Because we live in The Twilight Zone now, the media cycle today — which, of course, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day — is currently being dominated by President Donald Trump having allegedly asked why our country allows people from "shithole" countries to come here. The comments have launched a debate as to whether the President of the United States is racist, and placed media outlets around the nation in the uniquely 2018 quandary of having to decide whether to repeat the vulgarity or censor it as "s-hole" (we are #TeamShithole). This ridiculous media cycle follows last week's ridiculous media cycle, in which Trump declared himself to be a "very stable genius" on Twitter, igniting a serious debate as to whether the President of the United States is sane or not. God, this is exhausting.
Anyway, today 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney — remember him? — took to Twitter to condemn Trump's comments and invoke Dr. King. "The poverty of an aspiring immigrant’s nation of origin is as irrelevant as their race. The sentiment attributed to POTUS is inconsistent [with] America’s history and antithetical to American values," he wrote. "May our memory of Dr. King buoy our hope for unity, greatness, & 'charity for all.'"
The poverty of an aspiring immigrant’s nation of origin is as irrelevant as their race. The sentiment attributed to POTUS is inconsistent w/ America’s history and antithetical to American values. May our memory of Dr. King buoy our hope for unity, greatness, & “charity for all.”
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) January 15, 2018
It's not the first time Romney has criticized Trump over racist comments. In August, following Trump's assertions that the violent clash between white supremacists and protesters in Charlottesville were perpetuated by "hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides," Romney called out the attempt at making a moral equivalence. "No, not the same. One side is racist, bigoted, Nazi," he wrote. "The other opposed racism and bigotry. Morally different universes."
No, not the same. One side is racist, bigoted, Nazi. The other opposes racism and bigotry. Morally different universes.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) August 16, 2017
Trump denied making the "shithole" comment and told reporters, in his typical propensity for extremes, that he is "the least racist person you have ever interviewed." Romney is widely believed to be considering running for Utah's Senate seat.
