I kept shaking my head as I read Rolling Stone’s compilation of The 50 Worst Decisions In The Last 50 Years Of American Politics.
Shockingly, they don’t all involve Trump and his acolytes, but they show up more than a few times. The list obviously had to include Rudy Giuliani, but also Gary Hart, Bill Clinton, Sarah Palin, James Comey, Anthony Weiner, Trent Lott, Elliot Spitzer, Todd Akin, and the ludicrous image of Michael Dukakis in a tank:
When running for president, it’s imperative to present yourself in a strong, dignified manner so voters can imagine you as a future commander in chief. You don’t want to give your opponents any sort of image they can use to make you look weak or unserious. That’s why President Obama refused to even put a football helmet on his head in 2013 when the Naval Academy football team visited the White House. “Here’s the general rule: You don’t put stuff on your head if you’re president,” Obama said. “That’s Politics 101. You never look good wearing something on your head.” Michael Dukakis didn’t take that class before running for president in 1988 — not only did he put a helmet on, but he also rode around in a tank in front of reporters. He was attempting to project strength and familiarity with the military at a time when the Cold War was still raging. But his name was written across his helmet like he was a preschooler. He looked like a small child playing war games on the playground. It was a gift from the heavens to the Bush campaign. They used it in a series of devastating attack ads that helped sink the Dukakis campaign.