"Shit-hole countries"

There's not been a lot of clarity in the analysis this week. The "shocked choirboy" mixed with the outraged liberal has all but obscured any discussion of the "effectively pragmatic world leader".  So let's break it down.

First, while it's jarring to hear the President referring to countries as "shit-holes", he'd not be the first to use vulgar language. And I'd put money on the fact that many of those who are expressing shock at the language have, at some point in their lives, used language as bad or worse. So let's put the vulgarity per-se to one side.

Next is the question of race. Here it is the juxtaposition of non-white countries collective labelled "shit-hole" countries and Norway which is widely perceived to be one of the least racially diverse countries in the world, that is the cause of the appropriately righteous indignation. That certainly does smack of racism, but let's be honest; that's not really headline news for Donald Trump, the man who single-handedly perpetuated the scurrilous "birther" myth, whose very first campaign speech branded Mexicans as rapists and drug-dealers, and who reputedly has a history of discriminating against racial groups of color in his property tycoon days.

As repugnant is his racist views are, as grating as his words, particularly to anyone who loves language adroitly used, are, the real story is the damage done to the United States' relationships with other countries; not only with those he has disparaged, but with every leader and diplomat involved in international diplomacy. In international relations (as in marriage) it's often best not to blurt out the first thing that comes into your head. We use the phrase "being diplomatic" for that exact reason. Yet this, which is far more consequential and will have a much a longer lasting impact, has been largely obscured by furore over race and propriety.

The media needs to stop being outraged by his personal characteristics; his narcissism, his insecurities, his bottomless capacity for bold-faced lies, and report on what his actions really mean for the country, and for the rest of the world. They need to take a collective deep breath, calm down, and do their effing job.