Twitter picks Dallas police chief David Brown for a presidential run

In the face of unspeakable tragedy, Dallas Police Chief David Brown has won over America with his grace, passion and gentle humour.

Now Twitter wants the man who received death threats just after the fatal shooting of five of his police officers by Micah Johnson to run for president.

Brown told the media earlier that he had received death threats directed at himself and his family "almost immediately after" Friday's slayings. The Dallas police chief earlier defended the use of a Northrop Grumman tactical robot to kill the gunman.

He said it hadn't been an ethical dilemma for him, and he would "do it again to save our officers' lives".

During a news conference late yesterday morning, Brown fielded questions for nearly an hour, admitting he was so exhausted - "running on fumes" - that he was having trouble remembering things.

He said he was hugging officers whenever he could. He gave blunt answers to questions about race: "I've been black a long time, man."

And he spoke about his officers living on crummy salaries (US$44,000 to start in Dallas, about NZ$60,607) while society placed more and more burdens on them: drug addiction, failures in mental health treatment, even stray dogs.

The nomination process immediately commenced.

There was this Lady Gaga tweet and reply:

I fully intend to write in David Brown for President of the United States this fall. #leadership #Election2016

— Catherine Pasquale (@Mamapas) July 11, 2016

His delegates piled up.

.@DPDChief I'm torn between "David Brown for president" and not wanting you to leave Dallas.

— Rebecca Stevenson (@becki_stevenson) July 11, 2016

I nominate Dallas Police Chief, David Brown, for President.
That is one good dude.

— Adam Legas (@Adam_Legas) July 11, 2016

So wish we had a voice like Dallas Police Chief David Brown running for president. Wisdom and Integrity in the time of crisis.

— Deanna (@ldgermany312) July 11, 2016

Dallas Police Chief David Brown for President. Of anything.

— karey mackin (@mackinink) July 11, 2016

His support seemed bipartisan:

I'd like to officially nominate Dallas Police Chief David Brown as the Republican AND Democratic candidate for President.

— CQ (@ConspiracyQuean) July 11, 2016

Even political commentators and reporters got behind the idea:

David Brown for President

— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) July 11, 2016

David Brown for president

— Ron Fournier (@ron_fournier) July 11, 2016

Brown certainly has a compelling life story to tell from the stump.

His brother, son and former partner have been killed. He knows what victims go through. And he knows how to lead.

"There are some people who would just shut down, and they would have others conducting the interviews," Keith Humphrey, the police chief of Norman, Oklahoma, told my colleague Theresa Vargas.

"But that is not David. He realised the community wants to hear from him. The nation wants to hear from him."

And he was brutally honest about what people could do to help.

"Get off that protest line," he said, "and put an application in."

I would vote for Chief David Brown for president. This man GETS IT.

— Coach (@Parkabba) July 11, 2016