I know it's difficult to take Santos seriously on any level and yes, he makes for great late night one liners, but am I alone in thinking/worrying that he might truly be a DANGEROUS psychopath? As in mass shooter dangerous?? I find him genuinely creepy each and every time I see him.
During WW2, Britain's treacherous Lord Haw-Haw at least had to relocate to Germany to wage his propaganda war against his own country. And was executed after the war. Our own Lord Haw-Haws, like Elon and Tucker, can sit here comfortably while attacking their own people and serving as the lickspittle lackeys of despotic tyrants. How times have changed for the worse...and I agree with Frum, there is something we don't know, but what is going on here is more than just useful idiocy.
No matter how much they have, they always want more. Although in Tucker's case, I like to think the Russians did some snooping and found a stash of child porn on his computer. Given that the Rs constantly project their crimes onto others, and they talk about pedos so much...seems finding some kompromat on Tucker would be about right.
"Think about the wretched refuse who have been drawn into that orbit: Crooks like Steve Bannon, Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, and Bernie Kerik. Bigots like Darren Beattie, Stephen Miller, MTG, and various drecks on cable television. Grifters like Diamond and Silk, Jenna Ellis, and Dinesh D’Souza. Sleazoids like Jason Miller, Jerry Falwell, Jr., and Matt Gaetz. And, of course, nutjobs like the My Pillow Guy, Sidney Powell, and Michael Flynn. And don’t forget Rudy Giuliani."
Well it's not like Santos has to worry about his reputation by wearing the pin. He needs the overlap between the assault rifle worshipping tribe, and the lying through your teeth worshipping tribe. Unfortunately he might find a sizeable base with GOP voters.
I loved Mona's piece today, "Police Should Chill the F**k Out". As she states clearly, what she's asking for is a minor reform compared to many others, but it's also cost-free. There's no downside to the police presenting themselves professionally, and the opposite tends to create a hostile environment from the start, something that the police and everyone else should want to avoid.
Ah, yes. Those AR-15 pins are being passed out by my own Congressman. I'm so proud. Guy also put the AR-15 on all his campaign signs, like he was running for Hezbollah or something.
Last November, I voted for mostly Republicans. Left the Senate and Lt Governor boxes blank. But the one Democrat I actually voted for was Clyde's opponent. Because he seemed relatively sane.
It's possible Elon Musk's motives are nefarious-but is it also possible that everyone has grossly overestimated his competence? Maybe he leans into/embraces/doesn't take down obviously bogus tweets because he just is not that well organized or perceptive anymore.
Uninterested in the SOTU address. Go back to the old written message way of doing it, That would also (maybe it would also eliminate the puerile response from the opposition).
Most modern politicians are abysmal public speakers, they would fail my public speaking 101 class. Few of the Presidents have actually been good speakers.
Instead of making it less, make theSOTU more! Videos, music, celebrities. Show the work being done on the bridges and roads. Dramatic charts of employment. Words of praise from mayors and world leaders. AND, the Democratic Dancers, just like at the basketball games😜
That would likely be more effective in today's environment--but could you imagine the great wailing and gnashing of teeth by the opposition (of either side) at the destruction of a hallowed tradition and the inappropriate methods ;)
Reagan was, and what did he do? Introduced one of the worst banes of the thing, the variety show segment of introducing the people sitting with the First Lady to mug for the cameras during what is supposed to be the President's most important message to the Congress. I'm with you: go back to sending it writing.
Actually, Reagan WASN'T a good public speaker. His forte was the narrative joke or home-sy anecdote. People kind of assume that he was because he was an actor (how many good Oscar acceptance speeches have you seen by actors--acting is NOT public speaking) and he got the Great Communicator label hung on him--he was a great communicator, but his style/approach was not one of public speaking in the traditional sense.
This approach was made possible by modern media (and its immediacy/intimacy)--and his style also kind of led naturally to the thing that you object to (the mugging for the camera and personal stuff).
