It is as inescapable as December snow. The recent Saturday Night Live skit entitled “It’s a Beautiful Trump” precipitated a flurry of frosty tweets from POTUS. In case you missed the “I’m bigly offended retort,” here is the Donald’s verbatim tweet:
“A REAL scandal is the one sided coverage, hour by hour, of networks like NBC & Democrat spin machines like Saturday Night Live. It is all nothing less than unfair news coverage and Dem commercials. Should be tested in courts, can’t be legal? Only defame & belittle! Collusion?”
I love the “defame & belittle” part which, in this context, reminds me of that old “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” song we used to sing as kids when confronted by someone saying something unkind. POTUS, however, is entitled to his feelings and obviously is expressing his concern that others should do unto him as he would do unto … them …? Hmm.
So, what about other presidents who had to contend with media and satirical comedy shows making fun of them? What about Lyndon B. Johnson who, in being made fun of by the Smothers Brothers, didn’t seek to cancel their show or throw them in jail but rather sent them the following written message:
“It is part of the price of leadership of this great and free nation to be the target of clever satirists. You have given the gift of laughter to our people. May we never grow so somber or self-important that we fail to appreciate the humor in our lives.”
Indeed, may we never be so self-important that we decry everything as fake news and slander. With his constant belittling of journalists and derogatory comments hurled at most of his former employees, this Bonhomme de nagging, really should stop being a Grinch … or is that a Gingrich? Is it possible his small heart could grow three sizes larger?
If only Trump were to be visited by the ghost of president-past: Herbert Hoover. He would hear these stark and foreboding words: “It is a paradox that every dictator has climbed to power on the ladder of free speech. Immediately on attaining power, each dictator has suppressed all free speech except his own.” So true. We really do hear a lot from that “Let’s make America great again” maw of madness.
So instead of It’s a Beautiful Trump, the president’s online antics should garner him what all naughty boys who try to suppress the press deserve for Christmas: a Trump of coal!
Let’s hope all three ghosts visit him this Christmas! That would make for one dickens of a tweet!
Tim Cusack is an educator, writer, and member of the naval reserve.
