Trump posts racist video of Barack and Michelle Obama: What to know

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Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump’s racism is making his celebration antsy.

What occurred? In a single day, Trump posted a racist, 62-second video to his private Reality Social feed depicting Barack and Michelle Obama’s faces superimposed on apes.

The put up has since been deleted — and attributed, unconvincingly, to an errant staffer — after a fast bipartisan backlash, however solely after the White Home initially brushed it off as “an web meme video depicting President Trump because the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King.” (There are, as some observers have famous, no apes within the beloved youngsters’s film The Lion King .)

How have Republicans responded? Way more vocally than traditional. Amongst others: Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who's Black, wrote that he was “Praying [the video] was pretend as a result of it’s probably the most racist factor I’ve seen out of this White Home.” Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) described the video as “completely unacceptable” and mentioned Trump ought to apologize. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) additionally known as for an apology and mentioned the put up was “unsuitable and extremely offensive.”

What’s the context? Trump has a long history of racism , relationship again properly earlier than his 2016 presidential marketing campaign, which he started by declaring Mexican immigrants to the US “rapists” who had been bringing crime and medicines into the nation.

Since returning to workplace final yr, Trump’s rhetoric has grown even uglier: He has referred to Somali immigrants as “rubbish” and “low-IQ,” and his administration has embraced white supremacist imagery and slogans in lots of public posts.

What’s the large image? Trump’s put up, whereas openly racist, doesn’t actually inform us something new about him. The GOP response, nevertheless, is extra attention-grabbing. There’s no motive to suspect their pushback represents any type of sturdy break with the chief of their celebration. Republicans’ willingness to criticize Trump, nevertheless, could be a helpful barometer for the way they’re feeling about his — and by extension, their — standing with voters. Proper now, it’s not looking good .

And with that, it’s time to log out…

The Seattle Seahawks are taking part in for a second Tremendous Bowl title on Sunday, and my hopes and goals relaxation on this wise-looking creature from the Nashville Zoo — Wilbur the binturong, who picked Seattle to win — being proper. Go Hawks, have an awesome weekend, and we’ll see you again right here on Monday!