Robert De Niro: “This is how the Radical Left helps the Radical Right WIN elections”
I have always been one to say the radical left and the radical right are two sides of the same coin; but their respective responses to the elections of President Obama and President Trump demonstrate that more than anything else.
After the election of President Obama, the radical right lost their minds. Without rehashing their lowest moments, we can look at the insults that Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, his daughters and even Bo the dog endured over those 8 years as low points in civility, respect and basic decorum and courtesy. It was reprehensible then, and it is reprehensible now.
Now don’t get me wrong, within comedy, late night TV, blogging, etc., pointing out things we object to, on the Left or the Right is par for the course when it comes to elected officials. Calling them names or even bluntly or rudely pointing out issues with the policies or person is to be expected. But Robert De Niro went overboard with his speech at the Tony Awards. And if one doesn’t think so, we can look at how the left responded to some of Ted Nugent’s rants about Obama. And rightly so. But now the left celebrates when De Niro goes of on an expletive laden rant at the Tony Awards.
Further, De Niro has doubled down, apologizing to Canadians and their Prime Minister for Trump’s behavior, yet exhibiting some of that same behavior he is criticizing in Trump. How can the left not see the damage being done? He just gave the radical right not just moral equivalence but possibly moral high ground. The reason I say high ground is because if you just spent 8 years complaining about how Obama (and / or Hillary Clinton) were disrespected by celebrities and pundits/commentators who pretend to be journalist and are now celebrating De Niro, then you are a hypocrite at best. Worse, you exemplify everything the radical right has accused the left of, elitism, snobbishness, disingenuous regarding tolerance, etc.
Yes, I know I am a conservative of the moderate stripe, slightly right of center, and I risk offending the left / progressive / liberal tribe with my inputting on how they should act, however; as a moderate who opposes many policy positions of the Trump administration and who the left will have to work with hopefully in the near future, hear me out. What Robert De Niro did, and what many of the progressives / liberals in Hollywood continue to do, is act as boorish and crude as the man that you are criticizing.
One of my major complaints with the radical right during the Obama administration was the personal attacks, instead on focusing on the policy issues that were a problem. The same goes for now. Sure, call President Trump out on what he says and who he is signifying too, I know I do. But just to go on a cussing rant at an awards show for the world to see, just not a good look. The left has to accept the fact, that Trump won for reasons far beyond angry racist, misogyny or email leaks. He spoke to a lot of people in a way they could understand and addressed a part of the demographic that the Democratic party has lost, working class White people (and even in some cases working class minorities and women.) The reality is that Hillary Clinton lost in many counties that Barack Obama won twice. Further, she lost states that Obama had won.
Trump secured several Obama counties in upstate New York, though it wasn’t enough to win the state. He also won over counties in Maine’s rural congressional 2nd District, securing a GOP electoral vote in New England for the first time since 2000.[1]
Progressives and Liberals have been blaming everything from misogyny, patriarchal society and racism for Clinton’s loss, and again, while these were factors, I would posit that these factors were not the primary reason that Hillary Clinton lost. And if the Democrats and their supporters refuse to look at their message and retool it, the United States could be in store for another four years of Trump. Especially if the left keeps celebrating things like De Niro did, it puts the radicals on the right in siege mode, and that’s when they get the numbers. Because the average non-radical, the working class guy who sees the left as elitist Hollywood types out of touch with mainstream America, is listening too.
[1] Kevin Uhrmacher, Kevin Schaul and Dan Keating, “These former Obama strongholds sealed the election for Trump,” Washington Post, November 9, 2016 (accessed June 12, 2018), https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/2016-election/obama-trump-counties/437ddb6e813e_story.html?utm_term=.30af031fda95
