In the movie A Bronx Tale, the character played by Robert De Niro tells his son that “the saddest thing in life is wasted talent.” Yesterday, the actor appears to have forgotten his own cinematic advice in a bizarre press conference organized by the Biden campaign in front of the Manhattan courthouse during the trial of former President Donald Trump. In a raving, disconnected press conference, De Niro predicted the end of democracy and then the world if Trump is not stopped in New York.
De Niro offered a rambling monologue and exposed the danger of an actor speaking without a script:
It’s a good time to reflect on how Americans fought and died so that we may enjoy the freedoms guaranteed to us by a democratic government, a government that as President Lincoln said of the people by the people for the people shall not perish from the earth.
Under Trump this kind of government will perish from the earth.
I don’t mean to scare you.
No, no, wait, maybe I do mean to scare you.
If Trump returns to the White House, you can kiss these freedoms goodbye that we all take for granted.
And elections, forget about it.
That’s over.
That’s done if he gets in, I can tell you right now, he will never leave, he will never leave.
You know that he will never leave.
De Niro has gone full Travis Bickle. However, now 80, it came across as De Niro screaming at the courthouse for Trump to get off his lawn.
The diatribe is consistent with the messaging of Democrats, including President Biden, that “democracy is on the ballot” and that this may be our last election. De Niro was not satisfied with that alarmist message and decided to take it to an apocalyptic level in predicting a global meltdown.
As I have previously written, it is a narrative that ignores our history and our values. To suggest that this may be our last democratic election is to suggest that both branches (and the population at large) would stand idly by as a president assumed tyrannical powers. That did not occur, even when this country was united by wars and national emergencies. With the nation now divided right down the middle, it is even less likely.
That is why the “democracy is on the ballot” claims border on defamation against our Constitution. We have the most successful and stable democratic system in history. The success of that system is not measured by those who would riot or challenge our values. It is measured by how the system responds. Our system works because it was not only written for times of relative unity and calm, it also was written for times like these.
What was particularly weird is that the Biden campaign succeeded in reinforcing the view of this case as lawfare, an effort to stop Trump at any cost.
That message was also reaffirmed by President Biden stating that he will hold a press conference on the verdict. After the third highest ranking official in the Biden Justice Department joined the prosecution to bring the case, the announcement only magnified the view of a case that is being used for political purposes.
De Niro walked away pursued by hecklers and proceeded to exchange profanities.
The question for the Biden campaign lingered as to what was achieved by the chaotic scene outside of the courthouse. I am a great fan of De Niro’s artistic work, a legacy of great movies that are now an indelible part of our culture. That is precisely why, as I watched from the Fox camera location near his presser, I was more sad than surprised by the spectacle. As another De Niro character said in the movie Stardust, “reputations, you know, a lifetime to build, seconds to destroy.”
“Merchan is now instructing the jurors on the law specific to this case. This is the “acting in concert” instruction.
He told the jurors that one person can be criminally liable for the conduct of another when the first person solicits, requests, commands, importunes or intentionally aided the other to engage in that crime and did so with the necessary state of mind, even if the first person did not personally commit the crime.”
This is where the crime involves Trump. The crime Turley seems to believe does not exist or lack evidence.
“Merchan is instructing the jury about Michael Cohen’s status as an accomplice. New York law does not allow a defendant to be convicted on the testimony of an accomplice unless that testimony is corroborated by other evidence, but that other evidence needs not independently prove the crime.
What is necessary is that the jury is convinced that there is material, believable evidence independent of Cohen’s testimony to convince the jury that Trump is connected to the commission of the crime.”
Interesting. So Cohen’s testimony is not as crucial as it may seem.
Trump the day after he banged Stormy
‘You’ve gotta bang a porn star, it’s incredible,’ and, ‘It added 20 yards to my drive today,’”
What kind of A hole is trump?
Looks like Bruce Willis is not the only former box office gold icon with dementia who is being exploited by those close to him. Then again, maybe it’s as simple as one demential sufferer supporting another.
