I thought we were handling the president’s condition foolishly. We were showing the world he was fine with putting other lives at risk to project an artificial image of strength and wellness. His strength would make a better impression if he had expressed empathy for his fellow COVID sufferers, if he had listened to his doctors and not put others’ health at risk when they had transported him while he was sick. I began to understand just how much appearing strong—or not appearing weak—motivated the president, and it worried me.
