Kamala Got Heckled and Snapped Back. Does That Make Her the Antichrist?

Kamala Harris

Vice-President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for the presidency of the United States, faced hecklers at a political rally in Wisconsin on October 16, 2024. Harris said that President Donald Trump had nominated three conservative justices to the Supreme Court for the purpose of overturning Roe v Wade. She remarked that they then voted to do precisely that, returning abortion legislation to the states. A lusty, pro-choice boo emerged from the crowd.

Still, no controversy goes unpunished. A small group of hecklers quickly shouted, rather indistinctly on the unedited video, “liar, liar,” “Christ is King,” and “Jesus is Lord.” (Indeed, on the raw video, “liar, liar” was the only heckle that I heard clearly. I never actually made out “Christ is King,” so I’m just taking pundits’ word that this was also one of the heckles.)

Anyway, Harris quipped back:

“Oh, you guys are at the wrong rally. I think you meant to go to the smaller one down the street.”

By “smaller one,” she was referring to Donald Trump’s rally, digging at her opponent’s obsession with crowd sizes.

The partisan press could not ignore this juicy incident. Some mainstream media outlets played the video, sometimes sneakily cutting or deemphasizing “Jesus is Lord.” In contrast, conservatives showed video clips that appeared to my ears to (1) cut the “liar, liar” heckle and (2) amplify “Jesus is Lord.” Since “liar, liar” was the first of several heckles, it was a trivial matter for conservatives to clip it out while leaving “Jesus is Lord” intact. 

They then highlighted the clipped video with headlines and captions to the effect of: 

“Christian students in Wisconsin speak out after Kamala Harris told them they were at the ‘wrong rally.’”

Interviewed later, one of the hecklers later commented that, “Jesus was mocked.” That was quite a heady accusation. 

Even more emphatic, literally linking Harris with the biblical figure of Anti-Christ, the EconoTimes headlined:

“Is Kamala Harris Anti-Christ? VP CLAPS BACK at Rally Heckler Who Shouted 'Jesus is Lord' — 'I Think You’re at the WRONG Rally!'”

The EconoTimes’ article prominently quoted “Jesus is Lord,” while ingeniously omitting the “liar, liar” heckle that immediately preceded it. 

Yet more pointedly, conservative pundit Lou Dobbs’ staff also quoted “Jesus is Lord” without mentioning “liar, liar.” Their accompanying headline, which accused Harris of being "evil," poked at her even more forcefully:

“EVIL: Kamala Harris and Her Supporters Mock Christian Attendee Shouting ‘Jesus is Lord’ During Abortion Speech — Kamala Coldly Responds, ‘You’re at the Wrong Rally’”

This is how conspiracy theories start.

First, as a simple fact, the conservative complaints arise from real evidence. Out of context, one heckler among others did, indeed, shout “Jesus is Lord.” Harris did, indeed, tell the hecklers that they were at the wrong rally. Thus, the attacks on Harris did have some fuel.

Second, however, “Jesus is Lord” quickly followed the secular heckle, “liar, liar.” Thus, “Jesus is Lord” was only one of several heckles. To be frank, judging only from the video (which seems to be all the conservative pundits judge from), I’m not convinced that I heard and understood all of the heckles. The heckles barely stood out from the background noise. How many of the rapid-fire heckles did Harris discern on the spot? Did she even hear, “Jesus is Lord?” I have no idea.

Third, the hecklers had made their political views entirely clear, and I do not think that Harris was unjustified to remark that the Trump rally would make them feel more welcome.

Fourth, the hecklers did their damage. Now, yes, the hecklers were, indeed, obnoxious, and yes, the conservative pundits did, in fact, jump to a poorly supported conclusion. The fact remains that the hecklers set Harris up, and the setup worked. “Liar, liar” was enough to trigger Harris’ response, with “Jesus is Lord” thrown in a moment later, more quietly to my ears. If “Jesus is Lord” was less audible, did Harris simply overlook it? Conservative pundits could take the entire exchange out of context and run with it. The hecklers played a dirty trick, and it worked. Frankly, if I were speaking, the trick would probably fool me, too.

As a personal aside, the Christian Right continues to befuddle me. The Holy Bible does not advise me to starve the poor, ignore the sick, and expel the immigrants. Indeed, on my plain reading, the Bible commands the opposite. Nor does the Bible say a thing about abortion. Other moral codes of ancient times did forbid or restrict abortion (e.g., the Hippocratic oath), and therefore I find the Bible’s silence on the issue to be salient. It is for those reasons that I cannot reconcile my own Christian beliefs with the Republican Party’s teachings.

Earlier Post: Mike Pence Heckled by the Christian Right Because He Didn't Bow to Trump

All the same, millions of single-issue voters choose their political candidates entirely because of their abortion policies. Proudly fervent, they ignore all other moral or political issues. They have grown so keen that abortion alone directs their judgment that a particular candidate is, or is not, a Christian. Thus, in context, “Jesus is Lord” became a partisan political statement. With that political context established, Harris’ counter-heckle seemed on point. Nevertheless, the hecklers accomplished their goal. Still, I would think that, if the entire exchange showed Harris to be anti-Christian, why did conservatives need to crop and enhance it?

