“Put me in Coach, I’m ready to play, Today (John Fogerty – Centerfield)
I’m a senior citizen now, and after turning 50 have sometimes said I still look forward to learning new things and growing as a person. That when I was done learning and being open to change it would be time to die. Last night, President Joe Biden who has quite a few years on me proved he’s still growing, learning and adapting. “Old School” is part of his DNA but he’s shown signs of understanding it can’t be counted on anymore. That sometimes you have to play “bouncer” and if knocking some folks around to break up a bar fight is what’s needed then that’s what you do. He was itching, eager to get out there in front of the country and the world and show off how he’s changed. “Put me in coach, I’m ready to play” indeed! Biden didn’t just “Hit the ball, and touch em all” – he took the bat and proverbially smacked GOPers upside the head with it! Then made like “Air Jordan” or Dr. J (Julias Erving) over and over soaring down the length of the lane to throw down thunderous dunks.
During and after President Biden’s tour de force State of the Union address last night I had the same reaction others who’ve already written here have expressed. Frankly, he opened up can after can of whoopass and dumped it on Trump and just about every Republican in attendance! It was a sight to see (and hear) and just what I predicted earlier in the week – the true kickoff to the 2024 Presidential campaign. I suggested in that article that Biden had an unusual opportunity given how late into 2024 this year’s SOTU was scheduled. (“Nice going” by making him wait Speaker Johnson!) After Super Tuesday when the field would essentially be cleared and it would be Biden vs. Trump. Long ago, the TV age meant nothing can compare to the platform a President gets that night. I wanted to wait, to sleep on it and see how journalists/pundits reacted before offering my own thoughts. Here goes:
The question so many had (even me, a little bit I admit) was whether Biden would seize the moment. I thought he’d let his alter ego out for a romp at times. Some have made the case “Dark Brandon” was in evidence but I respectfully disagree. I think while some of the coaches (including me) were telling the President “turn Dark Brandon” loose, ole Uncle Joe just smiled and said “He can have the night off. I’ve got this.” I believe this was pure Joe Biden cutting loose (minus the profanity we’re learning he uses in private) about Trump, and probably much of the GOP. He schooled them and gave them a good scolding in the process.
More importantly he flipped the whole age thing on them! Biden didn’t shy away from the issue, and because unlike Trump he’s got a sense of humor used it to advantage as he pointed out that age has given him exactly the depth and breadth of experience to meet a moment like few others in our history. As noted in this article by NPR he showed a mastery of a range of issues. What the article doesn’t say but which was I thought significant and which pundits later pointed out was how often he ad-libbed. As much as he knocked the GOP back on their heels with his opening, not only did his prepared remarks keep throwing punches at Trump and GOP Congress Critters he kept going off-script, using their reactions and some stunts to engage directly. And whip them on a given point just like he did last year in that memorable moment where he played them like a fiddle and protected Social Security and Medicare.
Hell, some in the GOP were afraid enough of that kind of thing happening again they tried to convince the Speaker to rescind the President’s invitation to speak! They were right to be worried because not just certain individuals but most of the GOP simply couldn’t help themselves. Even if only to put on a show to please Trump they kept showing their asses. And every time Biden gave them a spanking! Sure, afterwards there was grousing about him being “partisan” and both last night and today I’ve thought WTF? The way you all acted, and everyone knowing you would act the way you did you’re being pissy about the President giving you back better than you gave him?
Republican pundit and former RNC Michael Steele summed it up pretty well last night. Referring to those comments he said pretty much MTG is there dressed up and wearing a MAGA hat and they’re complaining the PRESIDENT was partisan? Give me a (you know what – he didn’t quite say it) break! Part of the reason I wanted to wait before writing about this was to see whether, and how well the GOP would regroup today. From what I can tell they are pretty much like last night. A combination of: What just happened? We got our asses handed to us live in front of 30 million Americans and countless more around the world!, along Uh Oh, we’ve spent all this time painting him as a feeble, weak, doddering and on his last legs fool and he’s running circles around us!
It’s no wonder GOPers are either in a state of funk if not despair. And petulant anger. Anger they are projecting onto Biden but it’s really for so many of them at themselves. Plenty of them have engaged with President Biden in the past months. They know damn well that both in energy level and cognitively he’s not only “got it” but he’s at an extraordinary level. Still, so at not to make waves and upset Trump they either went along with the “old, tired and forgetful Joe” narrative or actively helped sell it. Some, I’d suspect Lyndsey Graham among them bet, or at least hoped Biden would either have an off night or be what he’s been since before they ever knew him. “Old School.” Criticize of course but in old-school Senatorial fashion. They bet wrong!
Folks my age and older, even if they weren’t much into sports remember Bo Jackson. A bright, thoughtful and frankly damned good person who was also a tremendous athlete and multi-talented. So much so that he was doing quite well in TWO different professional sports leagues. The National Football League and Major League baseball. His talent and his clubhouse leadership were such that owner of his teams in both sports worked out a deal with him that would allow him to compete in both sports. He was remarkable and if not for a hip injury curtailing his ability to play at the pro level would have proven quite successful.
Because of his versatility he got endorsement deals, and the most memorable campaign was the “Bo Knows” where he was depicted showing a mastery of all manner of things in a lighthearted way. Watching Biden I felt like he’d hit a grand slam home run – out of the ballpark. And then, going round the bases dunking on every opposing player he passed and making like Dr. J or Air Jordan. “Bo Knows?” This was a political version and can be called “Joe Knows.” Like that ad series last night was just the beginning.
You might be sick of the sports references but major league baseball is full into spring training, and before you know it Opening Day will mark what for many is considered the real beginning of spring. (I have a non-sports version of when it’s spring but “Dead Skunk” is best left alone for now) There is something special about it. It happens each year. A fresh start to the season and in politics spring came a little early via last night’s SOTU. The election season had “Opening Day” and as with baseball it’s a long, long grind.
Even for teams that start out hot, there will be times when there are setbacks, or minor losing streaks but sometimes a team is so good and so well prepared it’s clear who will hoist the trophy in November when the World Series concludes. And those great teams that go “wire to wire”, along the way there are always key games/series and chances to “make a statement” with an emphatic beat-down of a would be challenger. Again, I think Biden has made it clear he’s looking forward to unleashing periodic beat-downs of Trump and the GOP.
I’m sure many, especially in the GOP heard reports yesterday during the day about how Biden woke up ready to go, and was energetic in final preparations for last night. And thought “sure”, keeping slinging that bullsh*t.” I’m starting to wonder if Biden and his old-school sensibilities have gotten so offended by Trump/MAGA that he’s feeling like Ali after knocking down Sonny Liston who just lay there. There’s an epic picture of Ali standing over Liston and what he’s shouting is “GET UP” – so he can knock him down again.
Yes, I’m sure we will see Dark Brandon at times, sunglasses and all but you know what? Just like last night he’s not really needed. Joe’s got this. He’ll put up with some pushback because that’s politics but he’ll keep throwing punches on his own. However, if Trump or other step over the line watch out. Because then Dark Brandon WILL show up and make them sorry! We’ll see. What matters is that Joe Biden was it’s now clear looking forward to taking the fight straight at the GOP. To show the entire country they were full of sh*t with how they’d been portraying him. And especially how only the most willfully ignorant dumbasses will have to work even harder at remaining clueless to justify voting for their Turd Emperor.
Presidential election season is here, and the Democratic Party is “Born again, there’s new grass on the field:
There is nothing better than a clash with reality to demolish a lie.
Sleepy Joe?
I don’t think that’s going to work nearly as well now.
Just like all their other lies, they exist only for mirth.
Hey you Maga phucks…if you find Joe asleep…better not wake him up…he’ll just kick your asses all over again!
one of the best tag lines from Bo knows campaign was having him try to play a guitar badly. then Bo Diddly came on and said Bo don’t know diddly
Joe is Irish. Get us mad enough and we will tell you to go to he’ll in a,way that makes you look forward to the trip.
I pointed out to a college professor that most of the great British plays from the 18th c. until the kitchen sink dramas of the 1940s and 50s were actually written by Irishmen. He agreed.
As for the GOP, whinging is what they do when they don’t have a believable retort. IOKIYAAR.