As we’ve been told time and again, one of the tests of a presidential candidate is how he or she responds when disaster strikes. Well, we got a stark contrast in reviewing how Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump responded to Saturday night’s bombing in Manhattan.
We’ve already seen how Trump responded. Before any official word came, Trump immediately declared that the explosion had been caused by a bomb, and gave his usual shtick about getting “very tough” on terror. He also pointed the finger at Hillary and President Obama, saying their “type of leadership” has made the world “a much more dangerous place.”
Hillary, in contrast, was a voice of reason. CNN captured her response while she was flying from Washington to New York.
Hillary told reporters that the first priority was “doing everything we can to support the first responders” and lift up the victims. She stressed the need to let those on the ground get to the bottom of what caused the explosion.
When asked what she made of Trump immediately declaring the explosion to be a terrorist bomb, Hillary said that it was “important to know the facts,” especially since at the time officials were “in the beginning stages of trying to determine what happened.”
That message continued in her first full statement on the disaster.
"I strongly condemn the apparent terrorist attacks in Minnesota, New Jersey, and New York." pic.twitter.com/NSy3fkcu1c
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 18, 2016
Notice how Hillary reminded us how we’ve come together in the face of disaster, and strengthen our resolve? That’s exactly the message we need. Even though all signs presently point to this being a lone wolf, it’s still no reason to give in to fear.
One candidate is a voice of fear and foreboding in the face of a disaster. The other is a voice of comfort and healing, and wants to let local officials do their work. Now who would you want taking a 3 a.m. call in the face of a major disaster? For my money, I’d rather pick the voice of comfort and healing.
(featured image courtesy Gage Skidmore, available under a Creative Commons BY-SA license)