#121 Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the White House

Lashing out is perhaps the weakest of defensive moves. An argument that begins, “You didn’t put the cap back on the toothpaste,” to which is replied, “Well, you hung your bathrobe on the wrong peg,” is an argument that is doomed from the start. The toothpaste cap villain, rather than declaring innocence or admitting guilt, or even claiming ignorance, which might allow for elucidation and correction, attempts to deflect the accusation. The underlying issue is ignored, and the presumed point that is being argued, the toothpaste cap, soon disappears in a litany of general grievances. The toothpaste cap remains loose on the bathroom sink. The issue remains unresolved.

Donald Trump is, or course, the toothpaste cap villain writ large. His life is a string of unreturned toothpaste caps, to which he inevitably responds Crooked Hillary, Kenyan birth certificate, EVIL anti-American, Sleepy Joe’s autopen, overrated actress, etc., etc., etc. In addition to these attempted deflections, he adds persecution: Not only is this is a Crooked Hillary witch-hunt to cover up her own pizza parlor based child slavery operation, but they’re out to get me!!! Historians will no doubt spend all of eternity trying to understand not the man himself—that’s easy—but the attraction to enough people to get him elected to the presidency multiple times (two, so far, and counting). How does he get away with it, over and over again? 

Our real interest here is the attendant iconography. Believing, probably rightly, that most people don’t follow the news in any depth, if at all, much less remember any of it from half an hour ago, the Trump team uses imagery to make its point. The imagery is both pointed and vague: we’ve already posted the image of Christ consoling 45/47 (or was it 45/47 consoling Christ?). What the hell was supposed to be going on in that one? Which one was the Savior who needed a helping hand? We couldn’t tell. But the message delivered was as clear as day: Trump and Jesus are blood allies. BFFs. Bros at the core. Either that image gives you spiritual comfort, or the creeps. There’s not a lot of middle ground in it. 

The latest image, from WhiteHouse.gov, making it not just Trumpian iconography but full-on President of the United States of America iconography, is the subject of today’s ConstiToonies installment. Get ready to once again look at his works, ye Poor Suckers, and despair. We know we did.