Except When It Isn't a Joke

 

Sec. of State Pompeo outright denies the election results: ‘There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration’ pic.twitter.com/ZWlBTxWjkh

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) November 10, 2020

The thing of it is, the joke isn't that he said there would be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration as a joke. The thing is--the joke is on people who want to take it as a joke. Because all the shuffling around at the Pentagon, the planning for next year's budget, the lawsuits and denial coming from the Trump campaign/White House team (apparently, Kayleigh McEnany has been pulled from White House spox to campaign spox the way a hockey team pulls its goalie in the clutch?) continue in defiance of reality could certainly have one fooled.

If the US is supposed to be the champion of democracy, then our free and fair elections are not ever a punch line. While Sec. Pompeo may be unable to see the hypocrisy of lecturing to other nations regarding their process, while deriding our own (which was judged to be perfectly fine by international observers), he is sending a terrible message. When our leadership implies that they will do whatever they like and simply call it "democracy", they give a defense to the enemies of democracy around the world and give the finger to those who see the US as a positive example to follow. 

Had Pompeo simply made a joke at the expense of Trump's continued defiance in the face of his loss, the sarcasm would not be lost on me. But those surrounding Trump have fallen into such a fell lockstep that people need a clear message that this is certainly not normal, not American. We don't need funny people, we need brave ones who tell the damn truth.

But like I have said before--these are evil clowns. Their pranks are meant to hurt.