(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Biden disarms the GOP with his wit, elevates the "Brandon" meme with a hero's invite... [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags'] Date: 2023-02-11 in a battle of wits... It was a night to remember for Joe Biden, a night that the president deftly demonstrated his considerable political skills while taking on his foes. Not to be lost in Biden’s performance was his ability to rebuff Republican attempts to demean him and his supporters— “owning the libs” turned out to be a short-term rental. As we get further away from the former administration’s corrosive cynicism and churlishness, what is left in its wake, among other more glaring deficits, is evidence of their clownish attempts to govern effectively. Biden’s speech was a brilliant chronicling of what a competent leader can accomplish even in the face of bitter partisanship— an ugly reminder on view even as he spoke. Within the inside political battle of wits which has gone on forever between parties, the clear winners were the adults in the room. On the night when Republicans were called out and embarrassed on Social Security, had to endure the House floor put-down by their own Mitt Romney of fraudster George Santos, and placed on exhibit for the public the all-around bad behavior of McCarthy’s caucus, Biden was clearly in charge. At times, Biden’s wit masked an embarrassing truth with humor: You know, I start tonight by congratulating the 118th Congress and the new speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy... followed with: ...Speaker, I don’t want to ruin your reputation, but I look forward to working with you. Ouch! This was one of those lines that wasn’t included in the White House-provided transcript and ad-libbed— as were several of Biden’s best lines. Another illustration of the President’s strategic undoing of the GOP’s hopes for a bad speech spoken poorly was his drawing out Republican faux outrage at his truthful assertion that the Republicans had supported sunsetting of Social Security and Medicare— both programs highly popular among the older voters many of whom remain avid MAGA supporters and live in-- wait for it… wait— Florida! As the sandbox jeered and gesticulated displeasure, Biden set the trap that would ensnare the GOP into standing and applauding for the programs publically: … (S)ome Republicans, some Republicans, want Medicare and Social Security to sunset. I’m not saying it’s the majority. (cue the howling and jeering) Let me give you — anybody who doubts it, contact my office. I’ll give you a copy — I’ll give you a copy of the proposal. That means Congress doesn’t vote — I’m glad to see — no, I tell you, I enjoy conversion. they came unarmed... After the fully gulled Republicans sat, little did they realize that Biden was not finished. After promising not to name names in his address, the following day he placed a bomblet within the GOP’s fractious tent, He called out FL Senator Rick Scott and his Senate campaign playbook’s platform that included the sunsetting provisions Biden referred to earlier. What ensued was utter chaos as Mitch McConnell repudiated the plan and declared that Scott would have a hard time maintaining his Senate seat in the coming election. Biden and his team plied the fracture caused earlier in the term when Scott had run against McConnell as the GOP Senate leader and lost. In one fell swoop Dark Brandon had appeared and declared that in the next election, Florida would be in play and that seniors would be reminded with each monthly social security check which party supports them. Ouch, again! As the night wore on Biden asserted his dominance like Michael Corleone at the conclusion of The Godfather, he picked off enemies one by one. After enumerating his administration’s bi-partisan success with prideful bravura, he laid out GOP members who opposed the legislation in a laugh line: And my Republican friends who voted against it as well. But I’m still — I still get asked to fund the projects in those districts as well, but don’t worry. I promised I’d be a president for all Americans. We’ll fund these projects. And I’ll see you at the groundbreaking. But perhaps his most surgical strike came at the unassuming and largely ceremonial portion of the night when the President welcomes invitees to the event and tells their stories. Was it by chance that Biden invited the unassuming hero who stepped up to disarm the Monterey Park gunman who killed 11 Californians at a dance studio? His name, Brandon Tsay, is most likely coincidental to his invitation as it was providential to the moment. Tsay’s actions exploded all the RW malarkey surrounding guns and super-toxic version of masculinity. Tsay’s heroism was not burnished with gun-toting bravado. This was a good man without a gun. The lives he saved included his own— and he openly admitted his fear which only heightens his heroism. Biden’s introduction was brief and surgical: “He thought he was going to die, but then he thought about the people inside, “In that instant, he found the courage to act and wrestled the semiautomatic pistol away from a gunman who had already killed 11 people at another dance studio.” “He saved lives,” Biden added. “It’s time we do the same. Ban assault weapons once and for all.” — LATimes, “Brandon Tsay, still grieving, gets the ‘hero’ treatment in Washington,” by Noah Bierman ...and are reduced by half The disrespectful Republican meme using the name “Brandon” as an ugly and profane taunt was turned against them. It projected their own juvenile contempt for a good man who happened to defeat their bad one. The name was now embraced by hero Brandon Tsay who was applauded and cheered from the floor of the House by all attendees. “Brandon” had reclaimed its politically uncharged and rightful place as the name one used to describe a good man who performed a heroic deed— an ordinary American hero. Perhaps for a moment, Tsay had quieted the ugliness of the clownish right with his own humility and quiet resolve. When asked at a reception he attended after the State of the Union address, Tsay who declined to characterize himself as a hero stated: “Let’s go Brandon” will never again connote the derision the goons on the right intended— when what passes for inspiration on the right tickled their tedious funny-bone. Looking for the words to describe the lack of decorum exhibited by the Republicans in front of a national audience, I could only offer the words of French novelist Anatole France who observed: Silence is the wit of fools. For those without wit or common sense, it is best that they keep their mouth shut and hide their ignorance. For God’s sake, take your cue from little Georgie Santos— fake it ‘til you make it! 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