Sane-Washing Trump's Dance Party
Imagine, if you will, if President Joe Biden -- before he dropped his re-election bid -- had held what was billed as a televised town hall in a battleground state. Imagine further that after answering only five questions, Biden's brain seemed to freeze and he just stood there on stage while music played for the remaining 39 minutes of the scheduled event -- as Biden occasionally (and lethargically) moved his hands to the music a bit, but also occasionally just stood there with his eyes closed gripping the back of a chair. Now imagine what the media reaction would have been.
If you guessed an avalanche of "Biden's Too Old!" and "Biden Loses It At Town Hall!" and "Is It Time To Invoke The 25th Amendment?" stories would have flooded the media zone for at least a full week, you would be correct. That is exactly what would have happened.
This Monday, all of the above happened -- except the bit about the media's reaction -- but it was Donald Trump whose brain froze, not Joe Biden. The media reacted by trying to somehow make it all seem normal, when it clearly wasn't. Here are two examples of this "sane-washing," the first from the New York Times, in an article titled: "Trump Bobs His Head To Music For 30 Minutes In Odd Town Hall Detour":
Donald J. Trump was about 30 minutes into a town hall Monday night in suburban Philadelphia when a medical emergency in the crowd brought the questions and answers to a halt. Moments later, he tried to get back on track, when another medical incident seemed to derail things, this time for good.
And so Mr. Trump, a political candidate known for improvisational departures, made a detour. Rather than try to restart the political program, he seemed to decide in the moment that it would be more enjoyable for all concerned -- and, it appeared, for himself -- to just listen to music instead.
That's an awfully positive spin job. You think Biden would have gotten the same positive "would be more enjoyable for all concerned" language if this had happened to him? I don't. The coverage would have been much more along the lines of: "Biden himself seemed lost -- not knowing what to do next -- as he left the moderator standing there obviously concerned about Biden's mental fugue state."
The Washington Post reported the event, under the headline: "Trump Sways And Bops To Music For 39 Minutes In Bizarre Town Hall Episode." At least they pointed out Trump's cruel and unempathetic comments about people daring to faint while he spoke, after the second of his supporters experienced medical distress:
Trump then quipped to the crowd: "Would anybody else like to faint? Please raise your hand. Let's do it now."
But the main part of the story was just as sane-washed as that Times article:
"Let's not do any more questions. Let's just listen to music. Let's make it into a music. Who the hell wants to hear questions, right?" he said.
For 39 minutes, [Donald] Trump swayed, bopped -- sometimes stopping to speak -- as he turned the event into almost a living-room listening session of his favorite songs from his self-curated rally playlist.
He played nine tracks. He danced. He shook hands with people onstage. He pointed to the crowd. [South Dakota Governor Kristi] Noem stood beside him, nodding with her hands clasped. Trump stayed in place onstage, slowly moving back and forth. He was done answering questions for the night.
. . .
As Trump stood onstage in his oversize suit and bright red tie, swaying back and forth, it was almost as if he were taking a trip back to decades past. Trump's decision to cut short the question-and-answer portion of the town hall and instead have the crowd stay to listen to his favorite songs was a somewhat bizarre move, given that the election was only 22 days away. Vice President Kamala Harris has called Trump, 78, unstable and questioned his mental acuity.
At least somebody in the editorial department at the Post later realized that they were guilty of using a monstrously-different double standard (from how they would have reported on things if it had been Biden), and a different story was then posted, this time titled a lot more realistically: "How Big A Political Problem Is Mental Acuity For Trump?" This started off in a much clearer way:
Donald Trump's rallies and public appearances have never been resounding examples of coherence and policy know-how. But even by his standards, things have gone off the rails a lot recently.
Perhaps most striking was a bizarre town hall Monday night in Pennsylvania where Trump, after two people in the crowd had brief medical emergencies, suddenly decided to forgo further questions. He then stood onstage for 39 minutes swaying and dancing while a series of songs played.
The scene came as Trump's increasingly rambling performances and failure to summon and pronounce words have highlighted questions about his age and mental acuity -- the same issues that effectively ended President Joe Biden's 2024 campaign just three months ago. Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign quickly seized on the events Monday, quipping of Trump, "Hope he's okay." It has also pushed for the release of more Trump medical records.
Others at the Post reacted differently. Another article was posted that noted how dated most of the songs Trump played were (pointing out how dated Trump himself is as well), and how Trump's musical tastes are decidedly odd:
James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" is an energetic (if problematic) track, as was his old favorite, "Y.M.C.A." by the Village People. (Here, too, the subtext might not entirely align with Trump's politics, but I digress.)
. . .
