Herschel Walker fumbles … when celebrity only fails
The National Football League hero and political neophyte Herschel Walker has discovered the critical differences between the two professions. It is the difference between brawn and brain — not to suggest that football players cannot possess both, but it is not the essential skill set.
In fact, many celebrities use their fame and name recognition from spots and entertainment to jumpstart a political career. The most successful of them, however, bring along a fundamental intellectual foundation and basic communication skills. The most successful in that category – beyond refutation – was President Reagan. He rose from a second-tier actor to the head of the Actor’s Guild … to governor of California … to President of the United States (and a very popular one, at that).
President Trump also used his entertainment celebrity to gain public office – and it was one gigantic leap from the corporate executive office to the Oval Office. For him it did not work so well. He failed in achieving a second term (no matter of your opinion on the outcome of the popular vote) – unlike Reagan who won his second term in a national landslide, winning 49 states and 525 electoral votes to Democrat Walter Mondale’s 13.
Entertainment and sports celebrities have not been a major factor in past Senate races. None since Hollywood song and dance man George Murphy jumped from the silver screen to the world’s Senate in California in 1965. Had Walker won, he would have been only the second celebrity and only the first sports figure to take up a Senate seat. But he did not.
The problem for Walker and the Republican Party was that fact that he was not a well vetted candidate. He won the nomination almost exclusively on the backing of President Trump – who seemed to think that celebrity was enough.
Not only was Walker burdened by his ties to an increasingly unpopular Trump, he was not a strong candidate on his own. To say he seemed ill-prepared to deal with complex political issues and to articulate effectively is an understatement.
In an usually brutal — and some might describe as a racist — attack on Walker, former South Carolina state representative and current CNN contributor Bakari Seller said that many black people will oppose Walker because he “represents the worst elements of every prejudicial trope” because of he is inarticulate, anti-intellectual … inability to speak for himself.”
Seller says black voters are angry at Walker for being a negative stereotype of a black man. CNN’s Van Jones echoed the same theme. Joy Reid carried it over at MSNBC – calling Walker an insult to black people.
(Does anyone else find it interesting that Walker is called an insult to black people – a racist trope? When it comes to the Trump they hate, they claim he is typical of white people – and least Republican white people. Just asking. But I digress.)
In many ways, the Walker race was decided by two overriding issues. To his disadvantage was his tie to Trump and his weakness as a campaigner. To his advantage was the desire of Republican voters to prevent Democrats from having clear control of the Senate. It meant that instead of equally divided committees, Democrats will have majorities … making approval of Biden’s judicial nominations more difficult … and liberating Vice President Harris from staying in Washington to break tie votes. Unfortunately for Walker and the Republicans, the disadvantages outweighed the advantages.
All that set aside, Walker could not overcome the burden of Trump. As with so many other candidates across the nation, he benefited from the Trump of the primary season — but finally scuttled by the voters with a diminished view of the contemporary Trump. The failure of the major so-called Trump candidates across the nation was prescient in terms of the Walker/Warnock race.
In the final analysis, Trump using his influence to create a class of his loyalist candidates backfired on Trump and led to one defeat after another for the Republican Party. If there are lessons to be learned, the Georgia campaign should be the last in which Trump has ANY influence in picking candidates. And it should be apparent that Trump has no better chance of winning another election than his hand-picked candidates.
So, there ‘tis.
Hershel Walker revealed himself to be semi-literate at best. if this is the best the GOP can do, they do not deserve a majority
Main stream “news” has gone ape over the Democratic win in Georgia. Speculation on the Republican showing was all to do with their only voting in person on the day. Even FOX’s commentary flipped on the Republicans as it demanded the Party change strategy going forwards and quick. Not 6 months before, the same personalities came out adamantly opposed to early voting, ballots sent out by mail, and voting by mail. The mailing process they assume is chuck full with fraud.
