Though it plainly grinds the First Felon that this year’s graduating classes managed to organize an online appeal to Barack Obama that he be the nation’s ‘commencement speaker’ this year, I was pleased by the idea and charmed by Obama’s acceptance. Some thoughts, in no particular order:
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Barack Obama is a class act and a decent man, and history will recall his presidency kindly no matter how they stamp their feet over at FOX News.
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He definitely was throwing shade at The Donald … and I don’t blame him. Given that Trump and his sycophants are now attempting to concoct an earth-shaking Obamagate scandal out of thin air, I think Obama showed Trump more kindness than he deserves.
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Trump et. al. are exhibiting one of the classic techniques of propaganda, which is this: Portray the lie as a universally acknowledged fact — Obamagate, in the instant case, supposedly something everybody knows.
This is the technique the Nazis used so spectacularly. Trump is crude, but he has a sophisticated understanding of propaganda. Trump doubtless understands this rule, too: You can’t con an honest man. For that reason, he doubtless views those smitten evangelicals and neo-nazis and Klansmen with contempt and chortles at how easily they are used.
Anyway … Congratulations! Class of 2020. This, too, shall pass.