I’ve written some comments here and there about the dangers of setting the bar on the ground when it comes to the Republican National Convention. Or, since at least some of it will take place at the White House and have to be billed as something else the Trump National Convention. That’s something Himself would love, and hell, he’s swallowed and crapped out the old GOP anyway so he just might demand to make it officially the Trump Party and Trump National Convention from start to finish. Anyway, Trump and most of his inner circle are dumbasses or incompetent or both, but the GOP has people who know how to put on a TV show and yes, even with short notice a virtual convention. No doubt they were furiously taking notes of what Democrats did and will copy many of the ideas although something as complicated as the first night’s National Anthem from around the country might be a bit much to pull off on short notice. Still, someone might have come up with the idea long ago and sketched out the technical details even if it got shot down at first because the not so great Orange one was demanding his big arena and hoe hate-down.
Keep in mind that in every state, even before the pandemic the Congress Critters (be they Representatives or Senators), both Democrats and Republicans have production capability to do rapid fire remote interviews with TV stations across their states and even across the country. That means equipment and staff had plenty of time to deploy to wherever convention honchos wanted them to be. Well, they did as long as most of the speakers and locations were decided by the beginning of this week. Even if they’re scrambling with last minute changes let’s not go chortling over predictions of massive, or even a significant number of technical screw-ups. I’m betting they will be far fewer than and seldom as bad as is being predicted.
So, again I say we should avoid talking trash, and if anyone reading this knows people in the news should try and get them to STFU about setting such low expectations. I don’t want to give the GOP one single inch and that includes allowing them to exceed ridiculously low expectations. Because if the GOP clears the hurdle of the technical production part of the thing, folks even in semi-normal media will be acting like instead of stepping over the bar laying on the ground they cleared a world record pole vault height! DON’T GIVE THEM THAT CHANCE.
Where I agree with many is that the content will be a disaster. Maybe even of epic proportions. I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out if the GOP can come up with even a crazy Zell Miller, or Lying Lieberman to appear as a “Democrat” and talk about how “worthless” Joe Biden is and praise Trump as the bestest, greatest most bigly awesome President this country has ever had, and not only that the wisest and most prolifically influential for the good of the entire world in human history statesman. For damned sure they can’t come up with a roster like the myriad of Republicans and Republicans turned Independent (due to Trump they say) with widely respected reputations and decades of GOP & conservative bona fides that spoke to the Democratic Convention.
So what will that leave them? For starters probably guys like that pair of puffed up with their own greatness anal orifices that spent a good half hour at the 2016 RNC recounting how they, with virtually no help it seemed salvaged the whole situation the night Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed. What really pissed me off was the outright contempt they had for the State Department guards charged with protecting the Consulate and Stevens, who although so badly outnumbered fought like hell and took casualties in their ranks while these two pricks were over at the heavily fortified CIA Annex with a boatload of heavy weapons and hundreds of personnel. When, after a team from the Annex had evacuated them two of these wounded guards made their way to the roof to help fight off any attacks one of the speakers/human turds mocked these two wounded men. That’s the kind of “heroes” we can expect to see -self professed heroes that derisively spoke about not even giving the State guys (former military like them) a weapon because they were afraid these fellow Americans were incompetent and would hurt them instead of the gomers!
Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery won’t, after all those testimonials from average Americans talking about personal encounters with Joe Biden prevent Team Trump from rounding up some MAGAts to make up stories about Trump personally taking an hour of precious time to listen to them, to comfort them and so on. Only MAGAts will be gullible enough to buy it but we are after all talking about MAGAts who mainline the Kool-Aid laced with bleach because Trump said it might work. (Let’s not get into where they’d shove ultraviolet lights) Of course, if actual MAGAT goobers don’t come across well on camera (and you can bet Trump will want final approval on who makes the cut) he’ll do what he did for his ride down the escalator announcement of his candidacy – HIRE people! Only this time, instead of mere extras he will (grudgingly) shell out the money to hire real actors. By real I mean struggling actors that can actually act. Not worthless schulbs like Scot Baio that can’t and never could act his way out of a paper bag!
I just hope the fact checkers on our side (since I don’t expect the corporate masters of major media to authorize the expense) are ready to pounce and vet the authenticity (or more precisely lack thereof) of these folks. Give it to the media and if journalists won’t air/print it then spread it the hell all over the internet along with the names of every outlet that ignored it!
