时间:2025-04-02 09:32:29 来源:网络整理编辑:娛樂
While past presidents were mourning former First Lady Barbara Bush at her funeral in Houston today,
While past presidents were mourning former First Lady Barbara Bush at her funeral in Houston today, President Trump was on his phone in Mar-a-Lago, having his usual Twitter meltdown.
In between excoriating James Comey and tossing around conspiracy theories about Mr. Peepers, President Trump decided to suddenly announce he was considering a pardon for Jack Johnson, the history-making boxer.
Trump, as you might imagine, appears to have taken a particular interest in pardons as of late.
SEE ALSO:Michelle Obama shared the perfect parenting metaphor for Trump's White HouseSome background on the controversy: Jack Johnson was the first black man to ever hold the title of world heavyweight champion. By 1912, he hadn't lost a match in four years. Other white boxers refused to fight him. When one, Canadian Tommy Burns, did, Johnson destroyed him soundly.
The match incited a series of riots across the country, some of which left people dead.
Johnson, a hero for many, was nonetheless arrested and sent to prison twice for violating a law that made it illegal to transport a white woman across state lines.
She was his girlfriend.
Since then, activists, family members, and folks in the boxing community have been working diligently to secure Johnson a presidential pardon. He was the subject of the movie The Great White Hopestarring James Earl Jones. His life has also been explored in numerous documentaries and theater shows.
When President Obama was in office and a pardon was under consideration, the Department of Justice said that they were reserved for living people only. Activists at the time accused the DOJ of performing a historic cop-out. So it's just possible that Trump might do the right thing in this case -- if only for purely selfish motives.
According to Trump, Sylvester Stallone vouched for Johnson.
Tweet may have been deleted
The benign interpretation of events is that Trump really really cares about one boxer's historical legacy. A more corrosive reading is that Trump isn't even sure that Johnson has passed -- remember Frederick Douglass, y'all?
The most accurate version of events comes from Maggie Haberman at the New York Times, however, who suggested that Trump may have done this to communicate to allies that pardons are coming their way -- if they don't collaborate with Mueller.
Tweet may have been deleted
This is the least offensive of Trump's tweets today, so let's just enjoy it for what it is. Dumb.
TopicsDonald Trump
This weird squid looks like it has googly eyes, guys2025-04-02 09:31
Michelle Williams' 'All the Money in the World' pay gap is a bummer2025-04-02 09:31
Google announced new app Bulletin for 'hyperlocal' news reporting2025-04-02 09:01
Rules of engagement when you follow your colleagues on Twitter2025-04-02 09:01
These glasses hide a fitness tracker on your face2025-04-02 08:55
Here's who will win big at Trump's 'Fake News' award show2025-04-02 08:30
Watch Kristen Bell's opening monologue from the 2018 SAG Awards2025-04-02 08:27
Women's March 2018: All the best signs2025-04-02 08:09
Wikipedia co2025-04-02 07:50
A government shutdown is unlikely to affect the nation's internet2025-04-02 07:45
Give your kitchen sponge a rest on this adorable bed2025-04-02 09:06
Women's March 2018: All the best signs2025-04-02 08:50
Time magazine's new cover takes aim at Trump's fiery first year2025-04-02 08:35
E! president responds to Catt Sadler pay gap controversy — and oh boy2025-04-02 08:27
The five guys who climbed Australia's highest mountain, in swimwear2025-04-02 08:22
Steve Carell met Kelly Clarkson at the Golden Globes and it's perfect2025-04-02 08:14
Time magazine's new cover takes aim at Trump's fiery first year2025-04-02 07:52
Reporters ask Trump if he's racist after 'shithole countries' remark2025-04-02 07:18
How Hyperloop One went off the rails2025-04-02 07:14
Dylan Farrow expertly calls out Justin Timberlake's hypocrisy by using his own tweet2025-04-02 06:48