I can’t stand it, I know you planned it
I’m gonna set it straight, this Watergate
—Beastie Boys, “Sabotage”
The Democrats are plotting to disrupt Trump’s speech to Congress tonight (which will be live-blogged here on PJ Media. It’s not too late to become a VIP, save 60%, and participate — it’s gonna be snarktacular!). Axios broke this “scoop” earlier this morning:
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Democratic lawmakers are discussing a litany of options to protest at President Trump’s speech to Congress on Tuesday, including through outright disruption, a half dozen House Democrats told Axios.
Why it matters: Some of these tactics go beyond their leaders’ recommendation that members bring guests hurt by Trump and DOGE. This sets up a potential clash between party traditionalists and its more combative anti-Trump wing.
In political warfare and full-contact PR, moral outrage is the most powerful tool in the world. Used correctly, it can flip public opinion on its ear. There’s nothing else like it.
But there’s a catch: It’s gotta be legitimate. Otherwise, it comes across as disingenuous, phony, and self-serving.
It’s not just politicians who love playing the “moral outrage” card; it’s been a sales tactic for a long time. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care, and one of the quickest ways to build a bond between you and a customer is to share the same moral indignation.
Nothin’ like a common enemy to build rapid rapport.
But even the most talented, experienced pitchmen struggle to “sell” fake moral outrage — and alas, most politicians aren’t good actors. They think they are — they all think they’re a young Jack Nicholson! — but they’re not. They’re reciting a script that’s beyond their depth.
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It’s performative outrage, not moral outrage.
The article continued:
What we’re hearing: Some members have told colleagues they may walk out of the chamber when Trump says specific lines they find objectionable, lawmakers told Axios.
- Criticism of transgender kids was brought up as a line in the sand that could trigger members to storm out, according to a House Democrat.
A wide array of props — including noisemakers — has also been floated:
- Signs with anti-Trump or anti-DOGE messages — just as Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) held up a sign during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech last year that said “war criminal.”
- Eggs or empty egg cartons to highlight how inflation is driving up the price of eggs.
- Pocket constitutions to make the case that Trump has been violating the Constitution by shutting down congressionally authorized agencies.
- Hand clappers, red cards and various other props have also been discussed, multiple sources said.
Great solution guys: props! Everyone loves props! That’s why prop comedians like Carrot Top are so gosh-durn popular. Just for fun, here’s 40 seconds of Norm Macdonald goofing on the Carrot:
Some friendly advice, gents: Props don’t work in this kind of setting. Don’t do it. You’re gonna look like children. Actually, you Dems should totally go for it! Props are always a hit!
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According to Axios, the “higher-ups” in the Donkey Party told the lawmakers point-blank to avoid props:
The intrigue: In closed-door meetings and on the House floor Monday night, lawmakers were specifically discouraged from using props, two House Democrats told Axios.
- These tactics are also a source of considerable internal debate among House Democratic rank-and-file — in large part based on what they’ve heard back in their districts.
- “There are definitely a lot of constituents that really want Democrats to disrupt and there are … constituents who feel like that just plays into his hands,” one House Democrat told Axios.
It harkens back to yesterday’s story: The Democrats’ problem is that half of their party wants to move to the middle, tone-down the vitriol, and recapture working-class Americans, yet the other half is 100% convinced that the only solution is sprinting more aggressively to the radical left — it’s the liberal version of “a choice, not an echo.” (Apologies to Sen. Goldwater.)
In a battle of extremes, there’s no middle ground. The end result will be chaos and disunity.
So, if props can’t be used, what about clothes? That’s another Democratic option:
Zoom in: Some groups of Democrats plan to mount more traditional protests through the use of color coordination in their wardrobe choices.
- Pink: The Democratic Women’s Caucus wants all their members to wear pink in a unified display of defiance to a president many of them despise.
- Black: Female members of the Congressional Black Caucus have separately discussed donning black to more accurately capture the party’s somber mood.
- Blue and yellow: Ukraine Caucus co-chair Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) will distribute ties and scarves with the colors of Ukraine’s flag to signal support for President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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Very colorful. Sounds like an 80s-era Benetton ad. Which means, while President Trump is addressing the nation, explaining how he’s trying to avoid World War III, stop the killing, bring down inflation, and bolster the economy, the Dems will be clad in pink, black, blue, and yellow, fiddling with egg cartons and noisemakers, and marching out en masse if Trump mentions anything about women’s sports being for women.
Great Goldwater’s ghost! Well, that’s certainly “a choice, not an echo.”
Recommended: ‘Coalition of the Willing’: It’s the Iraq War All Over Again!
The radical left will probably prevail tonight. The “grown-up” wing of the Democratic Party is too weakened (and too discredited) to keep the radicals in check, so the AOC crowd is gonna let their freak flag fly. Getcha popcorn ready!
There’s just one thing to say:
I can’t stand rocking when I’m in here
‘Cause your crystal ball ain’t so crystal clear
So while you sit back and wonder why
I got this f*****g thorn in my side
Oh my God, it’s a mirage
I’m tellin’ y’all, it’s a sabotage!—Beastie Boys, “Sabotage”
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