Privilege and Political Theater
[guest post by Dana]
I’m annoyed, and maybe it’s just me, but when a few media-savvy grandstanding members of Congress protesting outside of the Supreme Court know that reporters are abuzz with anticipation for that momemnt to happen and thus pretend to be handcuffed as they are marched off by the Capitol Police, it’s not just a cringe-worthy performance, it’s one that reeks of unabashed privilege. They know that the $50 fine will not be a hardship, and they also know that the moment will be remembered, not just by the police officers who asked for a photo with the arrested officials, and not just on Twitter, that go-to medium for Important Events. These women, with their millions of social media followers, know that they will be glamorized by media outlets, cheered on by their supporters, and finally, will bask in the effusive mutual praise of fellow Congresswomen who sacrificed so much today. These martyrs for the cause, these noble women, these warriors. Yet all the while, when everyday brown and black women who are not members of such an elite group protest (you name the issue), they will not be accorded the favored treatment and outcome. So just stop the performative bullshit already. Up your game, ladies. You’re embarrassing yourselves.
Today I was arrested while participating in a civil disobedience action with my fellow Members of Congress outside the Supreme Court.
I will continue to do everything in my power to raise the alarm about the assault on our reproductive rights! ✊🏽pic.twitter.com/rpFYOGBDf4
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) July 19, 2022
Today, Rep. AOC was arrested along with other members of Congress outside the Supreme Court for protesting in support of abortion rights. #AbortionRightsAreHumanRights pic.twitter.com/gvj9J1o5ic
— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) July 19, 2022
–Dana
It’s Amateur Hour.
Dana (1225fc) — 7/19/2022 @ 6:41 pmBlame the media for pushing the lie and remember it the next time you believe their lies.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 7/19/2022 @ 6:43 pmYou see, in this case, I don’t care what they’re protesting about. I care about the manipulative performances that gain them clout and that others aren’t treated the same way.
Dana (1225fc) — 7/19/2022 @ 6:48 pmUp your game, ladies. You’re embarrassing yourselves.
At $174,000/year.
“Well… as long as it’s money well spent.” – John Brackett [Howard St. John] ‘Lover Come Back’ 1961
DCSCA (abf41e) — 7/19/2022 @ 6:49 pmFairly confident it isn’t just you Dana.
steveg (31d5f1) — 7/19/2022 @ 6:55 pmEverything is political theater now, including having the Jan6 wrap up on TV at prime time in a desperate attempt to grab the attention of more people (Since the issue polls low on the list of American concerns)
We have had a new religion for a while now and the liturgy is performed at the Our Lady of Perpetual Outrage Church of the Performing Arts and Media
I think this woman might agree with you.
frosty (2a4007) — 7/19/2022 @ 7:43 pmCould not disagree with you more. A sitting president of the United States encouraged and fomented an insurrection on our Capitol. Efforts to hold him accountable for his actions are not just justified, but are necessary to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. given that we have another election coming up soon in which he could potentially attempt to overthrow it again.
That you consider the two events “political theater” just shows your partisanship.
Dana (1225fc) — 7/19/2022 @ 7:53 pmThese women, with their millions of social media followers, know that they will be glamorized by media outlets, cheered on by their supporters, and finally, will bask in the effusive mutual praise of fellow Congresswomen who sacrificed so much today. These martyrs for the cause, these noble women, these warriors.
why dump on Liz?
JF (f4058d) — 7/19/2022 @ 8:19 pm@7 I feel like I need to bring back the betting pool for how long it takes a non-Trump thread to turn into one.
frosty (2a4007) — 7/19/2022 @ 8:29 pmWhat do you all want poor AOC to do? Travel all the way to the border, in mid-July, to cry into a chain link fence? It’s 105 degrees down there!
nk (c6c223) — 7/19/2022 @ 8:35 pmWould you prefer they defund the supreme court instead of guerrilla theater?
asset (076e6b) — 7/19/2022 @ 8:36 pm@10 She could go to OH and organize a busing program for women who want to go to IL. And whatever happened to those tents setup in national parks and the reservations?