If anyone is interested in following the judges instructions to the jury.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/live-blog/rcna154410
Robert De Niro proves the rule (again): Just because you are good at one thing does not mean you are good at anything else.
A couple years ago a guy like DeNiro was yelling outside a store about contrails and warning me about the Gubmint. So I told him when I was in the Air Force I personally suited up in hazmat gear and helped load the mind control chemicals in the planes. OMG. It was Christmas for him that day! He finally had the proof he needed!
Are you listening, Bob.
Judge Merchan is issuing jury instructions now. There could be a verdict today or tomorrow. If the jury takes an hour or less it’s likely Trump will be found guilty.
Trump said nothing at the press. Obviously he’s nervous.
Thanks for the interpretation. All that watched Perry Mason are likely aware of the scenario.
trump lies…
“THE GREATEST CASE I’VE EVER SEEN FOR RELIANCE ON COUNSEL, AND JUDGE MERCHAN WILL NOT, FOR WHATEVER REASON, LET ME USE THAT AS A DEFENSE IN THIS RIGGED TRIAL. ANOTHER TERM, ADVICE OF COUNSEL DEFENSE!”
trumps lawyers said they were not going to use “advise of counsel”
Why would trump lie?
In a response to “George”: The difference between the “Right” and the “Left” journalists are as different as night and day. Those of us on the right would not call for riots, harass our opponents as they dined with their family in public, burn buildings, take over police headquarter facilities, bring forth 2 phony impeachments, nor would we use the Justice System to attack our political opposition. Nor would we advocate the killing of the unborn nor allow our boarders to be so open. We believe in the Rule of Law. I have not seen the “gloating” you are referring to from anyone on the Right over Mr. Biden and his failed presidency. Much to our sorrow, we have watched “an elderly man with a feeble memory” acting as our President and embarrassing the country on the world stage. Hopefully, the curtain will close on him in November.
@anonymous,
“We believe in the Rule of Law.”
Do you really? The right has been constantly harping and bemoaning that the law is not being fair to Trump or the right. Because being held accountable is some sort of unfair travesty that is not supposed to happen.
Right leaning politicians are the first to call for extreme punishment and using military force to quell peaceful protests on campuses.
When faced with reality the right often cloaks itself in the comfort of denial and projection. There’s been a lot of that going on lately.
Rambling garbage…no facts
Guilty verdict after lunch.
Juries always wait until after the free lunch before bringing in a verdict
Anonymous clown
I am very grateful for De Nutos appearance at the courthouse. He is the personification of the final stages of TDS. When even Juan Williams says that he isn’t being helpful to the Biden campaign you know that he just came in on the first train from Wackoganistan. The problem is that he’s just not an anomaly but rather a baked in characteristic of today’s Democratic Party.
Without a doubt, Bobby D. understands how organized crime families operate and Trump is an existential threat to the Blob family and their Democratic party lieutenants.
Sounds like Gigi wrote his speech.
Magats are the most falsely entitled, over sensitive snowflakes that it’s possible to be.
Define “Magats” please. I need to understand the category into which I fit these days.
Why respond to an ill tempered child throwing a tantrum? As soon as I see “magats,” “Turls,” “Jonathan,” or any other sign the person writing is a first-class childish A h0le, I scroll past and don’t read their comment as it would be a waste of time. The kindergarteners writing them are too stupid to realize that their comments are less likely to be read when they include such childish dribble.
Perhaps it is time that the individual you are referring should get a job, a hobby and get outside and interact with people.
I also scroll on by.
OldManFromKS,
Well said.
The few times I do read them, is to get insight into their mentality, which is, as you aptly note, childish dribble.
UpstateFarmer – well said.
