When New York Daily News Executive Editor Rich O’Malley announced he was leaving his job after 11 years, he decided to forgo the usual farewell email message, using his Twitter feed to offer one last warning about President-elect Donald Trump.
O’Malley’s Twitter messages — 23 in total — started off with the usual thanks to his wife and colleagues. But soon, the valedictory messages took an unexpected detour.
“We can pretend this all isn’t as bad as it seems. That it will turn around. That it’s just for show. Or we can be realistic,” O’Malley tweeted. “The man who will be our President will never hear the better angels of our national psyche. It is clear. He & advisers have an agenda // to remake us as antiquated vision of what America should be.”
O’Malley went on to write, “Do what u can. Use your brain &/or your time. Acquiescence emboldens the worst of them. Cowards using “power” as hate-justification.”
O’Malley also referenced Trump’s Twitter tirade against CNN on Monday, which included a retweet of a 16-year-old boy from California, and was the subject of a “Saturday Night Live” cold open sketch.
“PeOTUS is manually retweeting 16-yr-olds to scold the media for not disproving a lie. My God. Wait until that’s coming from @potus,” O’Malley wrote, referencing the official presidential Twitter account. “We’re facing stupidity/hate/fear as never before.”
Before concluding his rant, O’Malley left his followers a stern warning: “At best, PeOTUS thinks this is a game show. But the parting gifts are shitty. And you don’t wanna know what ‘at worst’ looks like.”
According to Daily News’ rival the New York Post, O’Malley, one of the paper’s top editors, applied for a voluntary buyout package amid “swirling” rumors the paper is planning involuntary layoffs.
The man who will be our President will never hear the better angels of our national psyche. It is clear. He & advisers have an agenda. 11/
— Rich O'Malley (@RichOMalley) December 6, 2016
Do what u can. Use your brain &/or your time. Acquiescence emboldens the worst of them. Cowards using “power” as hate-justification. 13/
— Rich O'Malley (@RichOMalley) December 6, 2016
PeOTUS is manually retweeting 16-yr-olds to scold the media for not disproving a lie. My God. Wait until that’s coming from @potus 14/
— Rich O'Malley (@RichOMalley) December 6, 2016
That’s where we are. & why next steps are so important. I feel blessed to have some time to consider mine. Consider your own, carefully. 16/
— Rich O'Malley (@RichOMalley) December 6, 2016
At best, PeOTUS thinks this is a game show. But the parting gifts are shitty. And you don’t wanna know what “at worst” looks like. 18/
— Rich O'Malley (@RichOMalley) December 6, 2016
.@shaunking @sarahkendzior @brosandprose @parkermolloy @summerbrennan were sounding alarms while most laughed at novelty. Follow them. 20/
— Rich O'Malley (@RichOMalley) December 6, 2016
I don’t know how to fix anything. But I’m thinking about it. I’m not going away. I’ll be around. If you think I can help, look me up. 22/
— Rich O'Malley (@RichOMalley) December 6, 2016
I will miss the hell out of @nydailynews. But I am hopeful to find a new purpose. What’s next? It starts now. Maybe it starts with you? –30–
— Rich O'Malley (@RichOMalley) December 6, 2016