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President Donald Trump jokes with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wy.), Vice President Mike Pence, Spaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) during an event celebrating the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the South Lawn of the White House December 20, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Republican Praise-Fest for Trump After Tax Vote Spurs Nationwide Nausea
"It was sickening."
Dec 21, 2017
Many words have been used to describe the first year of Donald Trump's presidency and, before Wednesday, "exquisite" was not one of them. That, nonetheless, is the word House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) reached for when effusively praising Trump's "leadership" shortly following the GOP's final tax victory.
"There are ass kissers, there are sycophantic ass kissers, there are shameless ass kissers, there are embarrassing ass kissers...and then there's Mike Pence."
--Fernand Amandi
Despite the fact that "by all accounts, the president did not participate in the legislative deliberations," praise for the president after the GOP's passage of a $1.5 trillion tax bill quickly became the theme of the day.
Vice President Mike Pence kicked off the "sycophantic" lovefest with what commentators could only describe as a sort of "prayer of thanks to Trump"--reminiscent of that infamous White House cabinet meeting over the summer, during which administration officials hailed what an "opportunity and blessing" it is to work alongside the president.
"I'm deeply humbled, as your vice president, to be able to be here," Pence said.
And that was just the beginning. During a gathering in front of the White House Wednesday, congressional Republicans stepped to the podium one-by-one to christen the least popular first-year president in modern American history as "one heck of a leader."
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)--the author of a provision in the GOP tax bill that will further enrich himself, Trump, and more than a dozen other Republican senators--outdid them all, fawning over the president's "sheer will" and saying "I just hope that we all get behind him every way we can, and we'll get this country turned around in ways that will benefit the whole world."
"We're going to make this the greatest presidency that we've seen, not only in generations, but maybe ever," Hatch added.
"I think the exaggeration of having to kiss the ring of Donald Trump--it almost seems like a scene out of 'The Godfather' we just saw, not what you would expect from the president of a democracy," said historian Douglas Brinkley.
The social media world had enough of the endless praise, as well:
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
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Many words have been used to describe the first year of Donald Trump's presidency and, before Wednesday, "exquisite" was not one of them. That, nonetheless, is the word House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) reached for when effusively praising Trump's "leadership" shortly following the GOP's final tax victory.
"There are ass kissers, there are sycophantic ass kissers, there are shameless ass kissers, there are embarrassing ass kissers...and then there's Mike Pence."
--Fernand Amandi
Despite the fact that "by all accounts, the president did not participate in the legislative deliberations," praise for the president after the GOP's passage of a $1.5 trillion tax bill quickly became the theme of the day.
Vice President Mike Pence kicked off the "sycophantic" lovefest with what commentators could only describe as a sort of "prayer of thanks to Trump"--reminiscent of that infamous White House cabinet meeting over the summer, during which administration officials hailed what an "opportunity and blessing" it is to work alongside the president.
"I'm deeply humbled, as your vice president, to be able to be here," Pence said.
And that was just the beginning. During a gathering in front of the White House Wednesday, congressional Republicans stepped to the podium one-by-one to christen the least popular first-year president in modern American history as "one heck of a leader."
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)--the author of a provision in the GOP tax bill that will further enrich himself, Trump, and more than a dozen other Republican senators--outdid them all, fawning over the president's "sheer will" and saying "I just hope that we all get behind him every way we can, and we'll get this country turned around in ways that will benefit the whole world."
"We're going to make this the greatest presidency that we've seen, not only in generations, but maybe ever," Hatch added.
"I think the exaggeration of having to kiss the ring of Donald Trump--it almost seems like a scene out of 'The Godfather' we just saw, not what you would expect from the president of a democracy," said historian Douglas Brinkley.
The social media world had enough of the endless praise, as well:
Many words have been used to describe the first year of Donald Trump's presidency and, before Wednesday, "exquisite" was not one of them. That, nonetheless, is the word House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) reached for when effusively praising Trump's "leadership" shortly following the GOP's final tax victory.
"There are ass kissers, there are sycophantic ass kissers, there are shameless ass kissers, there are embarrassing ass kissers...and then there's Mike Pence."
--Fernand Amandi
Despite the fact that "by all accounts, the president did not participate in the legislative deliberations," praise for the president after the GOP's passage of a $1.5 trillion tax bill quickly became the theme of the day.
Vice President Mike Pence kicked off the "sycophantic" lovefest with what commentators could only describe as a sort of "prayer of thanks to Trump"--reminiscent of that infamous White House cabinet meeting over the summer, during which administration officials hailed what an "opportunity and blessing" it is to work alongside the president.
"I'm deeply humbled, as your vice president, to be able to be here," Pence said.
And that was just the beginning. During a gathering in front of the White House Wednesday, congressional Republicans stepped to the podium one-by-one to christen the least popular first-year president in modern American history as "one heck of a leader."
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)--the author of a provision in the GOP tax bill that will further enrich himself, Trump, and more than a dozen other Republican senators--outdid them all, fawning over the president's "sheer will" and saying "I just hope that we all get behind him every way we can, and we'll get this country turned around in ways that will benefit the whole world."
"We're going to make this the greatest presidency that we've seen, not only in generations, but maybe ever," Hatch added.
"I think the exaggeration of having to kiss the ring of Donald Trump--it almost seems like a scene out of 'The Godfather' we just saw, not what you would expect from the president of a democracy," said historian Douglas Brinkley.
The social media world had enough of the endless praise, as well:
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