September 2, 2022

Why did Biden use "Hail to the Chief" as a prelude to what was a hardcore political speech?

I'll post separately about the speech. I mean, I can sum it up in 7 words: We the People, but not you people. 

But first, I want to talk about the use of "Hail to the Chief," which struck me as a violation of protocol. Was that inspired by Nancy Pelosi? Here she is on August 13th:

 

Biden used to have a self-effacing attitude about "Hail to the Chief." At a CNN town hall in July 2021, he said the first time it was played for him, "I went, 'Where is he?' It’s a great tune but you feel a little self-conscious."

That was last year. Now, he and/or his people have decided to forefront the grandiose tune. Why?

The tune, Wikipedia tells us, was originally the musical setting to some lines from Sir Walter Scott's "Lady of the Lake." A character named Roderick Dhu arrived by boat and was hailed as "the evergreen pine" — "Heaven send it happy dew/Earth lend it sap anew."

After the tune was adopted — in the early 1800s — to honor American Presidents, the lyrics after "Hail to the Chief" were rewritten, but who remembers those other words? When I hear the tune, I think "Hail to the Chief da da da da da da da da da da." 

Maybe when you hear the song you think of "Fortunate Son," the 1969 Creedence Clearwater song:
Some folks are born made to wave the flag
Ooh, they're red, white and blue
And when the band plays "Hail to the Chief"
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord

It's up to the individual President to decide how to use "Hail to the Chief." So there was no violation of protocol last night. I only experienced my own sense of tradition.

Imagine if Trump had entered his political rallies with "Hail to the Chief" instead of "God Bless the U.S.A." To assist you in your imagination, I'll quote what one English professor, Joseph Rezek, said in March 2017:

There’s a through-line connecting ‘Hail to the Chief’ and the Scottish character at the beginning of it all and Trump that I find totally disturbing... What strikes me... about the analogy with Trump, though, is that Dhu commands absolute loyalty in the feudal way. You have to pledge allegiance. Hail to the Chief—that phrase is about the kind of loyalty you have to show. Trump’s insistence upon such loyalty is the same thing. That can make a seemingly innocuous moment, when the song is played for him, seem a bit darker.

And when it's played for Biden, does it make the moment darker? It was nighttime, and the backdrop — Independence Hall — was lit in deep red. The rhetoric was demonizing the enemy, the American enemy among us, the people who are not "normal," not "mainstream." And our "soul" is at stake. 

157 comments:

mezzrow said...

ex·or·cism
/ˈeksôrˌsizəm/
noun
the expulsion or attempted expulsion of a supposed evil spirit from a person or place.
"the rite of exorcism"

"message: 'I care'" *murmurs in background* what? *confused look* oh, wrong note.

"message: 'If you are MAGA prepare to be expelled.'" Smiles, then grimaces.

Good times.

God Bless the United States Of America.

Christopher B said...

After Brandon's Nuremberg rally last night, it's "Heil! to the Chief"

Buckwheathikes said...

"MAGA Republicans" he calls us. Won't name a single one of them except of course Donald Trump.

Then he calls 70 million Americans a "clear and present danger" to the United States of America. That's what President's do when they're authorizing drone strikes.

This guy is fucking insane.

He's setting the stage for a Hitlerian purge of the United States. Setting the stage for the rounding up of millions of people and sending them off to concentration camps to be slowly murdered.

It's time the media executives in this country begin to realize that the danger isn't MAGA Republicans ... it's our mentally deficient President. I suspect most of the elite are beginning to realize they've overplayed their hand with this moron, seeing as how they were careful to avoid showing anybody his actual speech. Only CNN and MSNBC aired it after having read the advance copy of this speech. Even they could see how demented this is and that it shouldn't be broadcast.

It's about time they deplatformed this demented and dangerous man. Democrats need to do the right thing and 25th Amendment this asshole before he gets a bunch of people murdered.

R C Belaire said...

Personally, I'm very happy that divisive Trump character is no longer in office. Just consider where we'd be as country if Trump was still nominally in charge...

Big Mike said...

And our "soul" is stake.

Yeah, it is. But not in the way Democrats think (if we can debase the word by applying it to Democrats).

Lem Vibe Bandit said...

If Biden truly got all those votes the last time, would he be this worried about Trump and his supporters?

Look what worrying did to Nixon. The difference being, Nixon didn’t have a DOJ and an FBI at his disposal, like Biden apparently has.

Humperdink said...

Hail to the Chief? A quick review of 10 plagues of Egypt show hail to be one of them. Along with the death of the firstborn. Hmm. Darkness at Independence Hall?

Narayanan said...

posting now for posterity : will post again on next thread on verbal expectoration by FJB

USA >>> under battered wife syndrome : batterer tells batteree don't make me battery you = you are fanning my flames of violence

RMc said...

Imagine if Trump had

Every sentence that begins with the words "Imagine if Trump had..." has the same answer: "The media would demonize him, but then they always do anyway, and he doesn't care."

tim maguire said...

Hail to the Chief is a dark feudalistic piece when played for Trump, but not for any other president? Does Rezek know that it wasn’t chosen by Trump? There is no bottom of the barrel for them, no depths they won’t reach for, nothing is too shitty and stupid for the Trump deranged.

There’s no link. I hope he said it in casual conversation and not on the opinion pages of the NYT or WaPo.

wendybar said...

This is what a speech after a coup looks like: a president flanked by uniformed soldiers and bathed in red light as he delivers an address that every network must carry.

— Joel Pollak

Narayanan said...

Look what worrying did to Nixon. The difference being, Nixon didn’t have a DOJ and an FBI at his disposal, like Biden apparently has.
==========
IIRC : it was the other way around >>> DOJ and FBI wanted Nixon gone; now they want Biden in place for their own ends and purposes

Narayanan said...

If Biden truly got all those votes the last time, would he be this worried about Trump and his supporters?
=========
Trump had to brag about his crowds while FJB wont even allow to show the crowds at his speeches

Jaq said...

I am kind of glad that several years ago I turned off all news notifications on my phone, stopped watching cable news and reading newspapers as a habit, but only to check on things, and mostly get my news from the comments on articles, which I only read if something in the comments suggests that there is actual news there.

