Thumbs up: President Trump condemns anti-Semitic threats

Thumbs up: President Donald Trump added plenty of grist for the debate mill over the weekend with his continued attacks on the media, his incendiary tweets and his reference to a terrorist attack in Sweden “last night” - an attack that never happened. But we give him a thumbs up for finally taking a stand against a wave of anti-Semitic threats being made against Jewish community centers across the nation. “The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil,” Trump said after touring the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

But we also understand why many, including Steven Goldstein, executive director of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, would call his remarks “too little, too late.” The president has been less than aggressive in condemning the rise of bomb threats and other acts of anti-Semitism and was condescending and dismissive during his Thursday news conference when asked by a reporter from a Jewish newspaper about it.

Trump called the question by Jake Turx with the Jewish Orthodox Ami Magazine “repulsive” and “insulting.” He also expressed frustration that the reporter “said he was going to ask a very simple, easy question, and it’s not. It’s not a simple question, not a fair question.”

“So, here’s the story folks. Number one, I am the least anti-Semitic person that you’re ever seen in your entire life,” Trump continued. “Number two, racism. The least racist person.”

Hmm, OK. But that’s not what the reporter asked. And when Turx tried to ask a follow-up question, the president told him to be quiet and said he “lied” when he said he would ask a simple question. “Welcome to the world of the media,” he said.

But five days later, a president finally answered the question. Welcome to the world of Trump.