Each passing day reveals an increase in the scope of the disaster in Texas. Including the underwhelming effort to prevent the loss of life, and the tepid federal response since. So we shouldn’t be surprised that VP Vance decides it’s time to take a trip. NOT to Texas, but Disneyland! What the hell? Did he decide Cancun Cruz’s strategy of dealing with suffering from a natural disaster was the way to go? Well, it’s what he did.
Look, I get that people at the top levels of our government need some down time now and then. Trump of course takes more time off than he spends working but that’s a whole different thing. In Vance’s case, getting away for a little family time now and then wouldn’t be much of an issue. Except the places don’t want J.D. or his wife anywhere near them! He’s gotten a literal could shoulder before, and let’s face it – for all his bashing of California AND the actions of ICE there it hardly seems like a place he’d want to go to for some R&R.
Disneyland in Anaheim, California was long billed as “The Happiest Place on Earth.” It was so successful for so long the company decided to create an east coast version: Disney World in Florida which is bigger and has even more stuff than the original. Flori-DUH is a solid red state and much friendlier territory for someone like Vance. But instead he chose the original out in California. It’s almost like he WANTED to do an “In you face” to the state. I’m surprised he didn’t halfway shut down Sea World for his family during the San Diego part of his vacation.
As happens with tone deaf celebrities regular visitors get inconvenienced. Some insist on a ride being shut down to everyone else so they and theirs can ride it alone, for “security” reasons. Most patrons are forgiving (to an extent) of the line jumping for bigwigs but shutting down the ride until the “star” has taken their turn? That’s something else. Now, imagine how much worse it all is for the rides/places the Vance family enjoyed. All the extra time beforehand so the Secret Service could secure it against threats!
Now remember what else is going on while Vance ruined what would have been a once in a lifetime experience for so many families. The disaster in Texas. Even Trumpty took a day off from golf for a pro forma visit! Anyway, as with a ski vacation there were people affected by Vance’s little visit that weren’t at all happy. Nor people who just happened to live in the area. As this article from Salon tells us folks got pretty vocal. It seems the good people of southern California have problems with the VP supporting Trumty’s immigration raids, sending in troops to their streets and insulting one of their Senators. So, they did what people should do and made a little ‘Good Trouble’ by getting out and making sure Vance (and his family) felt unwelcome:
Demonstrators gathered Saturday outside the Grand Californian Hotel and along Disney Way, waving U.S. and Mexican flags and holding signs that read “No vacations during deportations” and “You don’t get to hate us and enjoy us,” according to a local station. One protester told reporters, “I would tell him to go home. Get the hell out of here.”
I feel bad for the families not named Vance staying at the hotel who had to listen to the crowd noise. But not the Vance family. Not even the kids. They need to know what a piece of sh*t their father is. Mom too as far as I’m concerned. If Vance wants to get away with the family for a few days there are resorts/estates owned by uber rich GOPers where they can have some peace and quiet. Not that they deserve it. And if the kids aren’t into rustic activities like horse riding or fishing or hiking, those rich donors can hire in some carnival rides and other stuff that the family can enjoy all to themselves!
I think back to Disney ad campaign we’d see after major pro sports championships. Within an hour there’d be a commercial of the star, the MVP and big moments during the contest to the tune of When You Wish Upon A Star. And as they walked off surrounded by reporters and photographers the question “You’ve just won (insert event), what are you going to do now?” And the athlete responding ‘I’m going to Disneyland/Disney World!” I hope before the weekend is over the Lincoln Project (they used to monitor us) or someone else does their own version.
Show the rising water in Texas. The results of the damage, including people who lost everything and those trying to help deal with the death and destruction. And Vance on Air Force 2 being asked (dubbed in for an actual question): “The death toll in Texas keeps rising, and FEMA’s response has been hampered by the Vice President. What are YOU going to do?” And Vance responding “I’m going to Disneyland!”
By god this vacation by Vance is even more tone deaf than Cruz’s trip to Cancun. I hope social media, since it’s highly unlikely the WH Press Corps will do so hammer Vance over this.
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