February 7, 2019
LAUGHINGSTOCK:
The exquisite shade of Nancy Pelosi's applause at the State of the Union (Monica Hesse, February 6, 2019, Washington Post)
The lasting visual image from Tuesday night's State of the Union address was captured by photographer Doug Mills. It featured House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) applauding President Trump in a way that can only be described as . . . withering? Pitying? Lucille Bluth-like in its contemptuousness?At his lectern, the president mentioned bipartisanship and turned to acknowledge Speaker Pelosi; she rewarded him by cocking her head, arching an eyebrow, and inventing, as comedian Patton Oswalt would put it online, a clap that somehow managed to be a profanity.Its power was in its restraint. Pelosi was not booing the president. She was acknowledging his words. She was providing him, in the technical sense, with exactly what he was hoping for: approval. But this was a derogatory clap, make no mistake. This was mockery wearing a half-baked costume of politeness.
Even in her district, the way she abuses him is frowned upon.
Posted by Orrin Judd at February 7, 2019 12:02 AM