Day 696: Thin-skinned Trump wants to do away with the First Amendment because of SNL

The First Amendment is a bedrock principle in American society, with few others approaching its importance. Protections for speech, the press, religion and assembly are vital freedoms that few politicians have ever had the gall to even try to publicly infringe upon.

Until Donald Trump.

Upset about the press doing their jobs and reporting the various scandals and turmoil in the White House, Trump has gotten increasingly angry. The fact that so many of his former colleagues have ended up in legal jeopardy due to working for or with Trump has only thrown gasoline on the fire.

Apparently Saturday Night Live was another piece of wood, as they satirized It’s a Wonderful Life by imagining what the U.S. would look like if Trump was never elected president.

SNL has parodied Obama, both Bushes, Clinton, Reagan, Carter, Ford, Nixon and many, many lesser politicians and celebrities over the years. Trump’s thin skin can’t take it, however. (This despite hosting the show in both 2004 and 2015.)

Trump’s call to test the limits of parody and news coverage in courts will go nowhere, of course. However, even publicly calling for the stripping of Americans and the press of First Amendment rights is far beyond the pale.

Barack Obama, for instance, was mercilessly mocked, had racial epithets — veiled and unveiled — spewed in his direction, and had every move — from condiment choice to suit color — scrutinized like no one before him. Never once did he call for free speech rights or free press rights to be curtailed.

Trump has falsely claimed he doesn’t watch much TV, but at the same time is triggered by all of the coverage about him. The First Amendment protects such coverage, no matter what Trump’s feelings are about the subject.

696 days in, 766 to go

Follow us on Twitter at @TrumpTimer