frosty (de62c2) — 7/19/2022 @ 9:01 pmasset, it’s been said before, and right here. AOC is 100% ineffectual. All image and noise, and no accomplishments. She couldn’t defund the water cooler in the Capitol ladies lounge.
nk (c6c223) — 7/19/2022 @ 9:03 pm@11 I’d be impressed if AOC tried to do that. It’d be more work than those social media posts though so I’m not expecting much.
frosty (de62c2) — 7/19/2022 @ 9:03 pmShe could go to OH and organize a busing program for women
The bus companies will do that. They know how to do it. They already do it for the Midwest college campuses and the casinos. All AOC knows how to do is run her mouth.
nk (7579e0) — 7/19/2022 @ 9:31 pm@7 It’s absolutely political theater Dana.
The idea that this committee’s goal is to really get a full picture of what transpired is farcical.
The ONLY goal, is to not only politically tarnish Trump and his orbit by any means necessary, but to drag down the entire GOP party.
Democrats are not always going to have control of government, and any perceived abuse perpetuated by Democrats will likely have to face the brunt of that same “abuse” when GOP gains control in the future at some point.
Believing that Trump and his orbit should’ve faced some sort of reckoning AND believing that Democrats are turning the partisan knob to 11 for their own political gains are not mutually exclusive.
whembly (b770f8) — 7/19/2022 @ 9:39 pm> Believing that Trump and his orbit should’ve faced some sort of reckoning AND believing that Democrats are turning the partisan knob to 11 for their own political gains are not mutually exclusive.
Maybe. But since the Republican party leadership apparently thinks nobody should face any kind of reckoning, the choices at the moment are let the Democrats turn the partisan knob … or let Trump and his people get away with it and, likely as not, do it again.
> The ONLY goal, is to not only politically tarnish Trump and his orbit by any means necessary, but to drag down the entire GOP party.
Trump and his orbit *should* be politically tarnished for what they did after the 2020 election, and if the Republican party won’t openly and loudly say so, then they *deserve* to be dragged down with him.
aphrael (aca6a3) — 7/19/2022 @ 10:09 pmProtesting outside the Supreme Court the day after the decision wasn’t productive but at least it made sense as an immediate emotional reaction.
Protesting outside the Supreme Court today accomplishes nothing and just looks stupid.
They should be organizing charity drives to help poor women who have to go out of state for abortions, instead.
aphrael (aca6a3) — 7/19/2022 @ 10:10 pmDana
I think having the hearing on Prime Time is theater. You can call me partisan for saying that, but take it up with NPR.
NPR: “The Congressional hearings on the Jan. 6 insurrection are being staged for TV consumption very differently than in the past — and most networks are taking them live. Fox News is the exception.”
NPR: ..we’re supposed to see a narrative being presented with something of a narrative storytelling arc – think of “20/20,” “Dateline” NBC – with not just moments, but a story that has dramatic tension building up with revelations along the way..
NPR: “..there’s a desire to make sure this punches through, that it’s compelling on TV. There’s a worry that it will be politicized, as it has already been dismissed by House Republicans and allies of former President Donald Trump, or simply ignored. And they want it to burst through..”
NPR: “In this case, the committee brought in the former president of ABC News. You mentioned a news executive. This guy was at the top, James Goldston.”
NPR: “Factually based, but totally packaged for TV and by a TV news exec..”
NPR: “..they’re all going to carry this live starting tomorrow night, Thursday night, 8 p.m., one of the most-watched [time slots]for conventional television – and on one of the biggest days [for conventional television] – as large an audience as possible, you know, hoping things will go viral”
Jan6 doesn’t poll as important as you feel it should, even though lets stipulate you are correct about its importance. But if most Americans don’t care much, then why is it on prime time?
It is two fold. Pull in viewers like yourself. You may be a member of a small percentage of Americans who care, but if the networks can get all the partisans with huge interest to watch- and they will watch with rapt attention- that is a programming win.
The other hope is that the grand finale, really big show is enough to drum up the interest, beat the last bit of dust out of the dead horse. It designed to push those polling numbers higher by providing wall to wall coverage and PR.
