“Why not a clear and coherent blueprint of how we will get through this ordeal together? That’s what leadership should sound like.”

The contrast could not have been more stark. As the COVID-19 pandemic brought the number of deaths in his country hurtling past 70,000, former US President George W. Bush released a brief, inspiring video message that appealed to the best in his people.

“In this type of testing we need to remember a few things,” Mr. Bush said.“First, let us remember we have faced times of testing before.

Following 9-11 I saw a great nation rise as one to honor the brave, to grieve with the grieving and to embrace unavoidable new duties, and I have no doubt, none at all, that this spirit of service and sacrifice is alive and well in America.

Second, let us remember that empathy and simple kindness are essential powerful tools of national recovery.

Even at an appropriate social distance, we can find ways to be present in the lives of others, to ease their anxiety and share their burdens.

Third, let’s remember that the suffering we experience as a nation does not fall evenly.

In the days to come it will be especially important to care in practical ways for the elderly, the ill and the unemployed.

Finally, let us remember how small our differences are in the face of this shared threat.

In the final analysis, we are not partisan combatants, we are human beings, equally vulnerable and equally wonderful in the sight of God.

We rise or fall together and we are determined to rise. God bless you all.

”It was a welcome change to the baseless braggadocio, outright lies and psychotic ramblings of the current occupant of the White House.

Stung by the inevitable comparison, President Donald Trump attacked Bush on Twitter, in a series of tweets that praised his own performance during the pandemic and blamed the former president for failing to support him during his impeachment last year.

The stark difference between Bush and Trump did not escape Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor, who tweeted: “In the face of a crisis that requires leadership, empathy, and trust in science, Trump has come up short. Bush’s video should remind Republicans that they can do better.

”The example of what real leadership sounds like should not be lost on our own leaders.Instead of issuing threats of martial law and curses, why not appeal to the best in Filipinos and offer a clear and coherent blueprint of how we will get through this ordeal together? That’s what leadership should sound like. /Manila Standard.