I'll take the 'bully' and babies over Biden any day

Former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican, endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for president recently. Of course, President Trump being President Trump, he had to say something. His response is what I'd classify as the equivalent of punching down, which, as I've written before, he doesn't need to do. I, on the other hand, have some punching to do.

This isn't about defending Trump. It's about defending principles. Ironically, Snyder's reasoning for bypassing the president for Biden is principled as well; that's his version.

Writing an opinion column in the USA Today, Snyder made his case:

"President Trump's answer to people who oppose or disagree with them is to be verbally abusive. In other words, he is a bully.

"A great leader treats people with respect even when they present different opinions. Without a variety of views and opinions, we would have no innovation or creativity in our nation. Being a bully and being strong are not the same thing. Being strong is standing up for your convictions. Being a bully is trying to intimidate those who are perceived to be weaker or a threat. As a proud nerd, I had to deal with bullies over many years; it is tragedy watching our world suffer from one."

So the tragedy the world is suffering from is not a pandemic or so-called global warming or religious persecution. It's bully Trump?

Snyder also wrote, "Donald Trump is a bully who lacks a moral compass. Joe Biden would bring back civility."

Furthermore, the former governor asserted that Biden "has demonstrated strong moral character and empathy."

It didn't take long for word to get to Trump and for Trump to get to his Twitter account. Rather than ignore Snyder, he chose to "counterpunch," calling Snyder a "failed former governor" and a "RINO" (Republican in name only) and criticizing him for the Flint, Michigan, water crisis.

But Trump didn't need to say anything. All we had to do is look at what Snyder actually said; the merit(lessness) of his comments are obvious.

How does Snyder define this "moral character" Biden supposedly exudes? I mean, he is the face of a political party that is fanatical in its devotion to abortion -- refusing to defend the unborn or acknowledge their humanity -- a party that expresses agreement with snuffing out their lives up until birth. But this should be no surprise. He served as vice president to a man who, as a senator, wouldn't even vote to give medical care to a baby born after a botched abortion. If this is "moral character," may I never possess it, may Trump never possess it. I will cast my vote for a bully over Biden any day -- for babies.

No doubt, Trump is going to say things we don't like, in ways we don't like. He's going to rub us the wrong way with his approach. He's going to put his foot in his mouth time and time again. In other words, he's going to be Trump.

But he's not going to support killing babies. So as far as I'm concerned, Biden can't even stand next to Trump in neither the "strong moral character and empathy" department nor the "civility" department. The contrast is not even close. I don't vote for people who don't defend those who cannot defend themselves. As I've said for years, "If I can't trust you with a baby, I can't trust you with a country." Abortion at any stage is a reason to cringe and cry. But leading a party that deems partial-birth abortion acceptable, even if you purport to personally oppose it, isn't moral anything; it's off the charts evil. But that's Biden's party, and there are some parties I just don't want to be invited to. So I won't be joining Republican Snyder in his Biden over babies campaign.

If not being a wimp makes a person a bully, I guess Trump is a bully, and, again, Trump being Trump, he'd probably wear that badge proudly. Some folks aren't satisfied unless U.S. leaders are bowing to people and pressure. Trump doesn't tiptoe or pussyfoot, so if that's what they're looking for, no wonder they're disappointed. We're living in a time that can't sustain a weak-kneed approach. I'll take Trump and his gruff exterior with a soft heart for the vulnerable over Biden's hardheartedness on the issue of life any day. Perhaps we need to take a closer look at what being a bully really is. We may not like it, but at least Trump aims his "verbally abusive" ammo at adults, who can fight back -- unlike the "moral" politicians who are physically abusive to the unborn, who cannot.

Adrienne Ross is owner of Adrienne Ross Communications and a former Southeast Missourian editorial board member.