MSN exudes joy and optimism. FOX and Friends are awash with indignation. The Republican failure in the midterm elections they laid at Trump’s feet. And rightly so, as far as that goes. But the Republican Party leadership in total has failed their members, themselves, and the country by allowing and propagating conspiracy theories in abundance. Starting with the penchant for denialism. The 2020 election results, denied. January 6 attack on the Government Building more than a B&E was an actual insurrection, denied responsibility and the President at that moment, Trump instigated, encouraged, and failed to intervene, the Congressional Committee was rightfully appointed for investigative purposes and not political, and more shenanigans by Trump pilfering documents Top Secret, sensitive, and property of the Executive Branch, hence US Government. If his real culpability in committing a serious federal crime is swept under the national consciousness carpet, then it sets a precedent for future presidents. This criminal behavior planned and carried out by Trump when president is unprecedented among past presidents. That, in itself is sufficient to hold this former president responsible for his actions consequences. Denying his deeds amount to grand theft, then give him a pass once again make a mockery of “justice for all” and “no one is above the law”.
Let Trump off the law’s hook give a nod to any obscenely wealthy person and indicate that our System of Justice looks the other way in cases of wealth. Money by the multi and 100’s in billions should provide a wall for protection for law breakers.
Republicans say, in defense of their denialism, just wait every bad act will come out. Meaning, election fraud, Biden family conspiracies, Global Warming is a hoax, petroleum did not result from fossils, Democrats sacrifice and eat children in satanic cult ceremony, and each and every other ridiculously conceived notion unsupported in evidence.
So, those of us not about to wait for conspiracies working out for the right. Another set of theories comes to mind. These, too, call for a period in waiting. However, the probability of this wait as not long is great. We know justice’s gears move slowly and much behind the scenes investigation uncovers more crucial evidence to indict persons alleged to have committed crimes against the State and the people.
One by one conspirators will be outed, tried by jury, and find justice works for all.
Eventually, in the coming year, while seemingly campaigning for himself before the 2024 election season, the FPOTUS must be compelled by DOJ and stand in one or more court before we the people and answer to the many charges brought to him.
If it does not come to a higher court of law, and likely would come before the Supreme Court, then that would the quintessential miscarriage of Justice.
At the least, Trump himself, given his personality and character, would consider, if not actively pursue, the venue where he thinks by employing his honed skill set for making the big deal will serve well.
Those who know him believe, his coming to his own defense would be his undoing. Perhaps they are correct.
The people clearly want to live under the heavy boot of demonocrat communism in a third world USA. I don’t think the people really want that, but they do not understand what the demonocrats are about. People are busy with work or video games and drugs. They are not paying attention, and they think these new demonocrats are the same as the old days democrats. It will be a rude awakening for sure, when they wake up one day before long and their freedom is gone.
so true
yes rick the dick, we are coming to take you away ha ha, coming to take you away. to the funny farm……
what a loon.
Are you gay bibfy? You are always talking a bout dicks, so you must have a fascination with them.
Sorry, not my cup of tea. You will have to look elsewhere for satisfaction of your homosexual fantasiesvv
Larry, you are a typical Trump hater who would rather see an idiot like Biden and Warnock in office so you can get your cookies off on Trump. Please tell me of a president that did more in their term in office than Trump ln particular for one term and with a deadbeat Paul Ryan,Nancy Pelosi, Mitch Mconnell, & Chuck Schumer
Ron Reagan
and larry is a trump hater will never get old :>)
Frank Sierra …. You know not of what you speak. First, I have never hate a person in my life. Second, I vigorously opposed Biden and Warnock — and that the Democratic Party represents. Third … Ronald Reagan. He accomplished more than Trump … Biden …. Obama … Bush … Clinton
and Bush. I am not into political idolatry. I make my political judgments on conservative principles. I voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020 (hardly the act of a hater). I have often written of the many accomplishments of the Trump administration — and of his personality that undermines them. Trump took an ascending GOP and piloted it into the ground. In a latter commentary, I will deal with that in more detail.
Larry,
To say you have never hated a person has nuances. Extreme exception to a person’s philosophy and not connect level of disgust for the person acting out that philosophy is no small feat of will.
In your long life experience, have you not felt so enraged with another person that wished them dead. For the evil destructive actions perpetrated on others. Like mass murders’s senseless taking of innocent lives, children along with adults.
We who were raised with respect or others’ lives and moral treatment for all people, sworn enemies as well. We were taught to love the person, but hate bad behavior. An exceptionally difficult task. Early on in life when emotions are easily stirred and hatred feels reflexive.
