Tuesday, October 29, 2024

You Can Vote Dem or You Can Vote Dem... agogue

Allow us to begin today by reminding readers of one of the most famous "October Surprise" stories in American history. On October 29, 1884, Reverend Samuel D. Burchard gave a speech on behalf of then-GOP nominee James G. Blaine. And, in an attempt to fire up Republican voters prior to the election, the good reverend thundered: "We are Republicans, and don't propose to leave our party and identify ourselves with the party whose antecedents have been Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion." That was not the wisest thing to say in a city full of Irish Catholics, who all heard the news within 24 hours, thanks to New York City's thriving newspaper trade (there were five successful dailies at that time). Blaine lost New York State by just 1,149 votes, and the election 219 electoral votes to 182. If you flip the Empire State's 36 EVs, then Blaine wins election, 218-183.

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The potential relevance of this story is probably evident to most readers without us telling you. But for those who haven't heard, Donald Trump held a rally Sunday evening at Madison Square Garden (which, last we checked, is in New York City). And among the speakers at that rally was a "comedian" (and we use the term VERY loosely) named Tony Hinchcliffe. Hinchcliffe made his reputation, such as it is, as a "roast" comic. In other words, he insults people, the way Don Rickles used to, or the way Jeff Ross does now.

#1 | Posted by Hans at 2024-10-29 08:54 AM

You can presumably see where this is going (if you don't already know). In view of his personal comic style, and of the crowd he was performing for, Hinchcliffe decided to set his sights on... minority groups. Here's a rundown of the trio of "jokes" that have suddenly made the comedian a household name:

We have a pretty high tolerance for edgy humor, but the humor does have to be, you know, funny. There's nothing here that's even mildly amusing (the crowd at the rally agreed; you could have heard a pin drop after Hinchcliffe's set.

#2 | Posted by Hans at 2024-10-29 08:57 AM

Recognizing that Hinchcliffe's performance might not play too well with the voting public, a campaign spokesperson immediately put out a statement declaring: "This joke [the one about Puerto Rico] does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign." This statement is what is known, in technical terms, as a baldfaced lie. Here is why:

#3 | Posted by Hans at 2024-10-29 08:57 AM

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