President Donald Trump is a bit of a cad. If you want to slam him, just wait a few hours and he will say or Tweet something you can sink your teeth into. You can call him a fool, a dolt, a liar or a terrible person. And, often, you will be right.
But America is in a moment of grieving, which should call for a pause in the vitriol we have been experiencing for the last three years directed squarely at the occupants of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Instead, America’s media and political pundits from the right and the left are using the events surrounding former President George H.W Bush’s death as a jumping off point to pound away on Trump in an effort to score lazy political points.
Trump demeanor has been criticized:
https://twitter.com/TheDaleJackson/status/1069556092609400833
His salute of George H.W. Bush was mocked:
Salute fail? Donald Trump is roasted for unusual gesture during George H.W. Bush tribute https://t.co/xM5FZPU5XG pic.twitter.com/vcuM5kxyg0
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) December 4, 2018
His visit to the Bush family at the Blair House was examined:
Michelle Obama wrote that Sec Service sometimes asked Obamas to motorcade to Blair House but so I’ve found six times Pres. Obama walked from WH; haven’t found any motorcades for him yet. https://t.co/JIHhY3BPBE
— David Nakamura (@DavidNakamura) December 5, 2018
His past criticisms of previous presidents and Hillary Clinton were brought up as he sat near them at the funeral:
https://twitter.com/AaronBlake/status/1070347638313312256
His inability to mouth the Apostle’s Creed was noted:
It’s SO weird that Barack Obama (the “Muslim”) knew all the words to the Apostles’ Creed, and Donald Trump (the Evangelical hero) didn’t know any of them, and didn’t even bother to read them. #GeorgeHWBushFuneral
— John Ziegler (@Zigmanfreud) December 5, 2018
Even the sole act of sitting in church was used (this lame criticism was directed at all living presidents, except George W. Bush, and Hillary Clinton):
There are 330 million people in America. These three dudes are the best we could come up with, and the latest alternative was the terrible lady on the end. pic.twitter.com/qONKTdDpy1
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) December 5, 2018
But why? Simple. That same dopamine hit that Trump gets when he fires off a nasty tweet.
We are a society that seeks the sick burn, the mean tweet and the hot take. I get it, I am guilty, too. I’ve called Trump a “prick” on cable news.
But I was raised better than this. This is a funeral and a moment of mourning. We can get back to hating each other’s guts tomorrow.
This stuff isn’t clever. It’s sad.
If you hate Trump, be better than him. Don’t become that thing you hate and then pretend you are better than that because you aren’t.
If you want to emulate anyone, emulate Bush’s son, former President George W. Bush.
George W. Bush tearfully concludes his eulogy to his father: "Through our tears, let us know the blessings of knowing and loving you, a great and noble man, the best father a son or daughter could have…Dad is hugging Robin, and holding mom's hand again." https://t.co/B3hZufXKHW pic.twitter.com/fxqwjIcSvi
— ABC News (@ABC) December 5, 2018
@TheDaleJackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a conservative talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN