President Donald Trump’s call for unity and condemnation of bigotry on Monday were absolutely fake, as he demonstrated perfectly on Tuesday morning by attacking former President Barack Obama for condemning white nationalism in the wake of mass shootings over the weekend.
Like a real president should, Obama expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims of mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton.
A white nationalist terrorist killed 20 people at Walmart in Texas and his manifesto cites Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric.
Without even saying Trump’s name, Obama condemned racism and hate.
“We should soundly reject language coming out of the mouths of any of our leaders that feeds a climate of fear and hatred and normalizes racist sentiment,” he said. “Leaders who demonize those who don’t look like us, or suggest that other people, including immigrants, threaten our way of life, or refer to other people as sub-human, or imply that America belongs to just one certain type of people.”
Here’s his full statement via Twitter:
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 5, 2019
As usual, Fox News threw a hissy fit and Trump was watching so he quoted Brian Kilmeade’s tantrum.
“Did George Bush ever condemn President Obama after Sandy Hook. President Obama had 32 mass shootings during his reign. Not many people said Obama is out of Control. Mass shootings were happening before the President even thought about running for Pres.” @kilmeade @foxandfriends
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 6, 2019
Again, Trump had just called for rejecting bigotry and urged unity the day before, yet he undermined his own message by launching this attack on Obama, who didn’t even mention Trump’s name.
It should be pointed out that while there were 32 mass shooting during Obama’s eight years in office, there have been 20 mass shootings since Trump took office less then three years ago. The number of mass shootings is on pace to equal or exceed the number during Obama’s time in office by the time Trump finishes his four year stint. If he is re-elected, his presidency will definitely be marked by a higher number.
In response, Twitter users slammed Trump for contradicting his own words.
Donald Trump’s attack on President Obama’s admonition to leaders to refrain from using hate filled anti-other rhetoric is a tacit admission of his guilt in stoking white supremacist violence.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) August 6, 2019
President @BarackObama didn’t even mention you yesterday. So even you know that when someone speaks of a “leader[] [who] feeds a climate of fear and hatred or normalizes racist sentiments,” and “who demonize[s] those who don’t look like us,” that means you, @realDonaldTrump. https://t.co/eD78k8p89i
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) August 6, 2019
Not even 24 hours ago, the president called for the nation to put aside partisan bickering to solve gun violence. https://t.co/vplcUAkoJi
— Evan McMurry (@evanmcmurry) August 6, 2019
So much for the speech he could barely read. Back to form. https://t.co/DuImxAaRLM
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 6, 2019
Obama is a United States citizen. Therefore, he still has free speech. Just because he’s not president anymore it doesn’t mean he loses that right. Past presidents usually do refrain from criticizing the current president. But no president has been nearly as divisive or as destructive and incompetent as Trump.
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