I was blissfully unaware that Pedo Pete was giving a speech last night. This is probably why I have a different view on the Ukraine than you guys too, I was down the Ukrainian rathole with Steve McIntyre's Twitter feed years before the "Special Operation" started. It's a lot easier to support this tragic waste of human life, especially among the Ukrainians, if you are blissfully ignorant of the events since 2014 there, things like the Ukrainians using white phosphorus on civilians in Donbas, a video clip I saw years ago which is suddenly impossible for me to find except where it has been re-labeled as "Russians using white phosphorus on civilians in Ukraine."

I don't ignore events, I ignore the mainstream "news," which is nothing but regime propaganda. Think of it as "cognitive behavioral therapy," a way to prevent harmful propaganda from sneaking into my brain, by proactively avoiding it.

I don't know how you guys can stand the obvious lies, they affect you, even if you imagine that they don't. The 180 degree flips, like the sudden disappearance of Ukrainian Nazis from the news, as if they never were, in Feb 2022, is too much for me. Maybe I am "on the spectrum," and just can't see the social cues that would make me a happy, war mongering,American.

wendybar said...

We are in the American version of the late Brezhnev era. “Led” by a doddering, paranoid, angry fool with aspirations to be a dictator and a sprawling unaccountable bureaucracy all too willing to prop him up.- Christina Pushaw

Jaq said...

https://mobile.twitter.com/MiaCathell/status/1565533698795208704

Wow that's a Nazi look! See, they rub your nose in what they are doing to you. It's part of their plan.

wendybar said...

Watch THIS clip...You will NOT believe how accurate it is!!

https://twitter.com/PapiTrumpo/status/1565512389159706632?

Enigma said...

There was an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1980s to 1990s) where the crew suddenly transformed from the cheerful and democratic "Federation" into the evil and corrupt "Empire." This updated a similar transformation in the original Star Trek. I immediately thought Biden's imagery yesterday strongly resembled The Next Generation's evil empire. Red and black. Darkness. Fear. Trickery. Lies.

Consider how this contrasts with the positive globalism "morning in America" message of Ronald Reagan, the focus on hope of Clinton and Obama, and the (relatively) positive bright colored nationalism of Trump. Biden's imagery is not good for propaganda or building his reputation, but he's in an impenetrable and aggressively clueless partisan bubble. This is not going to end in a happy fashion, but considering the general lack of discipline it's likely to collapse in on itself.

https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/alternate-realities-star-trek-the-next-generation-yesterdays-enterprise/

Duke Dan said...

FJB. F the puppeteers with their hand up his ass making his mouth move. F all the people complicit in 81 million votes (does anyone seriously believe that). They are deciding they want a civil war.

Lloyd W. Robertson said...

There was a time in my life when I could easily have become an American. I have American relatives I love, and American friends and teachers. I'm pleased to consider Americans in my family tree. It may not be too maudlin to say I love the USA about as much as anyone--the highs and in a way the lows. Something very wrong is going on now, and it's not Trump. It's more like Orwell's 1984. No one can be sure there really is a Big Brother (Biden has severe dementia) or Goldstein (the Trump who is hated so emotionally and incoherently is almost entirely mythical), but it doesn't really matter. Big Brother must be loved and obeyed, and Goldstein and his supporters must be hated, with emotional ceremonies that resemble the Two Minutes Hate.

Goldstein was hated for calling for freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of thought. His enemies and friends might have said he wanted to defend enumerated rights more than unenumerated ones.

Buckwheathikes said...

Remember, in the coming months, what you read here.

"Clear and present danger." That's what the people who wrote Joe Biden's speech called us.

We are a "clear and present danger" to the United States of America. That's a legal term. It was invented the United States Supreme Court. It means they are now authorized to deal with that threat with lethal force.

They put those Marines in the picture behind Biden for a reason. And that reason is to remind American citizens that the US Military was ordered to fire on us once before and they stood armed and ready to do battle against their fellow citizens. And they'll do it again, by God.

They've lined up everything: You won't be hearing about the purges in the media. They control that. Or social media. They now censor that. You'll just be left wondering where old Frank has disappeared to. Your old buddy.

Then one day there'll come a knock on your door.

Be ready.

Kevin said...

Will the media dare call this speech “dark”?

Jaq said...

https://twitter.com/mazemoore/status/1565487030100000768

Footage from the day of Trump's inauguration. We are the violent ones. But don't worry, they are being straight with you about the war.

wendybar said...

Stephen Miller: “Biden Tonight Gave the Speech of a Dictator, In the Style of a Dictator, In the Visual of a Dictator, Using the Words of a Dictator”

wendybar said...

Is this the start of the next CIVIL WAR?? Seems like Joe and his FBI are starting it.
They are igniting the flame....


https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/09/disgraced-former-fbi-official-andrew-mccabe-says-joe-biden-didnt-go-far-enough-threatening-maga-republicans-video/

Birches said...

I saw that picture last night and figured it was photoshopped.

Everyone working in there is so incompetent, it's hard to fathom. They are exactly what they accused Trump of being. Even Scaramucci was a better press secretary than KJP and he only lasted hours!

Birches said...

Lem with a great point.

Jefferson's Revenge said...

I get it now. Conservatives are the Jews and Biden is Hitler.

It worked for Adolph. Why not for Joe?

rhhardin said...

Hail to the Chief played as comedy, a kind of Pink Panther bit with Clouseau in charge.

traditionalguy said...

Every totalitarian dictator demands a loyalty to HIM. This requires throwing up the right hand and submitting to HIM with a Hale or Heil salute made to their absolute lord. Poor demented Joey desperately wants to out do Barack Obama . But Biden is still the same old slimy crooked Jim Crowe segregationist politician. Marxist Obama was always smart and polished enough to hide his destroying of America behind his skin color and a beautiful smile.

But the best candidate will win the next match if the votes are not rigged by Emergency Pandemic rules ordered to allow the adding in the tens of millions of fake votes at 3:00AM.

Dave Begley said...

Has a President ever been accompanied by his wife - and then kissing her - before a televised speech?

Left Bank of the Charles said...

“I can sum it up in 7 words: We the People, but not you people.”

If the shoe fits… I read the comments here so I know I’m in MAGA’s “but not you people.” The song President Biden could have used is “You’re so Vain.”

Leland said...

For a US military band welcoming a General, Admiral, or Commander and Chief, they play “Ruffles and Flourishes” repeating the final stanza based on the number of stars in rank (up to 4 times) and if the Commander and Chief you repeat the flourish 4 times and finish with “Hail to the Chief”. It is standard military protocol.

