All politicians, even the most polished, say things they wish they hadn’t. In the jargon of Washington, the process of resolving these self-inflicted crises is usually called the walk back. Compelled to provide more context, politicians will—usually through their press aides—admit they they “misspoke” or “regret their remarks.”Donald Trump forgoes the walk back in favor of irresponsibly disclaiming the seriousness and implications of his statements. He responds to criticism of his remarks with a kind of all-purpose social-media insouciance—“j/k, lol!” After the Washington Post in October published the infamous Access Hollywood tape, in which Trump boasts on a live mic …read more
Source: The New Republic
