Thank God I did not try to predict what the last night and Trump’s speech would be like. Again, I am mainly commenting on the Coronavirus leadership, or lack thereof. Not to mention the misuse of the White House as a campaign backdrop. But who could have imagined using the Washington Monument and the National Mall for his fireworks show. Of course, all things Trump have to have his name on top of them in the largest possible lettering, so we have the TRUMP in fireworks, followed by 2020. Twice.
There were 2000 people sitting next to each other on the White House South lawn, with no spacing between. Masks were optional, and very few were in evidence. A slight saving grace was that they were outside, and a slight breeze played with Trump’s combover.
Yet, they yelled (four more years and USA), and exhaled deep breaths when getting up and applauding, then sitting down, many times. They also sat through Ivanka’s speech, then Trump’s 70 minute self-praise, then the fireworks, then the Opera, and who knows how long before the speeches started. I’m sure that the city of Washington, D.C., has a limit on the number of people who can gather together. The only family or Cabinet member masking was Alex Azar, head of Health and Human Services.
Then they played Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, who fortunately died four years ago, or he would have been very upset. Hallelujah is a song about a lost love, not a religious song of worship.
Later, tenor Christopher Macchio sang Nessun Dorma, where the hero claims that he will be victorious. However, the First Family acted like it was a religious song. Then we have Ave Maria, to actually mix in religion. One thing that has always bothered me about the Trump administration is that he held no musical events nor honored American musicians. Except for Kanye West advising them, and now being used as a faux candidate in Wisconsin to draw away Democratic voters. After further reflection, the Opera belied the speakers who tried to portray the billionaire Trump New York family as just common folk, and not elites. Why was it included? The Italian American vote, as they had included all other ethnic groups in their convention.
Out of boredom, I was trying to count the flags. There were at least 60. Typically, it just takes one flag to prove that you are a patriot.
Do I really have to spend time reading the fact checking articles tomorrow? No, nor at any other time during the next 68 days. Oh yes, he also mentioned something about hiring liberal professors. I taught Physics, not politics. Not even liberal Physics, whatever that might be.
Will I be able to sleep tonight, after the Scarathon? It’s still 65 days to Halloween.
