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Heroic? Maybe. Trustworthy? Maybe Not Just Yet. [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2023-09-27
In the debate over whether we should refer to or think of political defectors such as Cassidy Hutchinson as “heroes”, the most important factor is the consideration of the context of their actions. We must laud their actions, but not forget who they really are.
As an example of what I mean, every time CNN introduces John Dean as one of their talking heads, they leave out the part of his resume that matters most: he’s a felon who was convicted for enabling and abetting then-President Richard Nixon’s actions that came close to destroying our country long before Donald Trump. They give him voice and credibility (usually so he can say how much worse than Nixon someone is) because he eventually told us the truth under oath before Congress.
Too often, people are given a pass for previous bad behavior for having done nothing more than what is required by law or honor — often after lifetimes or years of being on the wrong side of history.
We must always consider the context of these people’s actions. Too often, the context of their honorable acts seems to be forgotten as soon as they finally find the guts or enough acceptance of their own best self-interests to stand against the dishonorable. Take Hutchinson, for example: for years she chose to work closely next to men who we all knew were a threat to democracy, to the rule of law, to sanity in our society — as they did their dirty work. Even now, she affirms that she embraces (“more moderate”) Republican politics. When she was called to testify before Congress, she realized that she faced serious legal peril if she lied. So she told the truth. Where is the heroism in that? She was acting in her own best interests. Nothing she has done indicates that she would not enable the same behavior in the future if it doesn’t imperil her directly.
Okay? So, sure, Cassidy Hutchinson did the right thing. For that, she deserves credit. But she is not necessarily a hero and every time she’s introduced, her context should be recounted. The same goes for John Dean, or Michael Cohen, or anyone who wants us to forget what they did before they finally came clean.
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