Thread by @brianklaas

1. Yesterday, Trump retweeted a series of bigots, conspiracy theorists and white nationalists and then said he supports a totalitarian dictator who murders people for sport & threatens to nuke the US.

The main headlines today are about the Kentucky Derby and Biden. That’s crazy.

2. Trump is banking on scandal and outrage fatigue to end any sense of accountability for his words or actions. For example, he retweeted a woman yesterday who defends Neo-Nazis and thinks women aren’t fit for leadership positions. People off Twitter should be made aware of that.

3. It’s sort of like the coverage of Trump’s speeches. He lies dozens of times in them. *That* should be the headline. As @ddale8 has pointed out, in historic terms, the sheer dishonesty is the most striking part of his speeches. But that is never the headline the day after.

4. When Trump amplifies racists, or praises murderous dictators, or endorses crackpot conspiracy theorists who are also bigots, it has to be covered as though Obama or Bush had done the same. Otherwise, it’s acceptance, the idea that it’s not even newsworthy any longer.

5. That is how authoritarianism takes root, too. The press—and citizens—grow used to dangerous new normals to the point that the leader can ratchet up the behavior or actions that they can get away with. That’s happening right now under Trump. And he’s getting away with it.