It’s time to retire the phrase “saying the quiet part out loud.” Because Republicans have canned the whole idea of a quiet part. Whether it’s throwing in their lot with Vladimir Putin or treating “The Handmaid’s Tale” as a guidebook for life, they are saying all the parts loudly.
At this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference, the loud parts include an open disdain for the whole idea of democracy. That includes open support for Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, bringing in two other authoritarians: Argentine President Javier Milei and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who describes himself as “the world’s coolest dictator.” Because, as far as Republicans are concerned, dictators are cool now. And democracy is very definitely not.
Nothing made that clearer than right-wing activist Jack Posobiec, who spoke on a panel hosted by conservative strategist Steve Bannon. "Welcome to the end of democracy," said Posobiec. "We are here to overthrow it completely. We didn't get all the way there on Jan. 6, but we will endeavor to get rid of it and replace it with this right here."
Posobiec held up a fist. Bannon said, “Amen.”
The speech not only treats Jan. 6 as a dry run for a violent coup to overthrow the American government, it also took place at a CPAC saturated with the idea that Jan. 6 was noble and the people involved were heroes … unless, of course, the whole thing was a setup and the people who charged the Capitol were stooges.
There was a celebration of the insurrectionists as “the real heroes” for their role in violently attacking police and smashing their way through the doors and windows of the Capitol. NBC Nightly News interviewed one of the Jan. 6 insurrectionists but never got around to mentioning that the interviewee had marched through the Capitol building while saying she was looking for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “to shoot her in the frickin’ brain.” That’s what makes this woman one of those real heroes, so far as CPAC is concerned.
There was even a Jan. 6 pinball machine. It invites players to score points while moving through bonus levels ranging from “Stop the Steal” to “It’s a Setup” to “Babbit Murder.” It includes an image saying “Free the J6 political prisoners.” It’s also pretty open about calling events that day an insurrection. Because why the hell not? Everyone else is.
At least, this year doesn’t seem to have the mock jail cell complete with a crying actor.
Videos showing that this year’s CPAC has plenty of empty seats are encouraging. So is the way most speeches seem to be met with silence or a few desultory claps. But that’s a little deceptive.
Because when Posobiec spoke, there was … what’s that phrase? Thunderous applause.
This is what CPAC attendees are there for now. They don’t want to hear anything about policy. They’re not even that enthused about Donald Trump. What they want now is redder meat, for someone to say the loud part even louder.
They want another swing at a violent government overthrow, and they’ll cheer anyone who offers to give them that chance.
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