TOW #25 – “If Obama Had Acted like Trump…” by Juan Williams

Made relevant by the United States’ most recent presidential election, Juan Williams constructed an opinion article apologizing to President Obama for out-of-proportion ridicule and coverage during his presidency. As President Trump is distrusted by a majority of Americans – “his disapproval rating has risen to 56 percent” (Williams) – it has become more clear that President Obama perhaps did not deserve as much negative coverage as he received. Proving an argument that the executive position is one that necessitates trust and credibility, Williams calls attention to President Trump’s poor representation of Americans. While President Obama, a democrat, received a lot of unwanted and perhaps unwarranted attention, many of those same right-wing reporters still see a worse image of President Trump, a republican. William’s claim of the importance of a strong, trustworthy executive is of the utmost relevance in our democracy. While not in the position of passing legislation, President Trump is given the enormous task of developing legislation to fit the public’s interest, a task that requires communication beyond Trump’s “endless stream of exaggerations, evidence-free accusations, implausible denials and other falsehoods” (Board). Not only is the media calling Trump out for his false assertions, but several congressional representatives are also recognizing their heightened duty to protect the public’s trust. As the Wall Street Journal – which Williams recognized was “never a friend to Obama” (Williams) – was extremely critical of Trump, it is a clear reflection that Trump is neither an ideal reflection of democrats nor republicans alike. Furthermore, Williams strengthens his argument by essentially overcoming the bias of the reporters; as the reporters regularly called out democratic President Obama, their comments towards President Trump reflect closely the public’s opinion rid of much bias. As many Americans continue their frustration with the reliability of the government, perhaps a reminder of President Obama’s few, minor frustrations best puts the public’s opinion into position.

Works Cited

Board, Editorial. “A President's Credibility.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, Inc., 21 Mar. 2017, www.wsj.com/articles/a-presidents-credibility-1490138920?mod=trending_now_1. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.

Williams, Juan. “If Obama Had Acted like Trump. . .” Fox News, FOX News Network, 28 Mar. 2017, www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/03/28/if-obama-had-acted-like-trump.html. Accessed 2 Apr. 2017.