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Why Obama shook Trump’s hand

Fri., Nov. 18, 2016

Recently, while my husband and I were watching the news, one of the commentators said that he did not know how President Obama could shake Donald Trump’s hand after all the hateful and slanderous things Trump had said. He was referring, in particular, to Donald Trump’s campaign questioning Obama’s birthplace and, therefore, the legitimacy of his presidency.

I think I know why the president shook Trump’s hand: Because Obama believes in the democratic process. He shook his hand not because he likes him, or respects him, but because he believes in the peaceful transfer of the presidency from one person to the next. Obama did not want to do anything that to corrupt or corrode our democracy.

Gini Hickman

Liberty Lake

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