Interestingly, the next Sunday, Kamala Harris attended church, and Donald Trump did not. Does that matter to the Christian Right? Evidently not.

I’ve written several times about the fine art of heckling. Sometimes heckling pays off well for the hecklers. Other times, speakers counter-heckle with great effect. More often, heckling just embarrasses everyone. Let’s call this incident a tossup.

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Earlier Posts:

The Lost Art of Heckling: How to Heckle and Not Sound Like an Idiot

If You Want to Heckle, Do It Right!

"OK, Boomer:" Chlöe Swarbrick Teaches Us How to Put a Heckler Down Flat

by William D. Harpine  

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Research Note: Much persuasion research arises from a psychological concept called Attribution Theory. Attribution Theory examines the psychological processes listeners use to perceive and interpret other people’s behavior. For example, suppose that Pat bumps into someone. Do we attribute that to Pat’s bad manners? Or do we attribute it to Pat’s clumsiness? Or to a gust of wind that shoved Pat around? The Fundamental Attribution Error occurs when we falsely believe that someone’s behavior is intentional and motivated, when it is, in fact, not.

Psychologist Sam McLeod explains the Fundamental Attribution Error:

“People have a cognitive bias to assume that a person’s actions depend on what ‘kind’ of person that person is rather than on the social and environmental forces that influence the person.”

In this case, conservative pundits attributed Harris’ quip to her supposedly anti-Christian attitudes. Does the evidence support that attribution? Or does the attribution result from their pre-existing bias against Harris? When conservatives edited the video to cut one heckle and highlight another, were they emphasizing their point, or did they commit mere chicanery? Feel free to post your response in a comment below, or on my X.com feed. 

Image: Official White House photo, public domain

Copyright © 2024 by William D. Harpine

July 10, 2009: The Day When Hecklers Destroyed the Old Republican Party

Mike Castle

The Republican Party of old died on July 10, 2009, when Republican Congressional Representative Mike Castle made a routine campaign stop to speak to a group of elderly voters in Delaware. Castle was running for the United States Senate in a special election. A perfectly standard, old-school Republican, Castle came to discuss his usual platitudes. He then offered to answer questions. A woman in red raised her hand to ask Castle about Barack Obama’s birth certificate. She shouted:

“I want to know. I have a birth certificate here from the United States of America saying I’m an American citizen, with a seal on it, signed by doctor, with the hospital administrator’s name, my parents, my date of birth, the time and date. I’m gonna get back to January 20th and I want to know, why are you people ignoring his birth certificate?”

A heckler yelled, “Yeah!” The crowd clapped and cheered. A heckler screamed, “he was born in Kenya.”

The woman in red said that her father was a World War II veteran, a member of “the greatest generation.” She shrieked, “I want my country back.” More cheers and applause.

Looking as if his eyes were glazed over by car lights, Castle calmly commented:

“He is a citizen of the United States. You’re referring to the president there, he is a...”

Well, that was the end of that. The crowd stood, almost as a body, and loudly recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Castle checked his watch and tried to move on to another questioner.

Someone soon posted a grainy cell phone video of the event on the Internet. The video went viral. Castle subsequently lost the Republican primary to an ill-equipped opponent, who in turn lost the general election.

Evidently, various Barack Obama birth certificate conspiracy theories had been circulating on talk radio, conservative television, and the Internet for weeks before Castle’s speech. The elderly, apparently all-white crowd had obviously absorbed the conspiracy theory’s every bizarre detail. In contrast, Castle had, as far as I can tell, never heard of the nonsense. In more general terms, Castle discovered that day that rational discourse has no standing in a speech community that is ruled by unreason.

The birth certificate conspiracy theory did not prevent Barack Obama from being reelected in 2012. Nevertheless, Mike Castle’s explosive experience demonstrated the stunning extent to which unfounded beliefs, many of them conspiratorial and racist, have come to dominate the Republican Party. Donald Trump’s 2016 election was driven largely by denying that Obama was born in the United States. Since then, conspiracy theorists have defeated basic public health measures, called climate change a myth, and warned of the supposed Great Replacement of white people. The unfounded belief that Democrats stole the 2020 election was a predictable outgrowth. The nation’s real problems are increasingly ignored as millions of voters drown themselves in a sea of absurdity.

Never Humiliate Your Opponent: Obama Ridiculed Trump's Conspiracy Theory

Castle never had a chance. The crowd drowned out his response. They interrupted him by shouting, clapping, and bellowing the Pledge of Allegiance. Political discourse gave way to rude, boorish heckling. Castle’s timid attempt to introduce reality into his campaign appearance met, not only denial, but derision and disrespect. His crowd listened to only one perspective: a perspective founded entirely on lies. 

