The terrifying power of the presidency was supposed to have tempered the judgment and actions fo Donald Trump, the way I think we all kind of imagine it would temper all of our worst traits, were we to somehow find ourselves in the Oval Office. I assume we all dream about it a little bit.  Oh, the wonderful things we might do.

This afternoon, Trump has scheduled a press conference to sign legislation that he believes will improve medical services for U.S. veterans.  I have not studied up on this issue at all.  If I take him at his word, he has managed to streamline the care process so that veterans who cannot be immediate served by Veteran's Administration staff can seek private care and be reimbursed for it.  Assuming the legislation does what Trump says it does, I'd say it's something he should be proud of and I would not criticize him for scheduling a low key victory lap press conference about it.

But, as they say, life moves pretty fast.

Racists descended on Charlottesville, Virginia and American citizens clashed in the streets.  Far worse, James Alex Fields Jr. used his car to attack a crowd of protesters in much the same manner as various spree killers (some linked to ISIS, attacking anybody present and at least one to Europe's far right, attacking Muslims) have done in Europe.

In the town of the campus of the university founded by Thomas Jefferson, we had citizens coming to blows over existential issues for America and this included a vehicle assault patterned on multiple terrorist attacks in Europe, most of which had been quite specifically and harshly condemned by Trump.

Which brings us back to Trump, who greeted the nation with platitudes about loving and respecting each other, while trying to imply the problems were on all sides and not Nazis driving cars into groups of kids on the street, and then quickly changed the subject to his victory lap for the V.A. legislation.

This is one of those moments where the gravity of the presidency might move an individual to forego their legislative victory lap, even if it is well earned.  You extend some kind remarks to the veterans assembles, shake their hands, turn back to the podium, and address the nation in real terms.

He couldn't even interrupt his own show.

He will never be changed by the office.  He will not be tempered or humbled or even informed. I think that probably all the presidents except Trump will be able to say they left office wiser than they were when they got into it.  All of them.  Carter built an enduring legacy.  Reagan was maybe too old for bold post-office pursuits, but conducted himself well. George HW managed not to even criticize the man who took the second term he thought he deserved. Bill built his foundation, which oddly became a political liability even though it's done good in the world. Even W somehow emerged an expressive painter.   We don't know what Obama will do next, but he has already demonstrated post-office grace and humility.  I can at least say, of all the presidents in my life, that they seem to have grown as people for having done the job.

But Trump is outright refusing to be made bigger or better or even smarter. That's our leadership.

Here's a random Tweet I found that shows why it matters: