After Donald Trump was mocked for tweeting a picture of his face on the body of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky, Fox & Friends lickspittle Pete Hegseth came to the rescue by claiming that Trump is Rocky Balboa to the Hong Kong protesters he probably wanted to hang out to dry.
In case you missed it, the obese and out of shape Trump tweeted this image of himself without explanation on Wednesday:
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2019
Not surprisingly, Twitter had a field day.
Fox & Friends’ cohost (and war criminal advocate) Hegseth to the rescue! He was assisted in his effort by his sycophantic cohosts, actor Dean Cain and Dr. Nicole Saphier.
Hegseth set up the cheerleading, saying, “The U.S. Senate passed a bill saying we support the protesters.”
Sorry, war crimes lover, but the Democratic House passed its version of the bill first. Not only that, but Trump has not been a strong supporter of the protesters and was pressured into signing the bill because it had a veto-proof majority in both chambers of Congress. Of course, neither Cain nor Saphier corrected the distortion.
As footage rolled of Hong Kong protesters waving American flags, Hegseth added, “They’re singing the national anthem! These are freedom-loving people who say ‘China’s a communist country that wants to crush us. There’s only one place on earth that can support us and it’s the United States of America.’”
Saphier, who wishes fewer Americans have health insurance, now claimed to be a lover of democracy – while also misrepresenting Trump’s behavior. “Because that is the values that America was founded on and that we still believe in so of course, it comes of no surprise that America is gonna come and support Hong Kong, even amidst the trade war,” she gushed. “And what that shows me is the Trump administration is actually putting democracy and freedom in front of some of these trade wars that he’s been in. And he’s been criticized a couple months ago, saying the United States is not going to intervene in Hong Kong because he’s too focused on the China trade deal, but you know what? He continues to prove people wrong.”
I wish I could say that was the worst of the propaganda but it paled in comparison to what came next.
We saw a close up of someone, presumably a protester, holding up the Trump as Rocky image. “Love that photo,” Cain said.
Hegseth upped the fawning. He gave no indication of having done a single interview any protester. But that didn’t stop him from “knowing” that the Hong Kongese love Trump. “The protesters are saying, this is a fighter for freedom. This is our guy. This is who we stand with. They look at a guy like Trump and they see Rocky Balboa. They see a fighter for freedom. Our press here might mock him for it but that’s how protesters see him.”
Watch the slobbering below, from the November 29, 2019 Fox & Friends.
Fox & Friends host Pete Hegseth: Hong Kong protesters "look at a guy like Trump and they see Rocky Balboa."https://t.co/NR66xhj1yN pic.twitter.com/7SvzFcDI20
— NewsHounds (@NewsHounds) November 30, 2019
While the rest of the world is a bit helpless when it comes to ameliorating the situation for the oppressed WITHIN China, we CAN apply pressure on the Hong Kong front. Xi Jinping and co know they have to tread very carefully because, firstly, they are in the full light of international scrutiny in HK, and secondly, they need an island outside the constraints they impose on the mainland as both a shop window and a very handy interface with the international capitalist system.
An alternately bellowing and simpering bull in the proverbial china shop is just what the world does not need right now.
It’s true Hong Kong protesters are waving our flag and photoshopped pictures of Trump heavily promoted in #MAGA (and not just the Rocky one). However, the context isn’t just in celebration of Trump signing 2 bills of support. That action has prompted their pleas to get Trump to intervene in freeing Hong Kong. Something that Trump will never substantively do.
In fact, the bill Trump signed that Fox News is giving all credit to Dear Leader for was only signed under the pressure of veto proof majorities in the House and Senate. Both bills were passed by near unanimous consent. The clinical narcissist is avoiding the humiliation of seeing vetoes overrided.
Subsequently, Fox & Friends, what has Trump said he plans to do in the name of Hong Kong freedom? Crickets is a valid answer.
Sorry to veer ‘off piste’ here, but I have just finished watching the longest movie I’ve ever seen in one sitting. Scorsese has brought the whole gang back together – de Niro, Pacino and Pesci, together with a brilliant supporting cast including Ray Romano and NZ’s own special girl Anna Paquin. Hugely recommended. The biggest surprise (for me) came when 15 minutes from the end, who should pop up as the chaplain in de Niro’s hospice but the same actor as the one who played God’s RWNJ priest on Fox for all those years – Jonathan Morris. Yes folks, the boy can act just fine.
