As the Winter Olympics reach their climax, a fascinating competition is unfolding in U.S. Democratic politics. From Eric Swalwell to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, candidates are testing the proposition that they can win gold solely on style alone.
Unlike free-style skating, where competitors must accomplish technical elements like jumps and spins, American politics has become only a competition of style as politicians vie to outdo each other in rage rhetoric or superficial gestures.
That was most evident in Rep. Eric Swalwellās campaign for governor of California. One of the least accomplished members of Congress, Swalwell is running for the stateās highest office despite missing 95 votes in 2025. He was outvoted byĀ Rep. Raul Grijalva, who died in March 2025.
It does not matter that Swalwell expects California voters to give him a new job after blowing off his old one. Why? Because he feeds a rage addiction on the left.
Rep. Eric Swalwell has promised, if elected governor, he will take away the driverās licenses of ICE officers, bar them from employment, and hound them incessantly to thrill irate lawyers.
It does not matter that he could not deliver on these pledges. He is not trying to make the jump; he is just trying to get the style points.
Then there is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.), who reportedly has aspirations for either the White House or the Senate. Ocasio-Cortez went to Munich to discuss foreign relations. Used to a fawning American press that repeats soundbites, Ocasio-Cortez had a meltdown when asked a predictable question on Taiwan. She immediately disassembled into a stream of incomprehensible babble: “Um, you know, I think that this is such a, you know, I think that this is a um ā this is, of course, a, um, very long-standing, um, policy of the United States. And I think what we are hoping for is that we want to make sure that we never get to that point, and we want to make sure that we are moving in all of our economic research and our global positions to avoid any such confrontation ā and for that question to even arise.”
It did not matter. Many on the left immediately defended her. Democratic strategistĀ Antjuan Seawright praised her and declared “she sticks her head up. They cannot find an answer or solution to her.” Actually, few could find any answer from her.
Basil Smikle, a strategist who served as the executive director of the New York State Democratic Party, suggested that it does not matter if no one could understand her: “AOC is playing for a different generation, for a younger generation of Democrat, the younger generation of politicians.ā
In other words, turn the sound off and count the style points.
Then there is California Gavin Newsom, who also appeared in Munich to advance his campaign for president. Newsom wants to be president after running his state into the ground, with towering debt and an exodus of taxpayers. Newsom has perfected style over substance.
Recently, Newsom posted a bizarre video boasting of the great success of his infamous high-speed “train to nowhere.” Despite not laying a single yard of track after burning $12 billion, Newsom showed a diesel freight train on a conventional track to create the appearance of a working railroad.
Voters approved a $9.95 billion bond issue in 2008. Even at a fraction of the original length, it is now projected to exceed $128 billion and could ultimately cost a billion dollars per mile.
It does not matter. Newsom looked marvelous in front of a diesel on a different track. Not jumps, just style.
It is all part of our post-truth environment, and this is obviously not simply a phenomenon on the left.
Notably, one of the things that many on the left detest most about Trump is his style. Trump insults, threatens, and saber-rattles to get concessions. Many object to his rhetoric and attacks, including those directed at our closest allies or, most recently, Supreme Court justices. “Being presidential” is often a matter of style with citizens expecting our leaders to set a model for civility and respect.
Such objections to style can be a barrier to scoring ātechnical point” successes in foreign relations and the economy.
Our politics have become so stylized that many voters and viewers have no expectation of substance. Take the most recent hoax perpetrated by Stephen Colbert and Democratic Texas Senatorial candidate James Talarico. Colbert had another self-aggrandizing moment on his CBS Late Show, claiming he was prevented from airing an interview with Talarico because CBS caved to pressure from the Trump Administration and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair, Brendan Carr. In another faux Spartacus moment on the left, Colbert thrilled the audience by saying he aired it on YouTube anyway and treated CBS’s legal guidance as dog poop on air.
As usual, the media took it from there and breathlessly repeated the false story. It was so outrageously false that CBS took the rare move of issuing a public statement saying that it was completely untrue. It explained that CBS lawyers did not bar the interview but noted that, under equal-time policies, Colbert might be required to give the other two candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, the same opportunity.
For his part, Carr held a press conference that debunked Colbertās claim and said that neither he nor the FCC had even heard of the interview until they were accused on the program.
Again, it did not matter. Talarico raised millions after he claimed that he was being silenced by the Trump Administration and shot up in the polls the day before the start of early voting in the Democratic primary. He continued to claim that he is the target of āthe most powerful politicians in the Trump administration and the most powerful corporate media executives.ā
What was so impressive was Colbert’s open effort to manufacture a false claim. Colbert has turned his show into an exclusive space for the Democratic establishment. Despite losing revenue and ratings, he has portrayed himself as a victim of the corporation that is continuing to subsidize his overtly political programming. In this case, the Democratic establishment has decided to block Crockett and push Talarico. That task was given to Colbert, who would now create the buzz needed to put him over the top. Colbert had previously had Crockett on to throw profanities and insults at Trump, but now she had to go.
