—
While much of the nation’s attention has been focused on the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral took place on Thursday. What was intended to be a somber occasion, however, quickly became charged with tension so thick attendees could feel it in the air.
Amongtheceremonialobligationstohonortheformerpresident,thespectacleofpoliticalposturingandstrainedhandshakeswasenoughtoquitethesideshow.ItbeganwithPresidentDonaldTrumpwalkingpastCanadianPrimeMinisterJustinTrudeau.Trudeau’sside-eyewaspracticallyaheadlineinitself.
Thelookspokevolumesabouttheicyrelationsbetweenthetwo—especiallysinceTrump’stariffwarsparkedTrudeau’sresignationearlierthisweek.OnecanonlywonderwhatwasrunningthroughTrudeau’smindasTrumppassed—nowordsexchanged,justacoldstare.
Thencamethehandshakes.TrumpshookhandswithformerVicePresidentsAlGoreandMikePence.ThemomentwithPence,though,wasparticularlynotable.Thetwomen,whohavehadtheirdifferences,lookedliketheyweresimplyfulfillingthepoliticalequivalentofaceremonialobligatio