# Do people really not care about their leaders' comportment? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 10, 2017, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793 "2017-01-10T01:44:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/21 "2017-01-10T05:00:07Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Your premise seems to be that “comportment” is more important that policy. …when they don’t actually have any policy, what do you have left to judge them on but “comportment”? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/22 "2017-01-10T05:17:21Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Well while I massively prefer Hillary’s policy proposals and I think Trump goes too far in terms of deportment issues, I also had a negative view of Hillary’s deportment–that it was too “packaged” by PR professionals. No one else had that view? This shit is so played it’s white. How is her deportment an issue now? Think about how nutty it is to make the comparison. Think how much you have to inject and project into it to come up with that. So she was stiff and she lost. The only reason a deportment thread is appropriate is donnies off the chart behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/23 "2017-01-10T05:48:34Z")
If he continues engaging individuals in Twitter spats, continues to call the media liars, continues to call out individuals and bully them in schoolyard fashion, then he’s disrespecting the office. There are other tools he can use and ways to articulate his disagreements without resorting to name-calling. I don’t mind him bypassing traditional routes and making daily agenda or similar announcements on Twitter. In fact, it’s a good use of Twitter in my view. But keep it professional. He has the bully pulpit. He needs to assess how much political equity he has each time he’s considering using it. Eta: yes, the use of bully in my first paragraph isn’t the same thing as my use of it in my third paragraph ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/24 "2017-01-10T06:07:39Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > And I suspect that a significant percentage of his supporters couldn’t even tell you what the word “comportment” means, let alone actually care about it. It’s that place you keep maps and your radar detector, i’n’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/25 "2017-01-10T15:45:35Z")
While George Dubya could never be called “intelligent” or – in my opinion – even “a gentleman,” at least they taught him at Harvard and Yale not to stand on the table and pee in the fingerbowls. WIth Trump I’m not sure, and I would never dine with him to find out. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/26 "2017-01-10T18:45:09Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Policy aside, what do those of you who support Mr. Trump really think of his behavior? Do you think he comes off looking well? Do you think,“well, he can be a goofball sometimes but it’s better than having a Democrat in office”? You can’t really begin the sentence with ‘Policy aside’ and then give the option ‘it’s better than having a Democrat in office’. That’s all about policy. But anyway, yes, Trump is preferable IMHO to having a Democrat in office. Is he a klutz at times? Of course. Does he say things that make you wince? Often. Has his successful campaign for the Presidency made it possible for the Republicans to shape the agenda for the next generation or two, especially with a putative conservative majority on SCOTUS? Yes, yes and a thousand times yes. Be honest, wouldn’t you accept a klutzy Democratic President to achieve that? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/27 "2017-01-10T18:57:45Z")
Klutzy, sure. Cunty, no. Trump is a cunt. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/28 "2017-01-10T19:07:28Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Obama was a model of dignity and decorum. :dubious: I seem to recall a long list of embarrassing gaffes on his part. A few: [Forgetting to salute the Marine standing at attention outside Marine One](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np7lObaDiBk) (and then following it up by compelling said Marine to awkwardly break from attention briefly to shake his hand) [Obama salutes Marine while holding coffee cup in his saluting hand](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9aLGeqHkEs) In 2009, [Obama gave Gordon Brown](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/world/europe/02ipod.html) a bunch of American movies on DVD (Brown reciprocated with a pen made from wood salvaged from an anti-slave ship). Bush43 often seemed to trip over his tongue when speaking off the cuff, but as far as public comportment goes, I don’t recall much worse than that. However, the foibles of those two guys will absolutely pale in comparison to what we can expect from Trump for the next four years (and indeed, what we’ve seen for the past year or so already). ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/29 "2017-01-10T19:27:05Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > You can’t really begin the sentence with ‘Policy aside’ and then give the option ‘it’s better than having a Democrat in office’. That’s all about policy. > > But anyway, yes, Trump is preferable IMHO to having a Democrat in office. Is he a klutz at times? Of course. Does he say things that make you wince? Often. Has his successful campaign for the Presidency made it possible for the Republicans to shape the agenda for the next generation or two, especially with a putative conservative majority on SCOTUS? Yes, yes and a thousand times yes. > > Be honest, wouldn’t you accept a klutzy Democratic President to achieve that? I’d be willing to bet there are many many people on both sides of the aisle that vote the party line and don’t have the first clue about policy; that option is directed at them. Thank you for answering 🙂 It’s precisely why I asked; to understand what folks are thinking without having a big old shouting match about it. As to your question, I \*honestly \*don’t know. To me, Mr. Trump is far, far beyond klutzy and I cannot imagine myself supporting anyone who acts like he does. That’s why you’ll hear a lot of dems say that it’s not having a republican in office that worries them, it’s having _this particular_ republican. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/30 "2017-01-10T19:30:19Z")