KENNEDY was a good public speaker and he had some good speech writers (my PhD advisor was one of them). I admit to some small bias there ;)
Lincoln was both good speaker but also a great communicator in the same vein as Reagan. Very folksy and anecdotal/humorous when it suited the situation.
Lincoln was also a man with a brain and could talk about difficult issues without reducing them to media sound bites. He also had empathy, even for those who were his enemies. And he would never be elected today.
I'm far less concerned with the niceties of formal oratory than I am with the ability to deliver a cogent message and have it understood, and Reagan was unsurpassed at that as far as I'm concerned. He may have been no Edward Everett, but Edward Everett would have been booed off a modern stage after the first fifteen minutes, before he had even begun to warm up.
Which is why, to all intents and purposes, oratory is essentially dead in the public sphere. Circumstances and culture have changed enough that there are more effective ways to get the cogent message out.
So if oratory is dead, why don't we let it die a peaceful death instead of torturing it with things like SOTU ;)
There are still uses for it and circumstances for it.. IF you have a person that is capable of doing it. Few these days are--and it isn't so much about doing or recapturing what people like Everett did (especially in terms of "art") as it is about using it effectively as a tool to achieve a goal beyond simply communicating a message.
I lost interest in the SOTU speech after Trump left. The drama and the "sitting on pins and needles" over what he was going to say was so entertaining. Now we are left with boring competency.
It's quite possible that Elon sees an opening that would allow him to become emperor, instead of the autocrat wannabes currently circling the imaginary throne, but he needs all of the MAGA world to be on his team. Yes, he's crazy. So was Caligula.
I know it's difficult to take Santos seriously on any level and yes, he makes for great late night one liners, but am I alone in thinking/worrying that he might truly be a DANGEROUS psychopath? As in mass shooter dangerous?? I find him genuinely creepy each and every time I see him.
During WW2, Britain's treacherous Lord Haw-Haw at least had to relocate to Germany to wage his propaganda war against his own country. And was executed after the war. Our own Lord Haw-Haws, like Elon and Tucker, can sit here comfortably while attacking their own people and serving as the lickspittle lackeys of despotic tyrants. How times have changed for the worse...and I agree with Frum, there is something we don't know, but what is going on here is more than just useful idiocy.
Money. Lots of rubles and/or the Chinese yuan have bought a good number of Rs. As someone wise said, "Follow the money!"
No matter how much they have, they always want more. Although in Tucker's case, I like to think the Russians did some snooping and found a stash of child porn on his computer. Given that the Rs constantly project their crimes onto others, and they talk about pedos so much...seems finding some kompromat on Tucker would be about right.
"Think about the wretched refuse who have been drawn into that orbit: Crooks like Steve Bannon, Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, and Bernie Kerik. Bigots like Darren Beattie, Stephen Miller, MTG, and various drecks on cable television. Grifters like Diamond and Silk, Jenna Ellis, and Dinesh D’Souza. Sleazoids like Jason Miller, Jerry Falwell, Jr., and Matt Gaetz. And, of course, nutjobs like the My Pillow Guy, Sidney Powell, and Michael Flynn. And don’t forget Rudy Giuliani."
Wow. Says it all.
Well it's not like Santos has to worry about his reputation by wearing the pin. He needs the overlap between the assault rifle worshipping tribe, and the lying through your teeth worshipping tribe. Unfortunately he might find a sizeable base with GOP voters.
Maybe Ds should start wearing pins of Santos and Luna shouldering ARs on one lapel aiming at a schoolhouse pin on the other.
I loved Mona's piece today, "Police Should Chill the F**k Out". As she states clearly, what she's asking for is a minor reform compared to many others, but it's also cost-free. There's no downside to the police presenting themselves professionally, and the opposite tends to create a hostile environment from the start, something that the police and everyone else should want to avoid.
Ah, yes. Those AR-15 pins are being passed out by my own Congressman. I'm so proud. Guy also put the AR-15 on all his campaign signs, like he was running for Hezbollah or something.
