Not even two weeks ago (yikes, what a lifetime ago), Donald Trump was rage-posting for hours on Truth Social, his Nazi social media platform. In the middle of yet another bizarre sh-tposting bonanza, Trump posted an AI clip with Barack and Michelle Obama’s faces poorly inserted onto the bodies of monkeys. There was a loud, immediate backlash against Trump for this overtly racist thing, so much so that it became a whole 48-hour newscycle as Trump and his people backtracked, lied about who posted what, lied about whether it was racist, and then finally deleted the clip. Trump never apologized, although he did admit to posting it (a small victory that the “he didn’t really post it” lie didn’t stand).
During that whole episode, the Obamas stayed silent. Which is their right – they don’t have to comment every time that ugly orange man says or does something racist, nor are they required to respond when Trump reveals his years-long obsession with President Obama in particular. Well, Pres. Obama appeared on Brian Tyler Cohen’s YouTube show, and Cohen’s first question was about that racist clip and Trump’s degradation of the office and the national discourse. Here’s the full video:
Obama gave a lengthy answer, bringing it around to how Minnesotans fought back against the violent and deadly occupation of Minneapolis by the Trump administration. Obama did call this whole thing a clownshow though. He said, in part: “First of all, I think it’s important to recognize that a majority of the American people find this behavior deeply troubling. It is true that it gets attention. It’s true that it’s a distraction. But as I’m traveling around the country, as you’re traveling around the country, you meet people, they still believe in decency, courtesy, kindness…. And there’s this sort of clownshow that’s happening in social media and on television, and what is true is that there doesn’t seem to be any shame about this among people who used to feel like you had to have some sort of decorum and a sense of propriety and respect for the office. So, that’s been lost.”
Imagine anyone talking about decorum in the post-Trump era, which will happen eventually, even if this moment feels interminable. Like, it’s just one of the many things which no one can ever talk about in the future. But yeah, Obama handled this the right way and I love that he didn’t even say that man’s name.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, screencaps courtesy of YouTube.
