The less-than-total-shitbag wing of the GOP visits Europe. Why?
Marco Rubio's speech (just delivered) at the Munich Security Conference was not really about "security" or the "transatlantic alliance" or even the "threat of China," although all those topics were mentioned.
It was essentially Rubio throwing his hat into the arena for the 2028 election by pivoting back to the Centre of the US political ecosystem, while emphasising his positives—i.e. able to talk to a roomful of adults—vis-Ã -vis his main rival for the Republican nomination in 2028, "Jaded" Vance.
It was Vance last year who came to the same security conference and gave a frankly childish and ludicrous speech that was calculated to troll and trigger Europeans with a toxic version of MAGA. The result was a tsunami of hatred and deep loathing for America, Americans, and the corrupt and disgusting President they had idiotically elected.
Since then, many right-wing and centrist American voters have also peeled away from this toxic MAGA brand, and are now in the market for something on the right that is not a complete pile of Trumpian garbage and grift. This is now the audience that Rubio seems to be cultivating with his latest speech.
While much of the substance of the speech is not technically that dissimilar to the content delivered by Vance last year the "brotherly" tone was miles away. In fact, the tone is much more important here, simply because the so-called "substance" of US foreign policy—i.e. the international order is dead, national interests prevail, constant wheeling and dealing is the way, plus "oh look, we bombed you"—is merely a blank cheque for Trump to fish around for corrupt deals that can enrich him and his crime family in his last couple of years before he croaks or gets jailed for raping kids or something.
While much of the substance of the speech is not technically that dissimilar to the content delivered by Vance last year the "brotherly" tone was miles away. In fact, the tone is much more important here, simply because the so-called "substance" of US foreign policy—i.e. the international order is dead, national interests prevail, constant wheeling and dealing is the way, plus "oh look, we bombed you"—is merely a blank cheque for Trump to fish around for corrupt deals that can enrich him and his crime family in his last couple of years before he croaks or gets jailed for raping kids or something.
Rubio's speech at Munich shows that he is mainly interested now not in the stability of the global situation, but in improving his chances of crawling from the imminent car crash of the Trump administration, and having an outside shot at the Presidency. The man is an optimist.
___________________________________
Colin Liddell is the Chief Editor of Neokrat and the author of Interviews & Obituaries, a collection of encounters with the dead and the famous. Support his work by buying his book here (USA), here (UK), and here (Australia), or by taking out a paid subscription on his Substack.
Follow on Twitter and Bluesky
Follow on Twitter and Bluesky
No comments:
Post a Comment
All Comments MUST include a name (either real or sock). Also don't give us an easy excuse to ignore your brilliant comment by using "shitposty" language.