Ugabuzzdad3845,
Seems to me, America First. Secure Southern border. No more forever wars. Pro-Constitution. No pornography in elementary schools. No grooming of children. No cutting off of healthy body organs. No cross hormones. No keeping information on a parents child from the parent. Saying “No,” to anti-semitism in any form. No government censorship. No collusion between the government and Big Tech to censor people. Responsible energy policy to keep energy prices reasonable. Judging a person on the content of their character, not on the color of their skin.
Those are just a few that I have seen of what a so-called “Magats,” is.
What is not to like about that? Those kind of traits have been around long before Trump came along. He just made it into a campaign slogan.
It’s like when the Hutus referred to the Tutsis as “cockroaches”.
Anonymous coward
When the waste removal comes to remove your bottles, do they hose you down and spread some boric acid on the towel you sleep on?
Of all the citizens of our country entitled to express an opinion, Robert De Nero is one of them.
“Do you wanna piecea me De Niro? Huh? You wanna piecea me?”
That fits.
He personifies the Biden Crime Family… which recent news reports goes back to WW1 with a great uncle scamming the war effort. Graft is the dominant gene in the Biden DNA!
I just noticed that I spelled his surname De Nero. I wonder what I was thinking.
These silly comments referencing a person’s entitlement to express an opinion, or the person’s First Amendment rights, are totally off topic. Nobody on here, least of all Professor Turley, has said they lack the right to express their views. But . . . when people, exercising their speech rights, make themselves look foolish or downright insane, other people can and do comment and criticize those actions.
Sometimes JT misses pertinent information. How is that Biden Impeachment going? Or how about all those lawyers for trump that lied about voter fraud?
https://www.alternet.org/jenna-ellis-suspended/
And?
Look! A squirrel!
Heard a popup theater audition was outside at intersection of Trump trial yesterday. Apparently some improv grumpy ol man was up and kept complaining about needing his dirty diaper changed or watch the world will be destroyed.
Mr De Niro’s tirade yesterday was received very well by the right side of the Journalists. His unhinged, unscripted outburst was welcomed as a personification of the Biden Campaign and seemed to put the stamp of approval of Lawfare as the key component of the Democratic program.
Myself, well I think there is a differential list of possible causes
1-someone shot his dog.
2-he was asked to read for a role of a demented old man with some psychotic tendencies and this was the screen test. He did well.
3-It’s real and maybe he just simply forgot his morning medication schedule.
4-he dropped his pill organizer and put the pills back in the wrong order or could not find them all
5-It’s New York and it’s his kind of town.
6-He is delusional and no one has intervened and taken him in for an assessment.
7-he spends too much time in Hollywood where they mix the real, the unreal, the perverted, and the truth and he can no longer discern which is which.
Kind of sad to watch, though.
GEB,
I would go with either 2, or 7.
Although 7 would apply to many elite leftist Democrats. I believe it was economist Paul Krugman who said something to the effect that if you took out the cost of food, energy, housing/utilities, inflation was reasonable.
Of course he does not know what it costs to buy a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, or has to work two or even three jobs to pay the rent and utilities.
that pesky first amendment… i heard his remarks… we’re entitled to disagree…get over it
No one suggested that he didn’t have the right to say ridiculous things.
Faces contorted by hate. Fear, loathing, and envy. Weeping and gnashing of teeth. How can anyone even stand to be in the company of a Democrat today?
At a Trump rally you get humor, friendliness, fun, and creativity. Sign me up for that but Lord please don’t put me in the company of Democrat Trump haters.
OldManFromKS,
One thing I noted of significance at the Trump rally in The Bronx was the diversification of the crowd. Blacks, whites, Hispanics, I think I saw a few Asians in the crowd. All shoulder to shoulder, elbow to elbow. All smiling, cheering, clapping and there was a good vibe.
Trump was the victim of an extortion crime by Stormy Daniels; then, Trump gets prosecuted as the criminal. Similarly, a cashier working in a bodega shoots a guy who is in the process of holding him up; and then, the cashier gets prosecuted as the criminal in NYC. Sorry, but this case has no credibility whatsoever!