One wondered when one first heard, “Why would Melania want to renovate the Rose Garden amidst a pandemic in which Americans are struggling just to eat and stay healthy, all while in the middle of a campaign that might evict her from the big castle?” When news first came out that Jackie Kennedy’s beloved Rose Garden was about to be overhauled, it was always accompanied by the tidbit that it was Melania who wanted it done.
It was a massive risk.
Americans firmly assert ownership of the White House, often called the People’s House. Any occupant treating the White House as personal to them is already tempting public wrath.
Obviously, renovations are needed, changes must be made, styles change and some personal taste will go into the job. Americans understand. But if a member of the first family, whether it is the president or the first lady decides to renovate, it is probably best to either couch it in terms of something long-needed anyway or at the very least be done very early in the term when anyone can write it off as something for the new residents. Oh, and that resident better be popular and Americans better fcking like it!
Leave it to Melania to choose to re-do the venerable Rose Garden. The MAGA heads regularly call Melania the new “Jackie Kennedy” and maybe Mel wanted to leave her mark on the place. Rose gardens don’t typically need wholesale renovations, and one doesn’t brush their teeth or eat in the Rose Garden so there’s no need for some personal choice or flare to it. And the big one, Melania demanded renovations to be done in the last months of “her” term as First Lady. She must be proud of it because she’s planning on giving her speech for the GOP convention from the Rose Garden. Without saying a word, Melania is sending a damned strong message that she can that this is “hers” to do with whatever she wants.
And like everything else Mel does, she appears to have ruined it, at least in the view of many Americans.
It’s been ruined. https://t.co/zHGsR0ognR [1]
— Markos Moulitsas (@markos) August 22, 2020 [2]
Obviously, there are far more important things to worry about than the Rose Garden, but she literally took the garden out of the garden. What a horror show.
— Markos Moulitsas (@markos) August 22, 2020 [3]
We understand that access is important and perhaps a walkway was needed to improve handicap access. We might also note, however, that Trump has trouble walking on ramps, stairs, and may worry about falling on less stable grass. Plus, Mel always wears her five-inch club heels. So one wonders if the walkway is primarily for the two of them. Meanwhile, leave it to Mel to take out the cherry trees:
They chopped down the cherry trees?!
A staple of the White House grounds for centuries, honoring George Washington. https://t.co/DTc52mIDgv [4]
— Travis Akers (@travisakers) August 22, 2020 [5]
Taking out the cherry trees and replacing them with a sidewalk does not seem like an improvement https://t.co/D3MlpHuI81 [6]
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 22, 2020 [7]
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot https://t.co/ymWTB60Zof [8]
— Will Bunch Sign Up For My Newsletter (@Will_Bunch) August 22, 2020 [9]
The most disgusting abuse of the @WhiteHouse [10]
Zero respect for anything.
Is this so she can walk with her "Fuck me pumps"? High-heeled shoeHigh-heeled shoe#HatchAct [11] Coming from a rose garden near you.@POTUS [12] @realDonaldTrump [13] @FLOTUS [14]
#SaveEVERYTHINGFromPOTUS [15]— realNanmaJ (@j_nanma) August 22, 2020 [16]
Yup. They removed the roses from the Rose Garden.
Seems about right for these dickheads.— Marc Mitchell (@MarcMitchell6) August 22, 2020 [17]
When you recall Trump's struggles with ramps and stairs, it makes sense. He will use the new Rose Garden in campaign videos. The sidewalk was added to give him a better backdrop.
— KD (@Fly_Sistah) August 22, 2020 [18]
The cherry trees in Washington have historical significance. They were first a gift given to Ms. Taft by the government of Japan. Nellie like them so much, she planted 3000 more around the city, giving birth to the festival. Wow!
— ellie gamble (@GambleNini) August 22, 2020 [19]
It's not really about the trees, sidewalk, or roses and other flowers. It's because Bunny Mellon designed it with Jackie Kennedy who built it and Melania sees herself as Jackie and needed to make her mark on something Jackie created.
— Murrow's Girl (@MadelineTriebw3) August 22, 2020 [20]
The U.S. is weird in that small things often play huge roles in how people perceive what is happening. Melania took a huge risk in this renovation. It was definitely not something “needed,” she could have waited until next year. Perhaps Dr. Biden will restore Jackie Kennedy’s garden. Everything else Trump touched will need to be ripped-up anyway.
Melania put out her own tweet, “trumpeting” her accomplishment:
Excited to honor history & celebrate the future in our beautiful @WhiteHouse [10] Rose Garden this evening. Thank you to all who helped renew this iconic & truly gorgeous space. pic.twitter.com/ggiqLkdGbw [21]
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) August 22, 2020 [22]
More feedback:
NEW: Trumpist "Gardening" Effortlessly Ruins Once-Beautiful Garden https://t.co/Etzae5pnPZ [23]
— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) August 22, 2020 [24]
****
Peace, y’all
Jason
[email protected] and on Twitter @MiciakZoom