Political Theatre category archive

Werner Herzog’s Bear is feeling Berned out.

Alfred P. Doblin is not impressed with Chris Christie’s pitiful posturing in pursuit of positioning himself as Donald Trump’s new apprentice. A nugget:

Christie has never looked so small. He still can bluster and slam opponents — and he does. In recent days that side of the governor has been in full view as he batted away criticisms over his education funding plan and the effects of a sales tax decrease on the state budget. But for all that bluster, he lacks the credibility he once had. It has been chipped away bit by bit, not so much by the media or his opponents, but by Christie himself. By the choices he made in his own inner office, by the appointees who received cushy public jobs and abused the public trust, and to his open embrace of Trump and all his xenophobic rhetoric.

The governor clearly doesn’t want to be governor and he cannot be president – at least not in this election cycle – so sidling up to Trump is his only way out of New Jersey and into national politics.

You must admit that Christie’s making himself look small is quite a feat.

Stutus update: Doofus.

Addendum:

Josh Marshall tries to make sense of the senseless.

At Psychology Today Blogs, Jonathan D. Moreno offers his take on why the Trump “pivot,” so eagerly awaited by the press and, no doubt, the Republican Party, just ain’t a-gonna happen. A snippet:

The politicians (who are rooting for the “pivot”–ed.) are coming from a world of leverage, but Trump is coming from a world of theater.

Donald Trump can no more change his public character than Woody Allen can change his. Like many actors Trump has created a persona that he created and from which he seems unable to escape. Trump has become “Trump,” a caustic, macho bully who never loses, regardless of the cost. Even the presidency.

No matter what kind of role he is in—builder, salesman, TV host, politician—he is always “Trump.” The character works well as long as it works. But when it doesn’t the actor gets stuck, as appears to have happened now. Adaptation seems to be beyond his imagination. Where there was once creativity there is now insufficient spontaneity.

Paul Ryan prepares the new old complete with a new logo and improved packaging Republican replacement for the ACA.

Meet “Don’t Get Sick; If You Do Get Sick, Die Quickly, v. 2.0.”

For those who fear Democrats don’t know how to take on Trump, this video may be comforting. Elizabeth Warren roasts Trump like a chestnut.

The fun stuff starts at about the 6:30 mark.

Trump has reacted with characteristic restraint and tact.

Video via C&L.

Afterthought:

What’s the deal with roast chestnuts, anyway?

Trumpeting twits.

Daniel Ruth notes that Little Marco wants back in the Senate, having crashed and burned in his presidential campaign, during which he promised not to pursue re-election to his Senate seat.*

Ruth notes that it’s yet another flip-flop in a career of flip-floppery that rivals Mitt the Flip’s; he catalogs Rubio’s stellar legislative history.

There was Rubio’s landmark legislative victory in fighting for — and winning — a Senate resolution congratulating the Miami Heat for capturing the National Basketball Association championship. Oh the amber waves if it all.

How could one not be moved by Rubio’s crusading leadership in crafting a massive immigration reform measure? It was a stunning achievement, right up to the point when he ran away from his own bill when the political heavy lifting became too tough. What would we call this? The charge of the light charade?

Ah, memories. Certainly the hallmark of Rubio’s time in the Senate was that day when he actually showed up for work. It might have been a Tuesday. Or perhaps a Wednesday.

__________________

*Another broken campaign promise, by the way.

Try visiting the website. You’ll see what’s there.

George Will, that is.

Oh, my.

Brent Scowcroft, a national security adviser to former Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush, endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton’s campaign for the White House on Wednesday.

(snip)

The endorsement comes a week after Richard Armitage, who was deputy secretary of state in George W. Bush’s administration, said he would back Clinton over presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump.

The “establishment Republicans” are starting to make their choices, and they aren’t playing Trump.

Elsewhere, establishment Democrats are holding a sit-in at the Capitol Building, for Pete’s sake. I was in my share of demonstrations when I was young and in my salad days (and even when I was older and my lettuce was somewhat wilted . . .), but that’s a new one on me.

And good on the Democrats for ditching Robert’s Rules of Order and taking a stand.

I suspect that a sit-in on the House floor was not on Republicans’ radar.

I have been predisposed to stoicism and pessimism from birth (I have read Aurelius and found it compelling), and living life and paying attention has done nothing to dissuade me from expecting the worst, but I shall still delight in the confusion of mine enemies.