Depending on one’s circumstances during early formative years, if confrontation was not a thing and our physical (an mental) safety was not in peril everyday, then learning that hate ( like love) is a choice may over ride natural tendencies in people.
If not for my own struggle not hating those persons who have wronged me or treat me and my beliefs with mockery and deriding my integrity as a sane person. What, then does a person respond with? Past after post online answers that question. Disagreement between readers surfaces in written attacks. Of a nature resembling hatred for the person as connected with that person’s opinion .
Larry, although you and I are often in disagreement on virtually every issue in which predictively bring Democrats in as the evil empire. In my perception our differences are not translated into negative personal judgement. Agree to disagree does not quite describe it. I think, your view towards opinions contrary to your own is never a truce or call for a cease fire accommodation. The expression, live and let live does grasp how it is.
Respect for others’ as persons with personhood, but intractable stand on whatever, there tis, addresses on any day concerning whichever issue chosen. However edifying and enlightening the teaching is meant to be, your messaging received hit your target for some. For a number of us your text brings provocation for others’ beg to differ.
Which, the voices raised in writings that differ, stridently even, with want to make sounds of fury. Alas, in your ears all outside opinions have no standing, being with out meaning.
That’s just the way it is on PNP.. Its readers must understand, this blog’s philosophy is entrenched in Republacan-ism and others of the opposite philosophy are welcomed. . But PBP will not waver in it principle opinion. That being, any charge maligning Democratic Party in sum, policies as interpreted, President Biden personally, and Democrat history disinformation
Is there hate for persons Democratic spoken in print on this blog?
For PBP and its primary contributors in Opinion Commentary the rhetoric stops just shy of instigating an uprising. They havadr an implication that uprising on the day of Jan 6th was as it has been characterized by Trump, the MAGA tribe, and Republicans. In majority.
The blog is what it is, misleading and disinformation passing, under the heading of free speech and freedom of the press.
Let’s be clear, to say you’ve never hated a person is a lie. M
How do you feel about Putin?
Bibfy …. I expect people like you to arrogantly accuse me of lying. If you wallow in hatred, the very thought that others do not must be a blow to your self-esteem. But then again, you are in no position to know about me .. so YOUR accusation is a lie because you must know you do not know me. — and because it is not true … period. Judging only from your many comments here, I would not be surprised if you embrace a lot of anger and hatred. It never reflects well on the person.
I have consummate disrespect for Putin. In the spirit of justice, I would not feel badly if he was knocked off. But if you think that is hatred for the person, you should study St. Augustine and the “just war” theology.
Ac … I take the last line as your personal OPINION and not necessarily an accurate one in my judgment. But I will indulge you in a response re hatred. You may not believe me — that is your choice. But it does not matter since I know the truth of me. You are correct that despite our differences of opinion — and occasional harsh words in the heat of battle — I do not hold a negative opinion of you as a person since I do not know you. Any barbs I may send your way only related to the topic … not the person. I find most folks are very good people, so I assume you are one of those “most folks.”
In answer to your question … no, I have never wished evil or death on anyone — not even my most aggressive critics. Not even those who have lied about me … or stolen from me. It was at a very young age when I pondered hatred after being told it is a bad and dangerous emotion — self damaging and destructive. I tended to believe that. Some say you cannot know love without knowing or experiencing hatred. I find that to be untrue. I believe — based on a long life of experiences — that love can dominate in the absence of hate. Hate is a love killer. They do not live well together.
I think that is why I literally lover diverse cultures. I have no prejudices to any group — because most folks in any group are good people. I doubt you can find a single example where I have said anything negative about a group of people. I do not speak ill of gays … blacks …. Muslim. If you look closely, even my criticism of “Democrats” is based on policies not people. Most Democrats … like most Republicans … are good people.
Here is the key. Because I do not hate, does not mean I will respect that actions or works of others. If a person commits murder, I can disrespect what they do VERY strongly — and I can hope for their punishment. If someone came into my home and threatened to kill me or my family, I would have no reservation of shooting them. That does not require hate for the individual … only the need to protect for a violent act. When I think of folks who brutalize children I will be the first to want to seen them punished severely. Not because I hate the person, but because there can be no respect in my heart for them. Some my suggest that is hate … but it is not.
