The Girl Next Door

Absent (again) from any coverage in the August 5, 2018 Newark Advocate was any news of the big event held the previous day in Genoa township (home of Newark’s former US congressman, Pat Tiberi). That evening the POTUS came to the area to hold one of his massive campaign rallies. This one was to stump for the GOP candidate anointed to fill the vacancy left by Mr. Tiberi. Multiple national media sources provided coverage. Analysis even found photos of the “faceless majority” provided by Jeremy Pelzer of cleveland.com (Here’s who we saw at Donald Trump’s Ohio rally, 8-4-18). Image perusal left one with a déjà vu all over again sensation; retro in the sense of being overwhelmed into the era and culture surrounding the origins of Hugh Hefner and the phrase “the girl next door.” Only lending credence to the creation myth was the remarkable double take of the POTUS on stage before the adulating crowd, face covered in sweat, bearing an uncanny resemblance to “The King” in his white rhinestone encrusted jumpsuit, also covered in sweat surrounded by adoring fans. Speaking of “The King,” that was likewise part of the news explosion during this same period (also not covered by Newark’s hometown media outlet). The Prez tweeted derisively about LeBron James, somewhat unexpectedly as in the past he has only had all good things to say (or tweet) about his equal, er, fellow millionaire (Donald Trump has repeatedly made it clear he has no equal). But then again, no surprise there as King James said the President was a bit divisive in a recent interview with CNN’s Don Lemon.  The Pres doubled down on his derogatory diatribe (tweet) according to one of the coverage articles of the Delaware rally by The Hill’s Morgan Gstalter (Trump: I ‘destroy’ careers of Republicans who say bad things about me, 8-4-18). Gstalter witnesses, and writes “”I only destroy their career because they said bad things about me and you fight back and they go down the tubes and that’s OK,” he [Donald Trump] added.” From the Pelzer cleveland.com article: “Philip said he and his 7-year-old son Thomas drove from Indianapolis just to attend the rally and “show support” for the president. Asked why he supports Trump, Philip said, “He says what he thinks. I mean, he’s really blunt and to the point.” Thomas chimed in: “And he’s kind of funny, too!”” James Alicie and Richard M Birchfield were pictured wearing identical “I’d rather be a Russian than Democrat” Tee shirts. “The two friends from the city of Delaware said they came out to the rally because they’ve never seen a president in person before. Asked about their shirts, Alicie (left) said he didn’t understand why Trump is getting so much criticism about Russia when Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama weren’t similarly scrutinized. Asked what he would tell Democrats, Alicie said, “To jump on board this train and give him a chance.”” Given half the chance, being OK to destroy someone because they said “bad things” is just a hop and a skip from destroying someone because they disagree with you. Gstalter shows just that by elucidating the various human detritus left in the wake of the President’s policy (after all, careers are human aspirational characteristics). Analysis finds it to be a slippery slope to eventually simply justifying the destruction of those who disagree with the central authority, who in this case happens to be the POTUS; something found in totalitarian regimes like Russia. Sigh. The imperative becomes one of only having all good things to say about “the girl next door.” Failing that, Analysis concludes the choice becomes “the girl next door,” or no girl at all.

 

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Tags: Donald Trump, GOP, News Media, Olentangy Orange Balderson Rally, The Newark Advocate