Curious Reads: Grandpa Donald J. Trump
Even our LEAST FAVORITE politicians are human, too.
Hello friend, Liz here.
#1 Today’s top of the fold story is a meme—that is, someone created a set of AI images that depict Biden and Trump as the best of friends. And the implications are compelling.
Read the story, “As we face the grind of a Trump-Biden clash, imagine them buddies for a moment” by Karen Swallow Prior at Religion News Service
The Highlights:
An unknown creator made a series of AI scenes featuring Biden and Trump as BFFs: Trump, with an arm around Biden, on a hiking trail, huge smiles on both mens’ faces. Trump and Biden, giggling, leaning against a tree, picnicking. Trump and Biden in aprons, a Martha Stewart-style spread of baked goods and bowls of fruit, the two of them laughing open-mouthed, presumably at a joke one just told the other.
The last is the best: Trump and Biden in wool-patterned sweaters, knitting needles in hand, a pile of yard spread on a table before them, eyes determinedly on their projects. Okay, there is something wrong with the hands and the balls of yarn (the size of tennis balls?), dead giveaways that this is the work of an AI. But the sweaters! (Swallow Prior calls these “Cliff Huxtable” sweaters.)
Before we go further, I want to ask you: How do these images make you feel?
It’s worth asking ourselves why these photos are so interesting.
Because they were interesting enough that they went viral on both Swallow Prior’s social media accounts and another friend’s:
“One of my friends commented that he found the picture strangely affecting. Others made similar observations. If we didn’t know who these two people were, we’d think this image was simply one more bad, sentimental example of unsophisticated AI art (there are clues — check out the hands and the yarn in that last scene!) depicting a Hallmark-worthy scene of two old men passing their days in a lovely retirement home.”
Personally, staring at two old men in sweaters, bathed in soft lighting, practically giggling in each others’ company, reminds me of home.
Of course, AI is ridiculous. We expect 2024 to be a mish-mash of strange political dramas, including “deep fakes” galore. But these images challenge our assumptions, expanding our imaginations.
Because, I believe that these photos make both men human, in fact, more human than politicians normally seem—especially these politicians.
Amid a week of bad (to me) political news, I find these images comforting. (Caucuses! Winners and losers! Endorsements! What is happening!!)
Remember, our politicians are human. They are not gods, are not all-powerful, are not our salvation.
I don’t mean to minimize the strange and disconcerting déjà vu of this political moment. I feel all the dread, denial, and rage that you do.
But even so, I want to remind you that even our political enemies are human beings.
They wear sweaters. They eat pie. They enjoy the feel of a ball of yarn in the palm, just like the next gal. ;-)
This thought first occurred to me—former President Trump is human—when I heard his grandchild address him as “grandpa” on the Daily Podcast, just a few months into his term in 2017.
Two reporters are interviewing him in the Oval Office, asking about James Comey and the FBI. The mood is tense:
“SCHMIDT: Did you actually have a one-on-one with Comey then?
TRUMP: Not much. Not even that I remember. He was sitting, and I don’t remember even talking to him about any of this stuff. He said I asked people to go. Look, you look at his testimony. His testimony is loaded up with lies, O.K.? But people didn’t — we had a couple people that said —”
And then he’s interrupted: “TRUMP: Hi baby, how are you?
ARABELLA KUSHNER: [enters room] Hi, Grandpa.
TRUMP: My granddaughter Arabella, who speaks — say hello to them in Chinese.
KUSHNER: Ni hao.
[laughter]
…
TRUMP: She’s great. She speaks fluent Chinese. She’s amazing.
BAKER: That’s very impressive.
TRUMP: She spoke with President Xi [Jinping of China]. Honey? Can you say a few words in Chinese? Say, like, “I love you, Grandpa” —
KUSHNER: Wo ai ni, Grandpa.
BAKER: That’s great.
TRUMP: She’s unbelievable, huh?
[crosstalk]
TRUMP: Good, smart genes.
[laughter]”
This scene stunned me. The president of the United States—that president—lets himself be interrupted by his granddaughter. Then he brags on her. Then he gets on with a contentious interview.
Hearing his granddaughter call him grandpa softened me. Even though I do not want this man to be president again, even though I disagree fervently with his politics, even though I distrust him, he’s somebody’s grandpa. Which means that he’s human. Which means he’s got a spark of divinity in him.
Donald J. Trump bears the image of God. So does President Joe Biden. Which means it matters how I treat them, how I talk about them, how I think about them. God, help me.
When we forget that each human was made by God—even our political opponents— we become less human ourselves. Worse, we lose sight of Jesus’s most fundamental and impossible command: to love our enemies.
After all, that’s how Christ loves us.
Thanks for reading. Warmly, Liz Charlotte Grant
YOUR TURN: Can you share any practices you use to remind yourself of our politicians’ humanity?
More Curious Reads
#2 This week in photos. —the Atlantic
#3 Trump is sweeping the Republican primaries. And GOP voters are saying he’d be “fit for the office,”according to exit polls, even if he is convicted in every court in the land… which means Nikki Haley has no chance. —CNN
Also, is the former Pres. okay? Does he seem more confused than usual to anyone else? —the Washington Post
#4 Sick of reading about Elmo? Parents of toddlers, I see you. Enjoy this ranking of toddler books based on their tolerability to parents (and toddlers). —Lit Hub
#5 No miscarriage is a crime. (By yours truly ;-))—Religion News Service
Just for Fun…
January is the cruellest month. So, enjoy this advent calendar, for funsies!
As a Canadian in the midst of early postpartum, it’ll be easy for me to tune out the American election, but I can’t think of anything more important to the world in general than to remember that the “other side” is human too. Flawed, perhaps unworthy of the power they have, but with “sparks of the divine” as well. As always, I appreciate the graciousness and thoughtfulness you’ve brought to this topic, Liz.