It didn't take long for President Donald Trump to pounce on former President George W. Bush's appeal for national unity during the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.
On Saturday, Bush published a video message supporting togetherness amid the outbreak, and a call to put aside any partisanship. The video collected more than 5.2 million views on Twitter as of Sunday afternoon.
"[L]et us remember how small our differences are in the face of this shared threat," Bush said. "In the final analysis we are not partisan combatants, we are human beings equally vulnerable and equally wonderful in the sight of God. We rise or fall together, and we are determined to rise."
A Message from President George W. Bush@TheCalltoUnite pic.twitter.com/FIn9wuOPTF
— George W. Bush Presidential Center (@TheBushCenter) May 2, 2020
Sunday morning, President Trump took aim at Bush, saying:
"Oh bye the way, I appreciate the message from former President Bush, but where was he during Impeachment calling for putting partisanship aside. @foxandfriends He was nowhere to be found in speaking up against the greatest Hoax in American history!"
.@PeteHegseth “Oh bye the way, I appreciate the message from former President Bush, but where was he during Impeachment calling for putting partisanship aside.” @foxandfriends He was nowhere to be found in speaking up against the greatest Hoax in American history!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2020
It wasn't just Trump who criticized Bush.
Bush's video prompted reaction that was both positive and negative, including:
- "I know some didn't like Bush but damn, got a lump in my throat."
- "Words mean nothing. It's actions that matter. And Bush's actions were those of an evil man."
- "Now THIS is how you unite a nation! God I miss President Bush. Love him or hate him the man knows how to unite Americans in times of crisis."
- "Screw you. I supported you 100% after 9/11. Then you never fought back when the left attacked you for 8 years. That got us Obama and you never spoke up during his 8 years of tyranny. Yet you have no problem attacking your own party's president. You are mud to me now."
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