President Donald Trump reacts as Alice Johnson, an inmate whose life sentence was commuted thanks in part to the efforts of Kim Kardashian West, right, thanks the media while speaking at the 2019 Prison Reform Summit and First Step Act Celebration in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, April 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
President Donald Trump has achieved a lot during his time in office, from an amazing economy to a generation of conservative judges, and all the while under constant pressure from media and the Democrats.
Perhaps the Trump achievement that in some ways is the most heartwarming is what he’s done on criminal justice reform because you can see the joy of the people who are freed, like that of Alice Johnson.
He championed the criminal justice reform of the First Step Act and brought together such disparate people as Jared Kushner and Van Jones to make it happen, earning praise from both sides of the aisle.
When Trump ran an ad during the Super Bowl last night about Johnson and criminal justice reform, it was very effective because it was both touching and true, in Johnson’s own words.
Most people loved it. But folks on the left immediately attacked it because they have to attack everything associated with Trump. Some apparently thought Kim Kardashian waved a magic wand and got her out, apparently without any help from Trump, despite Johnson explicitly thanking Trump in the ad and tweeting the ad yesterday. Apparently, the fact that only Trump has pardoning/commutation powers for federal prisoners was lost on them.
Two Super Bowls ago I was sitting in a prison cell.
Today I am a free woman and my story was featured in a Super Bowl Ad.
I will spend the rest of my life fighting for the wrongly and unjustly convicted!
God Bless America! pic.twitter.com/CGSyk54O37
— Alice Marie Johnson (@AliceMarieFree) February 3, 2020
How DARE Trump take credit for freeing Alice Johnson. THAT WAS KIM KARDASHIAN THE WORLD WILL NOT FORGET
— Sam Rullo (@SamRullo) February 2, 2020
Did Donald Trump just take credit for Kim Kardashian’s attempt at Prison Reform in freeing Alice Johnson? pic.twitter.com/216dFCYsro
— BROchella (@iambobby) February 2, 2020
How DARE Trump take credit for freeing Alice Johnson after he freed Alice Johnson!
— Cass Rutledge – Text TRUMP to 88022 (@papa_joe7686) February 3, 2020
That Trump commercial was sickening. #SuperBowl #SuperBowlLIV #SuperBowl2020
— Ron Waxman 🏳️🌈 (@RonWaxman) February 3, 2020
I’ve already seen 3 tweets saying it was a good ad and I am not even watching. But that’s concerning. 🤦🏽♀️
— Tami Sawyer (@tamisawyer) February 3, 2020
I’m sure it is concerning to Democrats.
The DNC, realizing that the ad may have reached tens of millions of people because it’s the Super Bowl, immediately blasted off an email calling it a “lie.”
During the 1st quarter of the #SuperBowl @POTUS @realDonaldTrump aired an ad entirely of Alice Johnson in her own words thanking President Trump for his efforts on criminal justice reform – below is the email DNC chair @TomPerez just sent. Who’s the liar here? #SuperBowl2020 pic.twitter.com/nmvSt3WT5n
— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) February 3, 2020
Really? Are they calling Alice Johnson a liar? What’s a lie about it? The ad didn’t say the First Step Act freed Johnson, said it freed thousands like her, which is completely true. Here’s even Van Jones giving credit where credit is due.
But here’s why it’s concerning them. It resonates.
Bloodless verdict of the audience:
Trump Superbowl ad (Alice Johnson) 2:1 positive to negative
Bloomberg ad (gun control) 1:3 positive to negativehttps://t.co/PVdOAuBmQ6
— Ken Moore, Beat Cancer, Dismantling Confusopolies (@KenatGV) February 3, 2020
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