President Donald Trump seems annoyed that former President Barack Obama remains widely popular, which isn’t exactly an honor that Trump can claim for himself. Currently, according to FiveThirtyEight, about 40.3 percent of Americans approve of Trump, while a full 55.6 percent of Americans disapprove, based on poll data. This Thursday afternoon, Trump lashed out on Twitter amidst his ever-sinking poll numbers, trying to disparage Obama. The former president released a video this week of a conversation that he had with presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden about pressing current issues — and Trump was apparently paying attention and irritated.
Trump posted:
‘Obama, who wouldn’t even endorse Biden until everyone else was out of the primaries (and even then waited a long time!), is now making a commercial of support. Remember, I wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for them. I wouldn’t be President. They did a terrible job!’
Obama, who wouldn’t even endorse Biden until everyone else was out of the primaries (and even then waited a long time!), is now making a commercial of support. Remember, I wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for them. I wouldn’t be President. They did a terrible job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2020
Trump’s claim that Obama waited a “long time” to endorse Biden is just laughably ridiculous. First of all — it’s not as though any serious observer had any serious doubts that Obama would, in fact, endorse Biden after he became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. Additionally — Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who was Biden’s final challenger, dropped out of the race on April 8. Obama officially endorsed Biden on April 14 — less than a week later. Trump just sounds utterly desperate to try and drum up some kind of discord on the Democratic side in an attempt to distract from the utter failures of his own administration and re-election campaign.
"Don't vote for him because that's how you got me" is a hell of a pitch. https://t.co/6lvo7uIRKC
— Kris Tapley (@kristapley) July 23, 2020
Early Thursday, Trump also complained about Democrats’ opposition to including a payroll tax cut in the next round of Coronavirus pandemic-connected economic relief. A report from The New York Times explains that “hardly anyone” in Congress has been amped up on the possibility of a payroll tax cut as much as Trump, and that’s in part because it “would heavily benefit people who still have jobs and are earning six-figure salaries, which is not the group that is most in need of federal support right now.” What about benefits for the millions of people who are unemployed? Also — a payroll tax cut would mean a cut to the funding of Social Security and Medicare. There are so many other options.
The Democrats have stated strongly that they won’t approve a Payroll Tax Cut (too bad!). It would be great for workers. The Republicans, therefore, didn’t want to ask for it. Dems, as usual, are hurting the working men and women of our Country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response to the president below:
