Barack Obama Tweeted Out Reminders To Stay Safe During Thanksgiving In 2020
Thanksgiving Day is here, and for many Americans, this usually means a couple of things: gathering with loved ones, feasting on delicious food, and (probably) engaging in arguments with family members over politics. Considering one of the country's most contentious presidential elections took place only a few weeks ago, it might be nice to know that a little political civility is still possible. President Barack Obama's Thanksgiving 2020 tweet gave some handy non-partisan advice, calling for the American people to listen to the experts when it came to celebrating the holidays during the pandemic.
"Let’s all do our part this Thanksgiving to keep people safe and healthy," the former president stated in a tweet just before the Thanksgiving holiday, encouraging the public to wear a mask and celebrate with loved ones virtually, if possible. "As always, listen to the experts. The choices you make could save lives," he added.
His tweet is a breath of fresh air after a wild and contentious election season, during which President Donald Trump continually downplayed the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic — which has already claimed the lives of over 262,000 Americans, per the New York Times. In the months before the election, Obama supported his former vice president (and forever bud) Joe Biden over Trump.
The Thanksgiving post is in line with Obama's willingness to be sincere and honest in public. During his Jan. 10, 2017 farewell address, the former president issued a sweet statement to the current President-elect, saying, "To Joe Biden, the scrappy kid from Scranton who became Delaware’s favorite son: you were the first decision I made as a nominee and the best. Not just because you have been a great vice president, but because in the bargain, I gained a brother."
The friendship between Obama and Biden is more than just a working one, and goes well beyond professional obligation. Near the end of his second term in 2017, the former president surprised Biden by awarding him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction — also known as the highest honor a civilian can achieve in America. Obama described Biden as "the best vice president America's ever had," and joked about giving the internet "one last chance" to talk about their "bromance."
Now that Biden has won the 2020 presidential election (despite current President Donald Trump's best efforts), it looks like the internet will have plenty more chances to bring up that bromance once again.