The problem is that such interviews just before voting can trigger equal time requirements. All Colbert had to do was give Crockett equal time. That was not what the Democratic establishment wanted. They want Crockett out, and Talarico inflated to super-hero size through another manufactured hoax.
So, Colbert and Talarico skated onto the ice and looked marvelous with only one spin: a false claim of censorship. They then grabbed another gold for style in American politics.
Jonathan Turley is a law professor and author of the New York Times bestseller āRage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution.ā
I do not think analogy to the Olympics is a good one. The Olympics requires a degree of hard word, discipline, effort and the expectation of achievement.
AOC, Swalwell, Newsome, Colbert are more like conducting performance art, where they just go out on to the stage and give some wild dance. While one half of the audience is cheering with wild abandonment, the rest of us are scratching our heads and asking the person next to us,
“What the heck was that?”
Rather than raising the bar to a higher level of standards, it seems American politics have lowered a already low bar. Looking at the Biden admin, Harris going through $1.5 billion in 107 days and still losing, is anyone really surprised?
UpstateFarmer writes, “I do not think analogy to the Olympics is a good one. The Olympics requires a degree of hard work, discipline, effort and the expectation of achievement.”
I’ve got sad news Upstate, cash from Communist China can be enough:
https://thefederalist.com/2026/02/20/eileen-gu-indicts-birthright-citizenship-and-our-entire-immigration-orthodoxy/
“I do not think analogy to the Olympics is a good one. ā
Upstate, I agree. The left does not use hard work. It uses lies, deflection, and avoidance. That is why these discussions go nowhere.
I agree with that, too.
The Olympics reference is weak – no one gets to the Olympics on style alone.
But politicians can survive and thrive solely on style.
Well said professor.
It was not just AOC either. Whitmer did not do so well, Whitmer Canāt Field Foreign Policy Questions Abroad
https://www.michigannewssource.com/2026/02/from-photo-ops-to-flops-whitmer-cant-field-foreign-policy-questions-abroad/
They are so accustomed to a fawning, MSM to spoon feed them soft-ball questions, when even asked a simple question they flounder and fail about.
Thank you professor for pointing out the Colbert hoax.
We lack details, but we know the left is violent and is in such a rage, they are not thinking before they act.
Secret Service fatally shoots armed man after unauthorized entry at Mar-a-Lago
ā
Summarize
ā
The Secret Service said he breached the secure perimeter around 1:30 a.m.
A man in his early twenties was shot and fatally wounded early on Sunday after reportedly making an “unauthorized entry” into President Donald Trumpās Mar-a-Lago estate located in Palm Beach, Florida, according to the U.S. Secret Service.
The Secret Service said he breached the perimeter around 1:30 a.m. and was pronounced dead at the scene.
He reportedly was carrying what looked like a shotgun.
And they claim TDS isn’t real.
So how many left wing nut assassination attempts is that ?
And because there is no video there likely will be no idiotic claim that Sercret Service Murdered him.
We will not be debating whether he aimed the shotgun at SS or whether it was even an actual shotgun.
Why because in the real world it does not matter.
A man was were he did not belong and failed to obey LEO’s when they ordered him to stop,
And he “appeared” to have a weapon.
Whether those on the left like it or not – that is enough for a fully justified shooting.
While illegal behavior alone is NOT enough to justify a shooting,
it RADICALLY changes the interpretation of what is always less than perfect knowledge.
Once you start acting outside the law, it is NOT the obligation of others to be absolutely certain that every subsequent thing you do is not innocent.
I am well aware there are bad actors in law enforcement. But we are not talking about cops taking bribes.
The news report I heard said he was told to drop the gun pointed at the police and then shot. Is this suicide by cop?
The ceiling of government competence is set by the floor of citizen capacity.
Garfield warned us plainly: if government is corrupt or incompetent, it is because the people tolerate it.
Government reflects citizen capacity.
. “Citizen capacity” is a grasp, an understanding of what a Citizen is legally, expectations and responsibilities? The government is a reflection of Citizen capacity.
. Olly, click on Diogenes link above for Citizen capacity. It’s an economic address with or without citizenship, a shopping mall.
That article really hit home for me. Thank you Diogenes and . Anonymous for sharing it. If America becomes nothing more than an economic opportunity zone instead of a civic culture that forms citizens capable of self-government, then loyalty, responsibility, and stewardship naturally erode.
Gentlemen, it depresses me to see treason monetized. Globalization has become a charade.
