Thread by @MiekeEoyang

I find this Trump -Rep. Wilson - Kelly feud a sideshow. Let's be clear about what we know & move on:
1) Trump lacks empathy; <thread>

2) Trump probably shouldn't have called grieving families instead sending notes. It was fraught w/ peril given his personality 2/

3) Kelly tried to delicately tell him it was ok not to, since Obama hadn't called him and he meant that as no criticism 3/

4) Trump thought he could outdo Obama & called anyway. It's a delicate time for families & even most empathetic can be unwelcome. 4/

5) Rep. Wilson was in limo b/c family invited her there, and they wanted her to hear call. There's no shame in that. 5/

6) When Trump criticized Obama's handling of casualty calls, he opened the door to this conversation. Which is fraught. 6/

7) That Kelly had to describe his personal grief on national tv to try to put a lid on the President's behavior is sad beyond belief. 7/

8) That Kelly took swipes at Rep. Wilson in that appearance elongates & exacerbates the story. But it may have been what Trump needed. 8/

9) But most importantly, the incident demonstrates that Trump does not have the instincts of a normal commander in chief. 9/

10) Trump does not understand his responsibility to bind up the nation's wounds, or to command the military. 10/

11) Trump doesn't understand how to empathize w/people in distress or accurately evaluate effectiveness of administration's response. 11/

12) Trump politicizes the grief of those in service as a distraction from his personal failings. 12/

13) Trump remains disconnected from why soldiers were in Niger to begin with, whether their sacrifice was worth it, & his responsibility 13/

14) There are bigger questions at stake here, beyond the He-Said-She-Said-He-Said of a phone call. 14/

15) Should the US still be in Niger & what are we trying to accomplish there? Did we send them to battle unprepared? 15/

16) Can Trump perform the most basic functions of the Office? Or is he sowing division and conflict with every public appearance? 16/

17) Talking about Rep. Wilson & this phone call are focusing on the trivial to the exclusion of the profound. We do ourselves no favors. 17/

18) Stay focused on the things that matter. There are bigger, structural issues at stake. Ignore the shiny objects. 18/

19) Think about the way you want government to work, not just your outrage at the way it's working now. 19/

20) It's a government of the people. That's you. You have a say. Think about the big picture. Tune out the trivial. We can do this. <fin>