Castle’s appearance before what should have been a friendly crowd at a seemingly innocuous event marked a pivotal rhetorical shift. On that sad day, the Republican Party’s discussion of genuine issues gave way to conspiracy theories. The party shows no sign of recovery. Mike Castle’s political destruction at the hands of conspiracy theorists taught Republican politicians a lesson that they have not forgotten: reality no longer wins conservative hearts. After all, politicians are simple creatures who only want to win elections. Furthermore, the birth certificate conspiracy theory, the origin of all present-day conservative conspiracy theories, did not represent just one political smear. On July 10, 2009, Republican politicians learned to bow down to their party’s most despicable elements. Since that day, they face a harsh choice: support the conspiracy theorists, or face absolutely certain electoral defeat. Mike Castle’s disastrous campaign appearance ended Republican politicians’ willingness to embrace the truth. Heaven help us.

Speeches about Conspiracies: How Can We Tell Whether a Conspiracy Is Real?

"OK, Boomer:" Chlöe Swarbrick Teaches Us How to Put a Heckler Down Flat

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P.S. The origin of the birth certificate conspiracy theory is that Hawaii, like many other states, has computerized its vital records to improve efficiency and security. FactCheck.org examined Obama’s birth certificate in August 2008. They concluded:

“FactCheck.org staffers have now seen, touched, examined and photographed the original birth certificate. We conclude that it meets all of the requirements from the State Department for proving U.S. citizenship. Claims that the document lacks a raised seal or a signature are false. We have posted high-resolution photographs of the document as ‘supporting documents’ to this article. Our conclusion: Obama was born in the U.S.A. just as he has always said.”

Hawaii’s Director of Public Health and Governor both personally inspected Obama’s birth records and found that they were correct. Hawaiian newspapers had published a report of Barack Obama’s birth the next day. The birth certificate conspiracy theory lacks even the remotest merit. 

All the same, while truth desperately grasps for a tenuous foothold, birth certificate conspiracy theories continued to circulate as late as 2023.

by William D. Harpine

Copyright © 2024, William D. Harpine

Image: U.S. House of Representatives, via Wikipedia

A Nice, Quiet Heckle

James Lankford

A gentle heckle is worth a thousand shouts! Senator James Lankford whispered a heckle and shook up the United States’ border controversy.


Biden Lashed Out at Republicans

Making one of the first points in his March 7, 2024 State of the Union speech, President Joe Biden lashed out at the Republicans in Congress for defeating what appeared to be an extremely conservative border control bill. The bill was drafted by Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Republican James Lankford, and Democrat Chris Murphy. Murphy agreed to a conservative border bill as a compromise to increase aid to Ukraine. Biden called the bill:

“…a bipartisan bill with the toughest set of border security reforms we’ve ever seen.”

Joe Biden, 2024 State of the Union

The Republicans howled as if one body. (In fact, they heckled loudly throughout the speech.) Biden quickly ad-libbed:

“Oh, you don’t think so? Oh, you don’t like that bill, huh, that conservatives got together and said was a good bill? I’ll be darned. That’s amazing.”

Biden detailed the bill’s provisions:

“1,500 more security agents and officers, 100 more immigration judges to help tackle a backload of 2 million cases, 4,300 more asylum officers, and new policies so they can resolve cases in 6 months instead of 6 years now.”

Anyway, Biden pounded on and on in that vein. In the midst of Biden’s broadside attack, Lankford quietly mouthed:

“That’s true.”

Reportedly, former president Donald Trump had told Republicans to oppose the bill, presumably because he wanted to whine about the border during the presidential campaign.
__________

Heckling and Anti-Heckling in Joe Biden’s February 7, 2023 State of the Union Address

"Read It," Says Mike Pence. Serious Anti-Heckling

__________

Poor Lankford

Republicans had, for weeks, been turning against Lankford for helping to write the bill. Back in February, after the bill was roundly defeated, losing votes even from its strongest erstwhile supporters, Lankford commented:

“I’m disappointed we didn’t get it done, ... I don’t know if I feel betrayed, because the issue is still there. It’s not solved.”

Burned by his own party’s flip-flopping, Lankford’s pretty much inaudible heckle (it required lip reading) gave his understandable reaction to the betrayal. He and his colleagues had worked hard to write a strict border control bill, and to see his work upended so casually would plague even the most cynical politician.

__________

The Lost Art of Heckling: How to Heckle and Not Sound Like an Idiot

__________

 
Trying to salvage his evidently wrecked political career, Lankford promptly issued a lengthy statement criticizing every part of Biden’s speech. Too little, too late. The Republicans have abandoned him, and he has become a pariah—for the unforgivable crime of momentary integrity. His brave, honest, whispered heckle expressed, however, an unusual, though achingly brief, display of spine and conscience in the United States of America’s increasingly polarized and dishonest political environment.

And he didn’t need to shout.

by William D. Harpine

Copyright © 2024, William D. Harpine

Images:  U.S. Congress, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain; 

White House Facebook page, public domain

Free Speech on Campus? It Is Still Threatened!

