One hundred and fifty four years after Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, Donald Trump tweeted the very first Pettysburg Address.
On this day in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, a carefully crafted statement that would go on to become one of the most influential and best-known speeches in American history.
In an address that lasted just over two minutes, Lincoln managed to perfectly capture our national purpose, emphasizing the struggle for equality and extolling the values upon which our democracy was founded.
One hundred and fifty four years later, Donald Trump tweeted the Pettysburg Address, a hastily written tweetstorm that will go down in history as just another shameful rant among many.
In a series of tweets spanning a 7-hour window, Trump attacked a group of basketball players who were arrested for shoplifting in China — lamenting that he didn't just leave them in jail in a foreign country — and hurled insults at a fellow Republican lawmaker.
In two separate tweets, Trump singled out the father of one of the basketball players and proceeded to whine that he didn't receive enough praise for not abandoning an American citizen in China.
Shoplifting is a very big deal in China, as it should be (5-10 years in jail), but not to father LaVar. Should have gotten his son out during my next trip to China instead. China told them why they were released. Very ungrateful!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2017
Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal. I should have left them in jail!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2017
In another tweet, Trump lashed out at GOP Sen. Jeff Flake, one of the few Republicans who has vocalized his dissatisfaction with the Trump administration.
Sen. Jeff Flake(y), who is unelectable in the Great State of Arizona (quit race, anemic polls) was caught (purposely) on “mike” saying bad things about your favorite President. He’ll be a NO on tax cuts because his political career anyway is “toast.”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 19, 2017
The contrast between Trump's tweets and the sentiment expressed in the Gettysburg Address couldn't be more stark.
Where Lincoln celebrated democratic principles, Trump trampled on them.
Where Lincoln issue a call for equality, Trump issued a dog-whistle.
Where Lincoln unified the nation, Trump divided it.
And where Lincoln staked his claim on the right side of history, Trump staked his claim squarely on the wrong side.
