At Trump’s address, the Democrats looked like sullen versions of Cabbage Patch kids. Even during the nonpartisan, poignant parts, the Sour Patch kids wouldn’t applaud, stand up or smile. I wasn’t sure about those segments, so maybe they can explain what message they were sending.
John Fetterman, a Democratic senator who is open about his brain damage, said that his colleagues were, “A sad cavalcade of self owns and unhinged petulance,”
Apparently Reagan is the first president to bring meat props to the State of the Union Address. He was in show business, so understands storytelling. This aspect of the show can be more engaging than the actual speech, similar to how celebrity outfits can be the best part of the Academy Awards. Using regular people as props can feel inauthentic or manipulative.
I don’t like little kids on TV because I have legions of delightful nieces and nephews. Over 15 year as a summer camp instructor, I spent a total of 75 weeks with 10 to 12 year-olds. I liked most of them. It’s not easy to convincingly portray kids in movies and TV shows. The characters tend to be too much of only one characteristic.
I’m watching the third season of Ted Lasso. In the first episode, both child characters were terrible. Kids just don’t act that insightful and earnest.
In Trump’s congressional address, I wasn’t optimistic about this kid. A little Black kid is wearing a Halloween costume and is battling cancer, now everyone should slap your flippers together like good trained seals. Cringe.
When Trump announced that he was making DJ an honorary Secret Service agent, the expression on the kid’s face is fantastic. Even the best child actors would need several takes to fake that look.
I have seen a lot of hugging. At the end of a three-week residential camp, we returned the students to their parents. It could be awkward. Students get attached to staff or parents think that their kid should have gotten attached to staff. There were spontaneous hugs, coerced hugs, cathartic hugs, formal hugs, and every other variation.
In the video of the address, you can see DJ asking the agent for a hug and no hesitation by the agent. He must be a dad. I wonder how he was selected for this.
I just looked it up. He is this guy.
He is Sean Curran, the new Director of the Secret Service.
Spontaneous emotion on camera is really tricky. Curran was just going up to hand the kid the badge, maybe a cursory hug. Everything about this image is worth celebrating. A strong, Black, patriotic father, a grateful son and a Secret Service director with humanity and warmth. I hope DJ’s dad and Director Curran become friends.
The Sour Patch kids just sat there moping for the whole thing. The House chambers must have monitors all over the place so they can watch. If they knew what was happening, then they must just be a bunch of assholes who hate Black kids with cancer.
There were other meat props recognized in Trump’s address. The upbeat and celebratory events are enjoyable, but the tragic incidents are uncomfortable.
Trump talked about Laken Riley because of the policy implications, but it hurts to watch the sister and mom grieve on camera. The loss of Laken seems too personal and private to exploit like this.
Who the hell is that photo-bombing the Riley’s? That lady mugging for the camera has a gigantic head. The Riley’s aren’t little people. From a group photo, Lauren Riley, the sister, seems to be about 5’6″. The video didn’t yield more information about the giantess.
A shot of the congressional audience shows the Republicans standing and applauding as they turn toward the Riley’s. Apparently the Supreme Court and Joint Chiefs aren’t supposed to stand. What’s up with the Democrats? Most look like they are checked out. The Laken Riley Act passed the House and Senate with about two-thirds of the votes, so why are they being dicks?
The Democrats were like that for everything. Symbolism and appearance are important, but they don’t look good being dour and glum during the recognition of positive and non-partisan regular people.
There was one recognition that seemed dubious or ill-advised. Elliston Berry, the girl on the right, is 15 years old and the poster child for the “Take It Down” Act passed by Congress. Trump explains that Elliston was the victim of a deep fake image produced by a peer.
Trump is personalizing the legislation, but the implication is that someone made a nude or pornographic image of this 15 year old girl who is in front of us now. This feels like a, “Don’t think about pink elephants” moment. This is a major address that will be watched by millions of people. I don’t know, associating pornographic images with a specific 15 year-old, seems tawdry.
Trump’s address is a long one, but a big part of that is highlighting regular Americans. Trump tells a good story, and weaves in his policy and personnel with the lives of the people. Also, Trump isn’t just recognizing people, but interacting with them. DJ got his Secret Service fake ID, and there were a couple of executive orders displayed.
One of my favorites was Trump highlighting Marc Fogel. He was arrested in Russia, and sentenced to 14 years in prison for having a small amount of medicinal marijuana. Fogel had been in prison for three years, with no effort or attention by the Biden administration. When Fogel was sentenced, the Washington Post and NYT covered his story, but it got no traction. This school teacher with no connections to important people, was forgotten and languishing.
Fogel grew up in Butler, Pennsylvania, so when Trump was in Butler for a campaign rally, his 95 year old mother attended and managed to speak with Trump. That alone is amazing. Trump and his staff were responsive enough to give her an audience. Trump promised that, if he became president, he would get her son back.
Later that day, Trump was shot by an assassin. It would have been understandable if Trump’s promise had been forgotten in the chaos of the day. The promise wasn’t forgotten, and Fogel was released from a Russian prison a month into Trump’s term.
“Hate Trump” seems to be the only principle guiding Democrats. There isn’t any other explanation for why congressional Democrats would not celebrate the release of a 63 year old school teacher from a Russian prison. The Democratic Party didn’t fail Fogel, Biden did.
America would benefit from a Democratic Party that stood for something more constructive than opposing whatever the other guy does.