Robert George, a conservative speaker who opposes several transgender policies, spoke recently at Washington College. His topic was civility and free speech on campus. Ironically, two audience members heckled him to the point that he ended his speech.

This is wrong. College is about the free exchange of ideas.

I utterly disagree with George’s opinions about transgender issues. Nevertheless, the hecklers should have allowed him to speak.

Free Speech on Campus: The Other Side

It’s quite simple.

First, people came to the presentation because they wanted to hear George speak. Two students out of the crowd wrongly overpowered the rights of other students.

Second, the way to overcome speakers like George is to respond with a better speech, not to shout them down. Certainly, colleges and universities need to encourage diverse expressions of opinion.

Washington College's events calendar does show some diversity of thought in various exhibitions and speakers. At the same time, maybe they could do a better job of balancing conservative speakers like Robert George with liberal speakers, possibly on grouped programs. More balance might make potential hecklers amendable to discourse. Then, again, it might not. 

When I attended the conservative College of William and Mary from 1969-1973, the college routinely invited controversial speakers across the political spectrum. Among other opportunities, the administration gave me a chance to listen to firebrand lawyer William Kunstler and civil rights activist Julian Bond. These programs were well-attended, and students listened respectfully. (Yes, students asked hard questions, but that’s fine.) Student leaders invited a conservative alumnus to speak at an anti-Vietnam war demonstration. Again, the students heard him out. Sadly, in our angry, polarized era, we have now lost so much.

Free Speech Attacked on Campus: It Happened Again, at William and Mary!

Third, when people shout a speaker down, they implicitly admit that they lack counterarguments. They focus attention on their own rudeness instead of the speaker’s errors or possible bad faith. Good heckling is witty and tasteful. Good hecklers have a chance to display their moral or intellectual position when they shout out quick barbs that amuse without disrupting, In contrast, rude hecklers display only their crudeness.

Fourth, if there will be a question and answer session, it might be better to wait until then as opposed to heckling.

Fifth, conservatives have no moral authority when it comes to free speech on campus, as they have an equally ugly habit of blocking or protesting speeches by liberal speakers, sometimes violently.

The two Washington University hecklers are facing university discipline. Good.

Heckling is an art, not a bludgeon. Let people speak. Let them be heard. 

by William D. Harpine

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Previous posts about heckling:

The Lost Art of Heckling: How to Heckle and Not Sound Like an Idiot

A Tale of Two Heckles: Alexandria Ocasio Cortez Jabs Kevin McCarthy - And Resets the National Debate

Heckling and Anti-Heckling in Joe Biden’s February 7, 2023 State of the Union Address: The Republicans Fooled Only Themselves

Copyright 2023, William D. Harpine

                                                                                                                                                                          

"Read It," Says Mike Pence. Serious Anti-Heckling

Mike Pence

“Read it.”

A good heckle is worth 100 words. A great counter-heckle is worth a library.

Evidently, many Republican voters are outraged that former vice president Mike Pence recently spoke out against Donald Trump’s illegal attempt to overturn the 2020 election.

Readers will recall that Pence tweeted on August 1st, 2023:

“Today’s indictment serves as an important reminder: anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be President of the United States.”

Trump, in turn, got on social media to call Pence “delusional.”

Then, during Pence’s campaign appearance in Londonderry, New Hampshire, Trump supporters in the crowd hurled abuse at Pence:

“Why’d you sell out the people?”

“Why didn’t you uphold the Constitution?”

Pence responded:

“I upheld the Constitution. Read it.”

 

Pence’s anti-heckle said several things:

1. Pence defended himself.

2. He denied the heckler’s premise.

3. He pointed out that his heckler didn’t even know what the Constitution says.

It is so sad that few Americans know the basic principles of American government. High schools across the land still teach civics, American government, and American history. Students tune out. They don’t care. They forget it all within days. During my years as a university professor, I counted myself lucky if even one student in the class could name the three branches of the federal government. That was after they had passed a required course in American history or government.

Ignorance is tyranny’s best friend. Pence has wallowed in Trump’s mire far too long, but at last, however cynically, he is finally standing up for the rule of law.

Boorish heckling (like the man in Pence’s crowd) is, well, just boorish. Witty heckling (and anti-heckling) is a rhetorical art. Pence’s quick response drove right to the issue as surely as a fencer’s thrust with a rapier.

Arguing in depth with people who choose ignorance is a waste of time. Heckling was the solution. Score one for Pence.

