Trump's dangerous blundering

The Trump presidency has been frustrating, amongst other reasons, because it has ratcheted up partisan tribalism that might have been thought to reach its peak years ago. If there is nothing he can do that won't cause his opponents' heads to explode, there is also seemingly nothing he can do that would suspend his supporters' excuses and justifications.

Both are dangerous because neither allows the president to be corrected or encourages him to correct himself when he errs.

That's not to say both sides are always equally wrong. This week, it is Trump's most unswerving supporters who need a reality check.

Both Trump's casual disclosures of classified information to Russian officials, and his reported request that the FBI lay off its investigation of Gen. Mike Flynn, were serious misdeeds. The president seems not to recognize this. For him, statesmanship, governing, and even any sort accountability beyond ratings and profits. A Republican Party and a conservative movement that cares about the country needs to do its best to make sure Trump understands this. He is their leader whether they like it or not.

When the Washington Post reported that Trump shared classified information with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ambassador Sergei Kislyak during a meeting in the White House, some people reflexively wrote it off as "fake news." They should, instead, have paid careful attention to White House damage control, because it has pointedly failed to include any denial of the most important part of the report.