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I never listen to opposing party rebuttals after major political speeches.
They are pretty much exactly what you expect them to be, and after years of hearing them, you know pretty much what they'll say to the word. It's usually the party's platform, shrouded in facts of vague connection to truth.
So I didn't listen to Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) speak after President Joe Biden spoke to the nation (honestly, I only listened to the first few minutes of that too).
But I've heard and read snippets of Scott's rebuttal, which I think did what it was intended to do.
Here is why.
Joe Biden should have been in his second term as president right now. Tragic personal issues and needed time to heal didn't allow that to happen. But Biden would have been a shoo-in to become president after President Obama.
Biden has pretty much been seen as pretty moderate, although a true Democrat. He is old guard political acceptable to the other side of the aisle, even through these most highly-charged partisan times since the 1990s.
But, that didn't happen.
Hillary Clinton ran, and though I think would have been a good president, she was what I was afraid she would become - a lightning rod. A prod. She is a Clinton, the entire reason the Republican Party has been strategizing and restrategizing on how to beat Clintons. Since 1992, the GOP has worked tirelessly to paint the Clintons as the Devils of America. And we all know that if you stamp labels on things hard and repitively, people start believing it, even if there is no really solid merit or reason. (Donald Trump was GREAT at this tactic.)
So Hillary losing to Trump wasn't as surprising to me. He said what everyday angry voters want to hear and she was a Clinton. The only prods needed.
Four years later, most Americans see that the presidency wasn't a place for Trump as the person. He was there for what he represented to people, mainly as he said what they wanted to hear and continues to do so. But most of the nation was ready to return to some simile of normalcy in politics, whatever that may be in these polarized times. Immature Twitter rants and raves just got exhausting for everyone, even Twitter.
So what Biden now represents is a political time when some old white guy is president and most of us are paying less attention daily to what is happening at 1600. Oh, we care way more than we used to. Way more, and are more attentive. But our everyday lives aren't shrouded with what the president has said or done or wondering why he wondered if drinking bleach would help.
Biden has also talked of things that people want to hear, not too much controversial stuff. So there isn't too much to wonder in why his approval ratings are pretty good now. We've taken a big American breath so far and turned on to another channel.
Which brings us back to Tim Scott.
Why did he stand there last night and offer the rebuttal to the President's address?
I think for two reasons.
One, the GOP hasn't got too much to say about Biden's proposals. They aren't fired up mad about any of it, except for their usual "oh, it costs too much" argument that only comes about when Democrats are in power, even though Republicans have been horrible stewards of our money. People just aren't upset at what Biden has pushed so far.
So what do you say to oppose? Pretty much anything to distract from the actual speech that you are offering rebuttal. It can be as nonsensical as saying that racism doesn't exist in America. Even most Republicans will tell you that it does and many would even say it needs eradication. But, to counter sense, you offer a loud brand of nonsense, taking attention away from the original message you are refuting.
Scott has done that. Everyone is talking more about what he said versus what Biden said. Mission accomplished there.
Two, there is a world of Trumpian voters who don't want to hear anything about racism in America. Nothing. The only race problem to them is either a made up one by black people or a rain out of a NASCAR race.
Republicans these days rarely speak to the entire country or try to sway someone like me to their side. They spend it trying to fire up their base of angry folks who like storming buildings. Scott followed the Republican playbook, as if anyone should be surprised. The fact that Scott is black - in their eyes - gives some legitimacy to what he said last night. So again, he did what he was supposed to do.
So, yeah, I'm not surprised at what Scott said last night. I do think he was played by his own party and put in a position where not even real Republicans will believe him. Even they know racism has been part of the American fabric and you can't just talk it away. He sounds out-of-touch and like a race panderer, something that will forever maginalize him in his own party. Scott allowed himself to be sacrificed when Republicans knew they would win nothing last night.
Scott just was there to accomplish two things. Job well done, sir.
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