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Earlier Posts:

The Lost Art of Heckling: How to Heckle and Not Sound Like an Idiot

Hear! Hear! Three Cheers for (Tasteful and Witty) Heckling

Heckling and Anti-Heckling in Joe Biden’s February 7, 2023 State of the Union Address: The Republicans Fooled Only Themselves

"OK, Boomer:" Chlöe Swarbrick Teaches Us How to Put a
Heckler Down Flat

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Image of Mike Pence: White House photo

Heckling and Anti-Heckling in Joe Biden’s February 7, 2023 State of the Union Address: The Republicans Fooled Only Themselves

Joe Biden at 2023 State of the Union

At last night’s State of the Union Address, delivered to the United States Congress, President Joe Biden proved that bullies never win. The rhetorical issue was heckling. Biden correctly accused some Republicans of seeking to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits. Conservative firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene heckled, “liar!” Then, in a brilliant rhetorical move, Biden promptly took Social Security and Medicare cuts completely out of the national discourse. Be careful when you heckle . . . for effective heckling requires great skill, while the speaker always gets the last word.

As a matter of public speaking skill, Biden’s exchange worked because he adapted to his audience and responded to the moment. Helpfully, Biden had those obnoxious things—facts—mostly on his side. The Republicans’ heckling failed, not just because they were rude, but also because they were unprepared to discuss policy. By the time he was finished, Biden not only turned the tables on the Republicans' heckling, but, for the moment, the Republican Party’s clumsy attempt to cut Social Security and Medicare.

 

So, here is what Biden said and how the Republicans heckled him

About halfway through the speech, Biden brought up the debt limit crisis, Social Security, and Medicare: 

“Let us commit here tonight that the full faith and credit of the United States of America will never, ever be questioned. Some of my Republican friends want to take the economy hostage — I get it — unless I agree to their economic plans. All of you at home should know what those plans are. Instead of making the wealthy pay their fair share, some Republicans want Medicare and Social Security to sunset. I am not saying that is a majority. Anybody who doubts it, contact my office and I will give you a copy of the proposal.” [italics added] 

A large group of Republicans promptly booed. Greene shouted “liar.”

Biden quickly dropped his hammer:

“I am glad you see it. I enjoy conversation. That means if Congress doesn’t keep the programs the way they are, those programs will go away. I don’t think it is a majority of you, I don’t even think it is significant. I am politely not naming them, but it is being proposed by some of you. Folks, the idea is that we are not going to be moved into being threatened to default on the debt if we do not respond.” [italics added]

A bunch of Democrats then cheered.

Seeing no reason to quit while he was winning, Biden then pointed out the (sudden) bipartisan agreement:

“So folks, as we all apparently agree, Social Security and Medicare off the books now, right?” [italics added] 

Bang! Taking advantage of the hecklers, Biden shoved the Republicans’ main talking point right off the table. He then announced that the Republicans had reached a bipartisan, indeed, unanimous agreement:

“All right. We got unanimity. Social Security and Medicare are a lifeline for millions of seniors. Americans have been paying into them with every single paycheck since they started working. So tonight, let’s all agree — and we apparently are — let’s stand up for seniors. Stand up and show them we will not cut Social Security. We will not cut Medicare. Those benefits belong to the American people. They earned them. If anyone tries to cut Social Security — which apparently no one is going to do. If anyone tries to cut Medicare, I will stop them. I will veto it. [italics added]

"I will not let Medicare be taken away, not today, not tomorrow, not ever. But apparently that will not be a problem.”

“But apparently that will not be a problem” sounded suspiciously like gloating. Grasping the moment’s importance, Biden emphasized that both sides had now agreed. The Republicans agreed with Biden by booing and heckling. How remarkable. Note that Biden also summarized why Medicare and Social Security made a big difference for Americans. He reminded Congress that American workers have paid into these programs with “every single paycheck.” He promised that he would stop anyone who tried to cut these programs. Time for a victory lap! The debt limit battle was now over except for some mopping up and handwringing.


What about heckling?

Now, witty, clever, and to-the-point heckling is a time-honored rhetorical tradition. Nevertheless, my graduate school mentor Kurt Ritter insisted that boorish heckling should never be tolerated. Biden brilliantly not only shut the boorish hecklers down, but he actually used their heckling against them to nail down his policy proposals.

"OK, Boomer:" Chlöe Swarbrick Teaches Us How to Put a Heckler Down Flat

The Lost Art of Heckling: How to Heckle and Not Sound Like an Idiot

Hear! Hear! Three Cheers for (Tasteful and Witty) Heckling

A Tale of Two Heckles: Alexandria Ocasio Cortez Jabs Kevin McCarthy - And Resets the National Debate

Did Republicans really want to cut Medicare and Social Security?

The fallback position when Greene shouted “liar!” was for Republicans to pretend that they had never wanted to cut Social Security and Medicare. That, on the one hand, is good for policy. Medicare and Social Security cuts have now been swept off the bargaining table. But had they threatened to cut Social Security and Medicare? Of course they had. And when Republicans denied that they wanted to cut Social Security and Medicare, well, they themselves were the liars. Let’s look at that.

Let’s start with basic math.