I have taught my children that I will love them forever … not matter what they do … BUT I may not always respect what they do … and I may have to act accordingly. When you give someone unconditional lover,, there is not way to end it. That is way it is unconditional.
That has been a central part of my life philosophy — and I am sticking with it.
I sometimes joke. Even though I am not religious in terms of organized religion, I have told people that when someone wrongs me … I simply get in touch with God and say that so-and-so did this bad thing to me … and I know that “vengeance is mine sayeth the lord.” So, I offer up the situation for the lord’s vengeance,, if he deems it necessary. My caveat is to the lord ..”But IF you are in need of an instrument of your vengeance, you can call on me.” LOL I have never been called on.
Long answer. But “no,” I have never hated a person in my life. Not always been easy, but it always works out better that way. END OF SERMON
Yes, I am sorry more people can not live up to have the intelligence of Fetterman.
Now there is a scholar.
This election was not about White Vs Black, smarts Vs unintelligent.
This election was about past favors saving a past elected official against a new breath of fresh air.
Trump had no effect good or bad, but the media loves a so called bad guy.
Fetterman is well pedigreed with degrees, I think two advanced, with an MPP from Harvard.
Walker did not complete college choosing a Master of Concussion from the NFL
BUSTED
LOL I like that one Frank, “A Masters of Concussion from the NFL”. Good one!!!
I agree. And I think it is a complicated set of issues that the GOP must stop being in denial about, which is what Newt Gingrich said in his interview with Fox. GOP is in a state of denialism right now. They need time to lick their wounds and figure it out, but it starts with stepping out of denialism. Walker lost for a variety of reasons. Some reasons were of his making, some were not. He may be an intelligent man, and he may have done well in college and sports, but as you pointed out, this is not the winning skill set for a political contest where the muscle must be in your brain, quickness of response, depth of knowledge on issues, and ability to articulate to a broad range of constituents. Walker had the brains, physical braun, and star power, but none of the remaining aforementioned. And certainly being so closely tied to Trump might have hurt him – but it would have also helped him with some of the GA electorate.
It was pointed out by his campaign people how frustrated they were that he would not listen to them, would not campaign as much as they thought he should, and would only listen to his wife (which to me says he did not trust his campaign handlers). Why didn’t Walker partner with Kemp more and use his road map and trust Kemp’s skill set while trying to hone his own. And you make a great point about black bias against him being too much white and like Trump (I believe Blacks used to have a term for this they called “Tubob”. But again, it also goes back to messaging – what was the GOP message besides the message of endless investigations? Where was the GOP vision?
So in the end, the GOP got a candidate that was: not well vetted, unmatched skill set to the task, over-reliance on reputation (which is questionable) and old star power, lack of mass communication skills, mistrust of handlers and advisors, poor message, no vision, few allies and folks stumping for him, black racism against him, low funding, wife running the campaign, AND YET he still stayed within 3% of Warnock! The message here is that the GOP should take this paragraph and words of wit I have just written to heart! This all sums up what it means to have a “quality candidate”. My hope is that the GOP will learn from its colossal blunder and be ready to compete more aggressively in 2024. This is the only way the people will win is when both sides have quality candidates.
Weren’t celebrities Fred Thompson and Al Franken also Senators/
Yes, Fred was the best Law and Order Senator.
Mark Taha ….. Whoa! My only excuse is that I wrote that commentary late at night. You are 100 percent correct. My bad. Mea Culpa. And thanks for the correction.
Al Franken graduated cum laude from Harvard with a degree in political science. He was probably one of the smartest people in the Senate, and certainly quicker on his feet than anyone else there. His sense of humor got him in some trouble, and resigned over allegations of minor sexual offenses. Considering that Trump the Pussy Grabber came in shortly after that makes his offenses sound kind of quaint. I wish he was back.
Larry. good stuff, you are a brave man……
I think Lyndsey Graham said it all as to the real reason Walker was important to the Republican Party: “What happens when the Republican Party elects and nominates Herschel Walker, an African American, Black Heisman Trophy winner, right? Olympian. It destroys the whole narrative.” Graham claimed Walker’s main benefit was to prove Republicans aren’t racists. That’s not exactly the top reason anyone should vote for the guy.
Larry, the Republican Party screwed the pooch letting this guy get the nomination. Bad choice for bad reasons.
