WaPo | StopBullying.gov has some wisdom for CNN’s Jake Tapper, the moderator of Wednesday’s debate, when he (inevitably) encounters Trump’s bullying. “Intervene immediately. It is ok to get another adult to help. . . . Don’t think candidates can work it out without adult help.”
And the targets of Trump’s bullying? “Look at the candidate bullying you and tell him or her to stop in a calm, clear voice. You can also try to laugh it off.”
Bystanders and other adults — in this case, let’s apply the term loosely to supporters, party officials and journalists — have a role, too: Because “those who bully are encouraged by the attention that they receive from bystanders,” those who witness bullying can “blatantly state that they don’t think bullying is entertaining or funny,” and perhaps even “create a distraction” to deny the bully attention. All of us can “commit to making it stop and consistently support the bullied candidate.”
I’m prepared to do my part. Note that I haven’t called Trump a bully but rather, as StopBullying.gov suggests, “the candidate who bullied.” To label him a bully is to “send the message that the candidate’s behavior cannot change.” And I’d like to believe that everybody has the capacity for growth — even Trump.
