The current US presidency has turned out to be one of the most controversial in the history of the United States. Donald Trump has been the president for just over a year now and many have made comparisons between him and the former president Barack Obama. Constantly in the media attention because of his questionable ways, behavior and unpresidential type language, Trump has now become a love-hate figure not just in the USA but in Global political arenas too.
A former white house employee Gary Lee provided much insight into the differences between Trump and Obama in a series of tweets. The former aide of Obama and also a Korean-American intelligence analyst ended up receiving thousands of likes and retweets in what was his first twitter thread.
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Lee’s twitter thread went viral on January 13 when he shared heartwarming memories of working for Barack Obama. He used his memories of Obama to compare with the behavior of the current president and as you will find out, Trump could learn a lesson or two in social behavior from Obama.
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In his first tweet about Trump, he described the interaction between Trump and an Asian American intelligence officer. He interrupted a briefing to ask her where she was from. When she replied NY, he asked again “No, where are you REALLY from?” Gary tweeted “just like the president, he wanted to know where YOUR people are from”
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After the Lady replied that her parents were from Korea, Trump turned towards an official and asked why the “pretty Korean Lady” wasn’t negotiating with North Korea on his administration’s behalf. Talk about insensitivity?? Trump seems blessed with it.
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Lee tweeted again “This struck a chord with me not only because I’m Korean-American, but also because I worked at the White House, for President Obama. I left the WH in 2011 for a Fulbright scholarship in Korea. President Obama knew I was leaving to learn more about the culture and language of my parents.”
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America latched on to new hope when Obama was elected. To the public, he was a man to be respected and revered. He was admired by many and one of the most charismatic presidents of his time. He may have been criticized for his failings and what he couldn’t get done but more than that he will be remembered for his achievement and the memories that he successfully etched into the hearts of Americans making him loved by many,
Gary Lee tweeted about his last day with Obama saying how the president actually greeted him in Korean.
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The differences between Obama and Trump are easily made clear in the tweets of Gary Lee. He explained how he began working for Obama. It was his dream to work for the US administration but he didn’t believe it could happen. Just before graduation he took a chance and wrote a letter. Much to his surprise and shock, he received a call to come and work for the Obama Campaign. That is how he began working even for the Obama administration once Obama became president.
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Lee describes how Obama greeted him in his native language on his last day which left him in tears. He recalls the day saying that he even bumped into Kalpen who was the white house associate director for public engagement at the time.
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Trump's remarks like “pretty Korean lady” and wanting to know “where your people are from” heavily contrasted against how Obama treated people of other ethnic backgrounds in the White House. Being of Asian origin himself, Lee was deeply affected by the remarks and how Obama treated him which prompted him to take to twitter.
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After he shared the story of how Obama treated him in the White House, he reflected on the country and how there was no place like America which had given him the opportunity to live his dream
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Gary Lee’s emotional thread on twitter reflects how America has changed under Trump who himself has a history of speaking out about racialised groups in derogatory ways such as implying that all Mexicans are “drug dealers, criminals, rapists" and advocating the ban on immigrants from Muslim countries even going as far as to call countries like Haiti a “shithole” which was his most recent foot in the mouth incident.
Speculation and from the present public atmosphere through comments on social media, it can be said that America has never been more divided as a nation under Trump.
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Lee’s tweets comparing the differences between Obama and Trump are a reminder that America deserves a respectful and considerate president with the power to lead, be firm and show compassion in equal measure possessing the ability to judge when and where to use his qualities as a leader.
Lee’s story is a true example of the American dream embodied in the spirit of the declaration of Independence that says “All men are created equal” and of course with the ““right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”,
Hopefully, The United States will be great again.
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