So that again leaves us with - who will be the big guns? Mike Flynn still isn’t off the hook unless Trump pardons him before the end of the convention and there won’t be a crowd to get to chant Lock Hunter Biden UP! Or Obama. Or (still) Hillary. Or Joe himself. Other former Generals will I think be in short supply for Trump and I can’t think of any with the stature, the gravitas that countless former Flag Officers who have publicly come out AGAINST Trump.
I again ask, just what “big guns” can Trump bring? Yertle the Turtle aka Mitch McConnell. Not exactly anyone’s idea of an inspirational public speaker. Jared? It might seem unfair to pick on the fact he’s got a high pitched, soft voice but for all his perfect grooming as soon as he speaks he instantly projects all the power and gravitas of an early teenager at best. Certainly not the “man’s man” Trump will want to show all the male MAGA goobers out there that he, Himself, Trump is only surrounding by not just the “best” but the toughest of tough guys. Ivanka? The plastic wannabe Princess Barbie herself? Having HER trash Kamala Harris will play like a lead (but coated with napalm inside and out) Hindenburg with Independent women and all those Republican suburban moms Trump is trying to win back. And if she’s clueless enough (more than possible) to go after Hunter Biden who I believe will be who the Trump campaign focuses on the rest of the way grab the popcorn. Ivanka will spend a good chunk of every day running to daddy in tears as daily stories about her Chinese trademarks! Like Flynn, Steve Bannon isn’t available for an encore. Stone? Crowing about how his connections with Trump got him off the hook for his felonies won’t play in Peoria as the saying goes. It might even rub some MAGAts who’ve seen family and friends do time at least in the county jail for months at a time (if not prison) while the rich kid’s daddy they went to school with got them off the hook for crimes.
At best, I can’t think of anyone Trump can put up that not only won’t get him any votes he doesn’t already have locked up even if he did actually shoot someone on 5th Avenue (a non-white person or immigrant of course!). In fact, if anything most if not all the people the GOP can throw out there might actually cost them votes!
So, we finally come to one person we know for sure will speak and for a long time. Trump. “Himself.” His problem is, or will be that there will be a vast empty lawn instead of an arena packed with a screaming mob. I’ve already said this week that I hope at least one outlet has someone with a camera to catch the sad walk back into the WH once the “event” is over. If you thought he looked whipped getting off Marine One coming back from Tulsa, I’m predicting that walk will look jaunty by comparison to what his demeanor will be Thursday night. He won’t have even had the ovation that precedes every President in modern times as they walk in to give a State of the Union speech, or the applause from only his side. I’m sure they will have at least some people on the South Lawn, but any cheers from so few people will be lost into the vast open space and sky!
Trump only comes alive and stokes up his base with a huge, screaming crowd to fuel him. Take that away, and as we’ve seen Trump is listless. Flat. And THAT is when, if he feels he’s got to “take charge” and rev himself up without the benefit of the drug of mass adoration ringing in his ears he goes off script. We’ve seen some epic self-owning word salad moments from Trump in such situations. Other than the debates with a calm, in control Joe Biden offering the worst possible contrast to him, Thursday night will be the worst possible time for this to happen. And if Trump should realize he’s failing in the moment? The meltdown will be a sight to see.
In fact, I’d suspect if there IS to be a major technical “difficulty” that would be the kind of “yuge” embarrassing glitch people thing will be common next week this is when we can reasonably expect it to happen. Yep. Someone on Team Trump will have their finger on the button, or hand on the plug or whatever to KILL the TV feed! I wouldn’t be surprised if someone is across near the Washington Monument with a burner phone (with the direct # to the Secret Service Office in the WH on speed dial) in hand looking out for a signal from the roof of the WH to call in a sniper threat so the Secret Service will have to hustle him inside – giving Faux Nooz an excuse to spin for Trump’s big moment getting cut short. Then they and RWNJ talk radio will be able to regale us for days on how great Trump would have been, if only…
I’ll close with how I began. Don’t go setting the bar too low for Trump and the GOP next week. They will likely exceed even modest expectations on the technical aspects. And as for the content? I suppose a bit of pre-emptive criticism is okay but keep it short and sweet — and be prepared to counter every speaker we learn will be heard from before they get their moment on camera, and ready to vet the credibility of anyone who appears we didn’t know about ahead of time. The more we are prepared for instant rebuttal to step on the GOP’s spin about how awesome each night was we can steal a great deal of attention from Trump.
What we should stop doing is spending the weekend and Monday ripping on how bad it will all be. DON’T give them any credibility when they try to crow about how everyone predicted it would suck and it went off without a hitch. Well, it’s late where I live and I’m in need of some sleep so if there are comments I’ll respond in the morning.
