Politics are downstream of culture, and that grows truer by the day. And it’s become especially true with regard to pop culture.
Entertainment and technology are key parts of pop culture, so we’re taking you to the front lines of the culture war by addressing some of the best — and strangest — stories from that world in this recurring column exclusive to members of The Western Journal.
For a candidate that wanted to embed her campaign with “vibes” and “feelings,” Vice President Kamala Harris’ supporters sure are pushing a message of doom and gloom.
The Democratic presidential nominee appears locked in a dead-heat race with former President Donald Trump — the GOP nominee — with just hours until Tuesday’s general election.
And if there’s any doubt about the razor-thin margin separating the two, look no further than the latest dooming and glooming from one of the left’s most reliable mouthpieces, liberal comedian and HBO host John Oliver.
During his usual Sunday night edition of “Last Week Tonight” on HBO, the British funnyman opened his show with as defeated of a plea as you’ll hear from the party of vibes.
So important was this segment, Oliver and crew released the clip Monday — which disregards HBO’s general four-days-delayed rule for sharing new content, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
You can watch the whole thing for yourself below:
WARNING: The following clip contains language and images that some readers may find offensive or disturbing.
[embedded content]
The segment, for those that endured it, is basically a big plea from Oliver for far-leftists and pro-Palestinians to vote for Harris — no matter her record in the Middle East.
“Look, I get why this is so difficult, and I know there are some who won’t vote for Harris under any circumstances because of this [Israel/Hamas] issue,” Oliver said. “But, I know, there are others who may still be wrestling with this, and if it’s OK, I’d like to talk to you for a second.
“First let me say, I wish Harris had done more to reach out to you.”
If that wasn’t eyeroll-inducing enough, Oliver launched into the predictable diatribe that glorifies Harris while conveniently forgetting her faults.
Citing other anti-Trump groups, Oliver echoed that “a Trump win would be an extreme danger to Muslims in our country, all immigrants, and the American pro-Palestine movement.”
“Look, I know this isn’t inspiring to hear, but politics isn’t always inspiring,” he continued. “It’s transactional. It rarely matches our greatest hopes and dreams.
“I’ll be honest, I really didn’t want the first vote I cast as an American citizen to be for Joe-f***ing-Biden, but here we are.”
Towards the end of the segment, Oliver admitted how morose this campaign pitch was coming across as — before launching into a verbal vomit attack on Trump.
“I know this hasn’t been a very uplifting speech,” he said. “If it helps at all, there’s one final thing I’m going to be genuinely excited for Tuesday, and that is if Donald Trump loses this election, he’s basically finished.”
Oliver argued that Trump’s age (he would be 82 seeking a term that would take him to 86 in a hypothetical 2028 presidential race) basically made Tuesday’s election a “last chance”-sort of opportunity for the former president.
A couple things this writer needs to point out about the Brit’s logic.
First of all, how dare Oliver invoke the chaos in the Middle East as a reason to support Harris. Lest he and his clapping seal audience forgets, the Middle East was boringly quiet during Trump’s presidency — save for a critical skirmish or two.
(It also can’t be stressed enough that Oliver clearly has no idea what he speaks of anytime he opens his mouth up about Israel.)
If this is the best logic the left has to offer, it’s little wonder that voters soured on Harris the more they got to know her.
Second, of course he voted for Joe Biden.
Third, this writer would be remiss not to address Oliver’s childish fantasizing that the MAGA movement starts and stops with Trump.
Whatever one may think of Trump, at the very least, he gave swathes of Americans, who are sick of the political duopoly/uniparty, a true alternative. (An alternative, mind you, that isn’t bought and paid for by Hollywood — something you cannot definitively say about Trump’s chief political rival.)
Not to get all macabre, but yes, one day, Donald Trump will pass away.
But to suggest that the movement and fervor he sparked in Americans will also go away when that happens? That’s just Oliver grasping at straws and trying to cope.
Even removing the MAGA flavoring, Trump’s ascendance has given way to a proliferation of based politicians, like his running mate J.D. Vance or Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Conservatism in America, whether Oliver and his ilk like it or not, is in a very good place — even if the country itself isn’t.
Love him, hate him, or anything in-between, Donald Trump has irrevocably changed the state of modern American politics. This is overdramatic, but it really feels like Trump has reinvigorated and re-sparked a dormant, populist sentiment that has always been at the core of Americana. And that influence is likely to be exerted for decades to come.
The fact that the left is so blatantly coping with this new political landscape is just icing on the cake.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