I don’t know a single working class hispanic who cares. I don’t know any blue collar whites who plan to tune in. I’ve not heard any of the few African Americans in the trades here mention it. The thing they all have in common is they all do have, and talk about, more compelling financial issues to deal with and if they are going to watch TV, that show isn’t it. Jan6 is way down their list of important domestic issues, well below all of their cost of living problems.
Internationally, for the very few who care, Jan6 is nothing compared to war in Europe, potential financial collapse of nuclear Pakistan, financial problems in Nigeria, Ghana destabilizeing Africa even further. Iran and Russia forming stronger, tighter a weapons alliance. People who do watch TV news saw how a real insurrection works when Sri Lankans told Liz Cheney and Adam Schiff to hold their beer and ran the goverment out of town and drank their booze, swam in their pools.
Its ironic in a way because I remember when everyone in Hollywood, DC, NYC was wet dreaming about Dick Cheney being indicted for torture and war crimes. The word “frogmarched” reached peak media saturation and… most Americans yawned. Even as our nations ethical and moral compass was forever turned due South, corroded possibly beyond repair by the vile Dick Cheney.
I also think a huge part of America is tired and wary of docudramas that are designed to manipulate a response. We’ve seen Michael Moore’s dishonest BS, we saw Al Gore’s wildy inaccurate “Inconvenient Truth” which promoted Gore as a Sage revealing the future. They don’t play as well as they used to. People like docudramas like “Murder Mountain” that tell a good story and even if they are wrong about some details its not manipulative, and its no harm no foul.
steveg (7a0fa8) — 7/19/2022 @ 10:16 pmCharge them with illegal presence in a restricted area and give them 30 days in jail.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 7/19/2022 @ 11:08 pmBTW, if you haven’t seen Sunset Blvd, it’s well worth your time.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 7/19/2022 @ 11:09 pmCall it what it is: “white privilege.”
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 7/19/2022 @ 11:10 pmMore interesting is who else got arrested with the squad. Carolyn maloney who is running in a redistricted district against gerold nadler the jabba the hut of ny politics. Normally corporate establishment democrats steer clear of AOC and the squad to please the donor class ;however this old corporate stooge needs to pull enough left leaning democrat votes away from patel to defeat nadler. This battle is like when hitler attacked stalin you didn’t know who to boo for!
asset (076e6b) — 7/19/2022 @ 11:13 pmIt’s a pity they can’t all lose.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 7/19/2022 @ 11:33 pmlol – that this issue matters to Dana.
mg (8cbc69) — 7/20/2022 @ 2:55 amhttps://thefederalist.com/2022/07/19/nevertrumps-latest-attempt-to-dismiss-election-concerns-is-particularly-dishonest/
mg (8cbc69) — 7/20/2022 @ 3:09 amoh my
steveg: “But if most Americans don’t care much, then why is it on prime time?”
But you miss the point. SHOULD Americans care if the President was conspiring to manipulate the electoral vote count? Should they be OK with that President potentially running again and facing no accountability….legal or political? You complain that the presentation is too partisan….but the overwhelming number of witnesses are Republicans….most were supporters of Trump’s re-election.
Too many Americans believe the election was somehow unfair even though the evidence overwhelmingly says otherwise. Shouldn’t Americans want their electorate better informed instead of following crackpot theories that, when push comes to shove, amount to the assertion that Biden couldn’t possibly have gotten that many votes fairly?
Aren’t you the least bit bothered that the President saw a riot at the Capitol and for 187 minutes chose to do absolutely nothing? That despite the urgent pleadings of his top advisors and family members, he chose to instead sit and see what damage was wrought. Doesn’t the whole hair-brained scheme of substituting electors scream out for some accountability so it doesn’t become the norm?
Again, too much of the underlying argument here is that it’s partisan, but after a year and a half, what exactly is the rationalization here? What magic witness who can explain the dereliction is being suppressed? Trump won’t do it. He chose to not address the country and explain himself….and so we are stuck with an imperfect hearing. The GOP had an opportunity to be more involved but decided that if they couldn’t have Jim Jordan…yes the same Jim Jordan who is accused of seeking a presidential pardon…on the committee, then they would frame everything as being a witch hunt. Doesn’t that sour your stomach in the least? You’ve fallen for their spin….again.
steveg: “I also think a huge part of America is tired and wary of docudramas that are designed to manipulate a response”
The entire Trump presidency was a staged docudrama designed to elicit an emotional response. Some just can’t let go of it….or hold anyone accountable.
