Is the Democratic Pary self-destructing or what? Here are five SOTU ways that say: Yes, yes, yes! The Dems had my jawline hitting my chest as I watched their dumb and dumber reactions to President Trump's address last night to Congress. I had to ask: Is this a political party or is it a circular firing squad?
Let's list those five Dem-stupid SOTU moves, in no particular order:
1. The Ladies in White: That blinding migraine-aura flash you saw whenever the camera panned the room was actually the Democrats' female congressional contingent, all sitting together. The idea of garbing oneself head to toe in white, the brainchild of Florida Democratic Rep. Lois Frankel, who chairs the congressional women's working group, was to honor suffragettes, or protest proposed de-funding of Planned Parenthood–or maybe just to pretend that Hillary Clinton, who wore a white pantsuit at her nomination acceptance speech, had actually made it to the presidency. At any rate the ladies looked like a pharmacists' convention that had accidentally wandered in while on a tour of the Capitol. And the dutifully donned white attire made Democratic women look like mindless conformists who will wear anything and do anything that some alpha female tells them to.
2. Thumbs Down: Some of the Dem Women in White clearly thought it would be cute to give the Die Gladiator Die signal that Roman emperors used to give when Trump promised to repeal Obamacare. And so they did, giggling all the while like high-schoolers who just got a hall pass. You can see the gif here. Any sexist stereotypes you might harbor about women being essentially oversize children will be reinforced by waching these members of the Party for Women's Rights in action.
3. Nancy Pelosi: Why the long face? The House minority leader (clad in white, natch!) looked on the verge of an emotional collapse as the Republicans who now run the House applauded thunderously throughout Trump's speech? Even when the president promised to save tens of thousands of American jobs, the doyenne of the party that supposedly champions America's working class continued to look as though she were sucking on a pickle. Her facial expression unfortunately carried telling symbolic content: The Democratic party is the loser party. Not good for morale!
4. The Debbie and Keith Show: Tears plus a standing ovation were the general–and generally bipartisan–responses when Trump paid tribute to Navy SEAL William "Ryan" Owens, killed on Jan. 29 in a raid in Yemen. Members of both parties seemed to understand that partisan politics has no place in honoring the memory of a hero and the sorrow of his widow, Carryn Owens, who wept throughout. Except for Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Florida), former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and Keith Ellison (D-Minnesota), a contender to be current chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Schultz and Ellison evidently considered it beneath them to pay tribute to Owens's sacrifice, so they sat stony-faced and unmoved throughout that moment, rising only at the very end when it was obvious that all eyes were on their display of partisan rudeness. Democrats, the party of patriotism.
At least they weren't as obnoxious as former Hillary Clinton staffer Dan Grillo, who tweeted: "Sorry, Owens' wife, you're not helping yourself or your husband's memory by standing there and clapping like an idiot. Trump is using you." Democrats, the party of compassion.
5. Steve Beshear: Who among the Dems picked the gaunt, white-haired, tired-looking ex-governor of Kentucky to rebut Trump's speech instead of an actual working politician? As a commenter on Ann Althouse's blog put it: "Imagine all the tatted, gauged, man-bunned and pussy-hatted young progs who tuned in hoping to see someone like Kamala Harris give the Dem response. Instead they got Gramps at Cracker Barrel."
So, are the Democrats serious about wooing back the lost middle-class votes that cost them the 2016 election? Or are they simply on a white-garbed kamkaze mission? I ask you.