Life in the gutter

I know I shouldn't go here again, but here I am again anyhow.

I am grudgingly coming to the opinion that Donald Trump is not going to change. He is what he is.

And to a lot of people, I am sure that is just fine.

The problem with that is - regardless whether he or his faithful followers realize it - he also sets the tenor for the national discussion.

A lot of the overheated, partisan rhetoric that has brought the country literally to a standstill can be traced to his doorstep.

But at a minimum I continue to hope for at least a glimmer of the reverence and respect that the office of the president of the United States commands.

And once again this week President Trump came up short.

I don't care about politics.

I don't care about Republican or Democrat.

I don't care about liberal or conservative.

His Tweet this week attacking Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., was a low blow, even for him.

Trump called her out in his Twitter post as a "lightweight" and a "flunky" for Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer.

I may not like that or agree with it, but it is at least within the boundaries of decency.

But of course the president was not done.

He then castigated her for once showing up at his office seeking political donations. And he added that she "would do anything" for them.

You can imagine the uproar that followed.

The White House, through spokesperson Sarah Huckabee-Sanders, argued those reading that tweet in a certain way would only be doing so if "your mind is in the gutter."

I guess you can consider me in the gutter, along with a lot of other people.

I keep waiting for Trump to act presidential.

I guess I shouldn't hold my breath.

You can read our editorial here.

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