I'm not sure the 'Consoler-In-Chief' role is particularly helpful where it comes to America's gun violence problem. For all the hand-wringing of past presidents after horrendous incidents of violence, meaningful change hasn't occurred and that's even more likely to be the case this time, whatever Trump's response. I'm more puzzled about his response to Puerto Rico's plight. It's status vis-a-vis the U.S. proper undermines its interests. It's not quite a colony and not quite an integral part of the American mainstream. Perhaps this 'halfway in-halfway out' status will come under review in the aftermath of Maria. Trump should have acknowledged the main reason so few Puerto Ricans were killed by the hurricane in contrast to the Katrina disaster, which is the incredible degree of social solidarity demonstrated by the territory's residents, who helped and saved each other. It's something that's probably lost on the vainglorious president and his ideological ilk.