Last November, I voted for mostly Republicans. Left the Senate and Lt Governor boxes blank. But the one Democrat I actually voted for was Clyde's opponent. Because he seemed relatively sane.
Charlie - thank you for "snollygoster".....
Excellent piece, Charlie 👍
It's possible Elon Musk's motives are nefarious-but is it also possible that everyone has grossly overestimated his competence? Maybe he leans into/embraces/doesn't take down obviously bogus tweets because he just is not that well organized or perceptive anymore.
Uninterested in the SOTU address. Go back to the old written message way of doing it, That would also (maybe it would also eliminate the puerile response from the opposition).
Most modern politicians are abysmal public speakers, they would fail my public speaking 101 class. Few of the Presidents have actually been good speakers.
Instead of making it less, make theSOTU more! Videos, music, celebrities. Show the work being done on the bridges and roads. Dramatic charts of employment. Words of praise from mayors and world leaders. AND, the Democratic Dancers, just like at the basketball games😜
That would likely be more effective in today's environment--but could you imagine the great wailing and gnashing of teeth by the opposition (of either side) at the destruction of a hallowed tradition and the inappropriate methods ;)
And it lacks gravitas! heh.
Reagan was, and what did he do? Introduced one of the worst banes of the thing, the variety show segment of introducing the people sitting with the First Lady to mug for the cameras during what is supposed to be the President's most important message to the Congress. I'm with you: go back to sending it writing.
Actually, Reagan WASN'T a good public speaker. His forte was the narrative joke or home-sy anecdote. People kind of assume that he was because he was an actor (how many good Oscar acceptance speeches have you seen by actors--acting is NOT public speaking) and he got the Great Communicator label hung on him--he was a great communicator, but his style/approach was not one of public speaking in the traditional sense.
This approach was made possible by modern media (and its immediacy/intimacy)--and his style also kind of led naturally to the thing that you object to (the mugging for the camera and personal stuff).
KENNEDY was a good public speaker and he had some good speech writers (my PhD advisor was one of them). I admit to some small bias there ;)
Lincoln was both good speaker but also a great communicator in the same vein as Reagan. Very folksy and anecdotal/humorous when it suited the situation.
Lincoln was also a man with a brain and could talk about difficult issues without reducing them to media sound bites. He also had empathy, even for those who were his enemies. And he would never be elected today.
I'm far less concerned with the niceties of formal oratory than I am with the ability to deliver a cogent message and have it understood, and Reagan was unsurpassed at that as far as I'm concerned. He may have been no Edward Everett, but Edward Everett would have been booed off a modern stage after the first fifteen minutes, before he had even begun to warm up.
Which is why, to all intents and purposes, oratory is essentially dead in the public sphere. Circumstances and culture have changed enough that there are more effective ways to get the cogent message out.
So if oratory is dead, why don't we let it die a peaceful death instead of torturing it with things like SOTU ;)
There are still uses for it and circumstances for it.. IF you have a person that is capable of doing it. Few these days are--and it isn't so much about doing or recapturing what people like Everett did (especially in terms of "art") as it is about using it effectively as a tool to achieve a goal beyond simply communicating a message.
Regarding AR15 lapel pins and related matters: Perhaps this is a bit self-serving, but perhaps you should read my commentary published on Substack, Find the Cost of Freedom. https://open.substack.com/pub/michaelsaltz/p/find-the-cost-of-freedom?r=1fjch&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
I lost interest in the SOTU speech after Trump left. The drama and the "sitting on pins and needles" over what he was going to say was so entertaining. Now we are left with boring competency.
He invented the AR-15.
It's quite possible that Elon sees an opening that would allow him to become emperor, instead of the autocrat wannabes currently circling the imaginary throne, but he needs all of the MAGA world to be on his team. Yes, he's crazy. So was Caligula.
And Caligula was murdered by his Secret Service.
I got a kick out of this site calling for policing speech.