The question is less why “Hail to the Chief” was played and more “why was the President’s own Marine Corp Band their to play it?”

Randomizer said...

When Hail to the Chief comes up, I am reminded of
Hail to the Chief from the movie Dave

Kevin Klein sings:
Hail to the chief, he's the one we all say hail to.
We all say hail 'cuz he keeps himself so clean.
He's got the power, that's why he's in the shower.

Then Sigourney Weaver comes in. Dave is a good palate cleanser and reminds us of a time when a president was supposed to care about Americans. It's a "prince and the pauper" story where a regular guy gets swapped for the conniving president. Having a good heart and using good sense, he tries to do the right thing and gets in trouble with the establishment politicians.

Dave Begley said...

Biden screamed last night that MAGA Republicans are part of a cult of personality around Trump. “Hail to the Chief” is a hero worship song.

RideSpaceMountain said...

81 million votes

Hail to the thief.

michaele said...

And the two young marines standing in full dress uniform standing on either side of his entry/exit point didn't add at all to dictator vibe. It was a speech that made me very concerned for the "soul" of the nation and that was not because of evil MAGA Republicans.

Kep Hartman said...

Out here in normal-land, Biden's speech appears very dark, propaganda-like, and just weird when combined with all the other recent comments about Republicans being "semi-fascists" etc.

You don't say these things to unite. You say them to divide.

Why is he saying them? It must be intentional due to the repetitive nature of he, his spokespeople, and others in the Democrat party.

Intentionally seeking to dehumanize and divide ... is very bad news ... and precedes other very bad things, as history has taught us!

boatbuilder said...

I am trying to remember, but I do not believe that there was one time that Trump, as "divisive" and "authoritarian" as he is claimed to be, ever disparaged voters. He certainly went after other politicians, the press, entertainers, hecklers, but never voters or a class of voters.

MayBee said...

The White House denied it was a political speech.

MayBee said...

Here's Ron Klain WHCOS, making fun of Ed O'Keef for being surprised the advance copy of the speech going to reporters didn't sound "not political"


Ronald Klain

@WHCOS
· 13h
Yes, please do read the excerpts.

They defend Freedom. Equality. Democracy.

They are as "political" as Ben Franklin, saying in 1787, that the Framers had given us "a Republic, if you can keep it." twitter.com/edokeefe/statu…



And I say: Don't forget there were marines in the background!

Oh Yea said...

From the look of the background, the Star Wars Imperial March would have been more appropriate.

William50 said...

From Breitbart headline..."Photo From Hell" "Dark" Biden Demonic!
I think that about sums it up.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

The hatred the corrupt left have for Trump and his supporters is nearing German .

Howard said...

Mission accomplished.

Temujin said...

I found the entire scene bizarre. It was almost Nuremberg-like in it's staging, lighting. Not as grandiose. Like a student of Albert Speer is on Biden's marketing/design team (it would not surprise me) and had a great idea for showing His Confusedness in a more heroic manner. Except that it was just cartoonish. I was waiting for his face to contort in a comic book like caricature of hate. Along with the red lighting, the 'Hail to the Chief', the applause lines for the Loyal Ones, the Marines aside the American Flags, you almost forget that his wife has to lead him out for these things to make sure he doesn't fall, and that he goes in the right direction. Like she's sending off her 3 year old into class.

It was a convention speech. "It's not going to be political" we were all assured. Heh. When these people take a crap, it's political. Remember Obama's acceptance speech in Denver that first time around? The Greek columns, the huge crowd swooning. The same team tried to create a Biden moment with his own staging. Except that he came off as a cartoon version of a Dictator. A fascist. Not semi. But the full real thing.

Gusty Winds said...

Doesn't Pelosi just make you want to puke??

Josephbleau said...

Now I am getting scared. If this is how Joe wants to be viewed by the public, he is crazy. If this is how his “earpiece” wants him to be viewed he is a hollow vessel.

What are we supposed to learn from the Dark Brandon meme, that Beiden is executing a secret plan of some sort?

Democrats are really worried about loosing in November and are looking at what they are willing to do to stay in power.

Send in the F15’s that Beiden likes to threaten people with?

Che Dolf said...

Boomers who think it's still 1980 are concerned about "a violation of protocol."

Are you familiar with the phrase "rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic"? We got holed below the waterline and are going down. Please focus your attention on that.

Gusty Winds said...

Buckwheathikes said...It's time the media executives in this country begin to realize that the danger isn't MAGA Republicans ... it's our mentally deficient President. I suspect most of the elite are beginning to realize they've overplayed their hand with this moron

They are getting EXACTLY what they wanted from our installed ruler. None of this is organic.

Temujin said...

He could have substituted the word "Jews" for "Maga" and the rest of the effect would have been spot on and familiar. This is how you stir up people to do bad things to groups of others. Shameful and bizarre.

I will do everything I can to make sure both houses go to the GOP and that this guy is rendered useless until he is sent out to pasture.

mikee said...

So we got Trump after the reformist Tea Party was crushed by the Obama administration. Gonna be amazing what we get after Biden's flying monkeys crush the MAGA deplorables.

Scott Patton said...

Way back when, I happened to be in a union hall (and private bar/club) a day or two after Bush v Gore, and there was commotion near one of the back rooms. Everyone turned around to see what was going on. One of the more radical members/officials was noisily moving chairs etc. in prep for a lunch meeting or something. When she realized the attention she was getting, she stopped, stood there all red faced and exasperated, threw up her hands and exclaimed, "Hail to the thief"!

Kai Akker said...

Those Democrats sure are kicking up their heels. Got this demented man into the Presidency, and now they must live it up while they can. Hail to the Chiefs! Top of the world, Ma!

Scott Patton said...

Way back when, I happened to be in a union friendly club and one of the club officials was making a commotion moving chairs etc. getting ready for a meeting or something. This was shortly after Bush v Gore. When she realized that everyone had turned to see what was happening, she stopped, threw her hands in the air and exclaimed "hail to the thief!"

Achilles said...

This is an illegitimate ruler of an illegitimate regime that is mismanaging the economy, not defending it's borders or citizens, starting wars all over the world, and funding terrorists and America's enemies.

Not only is this regime evil and corrupt, it is incompetent.

The only people that support Joe Biden at this point are evil fascist shitheads.

His support is in the 30's in the medias over sampled democrat polls.

There are no real people that want anything Biden is doing. This is going to destroy Democrats electorally for a generation.

