LETTER: Leadership and the coronavirus crisis

In the March 29 Review-Journal, Victor Davis Hanson tells us of prior leaders who were put to the test in the time of crises, such as Patton, Churchill, and FDR. Mr. Hanson tells us that President Donald Trump’s victory over the pandemic will require foresight, confidence, cunning and wisdom.

Of course, Mr. Hanson is correct. But, boy, does he have the wrong man.

Mr. Trump has never displayed any of those qualities. To expect a man who has no empathy for others and is an extreme narcissist to somehow acquire these attributes is Pollyannaish.

In that same edition, Review-Journal columnist Victor Joecks lauds the private sector for the help it is providing in this crisis and blames delays and ineptitude on federal agencies and regulations. He gives not a peep of concern for the delay and ineptitude shown by Mr. Trump. Do I really have to remind Mr. Joecks that Mr. Trump is the guy who is ultimately in charge of all of those agencies?

Let me add one more prior leader to the mix of this conversation: Harry Truman, who said, “The buck stops here.”