AJ_Liberty (c82e21) — 7/20/2022 @ 4:59 amGood post Dana
I do like you BTW, have a good day
EPWJ (650a62) — 7/20/2022 @ 5:42 amAOC and Rep Omar are some of the most annoying members of Congress. I’m glad they look like clowns here. The more they do to minimize their reach and influence the better. Playing to their base in an obviously manipulative and performative way will hopefully do that.
Time123 (717f4c) — 7/20/2022 @ 6:05 amI like Dana, too, EPWJ. And the post. And I’m glad to see you here again. There are flies in the Patterico Pontifications soup, but you’re not one of them.
nk (a936d1) — 7/20/2022 @ 6:27 amPerformative theater. Empty-headed.
Colonel Haiku (898da7) — 7/20/2022 @ 6:40 amAJ_Liberty (c82e21) — 7/20/2022 @ 4:59 am
Yes, but I can’t tell that they do. I don’t think you’re going to be able to make them given the larger context.
This is changing the subject a little. Not following the Jan/6 hearings isn’t the same as being OK with Jan/6. When we’re discussing DT the issue of the lesser evil and the implied binary choice comes up. That works both ways. People can be not OK with Jan/6 and also think the Ds are worse and/or not be willing to flock to their side.
This is a feature of democratic systems. It’s not new. What’s new is that we’ve reached a point were every source of information is being used to manipulate the electorate for political gain. If some of them get better informed in the process that seems more like a bug in the programming. The Jan/6 committee is consistent with that.
Sure. I’m the least bit bothered by a lot of things. But this is the binary choice again. That doesn’t convince me that the Jan/6 committee is a beacon of truth. I think that accountability in this context is simply another word for swaying voters. Maybe, some Rs will vote for Ds because of the committee but I don’t think it’s going to have that sort of impact. At best it will keep Trump off the ticket and I think that’s the point.
Except this won’t accomplish that. There is a laundry list of items where one side has to be held accountable and the other is not only allowed to do a thing, but encouraged. The “norms” only apply to one side. There is nothing this Jan/6 committee will do that will prevent future Ds from playing games with the EC or making claims of election fraud or any number of other things that undermine basic institutions. For example, substituting electors is what the NPVIC is intended to do.
I don’t expect there to be one. I’m sure there are people who might expect this. But this is just another version of the binary choice, i.e. either Jan/6 was the worst thing ever or it was totally fine. I think there are other choices.
And this is a red hearing. This isn’t just about Jordon. The members of the committee were all selected because they would carry the narrative and work toward the expected outcome. It’s intended to accomplish a predetermined political goal and this doesn’t seem to bother you at all. You seem to be cheering it on. I think that’s fine but the same problem you have with Jordon is one everyone should have with Schiff and other members of the committee. That this is so obvious takes a lot of the steam out of the accusations of who is falling for whose spin.
frosty (2a4007) — 7/20/2022 @ 6:43 amIn the spirit of what Democrats believe to be acceptable, perhaps some harassment and protesting of AGOTUS Merrick Garland’s selective enforcement of the nation’s laws would be in order.
Colonel Haiku (898da7) — 7/20/2022 @ 6:53 amGo f**k with HIM where he lives.
Colonel Haiku (898da7) — 7/20/2022 @ 6:54 am@7
You and the other NeverTrumpers keep using that word. Once again, to quote Kurt Schlichter, “…don’t insult our intelligence by referencing the minor fracas that was J6. If that was an insurrection, you would have seen some armed insurrecting instead of selfie-snapping. If red America wanted to start something, they would have brought along their ARs like progressive James Hodgkinson did.”
Or to paraphrase another notable personality, “You keep using that word. I do not think it describes what you think it describes.”
