husband. Trump must remind people of their first wife. Actually his wife, Melania, is tougher than he is with her stoicism and grace, her self-discipline and desire to show the world respect by presenting herself with dignity.This article does a terrific job of exploring Trump's moral and emotional weakness.
He has other weaknesses, too.
He is physically weak. He needs a golf cart to carry him distances that a fit person could easily walk. He does not exercise. He gorges on junk food. And he is fat.
These things matter because the presidency requires physical stamina. Someday, Trump will have to deal with a crisis that will require intense work and round-the-clock attention. It is reasonable to ask whether an out-of-shape 71-year-old is up to the job.
He is intellectually weak. He does not read books. His ignorance of history is comical. His ignorance of policy is appalling.
True, presidents have staffs to sweat the details, but a chief executive still needs a certain level of knowledge to do his job. Trump does not have it, not even close. And as for staff? One word: Scaramucci.
