The news that former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort — and one of his aides — have been indicted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller for charges including conspiracy against the United States and money laundering has resulted in a lot of schadenfreude among denizens of Twitter. In perhaps the most telling instance of said behavior, former FBI director James Comey (whose firing lead to Mueller being named Special Counsel) subtweeted the White House with some well-timed shade from his quasi-secret account.
In the tweet in question, Comey quotes Reinhold Niebuhr, the American theologian, firm anti-Nazi, ethicist, and political commentator who inspired Comey’s Twitter display name. “Man’s capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man’s inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary,” he wrote. Last week, in revealing that he was behind the account, Comey pledged that he “will try to tweet in useful ways.”
“Man’s capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man’s inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.” Reinhold Niebuhr
— James Comey (@Comey) October 30, 2017
It’s certainly not the first time that Comey has subtweeted Trump. Though not as obvious as his latest tweet, Comey invoked the Serenity Prayer, (“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference”) also written by Niebuhr, last week.
Since it happened on Twitter, a few reactions to Comey’s tweet ranged from supportive to critical.
do another motivational quote if the pee tape is real https://t.co/bHqLmhf60c
— bryson (@Bryson_M) October 30, 2017
Too bad Niebuhr never said anything about how FBI directors shouldn't mess with democracy by issuing statements right before election. https://t.co/5QjDCAIPE7
— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) October 30, 2017