The Uniparty is failing everywhere and if it wasn't for election fraud they would not clear 40% in any national election.

holdfast said...

I realize that the Star Wars sequels are quite divisive among the fan base, but I think we should recognize that the Biden White House just did a rather passable replica of Snoke’s throne room.

So yes, apparently team Biden sees themselves as the pretend big bad in a science-fiction flick. I say “pretend” because of course it was revealed that Snoke was essentially a front man for the reconstituted Emperor Palpatine. Presumably that’s Barack Obama in this drama? And he has a fleet of star destroyers hidden in the mists of Martha’s Vineyard, ready to attack at a moment’s notice?

planetgeo said...

You're assuming that it was in fact Biden saying these things. Isn't it clear enough already that he's an empty vessel, a cypher, an almost life-like puppet? No, it's not really Jill leading him around by the hand and telling him what to say.

Think, people, think. Who exactly is angry enough at America to actually compose and say such a speech, to envelope the puppet delivering it in blood-red lighting, on an otherwise ominously darkened stage, with the explicit threat of US Marines in the shadows? Who hates America and those Americans who cling to their guns and Bibles to call them enemies and threaten to expel them from the country?

Who?

Jaq said...

This was Democrats' plan J6 too. Some of the very same Ukrainian agent provocateurs were at the Capitol building in the heart of the violence. Biden is still carrying out the plan.

https://twitter.com/ClimateAudit/status/1565675504094658560

Nazis wrote the book on how to turn a liberal democracy into a one party dictatorship in a short time. Part of it is demonizing internal "enemies." Look at pictures from the speech and they look like anti-Biden memes. Democrats are out to completely destroy any opposition parties. Bernie Sanders is going along with it, Tulsi is the only one who is not, maybe because she grew up in a cult, and knows about them.

rwnutjob said...

When did Make America great become a pejorative? MAGA this MAGA that.  He must scare the shit out of the left.

Ann Althouse said...

"There’s no link. I hope he said it in casual conversation and not on the opinion pages of the NYT or WaPo."

Thanks for the heads up.

I've put the link in.

Achilles said...

Biden: “MAGA Republicans Do Not Respect the Constitution…

All projection all the time.

They Promote Authoritarian Leaders and Fan the Flames of Political Violence”

BLM/Antifa actually burned down cities. The only political violence anyone can mention has been carried out by Democrats.

“MAGA Republicans a Clear and Present Danger

To corrupt illegitimate rulers.

MAGA Republicans Embrace Anger, Thrive on Chaos, Live in the Shadow of Lies”

This speech, Open borders, Russian collusion hoax/impeachment and censorship.

Fuck democrats. They are just fucking shitty dishonest people.

Butkus51 said...

Rule 1 in life

Dont listen to Pedo's

Ever

pacwest said...

Speaking of optics is that the Reichsadler lit in red behind him? I had to double check the Presidental Seal on the podium to make sure there wasn't a Swastika! Not kidding.

Is the Hitler imagery accidental? How could it be? The speech itself is disturbing enough, but the imagery is scarily similar. It has to be on purpose.

Beasts of England said...

#PedoHitler is trending.

RideSpaceMountain said...

Old man yells at cloud...

The press conference.

gilbar said...

They should just be saying it in their original german
Heil dem Führer

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

"no violation" democrat party.

Joe and Hunter and Hillary ... and Pelosi family DO WHAT THEY WANT.

John henry said...

What next, personal loyalty oaths to Joe Biden?

You know, like in England and National Socialist Germany.

Screw those oaths to the Constitution.

John stop fascism vote republican Henry

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

He could have substituted the word "Jews" for "Maga" and the rest of the effect would have been spot on and familiar. This is how you stir up people to do bad things to groups of others. Shameful and bizarre.

worth a nice hearty bold.

ga6 said...

There are copies of Adolph's party rally of 1936 on the web. If you have time watch and compare the closed fists and arm pumps of Joe and Adolph.

NBC 5 Chicago is all in with Joe, the headlines this AM:
"Biden Sounds Newly Strong Alarm: Trumpism Menaces Democracy"
Illiterate with bad spelling.also. This is a direct cut and paste.

boatbuilder said...

Katrine Jean-Pierre said the other day that MAGA politicians were "taking away people's rights."

What the hell is she talking about?

What MAGA politician is "taking away rights", and what "rights" are they taking away?


pacwest said...

Speaking of optics is that the Reichsadler lit in red behind him? I had to double check the Presidental Seal on the podium to make sure there wasn't a Swastika! Not kidding.

Is the Hitler imagery accidental? How could it be? The speech itself is disturbing enough, but the imagery is scarily similar. It has to be on purpose.

ga6 said...

Using a cue from anther site:

Fortunate Son
Creedence Clearwater Revival

Some folks are born made to wave the flag
They're red, white and blue
And when the band plays "Hail to the Chief"
They point the cannon at you, Lord

Ann Althouse said...

"Using a cue from anther site..."

I think you're talking about the Instapundit post that links to this post of mine that quotes "Fortunate Son." But thanks!

typingtalker said...

Ann asked, "Why did Biden use Hail to the Chief ... ?

Are you referring to King Joseph?

KJE said...

Dork Biden. Dollar Store Palpatine.

Clyde said...

Dork Brandon, indeed.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

Biden's speech was also a shout out to White Left Antifa Nazis - to ready for battle.

Howard said...

This speech means that Trump is going to get indicted. This also means that Biden says to all of you people talking about insurrection and Civil War is bring It on fat boy.

ga6 said...

Your welcome, speed reading I missed the ID of the poster in Instapundit.

Lurker21 said...

Did Trump really insist on "absolute loyalty"? He didn't get it from the bureaucracy. He didn't get it from his party. He didn't get it from the military. He didn't even get it from his own staffers. And he didn't crack down on anyone when he didn't get loyalty or even respect.

Rezek's comment reflects first of all his own preconceptions. Trump had to be some kind of Hitler for him. Secondly, he mistakes the show of politics with the reality. Trump versus CNN or the NYT was a telenovela. Trump actually did less to crack down on the press than other recent presidents. You can also see a continuity between Rezek's and Team Biden's view of Trump as the enemy of democracy.

Nobody paid attention to the lyrics of "Hail to the Chief" for about 200 years. I do see loyalty and a kind of hero worship in Scott's poem. I don't see a demand for or insistence on loyalty, except possibly in the last paragraph. But I would point out that there was another set of lyrics written in the 20th century, that may not be as pretty but perhaps better reflects what the song has come to mean.

