Graduating together

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:

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

This entry was posted in General. Bookmark the permalink.