Well, let’s see. Michelle Obama is black and a shameful whore and an embarrassment to the nation for wearing a sleeveless dress. Ms. Trump is a nude model and not a peep out of the peanut gallery. No, people don’t care unless it’s a democrat. And yes, I know the first lady isn’t the president, but it’s a package deal. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/31 "2017-01-10T19:33:31Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > That’s why you’ll hear a lot of dems say that it’s not having a republican in office that worries them, it’s having _this particular_ republican. I personally think that Trump is a huge step down from Republicans like McCain and Romney. But IME Democrats might talk favorably of these people only when attempting to bolster the nature of their opposition to Trump. When faced with the actual prospect of McCain and Romney being elected, opposition to them was pretty feverish too, and a lot of Democrats found _them_ to be the particular Republicans that they most disliked. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/32 "2017-01-10T19:34:27Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > :dubious: > > I seem to recall a long list of embarrassing gaffes on his part. A few: Seriously? Those are “embarrassing gaffes?” My god, I’m speechless. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/33 "2017-01-10T19:52:16Z")
There’s no question, Obama comports himself a whole lot better than Trump, he’s far more personable, handsome, telegenic and I’m sure has better table manners. But all this is beside the point. I don’t agree with his policies. And while I’d much rather go out for a beer with Obama than with Trump I’d sooner have the latter for President, because his policies, or many of them, I do agree with. Does that make sense? ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/34 "2017-01-10T19:54:12Z")
Bill Clinton’s personal behavior was an embarrassment, but he did a damn good job running the country. Donald Trump has made it clear that his embarrassing behavior is how he’s going to run the county. I see a huge difference between those two. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/35 "2017-01-10T20:12:02Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Klutzy, sure. Cunty, no. Trump is a cunt. This. IMO, “klutz” is far, **far** too mild a descriptor of our President-Elect. I feel that he’s a raging narcissist, astoundingly thin-skinned, vindictive, a serial liar, intellectually uncurious, a vicious bully, and an unrepentant sexist. That’s not just “klutzy.” He’s almost undoubtedly the biggest asshole we’ve ever elected president. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/36 "2017-01-10T20:28:40Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > There’s no question, Obama comports himself a whole lot better than Trump, he’s far more personable, handsome, telegenic and I’m sure has better table manners. > > But all this is beside the point. I don’t agree with his policies. And while I’d much rather go out for a beer with Obama than with Trump I’d sooner have the latter for President, because his policies, or many of them, I do agree with. > > Does that make sense? It does, thanks. If you don’t mind my asking, do you have any concerns that his behavior could lead to to serious consequences in the future but it’s worth the risk, or do you think he’s “not that bad” (or something else)? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/37 "2017-01-10T20:37:28Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > We admired George Bush the elder for his unfailing dignity I’d say “admire”, as he’s not dead just yet, and he’s still a class act. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/38 "2017-01-10T20:41:04Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > :dubious: > > I seem to recall a long list of embarrassing gaffes on his part. A few: . . . Pretty weak sauce. Doesn’t compare to vomiting on the Japanese PM…and I’m still holding up Bush the elder as a model of good behavior. (The two “saluting” incidents are bullshit, exploded and exploited by partisan political enemies. They don’t add up to anything meaningful whateverl. The CIC is not a military officer; he doesn’t have to salute at all. In fact, there were conservatives who got angry when Obama did salute properly.) ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/39 "2017-01-10T20:50:44Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > And while I’d much rather go out for a beer with Obama than with Trump I’d sooner have the latter for President, because his policies, or many of them, I do agree with. Which are the policies you agree with that you believe Trump actually supports? A lot of Trump supporters seem to believe that Trump favors a particular policy because he said something at some point that seemed to indicate support for such a policy, ignoring other Trump statements or actions that indicated the contrary. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2017, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793/40 "2017-01-10T20:53:55Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > You can’t really begin the sentence with ‘Policy aside’ and then give the option ‘it’s better than having a Democrat in office’. That’s all about policy. > > But anyway, yes, Trump is preferable IMHO to having a Democrat in office. Is he a klutz at times? Of course. Does he say things that make you wince? Often. Has his successful campaign for the Presidency made it possible for the Republicans to shape the agenda for the next generation or two, especially with a putative conservative majority on SCOTUS? Yes, yes and a thousand times yes. > > Be honest, wouldn’t you accept a klutzy Democratic President to achieve that? “Klutzy”? More like a racist, bigoted, misogynist 12-year-old bully. He’s an embarrassment to the position of president and to our country. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-really-not-care-about-their-leaders-comportment/776793.md?page=3)