Hail to the Chief we have chosen for the nation,
Hail to the Chief! We salute him, one and all
Hail to the Chief, as we pledge cooperation
In proud fulfillment of a great, noble call
Yours is the aim to make this grand country grander,
This you will do, That's our strong, firm belief
Hail to the one we selected as commander,
Hail to the President! Hail to the Chief!

Quayle said...

I'm going with Podhoretz' "this was intended to bait Trump" conclusion, at this point.

Biden's clothes appear to me to be purposely world war II era. The spread collar, the color of the tie, the pocket handkerchief - they appear similar to formal dress of the late 1930s.

I'm guessing that they are attempting to goad trump into staying front and center through November.

Night Owl said...

The imagery of that photo is disgusting. It makes one wonder how far Biden's handlers are willing to go in their pursuit of absolute power.

They are trolling for a violent response, using a dementia victim as bait. Does the old man even know what he's doing?

narciso said...

Murdering babies mutilating children

Lurker21 said...

What Lyndon Johnson claimed Sam Rayburn said about his Southern state:

Poor old state, they haven't heard a real Democratic speech in 30 years. All they ever hear at election time is "MAGA, MAGA, MAGA."

Except Johnson didn't say "MAGA."

Achilles said...

The Democrats have also declared war on free speech.

They are not even trying to hide it anymore.

This is 1930's Germany with an illegitimate bunch of fascists temporarily in control of the government.

Achilles said...

Howard said...

This speech means that Trump is going to get indicted. This also means that Biden says to all of you people talking about insurrection and Civil War is bring It on fat boy.

I look forward to Howard telling us he never supported the fascists in 10 years.

Just like all those Germans you asked in the 1950's never supported the Nazi's.

You are such a piece of shit.

james said...

Hail to the Chief seems a bit bland:

Hail to the Chief! We salute him, one and all.
Hail to the Chief, as we pledge cooperation
In proud fulfillment of a great, noble call.

Yours is the aim to make this grand country grander,
This you will do, that's our strong, firm belief.
Hail to the one we selected as commander,<
Hail to the President! Hail to the Chief!

"Make this grand country grander" sounds too much like MAGA.

Maybe something with a little more oomph:


Prisoners of the Khan, praise the Khan!
Sing songs of praise to the Khan, Sing!
Praise his generosity, praise his kindness, Praise!
For his enemies he is terrible, our Khan!
Who can be equal in glory to the Khan? Who?
With a blaze of glory equal to the sun is he.

rehajm said...

Katrine Jean-Pierre said the other day that MAGA politicians were "taking away people's rights." What the hell is she talking about? What MAGA politician is "taking away rights", and what "rights" are they taking away?

The left believes it is their inalienable right to rig the rules of elections so Democrats are never encumbered with the burden of answering to voters.

At the moment these people certainly act like they the are unencumbered

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

Howard is on board with his new Nazi masters. anything for the NEW leftist shit show.

~ Gordon Pasha said...

My wife had missed viewing the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. We starred Monday evening and finished last night. She remarked that there are a lot of lessons for us in that epic. I reminded her that the book ended with the Scouring of the Shire which was not part of the movies. It is that chapter that is the most important and a lesson for us all.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scouring_of_the_Shire

Meade said...

“I'm guessing that they are attempting to goad trump into staying front and center through November.”

Ditto. Don’t notice the evil of our power and power of our evil—look at that dangerous Trump and come out and vote against him in 8 weeks. Also, don’t notice our desperation and existential terror.

Achilles said...

Quayle said...

I'm going with Podhoretz' "this was intended to bait Trump" conclusion, at this point.

Biden's clothes appear to me to be purposely world war II era. The spread collar, the color of the tie, the pocket handkerchief - they appear similar to formal dress of the late 1930s.

I'm guessing that they are attempting to goad trump into staying front and center through November.


The most popular president in history.

I understand the Romney wing of the GOPe party whining about Trump leading the party. But I will trade the working class/minority voters he brings to the party over the neocons and Romney supporters.

Sorry all, Desantis is starting to act like a slimy career politician.

Howard said...

They know exactly what they're doing. Trump and you maga minions talk big but lack real commitment and follow through. The internal democrat polling guided this speech. Ann Coulter is right, you people are a minority in the Republican ranks. You're basically just down to paranoid meat puppets for Putin's troll farms and commenting bots.

RideSpaceMountain said...

Just two more weeks Howard. Just two. more. weeks.

Achilles said...

22,000 Colorado Households Lose Control of Their Home Thermostats During Heat Wave as Power Company Locks Out Air Conditioning Use.


Where do you people think this is going?

Just look at Howard's post above. They are disgusting evil people who feed off of hate.

They are going to lash out soon and make their previous violence look tame. It is their supporters like Howard that make them feel confident about doing these things.

john mosby said...

Remember when lefties were trying to get Republicans to say “Black Lives Matter?” And the Rs would muble something about not supporting the organization, but agreeing with the sentiment? And the lefty would interrupt with “ so you dont think black lives matter?”

Turnabout is fair play. Righties in debates, town halls, etc, should ask the D’s, “Do you want to make America great again?” When the D mumbles, the rightie should press home with “Oh, do you think it’s great right now, wih tuis dollar bill inflating away in my hand? With this fifty in my other hand not even filling up my car? With a dude outside readyto kill me for my 51 dollars? Is that great?” Etc.

Can’t ket these guys get away with saying MAGA is evil when they didnt let the right get away with saying BLM is evil.

JSM

Leland said...

More on Ruffles and Flourishes here plus audio of the US Marine Corps band playing it.

More on honors presented by the military to personnel here.

These are typical military activities, which is appropriate as this speech seems intended to sound militaristic. It goes along with comments made by Biden earlier this week in suggesting Trump supporters would go up against F15s. Is he suggesting the ballot box won't be available in November?

As for the notion the Biden is trolling for a violent response; at won't point can we point out that he is also trolling to get people to commit violence on his behalf? We already have an FBI going after political opponents, not just Trump. MTG has been SWATed 3 times this week. A murder was committed this week by a criminal bonded out of jail by a fund supported by VP Harris. And by labelling half of America "fascist" or even "semi-fascist", it seems Biden is opening up MAGA supporters to attacks by Antifa.

