Donald Trump is set to be sworn into office as president in just 60 days, however his twitter rants seem more appropriate from the crybaby-in-chief. How can we Americans, civilized and rational beings, be asked to trust the temperament, aggression and mindset of a man who gets on twitter to rant, rave and throw a tantrum?
We live in a free society that is built on the idea of free speech. As Commander-in-Chief, Donald Trump will be charged with upholding that right for people he agrees and disagrees with both.
Over the weekend President-Elect Trump engaged in two childish rants online, demanding that people not exercise their rights to peaceful free speech. As leader of the free world, Donald Trump will be subject to more scrutiny than he could have ever imagined as a business man and reality television star. He and his family are now public fodder, good or bad, it is his job to suck it up without malice.
It seems no one has informed the incoming president that his job is to govern the country not trample on the individual rights of its residents. Donald Trump made a fool of himself and his position as he demanded an apology from the cast of the Broadway play, Hamilton. The crime that Trump deemed apology worthy? Vice-President Elect, Mike Pence, was in the audience for the show this weekend. The audience cheered and booed the politician both. The jeers are not what Trump thinks warrants an apology however.
After the show was complete, when the cast did their curtain call actor Brandon Dixon had a statement prepared to read directly to Mike Pence. The statement was one of a hope for peace and unity in what are troubling times for some.
“We, sir — we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights,” Dixon read. “We truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us.”
Pence, for his part, showed no sign of being bothered by the statement made. In fact, on the experience Pence has said, “My daughter and I and her cousins really enjoyed the show. ‘Hamilton’ is just an incredible production, incredibly talented people. It was a real joy to be there.”
“When we arrived we heard a few boos, and we heard some cheers,” Pence told a reporter, “I nudged my kids and reminded them that is what freedom sounds like.” How gracious, Donald Trump could use a lesson in humility from his Vice President. Being a leader in a democratic society does not mean having the unwavering support of all under your command. To the contrary, it’s the ability to lead and work with people who agree and disagree with you alike.
Donald Trump could not adopt the same mentality, that the actors had a right to speak their minds without apologizing to any government official.
“The cast and producers of Hamilton, which I hear is highly overrated, should immediately apologize to Mike Pence for their terrible behavior,” Trump tweeted. He didn’t stop there, on Saturday morning the President-Elect took to Twitter again, tweeting “Our wonderful future V.P. Mike Pence was harassed last night at the theater by the cast of Hamilton, cameras blazing. This should not happen!” Furious that he was being ignored he took to demanding an apology, “The Theater must always be a safe and special place. The cast of Hamilton was very rude last night to a very good man, Mike Pence. Apologize!”
Donald Trump’s tweets are scary. His sensitivity is traumatizing, this is a man who is being briefed on major security matters, who will command the world deadliest army soon and he can’t handle free speech.
Mike Pence has been the consummate politician throughout the weekend, addressing the underlying issue, the trepidation mentioned by the cast. “I know this is a very anxious time for some people. I just want to reassure people what President-elect Donald Trump said on election night — he absolutely meant from the bottom of his heart,” Mike Pence has said.
“He is preparing to be the President of all of the people of the United States of America and to watch him bringing together people of diverse views, bringing people together who disagreed with him strongly, seeing him talk to leaders around the world, I just want to reassure every American that in the days ahead I am very confident that they are going to see President-elect Trump be a president for all of the people and we embrace that principle. We are going to work hard to make that principle every day that we serve.
Since Donald Trump started his Twitter rant the hashtag #boycottHamiliton has been trending. I’m not sure how much good it does to boycott a show that is sold out through August 2017 but okay. “I pray he keeps tweeting — the show will sell out for decades, not just years,” investor and public relations consultant told CNN.
Brandon Dixon replied to one of Donald Trump’s tweets telling Trump “Conversation is not harassment sir. And I appreciate @mike_pence for stopping to listen.”
If you think Donald Trump is over the dep end for expecting an apology from the Hamilton cast, you’ll love the other twitter battle Trump went on. Saturday night SNL spoofed Trump again with a hilarious sketch depicting Trump, who has just realized the gravity of the job as president, trying to pull it all together.
Sunday morning found the President-Elect back on Twitter ranting and raving, furious over the sketch. The sketch managed to make fun of Trump’s obvious lack of political experience, referenced the Pence being met with boos at the Broadway play and showed Donald trying to figure out how to live up to the promises he made during his campaign run.
Donald Trump did not find the sketch funny, he tweeted “I watched parts of @nbcsnl Saturday Night Live last night. It is a totally one-sided, biased show – nothing funny at all. Equal time for us?” To my surprise and amusement, Alec Baldwin personally responded and put the President-Elect promptly in his place, reminding him that he had a job to do where his time would be better relegated.
Some of you may remember in October when Trump called for the show to be taken off the air, he claimed it was a show that was rigged by the media to derail his campaign. The only time Trump doesn’t have a problem with the show is when he is hosting, like in November 2015.
There is something severely disturbing about this man, this man who doesn’t want to be compared to a dictator but doesn’t know how to lead like he isn’t one. If this is what we’re in for as we endure four years of a Donald Trump presidency I’m terrified. With his level on sensitivity I can’t imagine the retaliatory governing he plans. America may have truly elected its first crybaby-in-chief. Anybody got a binky ready for the next time our future leader gets an owie on his feelings?
