The meaning of the term “presidential” has undergone a sea change in the past 24 hours.
Going into Saturday, it hadn’t occurred to most Americans that tweeting about women’s “bleeding faces” and labeling the free press the enemy of the people was behavior that could be even remotely described as befitting of a sitting President. Actually, it kinda seemed like Trump’s tweets weren’t even befitting of someone in full possession of his/her faculties.
But Trump set the record straight. His tweets are “modern presidential” he declared.
And in case we needed any more examples of what “modern presidential” means, he blessed us with this on Sunday morning:
#FraudNewsCNN #FNN pic.twitter.com/WYUnHjjUjg
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 2, 2017
Well, there’s another world leader who quite a few folks think may not be exhibiting the qualities one expects in a “president.”
That world leader is Bashar al-Assad.
But really, when you think about it, Assad is “presidential.” Just maybe not “modern presidential.”
Because while there’s no “presidential” precedent for Trump’s tweets, there is indeed “presidential” precedent for gassing one’s own people. Just ask Saddam Hussein.
So if Trump’s tweets are “modern presidential,” Assad’s gas attacks are more “traditional presidential.”
And when you’re “traditional presidential,” you get your face on your country’s currency, which helps to explain this, via AP:
DAMASCUS, Syria –The Syrian Central Bank has announced that a new 2,000 Syrian Lira bank note ($3.9) will go into circulation. The notes are the first time the face of President Bashar Assad appears on the Syrian currency since he took office 17 years ago.
Assad’s face appears on the new banknotes at a time when his government is boasting military successes against the armed rebellion around Syria. The currency previously only carried images of historic icons or pictures of his father, Hafez Assad.
Central Bank Governor Duraid Durgham said the new bank notes will go into circulation starting Sunday “due to the wear and tear” affecting currency currently in circulation.
Syria’s currency has crashed as the country’s seven-year-long war rages on. Trading at 47 liras to the dollar in 2011, it’s currently going for 517 liras to the dollar.
So congratulations Syria, you’ve now ensured that when the day of reckoning finally comes for Bashar, you’ll be able to wipe your ass with his face.
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