Those things are more concerning than what should be the routine question of why the President was given prime time coverage by broadcast television to give a purely political speech against his rivals? Isn't that a campaign donation? Biden wasn't talking about external threats to America. Biden was talking about a political campaign against him. Shouldn't his campaign pay for coverage if they want to make a speech like this?

Gusty Winds said...

If you can stomach it here is Joe Scarborough and Eugene Robison praising Biden’s “Wartime” speech.

Read the twitter comments too. Insane. The trajectory of this is not good

pacwest said...

There are copies of Adolph's party rally of 1936 on the web. If you have time watch and compare the closed fists and arm pumps of Joe and Adolph.

To all the fans of the present Administration: Please take the time to do that. Compare and contrast the images of Biden's speech and Hitler's speeches. If you don't find the images and rhetoric scarily similar you need to take some time to think about how far around the bend your hatred of Trump has taken you.

Sydney said...

Boatbuilder asked what rights MAGA politicians are taking away. To the rabid left, they are taking away the right to kill our unborn children. And “good Catholic” Joe Biden thinks this is the perfect excuse to seize absolute power. Bleach.

mezzrow said...

I'm sure the folks feeding Biden his lines want Trump to remain front and center, but remember how incompetent these folks are at getting what they want without being beset with an avalanche of unintended consequences. Their history to date is my evidence.

They may get what they want, but I don't think things will turn out the way they anticipate. I have no idea which direction this could go, beyond confusion and "disinformation" from all directions. What happens then is the fulcrum for our future possibilities. The more panicked they are, the more dangerous they become.

If they succeed, what then? More frightening, if they fail, what then?

MayBee said...

His framing of the MAGA sins is weird, anyway.

Biden is Catholic, so he should at least understand why many people are anti-abortion.
Biden was against gay marriage when he was VP.

So it's weird these things have now become existential threats to OUR DEMOCRACY.

ElPresidenteCastro said...

My only thought is that the internal polling that Dems are looking at must be terrible. They have turned the rhetoric up to 11 and the optics are terrible.

The use of Hail to the Chief is the least of it. When I first saw the red backlighting I assumed it was a bad photoshop. Nope, they actually thought seeing red was a good look. Then looking in the background I see Marines in uniform at a purely political speech. Shocking!

Godwin's Law states that whoever makes the first Hitler reference loses the argument, but holy cow. It looked like a second rate Leni Riefenstahl produced that speech. And since I've already floated a Nazi comparison, what about those Biden mannerisms? ONe of my favorite games is, "What if Trump..." Imagine the explosion on Twitter if President Trump had delivered this speech.

Howard said...

If this is such a great news for Trump's standing in the American political landscape and the power of you maga loyalists, why the long faces?

Iman said...

Wait a minute. Howard is a piece of shit?

This may explain the love of water and swimming of this execrable personality. He floats, he’s a “floater”.

William50 said...

Hail To The Chief. Chief? At worst this is racist, at best cultural appropriation of our indigenous population.

Maybe they should change it to something more acceptable. Something like Hail To The Guardian.

It worked for Cleveland.

Levi Starks said...

Is the Death Star fully operational?

Quaestor said...

"Mission accomplished."

Howard is right for once. (A broken 20-year clock is right once per decade.)

However, he doesn't know what mission was accomplished.

George W. Bush can finally relax.

Ralph L said...

The mirror crack'd from side to side
"The curse has come upon me,"
Cried the Lady of the Lake.

wendybar said...

Max Miller
US House candidate, OH-07

Using the United States Marine Corps as props in a political speech of this nature is truly abhorrent.

Almost a year to the day of leaving 13 of my fellow Marines to die in Afghanistan. Disgraceful.

Drago said...

mikee: "So we got Trump after the reformist Tea Party was crushed by the Obama administration."

So we got Trump after the reformist Tea Party was crushed by the Obama administration and Mitch McConnell/GOPe/IRS.
FIFY

wendybar said...

Really doesn't matter if you can or can't see it, but this is how every Communist Dictator in history has talked. Verbatim. - Jesse Kelly

wendybar said...

Independence Hall has NEVER looked so Satanic, and his demonic rant matched the setting. - Rebel Reiver- organic non-GMO human

Yancey Ward said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Yancey Ward said...

This speech is the setup for the DoJ and the federal courts taking over the federal election process in, at a minimum, the states of Texas, Florida, and Georgia. The Democrats can win net Senate seats with mail-in-ballots in the states in which they control the governor's mansion- that part is easy- you just stuff mail-in-ballots into the ballot boxes in the big cities. However, as 2020's election demonstrated, this doesn't work very well when it comes to House seats- stuffing ballots in the big blue jurisdictions, where you can do it without restraint, just mostly runs up the totals in House seats they were going to win regardless, and that failure almost cost the Democrats control of the House in 2020, and the new restrictions on such ballots put in place in Texas, Florida, and Georgia, and eleswhere, means that the Democrats were likely to lose more seats this November.

This is the plan, and this speech giving the excuse for implementing it.

JaimeRoberto said...

More like Heil to the Chief.

That picture is so bad I thought it had to be a Photoshop.

Captain BillieBob said...

The reference to Fortunate Son has given me an ear worm. I'll be walking around with that song rattling around in my head all day. Good thing I like CCR.

And Biden is a piece of shit along with all his supporters.

Tank said...

“Sorry all, Desantis is starting to act like a slimy career politician.”

Sad, but true.

wendybar said...

Sean Davis
@seanmdav
·
12h
Joe Biden needs to be impeached and removed from office. He declared war against everyone in the country who either didn’t vote for him or doesn’t support him today. Biden, Garland, and Mayorkas are not fit to continue holding office in this country.

TeaBagHag said...

A lot of mad little fascists in here this morning.
Our democracy is fragile and clearly, so are the MAGAt snowflakes that seek to undermine it.

RNB said...

Because "Hail to the Fuehrer" doesn't scan quite right.

AlbertAnonymous said...

Meanwhile, in Argentina, an attempted assassination of the VP (point blank, pulled the trigger, apparent gun misfire).

Biden looking more and more fascistic every day…

Don’t cry for me…

Rusty said...

The only thing missing was, "Ein volk. Ein Reich. Ein fuhrer!"
When you substitute "Jew" for MAGA it all makes sense.
Judging from the comments. Biden gave our usual suspects permission to rent some testosterone.

jim5301 said...

