How Obama 's note to Trump defied history . 
This was a segue to Obama 's bigger point that since most Americans do not start life on third base , it was important for President Trump to "build more ladders of success" for hardworking people who were not as fortunate as both recent Presidents have been . 
So , what did this unorthodox President think of what Obama had to say ? 
Shortly after his Inauguration , Trump shared with the public not only that he had received a "beautiful" letter from Obama but that he would "cherish" it . 
The tone of the inauguration day letter from outgoing President Barack Obama to President-elect Donald J. Trump , released Sunday , belongs to a different tradition , the modern presidential ritual of leaving private notes behind in the Oval Office desk as a parting gesture to its next occupant . 
And Trump 's rejection of the spirit of Obama 's letter does not seem to be just a matter of philosophy or politics , it seems personal . 
While reflective of this tradition , Obama 's "Dear Mr. President" letter is a departure from the billet doux of his recent predecessors -- truly unusual in the sweep of recent history . 
Less than two months later , Trump tweeted that Obama was a "Bad -LRB- or sick -RRB- guy ." 
While longer , and characteristic of different aspects of the man -LRB- President Obama , Professor Obama and the private Barack Obama -RRB- , the letter is also very much a product of the tumult of the 2016 election . 
Speaking historically , it seems inconceivable that any previous modern President would have felt the need , as President Obama did , to remind his successor of his role as caretaker of our democratic institutions and of the importance of the rule of law . 
And yet , having seen candidate Trump 's repeated stirring of anti-constitutional passions -- his attacks on Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel , his vow to "lock up" his opponent , his avowed skepticism of the First Amendment -- Obama must have had one eye on history and the other on Trump when implicitly warning him of where these dark forces might lead . 
From Reagan through Obama , five Presidents from both major parties shared a commitment to more open markets and borders and , to a varying extent , cultural exchange . 
Obama 's letter , by implication , asked President Trump to think twice before doing it . 
In spite of these soft warnings , President Obama kept the letter nonpartisan , avoiding any mention of specific policy issues -- the right to affordable health care , the significance of climate change or the importance of not turning our backs on the Dreamers .
This was a segue to [TGT] 's bigger point that since most Americans do not start life on third base , it was important for President Trump to "build more ladders of success" for hardworking people who were not as fortunate as both recent Presidents have been . 
So , what did this unorthodox President think of what [TGT] had to say ? 
Shortly after his Inauguration , Trump shared with the public not only that he had received a "beautiful" letter from [TGT] but that he would "cherish" it . 
The tone of the inauguration day letter from outgoing President Barack Obama to President-elect Donald J. Trump , released Sunday , belongs to a different tradition , the modern presidential ritual of leaving private notes behind in the Oval Office desk as a parting gesture to its next occupant . 
And Trump 's rejection of the spirit of [TGT] 's letter does not seem to be just a matter of philosophy or politics , it seems personal . 
While reflective of this tradition , [TGT] 's "Dear Mr. President" letter is a departure from the billet doux of his recent predecessors -- truly unusual in the sweep of recent history . 
Less than two months later , Trump tweeted that [TGT] was a "Bad -LRB- or sick -RRB- guy ." 
While longer , and characteristic of different aspects of the man -LRB- President Obama , Professor [TGT] and the private Barack Obama -RRB- , the letter is also very much a product of the tumult of the 2016 election . 
Speaking historically , it seems inconceivable that any previous modern President would have felt the need , as [TGT] did , to remind [TGT] successor of [TGT] role as caretaker of our democratic institutions and of the importance of the rule of law . 
And yet , having seen candidate Trump 's repeated stirring of anti-constitutional passions -- his attacks on Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel , his vow to "lock up" his opponent , his avowed skepticism of the First Amendment -- Obama must have had one eye on history and the other on Trump when implicitly warning him of where these dark forces might lead . 
From Reagan through [TGT] , five Presidents from both major parties shared a commitment to more open markets and borders and , to a varying extent , cultural exchange . 
[TGT] 's letter , by implication , asked President Trump to think twice before doing it . 
In spite of these soft warnings , [TGT] kept the letter nonpartisan , avoiding any mention of specific policy issues -- the right to affordable health care , the significance of climate change or the importance of not turning our backs on the Dreamers .