The bodies of rightists are piling up in Red State USA as cities burn
while weak, stupid liar trump claims he's not responsible for anything
happening in the USA on his watch.

As America burns, Trump falls short at another crisis

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Washington: No political leader wants to face a crisis. But when one comes
along it can present opportunities to shine as well as to fail.

Leaders around the world, including Australian Prime Minister Scott
Morrison, have received big boosts to their popularity during the
coronavirus pandemic. Even leaders in countries with big death counts such
as Italy and the UK saw their approval ratings increase. In times of
uncertainty, people tend to rally behind their leaders and forgive their
mistakes - as long as they project a sense of authority and empathy.
President Donald Trump was rebuked by Twitter for "glorifying violence" in
a tweet about riots in Minneapolis.

President Donald Trump was rebuked by Twitter for "glorifying violence" in
a tweet about riots in Minneapolis. Credit:AP

US President Donald Trump stands out as one of a few global leaders unable
to turn the pandemic to his advantage. His approval ratings received a
brief initial bump, but soon fell back to earth as Americans tired of his
unwieldy and increasingly wacky daily White House briefings. The latest
RealClearPolitics polling average shows that 55 per cent of Americans
disapprove of his coronavirus response compared to 44 per cent who
approve.

When the US passed 100,000 coronavirus deaths - a milestone that had been
looming for days - Trump didn't acknowledge it. Other presidents would
have tried to comfort the nation with a meaningful speech; Trump waited a
day to send out a perfunctory tweet.
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Having missed the chance to respond effectively to the coronavirus, Trump
faced another crisis in the shocking killing of black man George Floyd and
the violent protests that subsequently broke out in Minneapolis.
White House in lockdown as protests escalate

There are reports that the White House has gone into lockdown as tensions
over George Floyd's death escalate.

The President started out well enough. He expressed his distress as the
video of Floyd's death in police custody and instructed the FBI and
Department of Justice to move quickly to investigate the incident.

But Trump quickly fell back into old habits, unable to resist the
temptation to inflame divisions. As Minneapolis was engulfed in riots, he
sent out a tweet describing the protesters as "THUGS", attacking the
city's "very weak Radical Left" mayor and declaring that when "the looting
starts, the shooting starts". It was so inflammatory that Twitter hid it
from view on the grounds it was "glorifying violence" - the first time it
had taken such action against a political leader.

On Friday (Saturday AEST) Trump held a press conference in the Rose Garden
of the White House. The only thing anyone in the country was talking about
was Floyd's death and the ensuing protests. But Trump was more focused on
shifting blame for his coronavirus response by announcing he would
withdraw the US from the World Health Organisation. He didn't mention
Floyd or the protests at all.

At a White House event a few hours later, he got the tone right. "I
understand the hurt, I understand the pain," he said. But within hours he
was back on Twitter, promoting partisan and divisive messages such as: "In
Democrat cities you can get arrested for opening a business, but not for
looting one."
Presidential candidate Joe Biden, seen here with his wife Jill on Memorial
Day, issued a statement on the protests over the death of George Floyd in
the absence of comforting words by Trump.

Presidential candidate Joe Biden, seen here with his wife Jill on Memorial
Day, issued a statement on the protests over the death of George Floyd in
the absence of comforting words by Trump.Credit:AP
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Joe Biden provided a vivid contrast by delivering a sombre message from
his home in Delaware. "The original sin of this country still stains our
nation today, and sometimes we manage to overlook it," the presumptive
Democratic presidential nominee said.

"We just push forward with the thousand other tasks in our daily life, but
it�s always there, and weeks like this, we see it plainly that we�re a
country with an open wound. None of us can turn away. None of us can be
silent."