Math shows that the massive cuts that Republicans seek can only be obtained by cutting “entitlement” programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. (See the Treasury Department chart.) We know perfectly well that Republicans will never vote to cut National Defense. Discretionary spending (national parks, border enforcement, the FBI, and so forth) represents only a small part of federal expenditures. That leaves entitlement cuts. Policy-wise, Republicans have painted themselves into a corner: their elderly voting base depends on Social Security and Medicare, not to mention Medicaid (which didn’t come up yesterday). Tax cuts for the rich have been a hallmark of Republican policy for more than 40 years. Fiscal responsibility, by which they mean balancing the budget like a family checkbook, has been a hallmark of Republican rhetoric since forever. Alas, those goals don’t add up, setting the stage for Biden’s anti-heckling.

Do Republicans seek Social Security and Medicare cuts?

Oh, yes, despite Greene’s heckle, a powerful Republican core has long sought to rip up Social Security and Medicare. In 2010, for example, conservative Senator Mike Lee said this on video:

“I’m here right now to tell you one thing you probably have never heard from a politician: it will be my objective to phase out Social Security, to pull it up from the roots and get rid of it.”

Liars, be warned: in the 21st Century, there’s always a video!

The Talking Points Disease: The Sad Case of Mike Lee's Have More Babies Speech

Lee is not alone. Last summer, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham warned that the United States needs to make cuts (“reforms”) in “Medicare and Social Security and other entitlement programs.” He absurdly said that “entitlement reform is a must for us not to become Greece.” Graham correctly noted that discretionary funding can’t be cut enough to balance the budget.

Senator Graham and the Word Mystery of Entitlement Reform

Indeed, just last week, former Vice President Mike Pence brought up a DOA proposal to replace Social Security with private investments for future retirees. Ludicrously, Pence called this a “modest reform.”

Why did the Republicans collapse?

So, yes, many Republicans want to chop up Social Security and Medicare. One presumes that this is because their anti-government doctrine requires them to oppose entitlements. All the same, their voting  base is elderly, stuffing the Republicans into a self-created quandary. Reacting, they neither took a coherent position nor did they defend their ideas. Instead, they heckled. Now, effective heckling needs to be witty and intelligent. The Republican’s heckling was neither. I very much fear that the Republican Party has become so enamored of its own dogmatic talking points that they are no longer either willing or able to conduct even the simplest policy analysis. Lindsey Graham’s careless interview expressed a tiny bit of truth. If, indeed, the United States wants to balance the federal budget entirely by making cuts, Medicare and Social Security need to be on the table.

That begs two important questions. First, is balancing the federal budget an important policy goal? Although politicians act as if it is, knowledgeable economists, liberal and conservative alike, do not see this as a simple issue. Second, why is taxing billionaires such a terrible idea? There are no easy answers in economics. We fall into the abyss if we pretend otherwise.

Do Republicans still want to cut Social Security and Medicare?

What a silly question. Will they give up just because Biden bludgeoned them at the State of the Union? Of course they aren’t giving up. Biden humiliated them and temporarily shut them down and will now win the debt limit fight, but that doesn’t mean that Republicans have finished.

Remarkably, even after the Republican debacle at the State of the Union speech, Jim Geraghty, writing for the National Review Online, which is the closest that we have to a responsible conservative publication, responded that Democrats and Republicans alike were in “collective denial” about the need to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits. Geraghty cited official figures that Medicare and Social Security would eventually be unable to pay full benefits.

Just as promptly, in the same publication, Philip Klein explained that what he called fiscal responsibility required cutting Social Security and Medicare. Klein complained about the “grotesque bipartisan moment.” Horrified, not by the boorish heckling, but by the way Republicans caved, Klein said: 

“There were plenty of things to dislike in President Biden’s State of the Union speech, but the most grotesque moment actually was one of the most bipartisan: when both Republicans and Democrats stood with Biden to applaud the idea of not touching Social Security and Medicare, which both desperately need to be pared if there is any hope of the United States escaping a fiscal crisis.” [italics added] 

Before I get back to public speaking issues, let’s remember two obvious math points:

First, one way to make sure that Social Security and Medicare will be funded in the future is to cut benefits. That obviously continues to be the conservative agenda.

Second, increased revenue accomplishes the same goal. Could we tax the billionaires, for example, as Biden advocated in his speech?


Conclusion

So, the Republicans’ heckling failed, not only because they were rude, not just because they were not witty, but also because they failed to inform themselves. Not only were they uninformed about basic economics, but, worse, they also did not even know their own public policy positions.

In contrast, Biden’s anti-heckling offered basic facts. He cited the Republicans’ own bargaining position. Once the Republicans heckled themselves into a corner, Biden tightened the issue down with force. He said, not once, not twice, but over and over, that he was glad the two sides had reached unanimity. He literally tricked the Republicans into bipartisanship! In the face of the Republicans' heckling, Biden remained upbeat, positive, and complimentary of his opponents. 

The United States still faces a debt limit squabble, but the Republicans’ negotiators now face a big problem, a deep, self-inflicted wound that incapacitates their position. They hurt themselves because they did not know how to heckle (or, in this case, when not to heckle). If they had just zipped up their mouths, they could have continued with their policy goals. Biden in contrast, demonstrated extraordinary anti-heckling technique.

