We Are Being Ruled by Cruel Villains

Every single thing I read all day every day about Donald Trump and his coterie of vile miscreants, makes me despair. And yet there is something about this, the petty cruelty of it, how profoundly unnecessary and personally abusive it is, that takes my breath away: Trump Team Marks 6-Month Election Anniversary by Vowing to Air Video of Clinton Campaign's Concession Call.

On Tuesday, Dan Scavino, the White House director of social media, celebrated the six-month anniversary of the election by tweeting a screen grab of the late night phone call in which Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton called to concede to Republican candidate Donald Trump. Scavino promised to share video of the conversation, which he said came via a Nov. 9 phone call at 2:30 a.m. from longtime Clinton aide Huma Abedin to Trump's then-campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway.

Scavino did not respond to an email asking when he plans to reveal the clip. He posted the message on his personal account rather than his official White House Twitter page.

I have no doubt that, should Scavino decide to publicly air the message, Abedin, and thus Hillary Clinton, would come out of it looking like the gracious, thoughtful people we know them to be.

I also imagine that Clinton has literally no response besides the most elaborate eyeroll it is possible for the human body to conjure.

Clinton is not, however, the only, or even primary, target. It's her supporters. It's designed to humiliate and hurt us; to remind us that we didn't win. (As if we could possibly have forgotten.) To other us.

That is a profoundly disturbing position for a president, or any member of his administration, to take—that his opponent's supporters must be punished and shamed and harmed. That we must be reminded he has no loyalty to us or our needs.

It is a despicable act to even suggest, because of the message it conveys, irrespective of whether the message ever gets publicly played.

I am just really exhausted, in a way I've never been before, at witnessing the relentless cruelty of the Trump administration day after day.

— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) May 9, 2017

I ache at the sadistic impulses of this administration. I hate every minute of it.

Their malice grinds at me, but also beckons my resolve to be a sentinel for my values. If there comes a day when all I am left able to write with each sunrise is "I hate Donald Trump," I will be here, doing it.

[H/T to Leah McElrath.]