11-8-2018
Serve at the Pleasure of the President
On the day after the mid-term elections President Trump did the “unthinkable” he fired his Attorney General Jeff Sessions and he took away CNN Jim Acosta’s White House press credentials. The grumblings seem to be louder over Acosta than over Sessions.
AG Chief of Staff Matthew Whitaker became Acting-Attorney General by the president and by all accounts this gives the president a “new sheriff in town”. Whitaker is a pro-Trump powerhouse who is a no nonsense and highly intelligent member of the AG’s office.
Just think this was on day one after the mid-terms. I wonder what’s in store for day two. Anyone who has followed President Trump should not be surprised because of what the president did to begin dismantling Obama’s legacy on day one after the inauguration.
I used to watch the television series “The West Wing” (1999 – 2006), what always irritated me was a Democrat president Jed Bartlett (Martin Sheen) making “Republican” decisions daily. I didn’t personally care for Martin Sheen as an actor and I don’t particularly care for Democrat presidents, but I loved to watch the show.
The one take away I can still remember was the West Wing Chief of Staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer) asking their token Republican White House staff member Sam Seaborn (Rob Lowe) about his loyalty toward the president. His response was priceless, “I serve at the pleasure of the president”!
White House Press Secretary C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney) ran the press briefings like a military unit, taking no guff from anyone. But that was television and the shows advisor was a former White House staff member.
So it makes no sense to me for anyone to be upset over President Trump hiring or firing anyone if he so desires. The constitution gives the president the authority to do so, and congress must only confirm presidential appointments, not try to make grilled cheese out of them. The president has the authority to fire, release or remove his cabinet members without reason or cause and he doesn’t need permission from the congress or the American public and not even from international world leaders.
I’ve wondered why or how does President Trump succeed where other presidents before him have failed. He is criticized for his appointments, for his firings and for his replacements. Some presidents have come into office and appointed cabinet members and expected them to learn their roles and make decisions on their own. Others have expected them all to learn their jobs together.
President Trump selects his cabinet members carefully and surrounds himself with individuals who are successful in their chosen fields, whether it’s business, legal or public affairs. He expects and encourages them to continue being successful as members of his cabinet or of his staff, yet is not afraid to call them out. Often I see the public calling out is a sort of motivator, like when you challenge someone by saying they can’t do this or that. What you expect is for them to prove you wrong or to see the error of their ways.
When President Trump does it using Twitter the media irrupts and it makes the headlines then everyone is an expert and becomes an “armchair quarterback” giving unneeded or unwanted advice to the president.
It is not my place to do that with President Trump either. I would like to see the president turn loose a “pit bull” in the office of the Attorney General and his selection of Matthew Whitaker may turn out to be that “pit bull” who gains the appointment. Or the president may surprise us?
As for CNNs Jim Acosta it may be time for him to take an assignment for CNN in a remote location, say Mexico or Honduras where he may feel right at home.
As for former AG Jeff Sessions he is a good man, who has faithfully served Alabama, the nation and the president with honor. It may be time for him to sit back and enjoy his retirement years and write a book or two.
I am hopeful of the changes in congress and maybe some degree of common sense will return with the election of these new members. – I am the Real Truckmaster!
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