Next you’ll be using the term”Gun Violence” to describe the behavior of individuals who act maliciously. Or use the Merriam-Webster Webster dictionary definitions to describe “female”, “male”, and “racism”
Horatio (86b3e9) — 7/20/2022 @ 6:56 amAOC and Rep Omar are some of the most annoying members of Congress.
By antagonizing other members of Congress, and their own party in particular, they ensure that their districts will be shorted at every opportunity. Their constituents who need the service that a Congressman’s office can provide will be similarly shorted.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 7/20/2022 @ 7:35 amShouldn’t Americans want their electorate better informed instead of following crackpot theories …
We are over 200 years into this experiment and have yet to see the electorate’s desire to be more informed.
Kevin M (eeb9e9) — 7/20/2022 @ 7:37 am“Have manure, will spread.”
—- Alexandria Occasional-Cortex
Colonel Haiku (898da7) — 7/20/2022 @ 9:06 am@38. Are you daring to label AOC a cow? She told you everybody wants to date her you know. For the milking. 😉
DCSCA (f3c489) — 7/20/2022 @ 9:46 amBTW, if you haven’t seen Sunset Blvd, it’s well worth your time.
“Pass.” – Buster Keaton [himself] ‘Sunset Boulevard’ 1950
DCSCA (f3c489) — 7/20/2022 @ 9:55 am@39 Donkey @&$! isn’t manure?
frosty (d76c21) — 7/20/2022 @ 10:01 amDana & Horatio,
Horatio is correct about the word insurrection. It causes all sorts of confusion. Just describe the events. Not an insurrection. but hundreds of his supporters assaulting the policy to violently seize the capital in order to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after he lost the election.
Since that’s exactly what was happening there it’s harder for Horatio and others toplay Wordcel games.
Time123 (54a8a1) — 7/20/2022 @ 10:14 am“assaulting the policy…”
What’s all this than!?!?
Colonel Haiku (898da7) — 7/20/2022 @ 10:23 amBennie Thompson voted against certifying Bush’s 2004 victory in Ohio. Raskin objected to Trump’s victory in 2016 on the House floor. Why are they on the committee but Jim Jordan could not be? It does not make sense, unless of course there is some reason that the 2004 or 2016 objections were legitimate but the 2020 objections were not. W
mikeybates (d4fd24) — 7/20/2022 @ 10:26 am@32, frosty: “And this is a red hearing. This isn’t just about Jordon. The members of the committee were all selected because they would carry the narrative and work toward the expected outcome.”
From https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/09/us/politics/republicans-jan-6-committee-claims.html
As reported…Pelosi accepted Davis, Armstrong, and Nehls….of which one, in addition to Banks and Jordan, voted to de-certify the election. McCarthy chose to pull back the others. His recommendation of Banks and Jordan was a poison pill offer so he could then claim witch hunt.
AJ_Liberty (ec7f74) — 7/20/2022 @ 10:36 amIt shouldn’t be up to Pelosi or ANY Speaker to determine which participant from the opposition is “acceptable”. Not their call, as long as the participant is an elected member.
Colonel Haiku (898da7) — 7/20/2022 @ 10:46 amUndermine the Idiocracy! Don’t let these pricks even think they fool anyone.
Colonel Haiku (898da7) — 7/20/2022 @ 10:47 amThe bill backing gay marriage is as much political theater as this protest.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/20/2022 @ 11:17 amMike Lindell. 😉
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 7/20/2022 @ 11:19 amAOC and Omar just as performative as Three Year Letterman, which is not a good thing.
Paul Montagu (5de684) — 7/20/2022 @ 11:50 amAJ,
Which pqrt of the rules gives the radical left veto power over who Republicans put on an investigation? Asking so I can site that in the future.
NJRob (512902) — 7/20/2022 @ 11:56 amWhether Banks and Jordan were poison pills or not; the members of the committee were all selected because they would carry the narrative and work toward the expected outcome. The early bargaining doesn’t make the end result different.
frosty (19e6ad) — 7/20/2022 @ 12:03 pmAJ_Liberty (ec7f74) — 7/20/2022 @ 10:36 am
I’d say he named them because they were the Repubkicans most concerned with the issue.
