In basketball, any number of move sets can help a player score. The headfake is one of the most common tactics used. It is meant keep a defender off balance in the hopes that the move will make the defender think the player will shoot, so that the player can easily move around him to score an easier basket. The best defense against the headfake is simply not to fall for it, keep your feet planted along with your composure, and continue to make the player’s job on offense more difficult.
Trump’s address to Congress last night was exactly that. The tone may have been more subdued, but the substance was nonexistent and still cringeworthy. And you can take a guess at what happened next.
“Failing” New York Times, what say you about last night’s performance?
Well, crap. Amazing, that we’re now throwing “hopeful” around because well-done steakhead President managed to not spit shower the room with whatever mindfarts that slipped past his filter.
Ok, then. CNN, you purveyors of “Fake News”, what do you have to say for yourselves?
HOLY $%&$*&! Ambitious! PRESI-FUCKING-DENTIAL! Are you kidding me? Have you people been alive since January 20th? One speech all of the sudden makes the past month plus of deranged bullshit go away?
Washington Post, you’re up.
OMG. “High Marks,” “Steady, Muscular tone” Why don’t you people just save it and join the Reddit boards and say “Spank Me Daddy?” Oh, but hey look, there were also “numerous inaccuracies.” Because balance, y’all. And saying lies, shit, cmon now, that would be a little excessive.
I guess it really is true that if you beat the media up enough, all it takes is one positive gesture for them to love you again unconditionally.
The media once again fell for the headfake. We can’t.
One speech doesn’t change the rise of a bigot. One speech doesn’t mean every single fucking lie he and his cronies have told now become truth. One speech doesn’t make an illegitimate, Russian puppet, popular vote loser anything other than an illegitimate, Russian puppet, popular vote loser.
Trump has done this before. He knows how to play the media. Chaos will always ensue with Trump and his acolytes, but one moment of him dialing it back from 11 to, say 6 or 7, means that all is forgiven and that maybe this shit isn’t so bad after all.
This isn’t helping. This isn’t journalism. And it only makes the work we need to do to rebuild our democracy that much harder.