David Axelrod Defends Trump’s Widely Criticized Trip to the Links: ‘Hypocritical’ to Bash Him if You Defended Obama Golfing

President Donald Trump’s trip to the golf course Saturday came under intense criticism, with the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus pandemic approaching 100,000. But he did get one highly usual bit of support from a man who has been a fierce critic.

In a pair of tweets Saturday, David Axelrod — a senior political commentator for CNN who served as chief campaign strategist for former President Barack Obama — defended Trump from criticism over his hitting the links.

“I don’t often defend this @POTUS but I don’t begrudge him a round of golf,” Axelrod wrote. “Besides, it gives the rest of us a respite from those crazy tweets!”

I don’t often defend this @POTUS but I don’t begrudge him a round of golf.
Besides, it gives the rest of us a respite from those crazy tweets!

— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) May 23, 2020

Axelrod did concede that Trump was hypocritical in the past for having attacked Obama for playing golf. But, he argued, it is equally disingenuous for those who defended Obama then to attack Trump now.

“Yes, it’s hypocritical for @realDonaldTrump to have attacked @BarackObama for seeking some relief from the pressures of the presidency on the golf course when Trump has logged many more rounds,” Axelrod wrote. “It’s also hypocritical to attack Trump for it now if you defended Obama then.”

Yes, it’s hypocritical for @realDonaldTrump to have attacked @BarackObama for seeking some relief from the pressures of the presidency on the golf course when Trump has logged many more rounds.
It’s also hypocritical to attack Trump for it now if you defended Obama then. https://t.co/c1vjuRq9E1

— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) May 23, 2020

Axelrod’s take came under criticism from Democrats who believe the nature of the current crisis, plus Trump’s past attacks on Obama, make the president’s Saturday golf trip out of bounds.

I don’t begrudge his golfing, I begrudge the hypocrisy he is flagrantly displaying since he attacked @BarackObama for golfing during #Ebola https://t.co/14a57XWaU5

— Kurt Bardella (@kurtbardella) May 24, 2020

I have a lot of respect for David Axelrod and his many accomplishments but…

Everything wrong about the Democratic party is contained in this tweet.

And equally important, there was absolutely no need for this tweet. https://t.co/lwtxtNOHJ4

— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) May 23, 2020

This is a bad take. The president’s behavior is indefensible. https://t.co/6UuUpk72Qc

— Molly Cantrell-Kraig ? (@mckra1g) May 23, 2020

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