As Trump was classlessly remembering Aretha Franklin as a former employee, Barack and Michelle Obama released a beautiful statement reflecting on the impact that the Queen of Soul had on our world.
Former president and First Lady Obama said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA:
America has no royalty. But we do have a chance to earn something more enduring. Born in Memphis and raised in Detroit, Aretha Franklin grew up performing gospel songs in her father’s congregation. For more than six decades since, every time she sang, we were all graced with a glimpse of the divine. Through her compositions and unmatched musicianship, Aretha helped define the American experience. In her voice, we could feel our history, all of it and in every shade—our power and our pain, our darkness and our light, our quest for redemption and our hard-won respect. She helped us feel more connected to each other, more hopeful, more human. And sometimes she helped us just forget about everything else and dance.
Aretha may have passed on to a better place, but the gift of her music remains to inspire us all. May the Queen of Soul rest in eternal peace. Michelle and I send our prayers and warmest sympathies to her family and all those moved by her song.
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Compare the beauty and grace of the Obamas to Trump saying that Franklin once worked for him, and the White House ghost tweeting:
The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, is dead. She was a great woman, with a wonderful gift from God, her voice. She will be missed!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2018
It is hard to believe, but it was less than two years that we had a president and first lady who didn’t ghost tweet generic statements but offered dignity, grace, unity, and beauty in moments of national sadness.
Trump may hold the same office, but he will never be able to match the class of Barack and Michelle Obama.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