Yes, they’d be dishonest, but if you wnt the credibility of biparttisanship, you have to take that handicap.
Sammy Finkelman (b7dc9b) — 7/20/2022 @ 6:48 pm“Whether Banks and Jordan were poison pills or not; the members of the committee were all selected because they would carry the narrative and work toward the expected outcome. The early bargaining doesn’t make the end result different.”
The Republican narrative is that any investigation is partisan regardless of who is on the committee, so they’re just saving themselves the pain of having to work with Jordan and the rest.
Davethulhu (0b1e86) — 7/20/2022 @ 7:00 pm@54 The D/NeverTrump narrative is that some Rs are meanie-pants and won’t do what Ds want so Ds get to do whatever they want because Ds are awesome.
frosty (de62c2) — 7/20/2022 @ 7:14 pm“The D/NeverTrump narrative is that some Rs are meanie-pants and won’t do what Ds want so Ds get to do whatever they want because Ds are awesome.”
Imagine typing this out. I’m embarrassed for you.
Davethulhu (0b1e86) — 7/20/2022 @ 7:21 pmAJ.
I do get the point.
I’m not complaining. I’m stating facts freely admitted by the creators of the presentation and noting that a large percentage of those who will tune in and pay rapt attention will be partisans.
I’m not disputing that many of the witnesses were Republicans who voted for Trump.
I am saying Americns DID care, but they moved on about 12 months ago.
“Too many Americans believe the election was somehow unfair even though the evidence overwhelmingly says otherwise. Shouldn’t Americans want their electorate better informed instead of following crackpot theories that, when push comes to shove, amount to the assertion that Biden couldn’t possibly have gotten that many votes fairly?”
Americans are not yet used to massive mail in ballot voting with all of the accompanying quirks like harvesting. Candidate who is 3% ahead at dawn used to be able to be called the winner, but now they just seem to keep finding more and more votes, flash drives, etc. That is what people do not trust… they don’t trust the other people and the new system is set up with a lot of built in blocks to verifying ID. The old system had its flaws but voting in person at your precinct had some checks that are gone now.
“Aren’t you the least bit bothered that the President saw a riot at the Capitol and for 187 minutes chose to do absolutely nothing? That despite the urgent pleadings of his top advisors and family members, he chose to instead sit and see what damage was wrought. Doesn’t the whole hair-brained scheme of substituting electors scream out for some accountability so it doesn’t become the norm?”
I was. He failed miserably and he’s out of office 18 or so months now. I knew Dick Cheney wasn’t going to go the Hague for war crimes and torture after the Obama election either.
“Again, too much of the underlying argument here is that it’s partisan”
But it is partisan. Maybe not you, Patrick, and Dana etc. but my goodness… it is a Washington DC production during an election year. Its absolutely slithering with political partisans of every stripe and venom, united over a common hatred. (A slither of politicians? A belch of committees? A pustule of partisans? Sorry)
Imperfect hearings are a staple in Washington and will continue to be. Tha American public knows its grandstanding and dismisses it. That is not the fault of the public
“The GOP had an opportunity to be more involved but decided that if they couldn’t have Jim Jordan…yes the same Jim Jordan who is accused of seeking a presidential pardon…on the committee, then they would frame everything as being a witch hunt. Doesn’t that sour your stomach in the least?”
Not anymore. Its an imperfect hearing and Trump would have had ONE imperfect advocate. (A charitable way to look at the pardon seeking story is that there’s knives, guns and howitzers out for anyone who defends Trump in DC and its prudent to be pre-emptive)
“The entire Trump presidency was a staged docudrama designed to elicit an emotional response.”
Unlike the Obama Presidency? Like it or not, its how America does it now.
Look at the orignal post by Dana about AOC and her crew staging, fishing for an emotional response. That faked handcuffing will be in The Life of AOC docudrama whenever she runs for the Senate or is appointed to the Supreme Court
steveg (771760) — 7/20/2022 @ 7:30 pm@56 That really gives me a reason to pause and rethink my life choices. After all, you don’t seem to embarrass easily.
frosty (de62c2) — 7/20/2022 @ 7:44 pm