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President Trump must have thought that a walk from the White House to the church that was burned the night before would be a great photo opportunity… and for some of his supporters it was. I mean, have you seen the black and white one with the White House in the background?
The speech was a powerful one, and the rioting must stop, but I’m curious about this photo op at the church. Why do it?
As a symbol of strength and playing to the base it certainly comes out as the opposite of hiding in a bunker, but if that’s the only point I’m not sure that it is as powerful as they thought it would be.
The Conservative Treehouse loved it saying, “The symbolism reflects executive determination and national resilience after the Antifa and Black Lives Matter mobs tried to torch St. John’s the night before” but I only see a President that’s not quite sure how to pose with a Bible. And there’s the notice that there’s only online services in the background.
And that doesn’t even get into the whole question about how the front of the White House was cleared in order to get to the church.
If Trump had held up a Bible of his he would have made the impact that he intended. If he had planned to walk-over so no crowds would be present he would have made the impact that he intended. If he would have stopped and talked to the protestors and congratulated their peaceful presence he would have made the impact that he intended. If he had done all three and still used teargas he would have made the impact that he didn’t intend.
I thought he held the Bible awkwardly, like someone that didn’t know how to hold it, and it was a mixed message. It was just plain weird to me. I didn’t get the visceral reaction against it or see it as a rallying cry. I found myself saying, “Why are you doing that? It’s just weird.”