“I enjoy conversation,” Biden said. All communication entails interaction. Politicians forget this basic rule at their peril. 

________________

P.S.: Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy had warned his caucus to behave themselves during Biden's speech. It didn’t help.

Images: White House webpage, US Department of the Treasury 

A Tale of Two Heckles: Alexandria Ocasio Cortez Jabs Kevin McCarthy - And Resets the National Debate

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

The other day, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, gave a floor speech of more than eight hours. His goal was to delay the vote on the Democrats’ Build Back Better bill. The bill eventually passed. McCarthy’s speech was, by all accounts, terrible. The event’s highlight, however, came from two heckles by Democratic firebrand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. One of her heckles was excellent, while the other was a mess. A good heckle makes people think. Let’s look at what happened.

The First Heckle

Ocasio-Cortez’ first heckle was short, pithy, and exactly on point. It was a masterful display of how heckling can reset public issue discussion.

Here’s the context. During his seemingly endless speech, McCarthy complained that the Democratic agenda was too big. Alluding to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal, McCarthy said this:

“Just a few weeks ago, Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger said, ‘Nobody elected Joe Biden to be FDR.’”

From the audience, Ocasio-Cortez shouted,

“I did!”

Someone else, presumably another Democratic member of Congress, then shouted, “Me, too!”

Why was “I did!” a good heckle? First, it was short. Two words. Long heckles just irritate people. Second, she interrupted the speaker for only a brief moment. McCarthy needed a few seconds to regather his thoughts, but continued his speech. Since he had nothing to say, he didn’t comment about the heckle.

Furthermore, Ocasio-Cortez’ heckle changed the agenda. With two simple words, she encouraged us to think big. The United States of America is, after all, the country that sent astronauts to the moon and built an interstate highway system. The United States was the Arsenal of Democracy during World War II. The United States dollar is the world’s reserve currency. Nevertheless, today’s conservatives don’t seem to think that the United States can afford to do anything. Let the roads crumble and the bridges fall down? Cut school funding? Let people die without medical care? No problem!

The heckle worked because Ocasio-Cortez reset the debate. FDR became president at the height of a massive economic depression that originated under the leadership of his conservative Republican predecessor. His New Deal brought us Social Security and rural electrification, while helping the nation recover from the Great Depression.

Yet, McCarthy made it clear that he did not want another FDR. FDR thought big, and McCarthy literally boasted about thinking small. Thus, he invited Ocasio-Cortez’ heckle. Speaking for many Democrats, Ocasio-Cortez’ two-word heckle expressed her view that an ambitious, positive program was just what the nation needed.


The Second Heckle(s)

Ocasio-Cortez then retired to the luxurious congressional cloakroom, where she live-streamed a sarcastic running commentary about McCarthy’s speech. She remarked that he had “one of the lowest vocabularies ever.” She said that, even if McCarthy wanted to be evil, he shouldn’t also be stupid. Maybe, she said, he should instead be an “evil genius.” She called him an “imbecile.” And so forth.

Now, first of all, such rude language would not be allowed during floor debate. She got away with it because she was streaming from a remote place, while watching McCarthy speak on a TV monitor. Her sarcastic comments probably appealed to her liberal congressional district. I can’t say that she was wrong about McCarthy. Nevertheless, the crudity of her live-streamed heckles contrasted with her short, pithy shout about Biden and FDR.

Indeed, although Ocasio-Cortez is Past Master of Social Media, her live-streamed observations detracted from the main point. That’s because her instant heckle – “I did!” – made her point perfectly. She didn’t need to say anything else. Task complete! Furthermore, “I did!” focused national attention on the real issue, which was the Democrats’ ambitious social and industrial program. To the extent that people dwelled on her live-streamed insults, they could be distracted from thinking about the issue. For McCarthy’s poor speaking skills were not the national issue. The issue was FDR and Biden – the New Deal and the Build Back Better legislation that is now going to the Senate. 

Sometimes, short is better.


What about Heckling?

Let’s review about good heckling:

1. A good heckle is short and pithy. (Witty is also good.)

2. A good heckle is tasteful.

3. A good heckle does not disrupt the proceedings.

4. Most important, a good heckle makes people think.

When Ocasio-Cortez shouted, “I did,” she got people thinking. That was good. In contrast, when she complained about McCarthy’s lack of English language skills, she may have had a point, but that point was neither pithy nor tasteful. It didn’t make anyone think. It was just a random insult.

It is interesting, though, that we can now heckle a speech in real time over the Internet. I don’t think that’s entirely fair, since the speaker can’t respond in real time, but it is a noteworthy technological development.

Conclusion

When Ocasio-Cortez said, “I did!” she reset the day’s agenda. In two words, she reminded Congress and the public that it’s okay to think big.

“Here, here!” for good heckling. But “shame, shame” for tasteless or pointless heckling.
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Earlier Posts about heckling:

The Lost Art of Heckling

Hear! Hear! Three Cheers for (Tasteful and Witty) Heckling

"OK, Boomer:" Chlöe Swarbrick Teaches Us How to Put a Heckler Down Flat

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P.S.  Whenever I write about heckling, I think about my University of Illinois professor Kurt Ritter, who excelled at the art. 

