The Lights Are Off And Nobody's Home

Presented with comment (via Catherine Kim at Vox):

As the nation was rocked by waves of protests, the White House went dark on Sunday night.

Photos on social media showed the White House with nearly all its exterior lights out. Although it’s unclear why the administration turned the lights off, the dark building stood in stark contrast to the fires burning around the city. It also symbolized a response to what was happening outside the White House gates, as protesters continued to mourn the death of George Floyd, a black man killed last week by a police officer who pinned Floyd’s neck to the ground with his knee.

It was also reported Sunday that the president took shelter in the White House bunker on Friday as crowds gathered outside the White House that evening to protest against police violence toward the black community. The peaceful gatherings took a turn after dark as protesters clashed with law enforcement and lit fires near the building...

trump reportedly got escorted down to a security bunker, and this is something that other Presidents had done in moments of crisis - for example, Cheney was directed down there while the 9/11 airstrikes took place - so this isn't the problem.

The problem is, that in a moment where confidence and leadership was needed, IS needed, trump fled and didn't look back.

Even Dubya made a public address on the evening of 9/11 to provide even an illusion of leadership and comfort to the nation. trump could not - as every major city roiled in protest and riot - do that basic task of the Presidency.

Turning off the lights was just the extra self-owning humiliation. People compared it to when you turn off the lights on Halloween when you run out of candy, only in this case trump and his staff turned off the lights when they ran out of courage.

I saw other tweets from DC media people who claim that the White House regularly turned off the lights every evening, except I personally can't recall ever seeing that myself when I've traveled through DC at night when visiting. On television, the building is illuminated almost all the time. And I would take at his word this tweeter who claims to work nearby and who was stunned to see every light dimmed:

from @duffgoldman tweet

I mean seriously, EVERY LIGHT IS OFF. Even the porch light. You would think that SOME lights would stay on for security reasons, but even the interior lights are all off.

This is, by the by, a reminder that when trump's people moved in, they had a hard time figuring how the light switches even worked. Took them 3 years apparently but they finally got that step accomplished...

BREAKING NEWS: As I wrote this, trump finally came out of his bunker to give an address to the nation... where he pretty much invoked an Insurrection Act of 1807 to override state governors to deploy the National Guard and even military forces (a work-around of the Posse Comitatus Act) to places where trump wants to.

This, to be honest, is actually WORSE than having a coward hiding in the basement. Now, we've got a coward ordering our military into hunting us down so he can feel more macho and in-control.

But this isn't control. This is only stirring more chaos. This will embolden the ones looking for violence - and hint, it's NOT the anti-fascists and street marchers calling for justice - and make our nation's situation even worse.

And this sure as hell isn't Leadership. trump is reacting in a panic, like the coward he is, unconcerned with the consequences of his decisions that could lead to more pain and heartbreak for a United States that under his divisive rule is no longer united.

At this point, bring on Hurricane Season, Lord. Go ahead and make 2020 more of a shitshow that it's been the last five months.

Turn out the lights on America...