By Mark Rhoads –
Many Republicans like myself wish that President Donald Trump would keep off Twitter because his early morning tweets so often create new self-inflicted problems and distractions for parts of his policy agenda that we agree with.
I don't defend Trump's personal attacks on Twitter, but I do think some context might help provide historical perspective. Other presidents have also been very insecure about media criticism such as LBJ and Richard Nixon. But an Illinois native once sparked the personal intemperate anger of President Harry Truman.
Paul Hume grew up in La Grange, Illinois and graduated from Lyons Township High School in 1933 and from the University of Chicago in 1937. Hume was a famous music critic for The Washington Post for 36 years. In 1950 Hume made President Harry Truman very angry when he wrote a bad review of the singing of Margaret Truman, the president's daughter.
President Truman wrote a hot letter to Hume on official White House stationery that stated in part: "I just read your lousy review buried in the back pages of the Post. Westbrook Pegler, a guttersnipe, is a man comparable to you. If I ever meet you on the street, you're going to need a new nose job and a supporter below."
Just imagine what Harry might have done with a Twitter account if that had existed in 1950. Would Trump look tame by comparison?