More important Larry, ask yourself ——– how could so many Republicans vote for this guy IF Trump is in the rearview?
We may love it that we knocked 100% of the major Trumplicant endorsed candidates, that we BUSTED Trump hard on this one. But you should really be concerned about the fact that so many of your people stood up and voted for this awful, unqualified, idiot JUST because he’s a Republican. If your party can’t see that as a lowering of the bridge under the river……….then NO CHANCE you will rise up in 2024. This looks like your party is circling the toilet bowl. If the best you can do is say Trump is in the rear view, the party will soldier on when this guy leads your party, is the only current candidate for 2024, and is still the ex leader of the free world, well, then you got big problems, right here in River City. The overwhelming support this unqualified braindead idiot got from the Georgia Republican base should be terrifying to you.
We may have our issues with progressives and staying towards center, but you are still lost in the Trumpian woods and he is circling the toilet bowl. It will not be fast enough for 2024 if you guys continue to just let things be and declare he’s not top-dead-center anymore…..
That’s a huge takeaway from Georgia.
As a citizen of Georgia, out of staters should be aware that Warnock seemed to have 3 times as many TV commercials
prior to the elections. No sour grapes – That is just how the game is played. “Follow the Money”. Warnock earned his 6 years.
Frank, I am not sure, and I actually doubt it, that Walker getting so many GOP votes bothers the MAGA folks. But it does scare Independents like me. I hope in 2024 the GOP can put out a better than Walker type of candidate because if Biden runs against a Walker type, that pooch may start looking pretty good to we Independents!
I do enjoy your idioms and will keep these in mind: 1) Screwed the pooch, 2) Lowering the bridge under the water, 3) Circling the toilet bowl.
I am awarding you 8 points for being the only one to mention that Walker never graduated, and, superb idioms! Very entertaining!
Tom,
Who cares about the maga rats unless they’re the future of Larry’s party as Georgia clearly shows.
The point is this is the Republican party and this is who they are willing to stand in line for to support. They like it Mikey, they like it.
Larry may think Trump is in the rearview but these people want Walker and most probably think Larry’s political desires are bullshit, he is not Trump enough and should be tossed to the curb. Trump has to be top-dead-center for them to vote like they did for Walker. Especially given he had a hard row to hoe to win this one with his total incompetence.
Reagan would probably not move these folks.
DeSantis is a smoother, more experienced Trump, but IMO, when he assesses this clusterfuck, he’s gonna start bending over to this crowd far worse than Biden tosses some candy to progressives.
IOW —- 2024 will be 2020 all over again with maga rats, supremacists, anti-semetics, the whole Trump base. Larry nay think Trump in the rearview, but Trumpism is still top dead center and ideas like this are tough to change.
Frank Stetson … Your desire to smear all Republicans trumps your ability to recognize reality. For sure. Trump has a hardcore base — which I estimate at about 15 percent (and shrinking). The voters that cast ballots for Walker are not necessarily MAGA voters — if you mean total Trump loyalists. They faced the choice that had in 2016 and 2015. Trump was the better option in a binary situation. I am way not supporter of Trump, per se .. but I did vote for him in 2016 and 2020. And if I lived in Georgia and was given the choice of Walker or Warnock — and all that means to the power in the Senate — I would have voted for Walker, knowing his election would have deprived the Democrats of some power and that Walker would have voted along conservative lines no matter what personality flaws he may have. In a deeply divided nation — with a deeply divided government — every candidate represents a shift in power, a shift between left-wing and right-wing polices. A house divided creates completely different dynamic. You can be as snide and insulting as you like, but there is a reality that does not conform to you self-comforting personal version.
I agree with your strategy and assessment of 2016 and 2022. Had I been living in GA, as an independent voter I would have grumbled as I reluctantly vote for Walker not because I think he is qualified, but definitely because I wanted to keep Warnock and his liberalism out. By the way, Warnock is not squeaky clean either. A story broke a week before the election that Warnock was the head guy in some sort of low income housing project of his church, and that he was kicking people out who owed a very minor amount of money. One person interviewed said they only owed $70. I do not think Warnock has any better a personality, he is just very polished. With regard to 2016, I voted Trump because he was the lesser of two evils. To me, Trump represented Irritable Bowel Syndrome while Clinton represented a colectomy!
