A veil of solemnity descends upon the land at times like this, when elected officials or public figures get sick or die.
We wish them speedy recovery, or extend sympathies, as we should. We ignore their faults and failings, as we would want our own ignored.
These are the norms of politics and public life. Established norms, like behaving with dignity and self-restraint in a presidential debate, or condemning racist terrorists and murderers.
For the record, we should all wish Donald and Melania Trump a full and speedy recovery. But that does not answer the fundamental question this president will leave behind when he leaves office. What norms survive a man who takes pleasure in destroying norms?