Need my umbrella to keep me dry from all the crocodile tears on the blog this AM. None of the MAGA commentators here are in the business of demonizing democrats and Biden? Talk about us v them is only coming from the dems? If I had a quarter for every time Achilles equated all Democrats and RINO's (i.e., non-MAGA Republicans) with fascists and wished for their demise, I would have many quarters.

I doubt many of you listened to the speech, just as very few of you watched the Jan 6 hearings. What's the point when you know no facts could ever change your mind about the rightlessness of the supreme MAGA leader. By definition that is a cult. The truth hurts so avoid it at all costs.

Consider the latest scandal re Trump maybe retaining some our nation's top secrets at his hotel. You know for certain that he did nothing illegal regardless of the evidence. Even though legally irrelevant, you know for certain that Trump declassified the documents (or could have so what does it matter if he actually did or not - I believe that was Achilles analysis). So let's assume that he did declassify the documents. Let's assume that he broke no law. That doesn't change the fact that the documents likely contain information the disclosure of which to the wrong people could cause grave harm to our national security. You say nobody with bad intent saw them other than Trump? How would you know that? Why did he take them in the first place if he had no intention of using them in some way? Unintentional? Perhaps, but that is a factual question so it doesn't matter to you.

There are 500 members of the Mar-a-Lago club. The member list of course is secret. What are the odds that none of them work for China or Russia or Iranian intelligence? Again doesn't matter to you.

Well, you say, what about Hillary and Comey, how come they weren't prosecuted for "mishandling" classified information? IDK. Why don't you ask Sessions and Barr and the rest of the Trump DOJ why they made that call.

The response to this post will of course be personal attacks. Cause that's what you do when you have nothing of substance to say.

narciso said...

Right

https://mobile.twitter.com/DeSantisWarRoom/status/1565708748085202947?cxt=HHwWhsC49fLzwborAAAA

narciso said...

Right

https://mobile.twitter.com/DeSantisWarRoom/status/1565708748085202947?cxt=HHwWhsC49fLzwborAAAA

Joe Smith said...

'This speech means that Trump is going to get indicted. This also means that Biden says to all of you people talking about insurrection and Civil War is bring It on fat boy.'

So far, you are the only one talking about insurrection and civil war...hmmm...

Rusty said...

Anybody wanna bet the time frame some Biden voter with self control issues decides to shoot up something? Because their leader just gave them permission.

CStanley said...

Lots f obvious Nazi references but I also see this as Palpatine executing Order 66.I hope there are enough Democrats without inhibitor chips.

Balfegor said...

It's grandiose, but, uh, rather forgettable. On youtube, I listened to it, thought, "oh, right, don't they play that at carnivals or ballgames or something?" then went to a video with Preussens Gloria, and now the melody from Hail to the Chief has fallen right out of my head. I can remember lots of bombastic songs, but Hail to the Chief is like the elevator music of bombastic music.

Just listened to it again on Youtube, and it doesn't sound like it should be quite so unmemorable. But I know that in five minutes I'm going to be struggling to fit the words "hail to the chief" to "joy to the world" or some other melody because I'm going to forget it again.

It's Always Something said...

I had the good fortune to be on the road during this insanity, listening to the speech on the radio. My initial reaction was to switch it off and relieve myself of the incoherence. Later in the speech I realized that the only logical conclusion of any listener who doesn’t have an Antifa flag in the trunk is to vote these loons out of power before the pogroms begin.

Then I saw the photos. I think we are about to learn whether enough of our fellow citizens have an insatiable appetite for hate that we are doomed, or whether there are sufficient numbers of normies who’ve had enough that - one by one - voters can pick off the haters and make elected office honorable again.

Achilles said...

Howard said...

If this is such a great news for Trump's standing in the American political landscape and the power of you maga loyalists, why the long faces?

You look forward to violence and persecuting people you hate.

We are not dominated by hate like you.

We just want you shitheads to leave us alone.

We do not look forward to what we have to do to make you shitheads leave us alone.

Achilles said...

Rusty said...

Anybody wanna bet the time frame some Biden voter with self control issues decides to shoot up something? Because their leader just gave them permission.

This has already happened several times.

jim5301 said...

"We are not dominated by hate like you" Um, may be you should read your posts. Hate oozes from every line.

"We just want you shitheads to leave us alone." You mean leave you alone to steal the next election? Not a chance.

"We do not look forward to what we have to do to make you shitheads leave us alone." What would that be Achilles? Shower us with love till we see the truth?

Jaq said...

Who is going to fight Biden’s wars in China, Ukraine, and Iran now that he has declared way more than half of the young potential soldiers enemies of the state? Putin,Xi, and whoever runs Iran have to be laughing today.

Read Achilles’ comments and you don’t have to wonder why there is a recruiting crisis.

Jim at said...

Senile fuckhead gave a speech last night?

Didn't watch. Don't care.

But if it pushes us towards the inevitable divorce? Fine by me.

Be careful what you wish for, leftists. You just might get it.

Howard said...

Achilles, you're pearl clutching is caused by overindulgence of testosterone yielding testicular shrinkage. You can't go back to normal, poor chap. I hear the Vienna Sausage Boy Choir is looking for sopranos.

Rusty said...

Give it up Howard. We know you had to ask permission to wright that.

John henry said...

Always remember that our military, unlike other militaries, does not swear loyalty to a person, position/office or even a country.

Our oath is to protect and defend the Constitution.

Military members are required to follow lawful orders of the president and others in the chain of command.

But only lawful orders.

The only loyalty is to the Constitution.

So what happens when Brandon passes an order down to the F-15 pilot to strafe a suspected militia camp in Boomfook Texas.?

Does the pilot decide the order is unlawful and refuse to fly it?

Brandon may have planes. Does he have pilots?

Ditto the rest of the military. Will they do what they are told? Or will they do 'whats right?

Normally they are the same thing or close enough to be no matter.

What happens when they're not?

We live in hope

John stop fascism vote republican Henry

Michael K said...


Blogger Howard said...

Achilles, you're pearl clutching is caused by overindulgence of testosterone yielding testicular shrinkage. You can't go back to normal, poor chap. I hear the Vienna Sausage Boy Choir is looking for sopranos.


Howard with your usual class. You seem awfully interested in testicles. Tea bags, maybe ?

Michael K said...

jim1234:

"We just want you shitheads to leave us alone." You mean leave you alone to steal the next election? Not a chance.

There it is. The eternal Russia conspiracy. It has replaced sanity in Democrat brains.


effinayright said...

