Gym rat, beard-stubble-grower and non sequitur-spewer Sen. Ben Sasse, has taken it on the chin — deservedly — for his bizarre, virtual commencement address to the graduates of Fremont High School last weekend.
It remains murky as to what, exactly, he was trying to pull off, but it could be argued that he was coming off a Yukon Jack/Jägermeister bender and had slept the night before in the Greyhound bus depot.
Bottom line: The thing was a train wreck.
Cue Charles Pierce of Esquire, with a piece headlined “Ben Sasse Parked His Speech Somewhere Between a Megachurch and Open Mic Night at the Chuckle Hut:”
…Young Ben Sasse got yet another week of self-quarantine off with a bang by providing the graduating seniors at Fremont High School in Fremont, Nebraska with a video commencement address, just like Barack Obama, an actual president, did all over television on Saturday night. Except that Young Ben Sasse, tie askew and quarantine stubble ablaze, parked his speech somewhere between a televised megachurch and Open Mic Night at the Chuckle Hut in North Platte.
It’s hard to get a handle on what Young Ben Sasse was going for here. Was his odd denunciation of people named “Jeremy” a signal to Pearl Jam fans in Fremont that he is not with them? Was he trying to be the Hip Senator Who Can Talk to the Young with all that business about climbing the rope in gym class? (Note: I spent four years in high school trying to climb the damn rope. Never made it off the ground.)
The denunciation of psychology was probably a pitch for the know-nothing constituency he’ll need later on. As for the rest, I have no explanation for the point where he makes an “I’m old” joke and then replies to it himself, or the sudden time-warped appearance of his 2024 presidential stump speech about the evil Chinese. Also, too: grit.
Self-quarantining has been tough on us all but, please, for the love of god, leave the comedy to the professionals.”
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The Nebraska Democratic Party stands with state Sen. Kate Bolz and Kara Eastman as they aim to make history in the November election.
Nebraska has never sent a Democratic woman to Congress. We now have a great opportunity to send TWO: Eastman in C2 and Bolz in CD1.
“Kara dedicated the last decade of her life ensuring lead was not poisoning our kids in Omaha,” said NDP Chair Jane Kleeb. “When she walks the halls of Congress, it won’t be to cut deals for a select few — she is running for climate action and healthcare for all Nebraskans. Kara will make history as the first woman in the House representing the Second Congressional District.
“Senator Bolz is a daughter of the district, growing up on her family farm and serving the people of our state in the legislature for eight years,” Kleeb said. “Our family farmers and ranchers along with the growing city of Lincoln interests will finally be served when Bolz makes history as the only woman to represent the First Congressional District.”
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The New York Times shamed President Trump for jettisoning the White House tradition of presidents unveiling the official portrait of their predecessor. Trump is so obsessed with trying to erase Obama’s legacy that he refused to schedule the event.
“Trump is trying to make Obama his Willie Horton, the black criminal George Bush successfully used as a racial cudgel in his race against Michael Dukakis in 1988. Trump believes that there is a seesaw mechanism to his political fortunes: If he can drag someone down, it will lift him up.
For now, that person is Obama, the man who lives in Trump’s head, who stalks his dreams, the countervailing symbol to Trump’s deficiencies.”
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The NDP State Convention is coming up June 14. It will be held online.
You can read the proposed 2020-22 platform here.
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We leave you this week with a rendering by Michael Ramirez on Trump’s firing of yet another inspector general.
–By Kevin O’Hanlon/NDP Communications Director
NOTE: If you’d like to receive #NebDems News via email, just let us know by sending a note to: info@nebraskademocrats.org
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IMPORTANT DATES
NOTE: All of the NDP’s in-person events have been postponed until further notice. Check our Facebook page and website for updates. If you had planned to attend any non-NDP events, we urge you to check with the organizers on the status.
May 17-31: Democratic County Conventions
June 14: NSP State Convention
