Though the political divide in America seemingly grows wider every day, occasionally someone comes along who manages to unintentionally unite the country — even if for only a brief moment.
One such moment happened just last week when The New York Times columnist David Brooks took to the Twitter machine to share a photo of the meal he was having at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Pictured was a small platter that contained a hamburger, crinkle fries, a tomato slice and greens, empty ketchup packets, and what undoubtedly was an alcoholic beverage on the rocks, though it wasn’t known at the time what kind.
Unlike most people who share photos of what they’re eating on social media, Brooks didn’t post the photo to brag. He was upset over the cost of the meal and wanted people to know about it.
“This meal just cost me $78 at Newark Airport,” Brooks tweeted. “This is why Americans think the economy is terrible.”
While most travelers who have flown know that eating at the airport has never been cheap, even when the economy has been good, the tweet — which went viral for all the wrong reasons — rubbed many folks the wrong way. It also came across as tone-deaf considering how many average Americans are struggling when it comes to being able to pay for basic grocery items for their families.
Further, something was off to a lot of people who read what Brooks wrote.
Did that hamburger and fries really cost him $78? Or was that alcoholic beverage that drove up the tab?
Twitter sleuths figured out which restaurant Brooks ate at that day, 1911 Smoke House BBQ, and along with it the menu. A typical burger and fries meal there costs around $18.
In other words, it wasn’t Brooks’ food that was so expensive; it was likely the drink — or drinks — he had.
The restaurant confirmed as much in a New York Post interview, telling them Brooks probably had “two doubles,” which they said would cost around $28 each.
On Facebook, 1911 Smoke House BBQ had fun with it.
“Looks like someone was knocking back some serious drinks,” they noted. “Bar tab was almost 80% and he’s complaining about the cost of his meal — keep drinking buddy — we get paid off everything.”
They later hilariously added the “David Brooks Special” to their menu, which was a hamburger, fries and a double shot of whiskey for $18.
As of this writing, Brooks’ original tweet has more than 38 million views and counting. Nearly every comment you read in response to it has a similar message, which, to paraphrase, says something along the lines of “How out of touch can one person possibly get?”
For Brooks, the sky was the limit on that front.
But two days after he posted it, a suitably contrite Brooks appeared on “PBS NewsHour” where he was asked about the massive backlash to his remarks.
In response, he pointed out that he had originally intended for it to be a joke about how he was having a “bourbon and a very fattening hamburger and fries” and couldn’t “afford to make bad lifestyle choices.”
Brooks went on to say, “The problem with the tweet, which I wrote so stupidly, was that it made it seem like I was oblivious (to the) sticker shock (that people) living paycheck to paycheck (often go through).”
“I was insensitive. I screwed up,” he later admitted. “I should not have written that tweet. I probably should not write any tweets.”
Truth be told, if people spent more time off Twitter than on it, the world would be a much better place. It’s just too bad that statements like that don’t unite people in agreement in the same way tweeters embarrassing themselves on the social media platform do.
North Carolina native Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah and is a media analyst and regular contributor to RedState and Legal Insurrection.