Today, a question from a journalist and an answer from the current occupant. My transcription. You can watch and listen via Aaron Rupar’s Bluesky account:
“Secretary Hegseth is inviting military leaders from all around the country on Tuesday. Will you also be there?”And J.D. Vance then jumps in to provide cover by ever so casually noting that the generals and admirals are the ones who report to Hegseth and the current occupant, and that such a get-together is “not unusual.” (It is.)
“From all around the country to what?”
Marco Rubio (I think) explains: “He’s inviting the generals and admirals to Virginia for a big meeting.”
“Well, I know, I love it. I mean, I think it’s great. Let ’em be friendly. Let ’em be friendly with the generals and admirals from all over the world. Why, is there some, no, but is there something wrong with it?”
“What is it about? Will you be there personally? What is it about?”
“Well, I’ll be there if they want me, but why is that such a big deal? I mean, he’s, the fact that we’re getting along with the generals and admirals from all, I’m, remember, I’m the president of peace. It’s good, it’s good to get along. It’s good, you act like this is a bad thing. Isn’t it nice that people are coming from all over the world to be with us?”
It doesn’t take very careful close reading to understand that the current occupant has no idea what he’s being asked about. The reporter’s “all around the country” morphs into his “all over the world,” and he thinks that he’s being asked about a meeting between Pete Hegseth and military leaders from other nations. Why else would be speak of our “getting along” with them and their coming “to be with us”? Nor does he seem to consider that a meeting of generals and admirals from “all over the world” might be something he should already know about, especially if he’s supposed to show up for it. “I’ll be there if they want me”: really?
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack. Somebody’s mind done gone off the goddam track.
Related reading
All OCA mental acuity posts (Pinboard) : “Clickety-clack”
[“Isn’t it nice that people are coming from all over the world to be with us?” I hear Norma Desmond, ready for her closeup.]
comments: 2
Someone online mentioned a 1935 meeting of German military commanders in which they were all made to make a new oath to the Nazi regime, rather than the previous Weimar Republic. Seems like the kind of thing Hegseth would have in mind.
The new limits on journalists in the Pentagon now seem like preparation for whatever is coming. My hunch is that there might be firings, with those fired unable to collect anything from their posts now that they're in Washington being fired.
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