Image: US House of Representatives

Mike Pence Heckled by the Christian Right Because He Didn't Bow to Trump

Mike Pence, White House photo

Earlier today, former Vice President Mike Pence faced loud heckles of “traitor!” and “boo!” when he spoke to the convention of the conservative Faith and Freedom Coalition. The angry audience remembered that Pence had failed to show sufficient deference to Donald Trump when he certified the Electoral College vote.

The Coalition’s annual "Road to the Majority" gathering brings together a collection of conservative politicians, leaders of the Christian Right, and deranged conspiracy theorists. They say that their goal is to bring Christianity into the government.


Christianity Becomes a Weapon

Yet, Trump aside, I would have thought that the Coalition would like the things that Pence spoke about so passionately. Indeed, near the end, he called the United States to “reject Critical Race Theory in all its forms.” That should appeal to even the most bigoted conservatives. He said we would not let “Nancy Pelosi nationalize our elections.” He opposed “religious persecution masquerading as a quest for equal rights.” The Coalition’s purpose is to turn the Christian faith into a weapon that advances political conservatism. Many of the Christian Right’s policy ideas, including oppressing immigrants, flatly contradict biblical morality. The Christian Right doesn't care about mercy to immgrants. That isn’t their point.

So, it is not really the Coalition’s purpose to spread Christian morality. Pence apparently didn’t fully understand this. Indeed, at the speech’s outset, Pence missed the point when he said:

“It is great to be back with so many patriots.”

That got some cheers. But he next said that:

“I’m a Christian, a conservative and a Republican, in that order.”

As he uttered those words, which were, one would think, exactly what the Coalition should want to hear, the crowd shouted “traitor” and booed him. For a time, it became difficult to hear Pence speak. The crowd booed Pence because Donald Trump is the Christian Right’s champion. 

So, in his policies, ideas, and words, Mike Pence is exactly what the Christian Right pretends to support. Unfortunately, he failed in the one test that mattered: absolute loyalty to Trump.


Conservatives Are Cancelling Their Own People

And, so conservatives once again employed (or tried to employ) cancel culture against their own people! Pence had failed to bow to Trump. America’s conservative movement has degenerated to personal loyalty to a most unworthy man. That many members of the Faith and Freedom Coalition demand absolute loyalty to a person, rather than to God, should warn us about their intentions.

That is why the hecklers could not abide Pence. Why they did not even want him to speak. Pence had, unforgivably, accurately counted the Electoral College vote for President on January 6. Donald Trump had famously urged Pence not to count the votes as part of his corrupt Stop the Steal campaign to void the election. At the time, Trump had falsely said that Pence could “decertify the results or send them back to the states for change and certification.”

The Coalition’s reaction to Pence was extremely ironic. Conservatives often complain about what they call cancel culture. They think it’s awful when conservatives are not allowed to speak. Conservatives complained bitterly, and rightly, when libertarian scholar Charles Murray was heckled off a college stage. Today, they turned around and heckled one of their own. This really does need to stop.

Free speech on campus, Charles Murray 

Cancel Culture Gone Amok: Governor Brian Kemp Was Shouted Down by His Own People

  
It wasn’t just the heckling. The Christian Right’s entire function is to stop reasoned speech in its tracks. When they heckled Mike Pence, members of the Faith and Freedom Coalition made it clear that they wanted to stop him from speaking. Even more, however, the Christian Right’s purpose is to shut down reasoned debate. We can debate about any element of American domestic and foreign policy. But when one side claims – falsely, in my opinion – that they represent true religion, how do we argue with that? The Christian Right’s entire ethos is to pretend that they are serving God. Can we argue with Mike Pence? Certainly. But who wants to argue with God? And so, by pretending to speak for God, the Christian Right employs the ultimate conversation stopper. 

Paula White Prayed against Trump's Enemies and Gave a Lesson in How to Shut Down Reasoned Debate


Conclusion

Pence angered some members of the Coalition enough that they wanted him heckled off the stage. Did Pence foolishly think that these people pursued Christian ideals? The crowd’s hostile reaction to Pence shows that they sought political power, not religious perfection. Does the Christian Right think that faith requires loyalty to God? Or to Trump? For Trump is not God. Let us remember, however, that the Christian Right can only define God if other Christians allow them to do so.

Yes, the conservative movement shrinks daily. But as its followers become more fanatical, its baneful power grows.

The Golden Trump Statue at CPAC 2021: Conservatives Worshipping a Golden Idol?   

How to Heckle in a Tasteful and Witty Manner 


P.S. Security at the Faith and Freedom Coalition Conference escorted some of the worst hecklers out of the room. Many of them, however, were apparently allowed to remain. Pence was able to complete his speech, although, to my ears, he sounded just a bit subdued or chagrined. He got a few cheers here and there.