MSNBC’s Howard Fineman Gets Dragged for Comparing Obama’s ‘Ego’ to Trump’s: ‘Just Say Obama’s Uppity and Get it Over With’

MSNBC analyst Howard Fineman sparked intense backlash when he compared former President Barack Obama’s ego with that of President Donald Trump, on the basis of Obama’s lengthy first volume on his life and two-term presidency.

Just after midnight Monday, the very best time to tweet, Fineman declared himself an Obama fan before delivering his take on “A Promised Land” by Barack Obama.

“I’m an #Obama fan, but can’t help but noticing that he lectured #Trump about ego management on the eve of publishing a 700-page FIRST VOLUME of his own autobiography,” Fineman wrote.

I’m an #Obama fan, but can’t help but noticing that he lectured #Trump about ego management on the eve of publishing a 700-page FIRST VOLUME of his own autobiography.

— howardfineman (@howardfineman) November 17, 2020

That hot take got a chilly reception from media personalities and other verified Twitter users,

The utter ridiculousness of this statement. I am just unable to can. pic.twitter.com/wuqZLZovdA

— Dr. Avis (@SistahScholar) November 17, 2020

this is a bad tweet, a bad thought, just no.

— JEN KIRKMAN ??‍? (@JenKirkman) November 17, 2020

pic.twitter.com/Gg9DJmixW2

— Kidbehindacamera (@Lyricoldrap) November 17, 2020

Trump has pretended to coauthor more than a dozen books he probably hasn’t even read. What are you doing?

— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) November 17, 2020

Oh Howard, I was waiting on the “turn” to let me know that this tweet was a joke. So disappointing…

— Diallo Riddle (@diallo) November 17, 2020

God, just say Obama’s “uppity,” and get it over with Howie.

— Dennis Perkins (@DennisPerkins5) November 17, 2020

Howard… dear god, this is bad faith. Stop. https://t.co/tzPhnNSMlh

— Charlotte Clymer ?️‍? (@cmclymer) November 17, 2020

Well @howardfineman, at least @BarackObama wrote it. We know @realDonaldTrump can barely spell his name. https://t.co/e5tPaNa8sk

— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) November 17, 2020

Lmao, the difference being that he was one of the youngest American presidents, presided over the office for eight years, first black man to hold that position and is a brilliant academic to boot…. so. Nice hot take, brotado. But not really the same thing. https://t.co/dVXm3MXc3r

— Lisa Mishra (@LisaMishraMusic) November 17, 2020

Narrator: he could’ve helped but noticing it. https://t.co/5ebxfxI81T

— Tommy X-TrumpIsARacist-opher (@tommyxtopher) November 17, 2020

I’ll take “Things you say about a two-term president when you definitely don’t want to say ‘uppity'” for $500. https://t.co/5ebxfxI81T

— Tommy X-TrumpIsARacist-opher (@tommyxtopher) November 17, 2020

And there was one dude who agreed with Fineman.

Seems like kind of a fair point to me!

— Dan O’Sullivan (@Bro_Pair) November 17, 2020

Fineman’s comment was in response to an exchange between the former president and CBS News’ Scott Pelley on 60 Minutes, in which Pelley asked “What is your advice in this moment for President Trump?”

“Well, a president is a public servant. They are temporary occupants of the office, by design. And when your time is up then it is your job to put the country first and think beyond your own ego, and your own interests, and your own disappointments. My advice to President Trump is, if you want at this late stage in the game to be remembered as somebody who put country first, it’s time for you to do the same thing,” Obama told Pelley, triggering Fineman.

Watch the clip above via CBS News.

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