SECONDNEXUS
percolately
georgetakei
comicsands
George's Readsaretha franklin
Top stories
Barack and Michelle Obama Just Posted Powerful Tributes to Aretha Franklin, and People Are Getting Emotional
We're not crying, you're crying.
Former President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama tweeted touching tributes to soul legend Aretha Franklin, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 76 after battling pancreatic cancer.
"May the Queen of Soul rest in eternal peace."
The 44th president said Franklin, whose voice resonated behind the Civil Rights movement, "helped define the American experience."
"In her voice, we could feel our history, all of it and in every shade—our power and our pain, our darkness and our light, our quest for redemption and our hard-won respect," Obama wrote.
Aretha helped define the American experience. In her voice, we could feel our history, all of it and in every shade… https://t.co/hUcQpbdydq— Barack Obama (@Barack Obama) 1534437078.0
Obama also posted to Facebook.
"America has no royalty," the former president wrote. "But we do have a chance to earn something more enduring."
"She will forever be our Queen of Soul."
The former FLOTUS said listening to Franklin "made time stand still," and that she and her husband "are holding Aretha’s family in our hearts right now."
Watching Aretha Franklin perform at the White House, and on so many other occasions, made time stand still.… https://t.co/dtwEFdLxWI— Michelle Obama (@Michelle Obama) 1534437889.0
President Donald Trump also recognized Franklin's passing on Twitter.
The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, is dead. She was a great woman, with a wonderful gift from God, her voice. She will be missed!— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1534433786.0
A few hours later following a cabinet meeting, Trump managed to make Frankin's death about him, adding that Franklin had "worked for me on numerous occasions." Yes, really.
Here's the video of Trump saying that Aretha Franklin "worked for me on numerous occasions. She was terrific." Does… https://t.co/qnS5hHPKiO— Kyle Griffin (@Kyle Griffin) 1534442126.0
Twitter responded to the Obamas' tributes with reverence and grief.
"Please come back."
@BarackObama Please come back. Love, America— James Parkley (@James Parkley) 1534437191.0
@BarackObama Miss you— Katrina Kaif (@Katrina Kaif) 1534437126.0
"This tweet is poetry. Both of your voices are missed."
@BarackObama This tweet is poetry. Both of your voices are missed.— tuna (@tuna) 1534437356.0
"You are true class."
@BarackObama You are true class. We miss you! Come back and save us from evil Cheeto.— Tommy Campbell (@Tommy Campbell) 1534437146.0
"And that fabulous hat!"
@MichelleObama @BarackObama And that fabulous hat!! ❤️🙏 https://t.co/a2Nr5uqDuV— Pam Berry (@Pam Berry) 1534438051.0
@MichelleObama @BarackObama https://t.co/y8ozuldcEf— julie brown (@julie brown) 1534438239.0
@MichelleObama @BarackObama https://t.co/Q07QXjwJms— Marie of Roumania (@Marie of Roumania) 1534437993.0
@MichelleObama @BarackObama Thank you for showing the love we all feel towards Aretha Franklin.— kdiamond (@kdiamond) 1534437958.0
Here's how Hillary Clinton honored Franklin.
Mourning the loss today of @ArethaFranklin who shared her spirit and talent with the world. She deserves not only o… https://t.co/a5lZIFYMCL— Hillary Clinton (@Hillary Clinton) 1534430320.0
Replies to Trump, on the other hand, were far less cordial.
"Cold."
@realDonaldTrump “Is dead” seems so... cold?— Becca (@Becca) 1534433907.0
@realDonaldTrump You could have said she passed away gosh— Jordan (@Jordan) 1534440685.0
@realDonaldTrump Your words of “condolence” sound like a third grader reading a report in front of the class during Black History Week.— TekKwenePhD (@TekKwenePhD) 1534440669.0
@SliceOfPiDesign @realDonaldTrump Since when do you write “she is dead” when you try to write a condolence message?… https://t.co/HbNtdkeuJe— Eddy Sarmiento (@Eddy Sarmiento) 1534441209.0
"You won't be missed." Ouch.
@realDonaldTrump Another funeral from which you will be disinvited.....— Geo Steve (@Geo Steve) 1534442193.0
@realDonaldTrump In other words, you don't really care but felt you had to say something to look like you're keepin… https://t.co/iYRm2Un8AW— BoatRocker (@BoatRocker) 1534441030.0
Oh, Donald.
@realDonaldTrump You're racist still— Hank (@Hank) 1534433825.0
@realDonaldTrump She dedicated her life to civil rights. TAKE HER NAME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, you white supremacist pie… https://t.co/UrqLxHJxM7— Stefanie Iris Weiss 🔥 (@Stefanie Iris Weiss 🔥) 1534433940.0
@realDonaldTrump YOU don't get to talk about Aretha. She had the very thing you lack: #SOUL You don't GET to cal… https://t.co/UQaMGsG636— Eddie Muddy (@Eddie Muddy) 1534442269.0
@realDonaldTrump Don't tweet about her EVER again.— Blazing💥💫 (@Blazing💥💫) 1534433865.0
Awkward.