Then came a song that I am surprised has not been mentioned more in coverage of the event: "Dixie," as sung by Elvis Presley. Yes, it was part of the hip-swinging singer's cover of "American Trilogy," a three-song medley. But it was still "Dixie," the unofficial anthem of the Confederacy! Played at a presidential campaign event in the year 2024! Without anyone commenting on it!
This was a lot better, and the author is right -- imagine what the media would say if any other political candidate played "Dixie" at a rally! To say nothing of Trump's all-time favorite rally-exiting song, which celebrates the anonymous hookup culture of gay men in the 1970s. Has he never actually listened to the chorus?
It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.
They have everything for young men to enjoy
You can hang out with all the boys
The Post finally redeemed itself by assigning the story to their resident satirist, Alexandra Petri. Her review started off with precisely the correct tone to report on what had actually happened:
Not that it was ever exceptionally strong to begin with, but I feel I have lost my hold on reality.
I could have sworn that Donald Trump prematurely ended his town hall (I use the term loosely, because that implies a forum where questions are asked and answered, which this really was not) and instead forced the crowd to stand there while he swayed along to his rally playlist. But it is equally possible that I am hallucinating and my brain is just trying to make me realize that my body is being dissected by aliens in a laboratory.
She goes on to list every single song Trump forced his minions to play for the crowd, which was indeed a bizarre mashup of musical styles, with a little critique of the dance moves (and it's being generous to even call them that) that Trump employed during each one of them. Here's just one example:
8) "It's A Man's Man's Man's World," by James Brown
Nothing about this song says "I am a good song to play at a political rally," but it is also an extremely on-the-nose choice for Trump. Never let it be said that he allowed any of the themes of his candidacy to languish in subtext! Trump does a little windshield-wiper hand gesture that seems intended to evoke dance, and then he taps rhythmically along on the back of a chair.
At least the Post did wake up and realize that their coverage of what can only be described as an extremely abnormal thing for a presidential candidate to do was initially lacking. From 2015 until today, the media's double standard has helped Trump seem a lot more rational and normal than he truly is. Democratic politicians are subjected to intense scrutiny and hard speculation about their fitness for office, while the media collectively shrugs (almost on a daily basis) and just figures: "Oh well, that's just Trump being Trump."
This was their go-to reaction after Trump's mental breakdown on stage. Trump "made an improvisational departure" or "detour." He took "a trip back to decades past" in "almost a living-room listening session," while he "swayed" and "bopped" to the music.
This might have been fitting if Trump had paused his town hall just long enough for the medical emergencies in the crowd to be taken care of, or perhaps for two or even three songs. But Trump's brain froze for a whopping 39 minutes.
This isn't just odd or downright bizarre, it is absolutely unprecedented. A presidential candidate froze for over half an hour when he was supposed to be answering questions from the audience. And his followers -- including the moderator -- are so deep into their cultish mindset that nobody dared Trump's wrath by pointing out that the emperor truly had no clothes on. To her credit, Noem did try at least once, but awfully halfheartedly. The prompting screen facing Trump on the stage even begged him to answer "two more questions" before the end of the town hall, but to no avail. Trump was happy enough to just stand there doing his own thing while everyone else was left to wonder what exactly was going on inside his brain.
And just think of how much ink has been spilled over the question of whether Kamala Harris has a strange laugh or not. To say nothing of the weeks-long coverage of Joe Biden's debate performance, complete with calls for him to step down as his party's candidate. If that is going to be the standard of media coverage, then it should be applied equally to both sides. But as you can see, even after nine years of covering Trump, there's still that go-to "it's just Trump being Trump" mental shrug from far too many members of the Fourth Estate.
The only people who properly did the job that the media surely would have done properly (if this episode had happened with Joe Biden, that is) were the comedians. Both the satirist at the Post and the late-night television hosts had an absolute field day pointing out the fact that Trump just appeared to lose it on stage.
For 39 minutes. Let's not forget that part, because it highlights more than anything else how truly disqualifying this should have been, for a major party's presidential candidate.
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Yeah, the bleeping corporate owned MSM wanted something besides the impending blowout so sane-washing it is.
It’s not supposed to be fair. Our Constitutional Republic was built to NOT change with the times. Don’t slaves still count as 60%? Sure, but only if you incarcerated and/or impoverish 40% of them.
Them black folk. Funny how it’s worked out that way.
Has he never actually listened to the chorus?
Duh. No, he has not.
He's too busy doing the Dick Dance.
Did ya'all ever notice that NONE of ya'all's media sources NEVER come from any REAL news media sources??
It's always WaPoop or NY Grime or MSNBC.. NEVER from a reputable news source that ACTUALLY has a good reputation for REAL factual news..
It's no wonder that ya'all actually BELIEVE that Token DEI-Hire Headboard Harris and Tampon Tim NO BALLZ Walz actually have a chance in winning the election.. :D
I also noticed that the brain dead Trump/America hating Weigantian trolls are up to their usual fact-less BS... It's sad that these poor ignorant sad saps make up the bulk of the Weigantian citizenry...