The election was rigged.
By nucking figgers
Come on Joe, that’s the N-word supported on your site. I hope you take care of this one.
People should be free to use whatever words they choose
You miss the point. They may not be Trumplicants but they are willing to vote it. This guy did not deserve to run for dog catcher. He was a concussed piece of uneducated human chattel that uttered incredibly stupid idiocy running to be a US Senator with the tag line “what me worry?” House of a representatives maybe……
If this is what is acceptable to your party as a candidate and your people actually vote for him in native numbers, yeah I would say your party is broken. The man is not only NOT in the rear view, he’s totally acceptable to YOU. Still.
It’s Joe’s site, he owns it, he owns those words. He has banned others for less.
But let’s face it, this guy is a lazy, shiftless, upity Kuhn. What would you expect.
I cant believe you liberals on here actually think this is just normal politics, and that everything is just fine. Our country is in deep dung. I realize there are a lot of low information people in this country like bibfy, but my goodness, there cannot be that many ignoramuses can there? This is not normal. There is something very deep wrong going on. I talk with many people everyday, and they are all very worried about the direction things are going. I have not met anyone that says they have voted for the sick evil crap that is going on.
Suck on it snowflake. You blew the slam dunk of the midterms. Inflation, recession, and you duffed it.
More people voted for it than not. Jfgi idiot. Your anecdotal data is as stupid as you. After talking to some people, you know nothing.
You throw around the word idiot a lot liberal. You call me an idiot because I want to live free. I do not want to be imprisoned in a digital prison and have my movement limited. I don’t want to be forced to eat bugs because the things I like to eat are intentionally taken away. I do not want to be forced to take anything into my body that I do not want. I don’t like being told what I can have and what I cannot have. I don’t like being told that I cannot have the kind of car I want. You are actually the snowflake because you are afraid of freedom and you need the government to tell you how to live and make your decisions for you. I want to make my own decisions even if they turn out to be wrong. Climate change is a thing, but it is not caused by anything man is doing. The climate was changing before man ever came along. I do not see how you cannot see that climate change is nothing but an agenda to control us and lock us down. Oil is not a fossil fuel. The earth creates oil for us to use. It is plentiful and replenished. Electric cars are a waste of energy, but if you want one go for it. I am all about freedom. I don’t like the idea of killing babies though and I think that Yahuwah has removed His hand of blessing on the USA because of the rampant sin. In a nut shell, that is the reason that the evil is moving in and the politicians are almost all in with it. The democrats are obviously out in the open evil. In the old days they tried to somewhat hide it, but not anymore. The republican’s play the good guy, but they are mostly just as bad, and they never do anything to stop the evil other than talk tough. That is why I think they are the same animal playing their parts to give us the illusion that we actually have a vote. Our freedoms are being eroded (and fast) because people like you are afraid of taking personal responsibility, and need to be part of the liberal hive mind. Liberalism is the most dangerous thing on this planet because it is so destructive and against personal freedom.
I call you an idiot because you are stupid.
We are all entitled to our opinion, but if you say it’s a fact and can’t prove it, you are an idiot.
Let’s start slow: prove how man is NOT responsible by man.
My proof: More than 99.9% of studies agree: Humans caused climate change. https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2021/10/more-999-studies-agree-humans-caused-climate-change
I love climate change. Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!
The scientist that say humans cause climate change are being paid to come to that conclusion. There is big money in the climate change hoax. How is it that the obama’s beach house is not under water yet? What about all of the cities that have been found under water? Those cities were on the earth long before man ever had a factory or gas powered cars. The earth has gone through polar flips and other chaotic happenings. That is why they have found tropical plants and trees under the ice at polar regions. Man did not cause those things. You are the most gullible person I have ever communicated with. You trust the bought and paid for science from the people that want to imprison you in a prison without bars. They own the mainstream media so you are only hearing what they want you to hear; just like in China. Isn’t that great bibfy?
And you believe the blogosphere full of the alex jones of the world who are not just lying for the money.
You probably believe the Big Lie too.
You are right, thousands of scientists; almost every country in the world represented, hundreds of methodological, analytical, peer reviewed analysis, totally transparent data findings, all of which are consistently repeatable, even by turds like you, all lie.
You are an idiot.
That’s what the dinosaurs said!