One of the great dangers of the Trump era is that statements, actions, and attitudes that previously would have seemed outrageous or offensive are now beginning to be accepted as the new normal. Like with tragedies and violence, we become desensitized and numb the more we come into contact with this kind of rhetoric.
So, to help us "snap back" to reality and see how outrageous many of the White House comments are, let's imagine what past Presidents would have sounded like if they took on the current tone:
George Washington: "If fake news--Poor Richard's Almanac, Connecticut Courant, New Hampshire Gazette, and others--won't shut up, we'll need to shut their printing presses for them. The American people are being misled and should just get news directly from me, the source." [compare to this real quote]
Thomas Jefferson: "Buying land west of the Mississippi River would be a sad waste of money." (2 weeks later) "I'm buying 828,000 square miles west of the Mississippi." (1 week later) "Fake news media says it was my idea to pay France for that land. LIES! It was the Federalists in Congress. They are colluding with France, not me."
Abraham Lincoln: "The Abe is working hard on this "situation" (NOT so called "crisis"). A few states tell me they are unhappy, but don't worry, Abe is making them some sweet deals. It's maybe not as difficult as people have thought, James Buchanan just totally "choked" and the South is just jealous I won. But, not too difficult. However, Robert E Loser has been TOTALLY UNFAIR!! I demand an apology!"
FDR: "Dec. 7, 1941, a day that was really, really bad. Radical Japanese bombed us. They are spies and also taking our jobs in California. We need to round them up in a big camp. It will be a beautiful camp, the best materials. No one will get out. We need to round them up and keep them there. They're BAD ninjas. #KeepAmericaSafeAgain"
Richard Nixon: "When the President does it, that means it's not illegal." (oh wait, Nixon actually said that)
"I have never heard or seen such outrageous, vicious, distorted reporting in my 27 years of public life. I'm not blaming anyone for that, and don't get the impression that you've aroused my anger [he did say that]...JK, my low ratings are all your fault. You're all evil scum and I'm coming for you!"
Bill Clinton: "I did not have relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinski. I mean, seriously, who would want her? She needs a nose job and is incredibly flat. If she were actually beautiful I may have started kissing her, but no I did not have relations with that ugly girl."
George W. Bush: "Psycho, no-brain Katie Couric keeps lying about the Iraq War. #FakeNewsCBS (or FBS) has failing ratings (no longer watch). Crazy Katie begged to come to my ranch last year and now she lies. The war is going amazing. It's going to be a great war, the best war."
Barack Obama: (6 months into Presidency) "In case you forgot, I am the FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT. No one else has done this before, until me that is. I won, got more votes than anyone else. Herman Cain and Al Sharpton were losers. Black President = me."
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