Dallas Police Chief David Brown’s rousing and moving speech at the Dallas memorial for fallen officers has the Twitterverse talking: Should David Brown run for president? (Or maybe he should be someone’s running mate. Are you listening, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump?)
There’s even a Twitter handle on the idea: #DavidBrownForPresident
After all, it’s well known that the two presumptive nominees – Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are wildly unpopular with some. CNN reported in May that “both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are extraordinarily unpopular,” citing polling that showed 64 percent of American voters did not consider either one of them honest or trustworthy.
In contrast to the divisiveness of America’s politics, it’s Brown who’s emerged as a national figure of unity in a divided nation, an African-American police chief who, when asked how to bridge the gap between “black and blue,” told The New York Times, “I’ve been black a long time, so it’s not much of a bridge for me.” People on Twitter say they like the fact that Brown seems authentic and humanistic while authoritative.
At this point, presuming people are serious, Brown would have to be written in; in order to run for president, a candidate has to meet ballot access rules and deadlines unless chosen by a party that has already satisfied the requirements. Of course, there’s always vice president, with both Trump and Clinton gearing up to round out their tickets and floating unorthodox names of non-politicians – a lieutenant general, an admiral.
When Brown speaks about police and shootings, his words come from a deeply personal place. Brown’s son of the same name “killed a police officer six years ago before being fatally shot himself,” said USA Today. Brown’s son died in a shootout with police in suburban Dallas while “reportedly on drugs,” noted USA Today. Brown, a 30-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department, also “lost a brother and a partner to violence,” said the newspaper. And now he’s lost four from his force in one day (as well as an officer with the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system).
Brown for President talk, whether serious or wishful thinking, became even more of a buzz after’s Brown’s memorial speech in Dallas on July 12, which was widely praised, and in which he delivered memorable quotes that have many calling the speech a history making one. He filled much of the speech with Stevie Wonder lyrics:
And he delivered lines like this one:
Watch the full speech here:
At “podiums and press conferences” since the mass shooting, Brown has been “eloquent and resolute,” said The Fort Worth Star Telegram.
Here’s what people are saying on Twitter about a Brown run for president: