OPINION:
NASHVILLE — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York went to Munich to talk up foreign policy with a crowd of journalists and security experts and when asked a question about U.S. military support of Taiwan, answered — duh-oh!
Her words: “Um, you know, I think that this is such a, you know, I think that this is a um — this is, of course, a um, very long-standing, um, policy of the United States.”
There was more, much more. But you get the general idea. Epic, meet fail. It was embarrassing for her, it was embarrassing for the Democrat Party, it was embarrassing for America. But more than that, it was a total tell of how deeply the mainstream media in America covers for the Democrats.
Put the AOC parrot in front of a media microphone in the United States, and because she only does media hits with those who love and adore her, she’s much more able to smoothly slide across the airwaves and into the news her talking points, the ones her trolls and socialist friends are then able to edit and selectively share on social media as indicative of the good congresswoman’s intelligence. Take away the media protection — take away her supporters at MSNOW and CNN and elsewhere — and put her in a situation where she’s asked a real question by real journalists who really want to know her thoughts, and it’s quickly evident: she doesn’t really have thoughts.
She only has memorized talking points.
And even those talking points have zero depth.
So she crumbles. She freezes. She scrambles. She fails. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, also in Munich, similarly failed. Asked about Ukraine, Whitmer said, “Ukraine’s independence, keeping their land mass, I mean, um, the support of all the allies, I think is the goal, from my vantage point.”
Sigh.
Without a friendly American media, Democrats couldn’t sustain support at the voting polls.
Hillary Clinton in Munich showed her angry side after trying to interrupt Czech Deputy Prime Minister Peter Macinka on stage, as he said bluntly that she disliked President Trump; that her party had gone too far left; that there were only two sexes, male and female; and that she was obviously “nervous” at his refusal to stop talking, despite her repeated verbal attacks — and once again, the journalist in charge of the panel did not serve as Protector Of The Left.
Clinton appeared weak.
“Hillary Clinton Gets Schooled by Czech Leader on Ukraine,” The Times of India wrote in its YouTube headline of the exchange.
“Hillary Clinton humiliatingly called out by Czech politician,” Sky News Australia wrote.
Now here’s the contrast.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio rocked his speech, uniting a crowd of European elites on a message, in part, of — get this — immigration control and border security. He was tough, yet diplomatic. He was uncompromising on American principles, yet unifying on Western civilization. He made it clear that the United States would go it alone if need be on political and policy matters of great importance to American Exceptionalism — yet said the United States would rather not go it alone. The audience stood and applauded.
And back in the Democrat camp — this, from California Gov. Gavin Newsom: “Newsom takes his anti-Trump arguments to Europe during Munich Security Conference,” The Associated Press wrote in a headline. Among his remarks: “I hope,” Newsom said, “if there’s nothing else I can communicate today: Donald Trump is temporary. He’ll be gone in three years.”
The ability of the media to influence the public cannot be understated, and it’s when Democrats are forced to stand on an international stage and field questions from overseas journalists and serve on panels with foreign officials — and are left bereft of their usual friends in the media to run cover for them — it’s when these instances occur that it’s oh so evident: the leftists really are just faces and figureheads. Peer into their minds and strip away their media shields and what’s revealed is anger and a lust to destroy American Exceptionalism, and very little intellect.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “God-Given Or Bust: Defeating Marxism and Saving America With Biblical Truths,” is available by clicking HERE.
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