One would have hoped that Christmas Eve and Christmas Day would have passed without an unhinged Twitter rant from Donald Trump. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Melania was able to hide her husband’s unsecure and obsolete phone.
On Sunday night, just as the eastern half of the country was heading to bed and slipping presents under the tree, Trump fired off this.
People are proud to be saying Merry Christmas again. I am proud to have led the charge against the assault of our cherished and beautiful phrase. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 25, 2017
That tweet warmed the cockles of a number of Trumpkins’ hearts–such as that of far-right blogger and pseudojournalist Jack Posobiec.
https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/945130343425769473
There’s just one problem with that. Well, actually, two. Not only is Trump blatantly wrong, but he’s peddling a claim that is laughably easy to debunk.
According to one of the most prevalent urban myths on the right-wing fringe, Obama was the field general in an eight-year “war on Christmas.” But there’s one big problem with that line. The Kenyan Socialist Mooslamb has been caught on tape on multiple occasions saying “Merry Christmas.”
Take this greeting from Christmas Day 2015.
Notice when Obama said “Merry Christmas”? About 10 seconds in.
And their very last address, from Christmas Eve 2016.
Once again, Obama says “Merry Christmas” 10 seconds in.
Apparently Barack and Michelle knew these rumors were flying around last year, because they also uploaded outtakes from their very first Christmas message as the First Family.
Even though it’s labeled as a “holiday address,” Michelle says “Merry Christmas.”
MSNBC’s Chris Hayes found a lot more on Thanksgiving weekend. Watch here.
It initially looked like Trump was, once again, throwing red meat to his base. After all, it’s more or less an article of faith on the religious right that getting people to say “Happy Holidays” is a Communist plot.
But according to Public Policy Polling’s annual holidays poll, while 66 percent of Trump voters prefer that we say “Merry Christmas,” just 23 percent of Trump voters feel offended when someone says “Happy Holidays” instead.
But even without that factoid, it was clear beyond any doubt that, with apologies to Politifact, this latest alternative fact from Trump is Pants on Fire wrong.
(featured image courtesy Obama White House, part of public domain)