Narayanan said...
Look what worrying did to Nixon. The difference being, Nixon didn’t have a DOJ and an FBI at his disposal, like Biden apparently has.
==========
IIRC : it was the other way around >>> DOJ and FBI wanted Nixon gone; now they want Biden in place for their own ends and purposes

************************

Bad history: Nixon's AG John Mitchell went to jail for his role in the Watergate scandal:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_N._Mitchell

It was FBI malcontent Mark Felt, passed over as J. Edgar Hoover's successor, who ratted Nixon out to Woodward and Bernstein. But he wasn't "the FBI'.

Ralph L said...

Who knew a Palladian window could look so ominous?

I thought Marine at-ease was hands behind the back. They really should be rubbing their hands together like Mr. Burns.

effinayright said...

Buckwheathikes said...
Remember, in the coming months, what you read here.

"Clear and present danger." That's what the people who wrote Joe Biden's speech called us.

We are a "clear and present danger" to the United States of America. That's a legal term. It was invented the United States Supreme Court. It means they are now authorized to deal with that threat with lethal force.
***************

As was explained just yesterday on this blog, "clear and present danger" was used in the Schenk case back in 1917 to justify jailing an anti-draft advocate,

But the case---along with that phrase---was effectively overturned by Brandenburg v. Ohio, which held:

The Court's Per Curiam opinion held that the Ohio law violated Brandenburg's right to free speech. The Court used a two-pronged test to evaluate speech acts: (1) speech can be prohibited if it is "directed at inciting or producing imminent lawless action" and (2) it is "likely to incite or produce such action."

There's nothing Trump or his followers are doing that incites or produces imminent lawless action. He gives speeches to thousands of followers regarding their political beliefs, and they go home.

Drago said...

jim5301: "You mean leave you alone to steal the next election? Not a chance."

LOL

Remember, our elections are completely, utterly, perfectly secure, free and fair and there is no way anyone can steal our elections.

Or did you already forget your talking points for the last 2 years?

Talk about going Full Howard with a narrative reversal.

effinayright said...

jim5301 said...
Need my umbrella to keep me dry from all the crocodile tears on the blog this AM. None of the MAGA commentators here are in the business of demonizing democrats and Biden?
*************

None of us are the President of the United States giving a formal address on national TV.

None of us control the country's military and the government's vast and all-encompassing powers, including its police powers.

You Fuckwit.

Bruce Hayden said...

Maybe it is hearing Yancey in multiple fora talking about the Feds taking over elections in Red States, but I think that something is afoot here. I agree with the commenter here suggesting that their polling must be atrocious. They have 2 months until the election, and at that point, they lose the House, and probably more likely than not now, the Senate. They are even starting to worry about Bennett’s Senate seat in Colorado now. After Election Day, all of their /maneuvering will be for naught. The J6 commission? Done! Indicting Trump? Worthless. Etc. They have two months to turn it all around, and I think that they are panicking. In four months, unless they manage to steal the election again, they are going to face Congressional investigations into Hunter Biden, corruption in the FBI and DOJ, COVID-19 response corruption in our public health agencies,etc, and in the House, into the J6 investigation and Pelosi finances. I expect that the 14k unreleased hours of J6 video to be released for crowd sourcing soon after Pelosi losing her oversized gavel.

As for Yancy’s worries - time is running out even more quickly there, in terms of election takeover. They need mailin ballots to win (by cheating) and that means printing and mailing out many millions of ballots. That takes time. And plenty of time to get them all back. My memory is that states were receiving ballots from the printers in 2020 in August, and were starting to mail them out by now. And anything that they try to do in terms of federalizing elections will have to survive initial court challenges - in Circuits with Republican dominated Circuits (which may mean that AZ in the 9th may be the only safe state for them to do that).

Michael K said...

The internal democrat polling guided this speech. Ann Coulter is right, you people are a minority in the Republican ranks. You're basically just down to paranoid meat puppets for Putin's troll farms and commenting bots.

Yes, Howard. I suspect that their internal polling suggests that they have to burn down the country to avoid being thrown out.

pacwest said...

There are 500 members of the Mar-a-Lago club. The member list of course is secret. What are the odds that none of them work for China or Russia or Iranian intelligence?

It's interesting how a mind like this works. You got him this time Jim! As the concerned citizen you purport to be I'm suggesting your time might be better spent worrying about known threats to our security like Biden graft in Ukraine/Russia and China with the pesent world situation. He's obviously compromised. But go ahead with the maybe/if Trump fantasy above if it keeps you happy. Just saying, it hasn't worked out for you so far. Might be time to rethink a few things.

Rollo said...

Even "The Marseilles" has a line about watering our furrows with impure blood (presumably the blood of the aristocrats).

National anthems are written violent times and have violent imagery. It's rare that they are goodtime happy songs.

Thus the recent controversy about "the hireling and slave" in the "Star-Spangled Banner." The line referred to British troops, but Key's family were slaveowners, so ...

Joe Smith said...

'There are 500 members of the Mar-a-Lago club. The member list of course is secret. 'What are the odds that none of them work for China or Russia or Iranian intelligence? Again doesn't matter to you.'

Swalwell is on the Intelligence Committee and he fucked a Chinese spy.

Feinstein is still serving as a Senator and she had a Chinese spy driver/assistant working for her for decades.

Zero consequences.

Apparently it doesn't matter to you.

Narayanan said...

how about this argument >>> FJB is Commander-in-Chief : so he can ask Marines to change his diaper??!!
etc.

Anonymous said...

Isn't that a signal when the military hands are lit up like that when I light shines on them... Anyone know what it means.

Bunkypotatohead said...

Most of the pics of Biden lately show hime looking either like Commander Pike or Chancellor Sutler.
Does he think these latest images make him look presidential?

Fortunately for him the speech was only shown on CNN and MSNBC. So nobody saw it.

Tina Trent said...

I watched the speech to see how gone Biden is. Maybe it was my crappy tablet, but it really seemed that his lips weren't moving to the words. It looked pre-recorded, with Biden trying and often failing to lip-sync. He was frail and robotic, when he wasn't channeling rage, except when he seemed to lose the thread of the places he was supposed to show rage. His facial expressions were all over the place.

Is it better to have an incompetent fascist leading us, or a competent one? Incompetent allows for a lot more being done behind the scenes, by a lot more actors.

Weirdly, even the sign language translator was signing ragefully.