GOP's character flaws are those of its leading members

EVEN those who have long since accepted the premise that Donald Trump is corrupt, self-centred and dishonest seem a bit shocked by his tirades over the Presidents Day weekend. Using the Parkland, Florida, massacre as an excuse to attack the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for investigating Russian election intervention on his behalf - while lying about his own past denials that such intervention took place - took vileness to a new level, which is truly impressive given Mr Trump's previous record.

Yet if you step back a bit and think about it, his latest outbursts were very much in character - and I don't just mean his personal character. When did you last see a member of the Trump administration, or for that matter any prominent Republican, admit error or accept responsibility for problems?

Don't say that it has always been that way, that it's just the way people are. On the contrary, taking responsibility for your actions - what my parents called being a mensch - used to be considered an essential virtue in politicians and adults in general. And in this as in so many things, there's a huge asymmetry between the parties. Of course not all Democrats are honest and upstanding; but as far as I can tell, there's almost nobody left in the GOP willing to take responsibility for, well, anything.