Tonight is the night of course.
The Honorable Paul Irving, 36th in his line since 1789, steps before a national television audience, and delivers his annual address. It is always short, to the point, and is met with thunderous applause. On the occasion of the State of the Union Address, the US House Sergeant at Arms swings open the double doors at the back of the main floor, takes a few steps inside, and calls out,
“Madame Speaker! The President of the United States.”
(Applause, applause, and the Mango Mussolini will shamble his Executive Girth toward the dais.)
Given what has happened these last three years and given what has and has NOT happened since the December Impeachment vote, I think Speaker Pelosi should do 2 things to ensure tonight’s State of the Union Address will be remembered vividly.
A) As the Speaker controls the House Floor and so the Office of the Sergeant at Arms, she should instruct Sergeant Irving to add one word to his proclamation:
“Madame Speaker! The Impeached President of the United States.”
Would his Golfing-ness have a “Drummer for Spinal Tap” moment and spontaneously combust (like about 12 human beings do each year?) Would the cheering be louder in the chamber? Would there be glitter? Would there be made-for-TV spectacle (the thing TV does best?)
If we the People simply canNOT impeach, if we canNOT censure, can we AT LEAST disapprove?
B) Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader Schumer caucus this afternoon with their respective bodies and make certain arrangements. Leader Schumer hands out leftover “Question Cards” from 16 hours of Impeachment questioning, numbered from 1 to 280.
Tonight the Speech begins, as a rattled, furious and publicly introduced (FULLY INTRODUCED) pResident launches into his remarks. There will be the obligatory “thank yous” and then other words will begin.
Almost immediately there will be a lie. The Democratic Representative or Senator holding card number 1 stands and walks out the nearest door. Just outside the chamber, Speaker Pelosi has set up little press podiums so that the card holder can approach, give her or his name and state and then say to the cameras, “The President just lied when he said X. The truth is Y. Thank you for broadcasting both sides.”
Meanwhile, as the bloviation continues from the dais (“China has agreed to buy Iowa corn at $11 a bushel to treat the new coronavirus, since cornbread kills the virus in its tracks….”), Americans watching on TV will hear the golf commentator patter of news anchors (“And now there’s Angie Craig of Minnesota standing and walking out. She’s number 53 and we are only 7 minutes 12 seconds into the speech. Let’s cut to Tyrone outside the House chamber for Lie #46 from Jared Golden of Maine.”)
Applause at the end of the speech will be noted as….diminished…..
Just a couple ideas from your ever-loving WineRev.