Trump’s callous political attack on Rob Reiner shows a shameful moral failure
What turned into a heartbreaking family tragedy hours after Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead in their home. President blamed Reiner for his own death.
“A very sad thing happened in Hollywood last night. Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling but once very talented film director and comedy star, passed away, reportedly with his wife Michele by his side, due to the anger he caused others due to his massive, persistent and incurable disorder with a mind-crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS.” President Trump wrote on the social media platform. “He was known to drive people CRAZY with his fierce obsession with President Donald J. Trump; his apparent paranoia reached new heights as the Trump Administration exceeded all goals and expectations of greatness, and America’s Golden Age was upon us like perhaps never before. Rest in Peace Rob and Michele!”
Rest in peace indeed.
This is an incredible and despicable message, full of cruelty and delusion, even from the lowly, mud-deep bar where we collectively come to judge Trump. In a town and time dominated by selfishness and self-servingness, Reiner was one of the good guys; He was always striving to make the world kinder and closer, both through his films and his politics. And yes, that meant fighting against Trump and his increasingly unstable and authoritarian administration.
For years, Reiner has placed the policy of inclusion and integrity at the center of his life. He was a key player in overturning California’s ban on gay marriage and fought to expand early childhood education.
Over the past few months, he has focused on the upcoming midterms as the last and best chance to preserve American democracy, which has clearly angered Trump.
“Make no mistake, we have a year before this country becomes a complete autocracy,” Reiner told MSNBC host Ali Velshi in October. “People care about wallet issues, the price of eggs. They care about their health, and they should. These are things that directly affect them. But if they lose their democracy, if they lose all these rights, their freedom of speech, their freedom to pray as they wish, their freedom to protest and not go to jail, their freedom not to be sent to the country without trial, all of these things will be taken away from them.”
Reiners’ son, Nick Reiner, was arrested on suspicion of murder. Nick Reiner struggled with addiction and was in and out of rehab. But Trump seems to be saying that if Nick is indeed the perpetrator, he was acting for pro-Trump political reasons, which is frankly unlikely and an odd and implausible thing to claim.
But he’s also extremely hypocritical.
Just a few months ago, in September, Charlie Kirk was murdered, and Trump and his MAGA regime went crazy over anyone who dared to say a critical word about Kirk. Trump called it “sick” and “deranged” that anyone could celebrate Kirk’s death and accused the “radical left” of rhetoric encouraging violence.
Vice President J.D. Vance channels his inner thoughts Scarlett O’Haraswore “with God be my witness“He will use the full power of the state to take down political ‘networks’ deemed terrorist. In reality, he is largely using the state to target people who vociferously oppose Trump.”
And if you think that maybe our president somehow truly cares about the well-being of all Americans, remember that Trump said he disagreed on a point when discussing Kirk. He claimed that Kirk forgave his enemies.
“This is where I disagree with Charlie,” Trump said. “I hate my opponent and I don’t want the best for them.”
There is such deep malice in Trump’s post about Reiner that even Major Taylor Greene objected. She was once Trump’s staunchest supporter, before he called her a traitor and gave his goon crew license to terrorize her with death threats.
“This is a family tragedy, not about politics or political enemies,” Greene said. wrote on social media. “Many families deal with a family member with drug addiction and mental health issues. This is incredibly difficult and should be met with empathy, especially when it results in murder.”
But Trump has made oppression the main issue. His need to dehumanize anyone who opposes him, including Reiner and even Greene, is what Reiner was warning us about.
Because when you allow people to be dehumanized, you stop caring about them, and Reiner wasn’t going to let us stop caring.
He saw the world with the eyes of an artist and the heart of a warrior; It was a powerful combination reflected in his films. challenged us believe in true loveput aside our sarcasmto be both silly And braveKnowing that both are crucial to a successful life.
This clarity from a man who commands not only our attention and respect, but also our hearts, is what drove Trump crazy and made Reiner such a potent threat to him. Republican or Democrat, his movies reminded us of what we have in common.
But it could happen Michael Douglas’ speech in 1995’s “American President” this is the most relevant at the moment. Douglas’s character, President Andrew Shepard, says: “America is advanced citizenship. You have to want it badly, because it will endure the struggle.”
Shepard’s rival, a man more driven by power than purpose, is “interested in two things, and two things only; making you afraid of ‘him’ and telling you who’s to blame for ‘him’.”
Sound familiar?
That our president felt the need to dispose of Reiner before his body was even buried would be a badge of honor for Reiner, an acknowledgment that Reiner’s warnings were important and that Reiner was a messenger to be reckoned with.
Reiner knew what improved citizenship meant, and he very much wanted democracy to survive.
If Trump’s praise bothers you the way it bothers me, then here’s what you can do about it: Vote in Reiner’s memory in November.
Your ballot is the rebuke Trump fears most.
And your vote is the most powerful way to honor a man who dedicated his life to reminding us that courage means having the courage to care.