Speaking of the saddest sack.. Well one of the saddest sacks...
And douchebag troll still hasn’t paid off his black vote bet from 2020.
Not factually accurate.. That debt was paid to a VERY deserving source, as nypoet22 can attest to.
"Douchebag troll"?? You mean, as opposed to a disgraced dishonorably discharged convict who can only post in my Weigantia when his cell block is not on lockdown?? The only trolls here are you disgusting Trump/America hating trolls who never have any relevant facts to back up ANY of ya'all's BS..
He’ll be long gone in a month, just like always.
Son, I have been here in Weigantia longer than then you have been in prison.. And when you and your fellow brain dead Trump/America hating trolls disappear because yer too embarrassed to show your faces after President Trump's decisive win in about 19 days, me, JL and Liz will be here laughing at ya'all's moronic asses.. :D
Well, *I'll* be laughing.. I am sure JL and Liz will be more kind to ya'all.. MUCH more kinder than ya'all Trump/America hating trolls deserve, that much is certain..
Yep. After President Trump cleans up in the Swing States and is named PRESIDENT-ELECT, I imagine you Trump/America hating trolls won't have the balls to show yer faces for quite a while.. :D
And Weigantia will be GREAT AGAIN!!! :D
As far as Token DEI Hire CamelToe Harris' interview on FNC???
It's about what I expected.. Brain dead word salads that didn't answer a SINGLE question that she was asked..
She lied about Basement Biden's senility and dementia.. But even though everyone now knows about Basement Biden's senility and dementia, Cameltoe STILL insists that everything Basement Biden did was perfectly fine and that she would have done NOTHING different...
So much for Cameltoe's "NEW" way forward, eh???
Cameltoe just admitted on national TV that a vote for Cameltoe is vote 4 more years of senile & dementia riddled Basement Biden..
And, in other news, Cameltoe continues to crash and burn in the polls..
It's hilarious how all the Trump/America hating trolls here in Weigantia just LOVED the polls in the immediate aftermath of the Demon'rat Party coup that ousted the democratically chosen Dim Candidate...
Now, all of the sudden, those same brain dead Trump/America hating trolls here in Weigantia don't want to talk about polls anymore..
Who would have THUNKED that, in just a few short months, Cameltoe Harris would be in a WORSE position than senile dementia riddled Basement Biden..
Who would THUNKED it!!??
Oh... Wait... :D
Well, back to work.. It's almost nice to work simple 12-hr shifts again after Hurricane Milton tore thru here... :D
I'll have a 3-day weekend off after today, so I can spend it knocking Weigantian braindead troll's dicks into the dirt.. :D Won't that be fun!!! :D
What? Do you just see all the Trump criticism, then project it to Kamala/Walz when you post? Word salad you say, now do Trump. Senility and dementia you say, now do Trump. Plans you say, now explain his concept of a plan. Oh, that's right, if you didn't have double standards you would not have standards at all...
Now, all of the sudden, those same brain dead Trump/America hating trolls here in Weigantia don't want to talk about polls anymore..
There is no one on this forum that "all of the sudden" ("the sudden"?) isn't talking about polls. In point of fact, it would take quite a brain-dead moron to actually read this forum on a regular basis and come to that doltish imbecilic preposterous inane nonsensical and asinine conclusion.
The polls continue to be in the margin of error range. Same shit different day.
BashiBazouk
6
Word salad you say, now do Trump.
Trump word salad in response to a question about child care:
Senility and dementia you say, now do Trump.
Somebody was killed but nobody was killed. It doesn't get more senile than that. Not just senile, Trump is a pathological liar. He was told on January 6 the crowd was armed and that multiple firearms had been reported to the police, but it was a nice touch for him to include himself by saying "we" since he was definitely the head of the conspiracy.
Donald Trump and multiple right-wingnut media liars continue to spew the asinine claim that "no one was armed" and/or "no one had guns," despite knowing full well that it's demonstrably false on multiple levels. There were a multitude of defendants who were armed with dangerous and deadly weapons, including several who carried firearms, which the DOJ has proven in court and is now well known and public information.
Among January 6 rioters who were proven in court to have carried firearms during the attack on the Capitol:
* Guy Reffitt, sentenced to 7 years in prison and was the first January 6 defendant to go to trial
* Christopher Alberts, sentenced to 7 years in prison
* Mark Mazza, armed with two guns, sentenced to 5 years in prison
* Jerod Bargar, lost his gun when he dropped it in the mob, sentenced to 5 years of probation with 6 months of home confinement. The police officer who recovered Bargar's gun testified he was "aware of multiple reports of firearms in the crowd."