After decorated U.S. Marine veteran and former FBI Director Robert Mueller died, two former presidents of the United States under whom Mueller served issued statements.
Republican George W. Bush said:
“Laura and I are deeply saddened by the loss of Robert Mueller. Bob dedicated his life to public service. As a Marine in Vietnam, he proved he was ready for tough assignments. He earned a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart before returning home to pursue law. In 2001, only one week into the job as the 6th Director of the F.B.I., Bob transitioned the agency mission to protecting the homeland after September 11. He led it effectively, helping prevent another terrorist attack on U.S. soil. Laura and I send our heartfelt sympathy to his wife of nearly 60 years, Ann, and the Mueller family.”
Democrat Barack Obama said:
“Bob Mueller was one of the finest directors in the history of the FBI, transforming the bureau after 9/11 and saving countless lives. But it was his relentless commitment to the rule of law and his unwavering belief in our bedrock values that made him one of the most respected public servants of our time. Michelle and I send our condolences to Bob’s family, and everyone who knew and admired him.”
Both statements are what one would expect not just from a person who has led a nation, but also from any caring and, yes, decent human being. Their messages were dignified and compassionate, designed not just to pay tribute to a fallen patriot but also to offer solace and comfort to those who loved Mueller and mourn his passing.
The current occupant of the White House, Republican Donald Trump, couldn’t bring himself to rise to meet that standard of conduct. He said:
“Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!”
Then—as if there were any doubt that he and only he would say something so callous and offensive—he attached his name to the post, as is his wont, in all caps.
“President DONALD J. TRUMP”
My late grandfather, a lifelong Republican, had a phrase he relied on when someone committed a breach of decorum or basic good manners.
“He must have been born in a barn,” Grandpa would mutter.
I know Trump nurses grievances, real or imagined, the way the most devoted mother on earth tends to a sickly newborn.
When Mueller served as special counsel investigating the ties Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign had with Russia, he found his way onto the president’s enemies list.
The fact that Mueller didn’t ask for the job—that, in fact, Trump’s then attorney general, Jeff Sessions, chose him because Mueller was considered a Republican—never factored into the president’s thinking.
This president always has operated on a binary system. Anyone who doesn’t agree with him on everything is an enemy and must be treated as such.
Even in death.
But Trump’s either-for-me-or-against-me approach blinds both him and his followers to some truths that are obvious to others.
I’ve read Mueller’s report on the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.
Twice, in fact.
The president claims the report shows those ties to be a hoax. That’s not the case.
What Mueller’s investigation revealed was a candidate and a campaign so easily manipulated that they ended up serving Russia’s interests. They didn’t seek out Russia’s help, but they sure didn’t reject it when it was offered.
Furthermore, it was only because of Mueller’s scrupulous adherence to a Justice Department policy prohibiting the indictment of a sitting president that Trump didn’t face criminal prosecution.
In other words, it was only because Bob Mueller was a stickler for the rules that Trump wasn’t facing jail time in his first term.
Mueller—whether he wanted to or not—saved Trump from himself because Mueller thought both honor and duty required him to do so.
Donald Trump never could grasp, much less understand a mindset such as Mueller’s.
The president sees rules and laws as obstacles, not stars to guide him. He feels the same about decency and truth.
That’s why Trump not only could not offer the expected words of condolence to the family of a fallen warrior, but he also did not have the grace or discipline to remain silent.
As my grandfather would have said, he must have been born in a barn.
