Conservative columnist praises Pittsburgh families for 'shunning' Trump's efforts to get a 'cheesy photo op'

Washington Post conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin praised the families of the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre for their refusal to be props for Donald Trump's photo op during the president's visit to the city.

As Rubin points out, past presidents from both parties "were decent men, in possession of empathy and a deep understanding of the enormity of the office" and sought to lead in times of strife. Trump has sought to sow division and demonize his enemies, which means he is not welcome many places in times of turmoil.

"Trump chose not to govern as a unifying figure; he chose to govern by division and without decorum," Rubin writes. "As a result, Americans no longer see him in the same light as they have past presidents."

While state and local officials met with families, Trump was not welcome.

"It was a day about the victims and the families, about unity and love. It was not time for a cheesy photo-op," she writes. "There was no speech [Trump] could give that would comfort the community. There was no warmth or empathy he had to convey. Better to say nothing and go through a ritual of placing stones on the markers of the dead."

The families of victims had different reasons for rebuffing Trump, some believing he "had created an atmosphere of hatred toward immigrants," while others concluding he "emboldened white nationalists and spread conspiracy theories about Jewish billionaire George Soros."

Many Pittsburghers blame Trump for the attack, she said.

"They assign moral responsibility to Trump, for at the very least failing to denounce in unequivocal terms Neo-Nazis, using anti-Semitic buzzwords ('globalist') and speaking in the lingo of white nationalist who fear an 'invasion' of black and brown people," she wrote.