| Get Jonathan Bernstein's newsletter every morning in your inbox. Click here to subscribe. The anti-Trump Republicans at the Lincoln Project, a political action committee, have put together several well-done ads during this presidential campaign. But they fell way, way short with a video they're promoting that mocks President Donald Trump for walking awkwardly down a ramp at West Point over the weekend. It's garbage. In fact, it's no better than when candidate Trump made fun of a reporter's disability at one of his rallies. This is very simple: You don't mock people for their appearance, physical limitations or other such characteristics. Don't tell me that Trump deserves it because he inappropriately derides people all the time. It still coarsens the tone of public life and, more importantly, affirms that those with physical limits should be mocked. Trump is president; he can take (or at least should be able to take) whatever is thrown at him. But imagine ordinary citizens who have similar difficulties navigating ramps, stairs or other tricky terrain having to watch this ad. What's it saying to them? Also don't tell me that Trump's limitations are fair game because he's failed to observe reasonable norms surrounding his personal health. It's true that Trump's health disclosures are a legitimate topic for criticism — but this isn't even close to the way to approach such an issue. Just to be clear: It was garbage when Trump invented smears about Hillary Clinton's health in 2016, and when he did the same about former Vice President Joe Biden this year. So were all the other times Trump has done similar and worse. But this isn't about going high when Trump goes low. It's about having respect for everyone else, even if those at the Lincoln Project don't have respect for the president. Look, I get it. The Never-Trump strategy has been to get under the president's skin so that he'll erupt in self-damaging vitriol. That's fine. There's nothing wrong with negative advertising in general. But this version of it isn't fine at all. Try something else, folks. 1. Amanda Hollis-Brusky on how employment non-discrimination will work after the Supreme Court's landmark decision. 2. Andrew Rudalevige on Trump, Congress and the inspectors general. 3. Alan I. Abramowitz on presidential horse-race polls in 2016 and 2020. 4. Josh Putnam on the Supreme Court case about faithless electors. 5. James Wallner on cloture. 6. Rebecca Onion talks with Christina Wolbrecht on how sex became a protected class. 7. Sheryl Gay Stolberg on the chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine fiasco. 8. My Bloomberg Opinion colleague Francis Wilkinson on guns and the Roberts Court. 9. And Randy Dotinga with a nice item on public commemorations and statues. By all means, yes, San Diego should have a prominent statue of Sally Ride. Get Early Returns every morning in your inbox. Click here to subscribe. Also subscribe to Bloomberg All Access and get much, much more. You'll receive our unmatched global news coverage and two in-depth daily newsletters, the Bloomberg Open and the Bloomberg Close. | 
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