Diogenes, It is depressing. And itās exhausting repeating it. But once you see it, you canāt unsee it. You start recognizing the pattern everywhere. People treating the country like a platform instead of something theyāre responsible for sustaining. Extract now, worry later.
Thatās the shift. And most people donāt see it because theyāre focused on individual events, not the trajectory those events reveal.
This is the result of the participation trophy. All you have to do is show up sometimes, speak a few words, doesn’t matter if they are lies or not, utter a few phrases that are familiar to the TikTok people and you are in. The addition of meaningful words or policies are not needed since that is the attention span of the new voters.
Hopefully in the really near future people realize that there is more to governing than a few catch words, hate for Trump and a young look. Being a governor or president is the big leagues and takes a special person. I do not like Trump’s mouth and lashing out but I prefer him and his willingness to stand up and defend our country and is beholden to no one. As an alternative look what Joe Biden, or his handlers, did to our country.
@res
Yup, I think that’s a huge factor, too. And it is largely, though not exclusively generational.
“She immediately disassembled into a stream of incomprehensible babble”…
That’s because like most new-age Politicians, she uses Ear Buds in situations where a teleprompter is not available.
Whereas her word-salad:
“… āUm, you know, I think that this is such a, you know, I think that this is a um ā this is, of course, a, um, very long-standing, um, policy of the United States. … to avoid any such confrontation ā and for that question to even arise.ā
She was waiting for A.I. to give her an appropriate response, but it did not arrive in time so she filled the air with “Um? & Ah’s?”. Her Meta Ray Bans or AI Earbuds (her live handler) did not synchronize, so the latency became obvious. (Happens to Trump at the Teleprompter all the time, so he repeats/rambles over subject until the new line appears).
We are entering the ‘Siri’ for Office era.
Dale Carnegie* is rolling in his grave Ah. Um.. Ah… fer sure.
*Dale Carnegie Training
https://www.dalecarnegie.com/en/dale-carnegie-training
@Anonymous
Very much agreed. This is what happens to the modern left’s puppets when the script is not available. She is still a waitress, just a very well-paid and privileged one, and that is not to denigrate anyone – most people in the service industries could likely easily make her look like a clown – she is just dumb, and privileged, and convenient, and compliant. And she is so in service of her own ego, not anybody or anything else. Her tiny mind must be a horrible place to live.
It is so ironic that the left accuse Trump of being a louse when this is who the DNC has picked, very intentionally, front and center, to represent them to younger voters for years. There is nothing real or honest on the modern left – zero. Her constituents, if you can call them that, really do believe she will buy them the same designer boots and gowns she flaunts. Sad.
It’s dizzying, alright. I don’t know what’s worse: the lows the left have stooped to, or the fact that with their target audience it’s largely an effective strategy.
I defy any sane, rational dem, if there are any, to make excuses for just AOCs recent antics and juvenile response to legitimate criticism or justify her even being in the House, let alone the White House. That’s before we even get to the likes of Swalwell, Susan Capone, or Zohran Jong Un. Staggering.
If we don’t laugh. . . .
Most of the voting public doesn’t pay too much attention to politicians, and has a very short memory. That is why these stunts work.
This column highlights two separate trends in American culture that bode ill for the future. First is the decline of competence for judging men in particular, e.g., a General who wins a war. The second is the willingness of people in the left wing media to propagate hoaxes to create political phenomena, e.g. George Floyd was killed by a police officer.
If politicians put their promises like Swalwellās into an IPO Prospectus, we would expect him to arrange his affairs for a tour of duty in Leavenworth. And yet his promise to bombard Fort Sumpter from Sacramento- while holding office in Congress may draw votes for Governor of California. Maybe enough to win. On one hand this nation can handle the contrast, even if unseemly. On the other hand, President Trumpās plan to start children with $1000.00 skin in the game is arguably a way for voters to think vote more like TLC for the 401(k). Adam Smith improving political discourse.
How course we and our leaders have become.
Actually all the hate and violence in the streets is generated SOLELY BY ONE SIDE. The politics of mindless group-rage acting out is the exclusive province of the LEFT. Where were the riots against Obama? Against Biden? The Left owns the rage. Owns it and revels in it.
Trump’s comments about the conservative justices that voted against the administration on the tariff issue were disgusting, shameful and Schumer-like. There was no reason for it and he sadly demeans his office, which he seems to enjoy. Very sad.
Yes, this is true. But Chuck Schumer is the last person in the world who has any right to tell him so. Democrats in general have no right to tell him so, because most of them are guilty of the same thing only worse.
Trump has generally been on the right side of his tangles with the courts, but not in this instance. Wait till he loses his birthright citizenship case 9-0.
Swalwell regularly exposes Turley’s glaring shortcomings in Congressional meetings. Turley is a rage filled bitter man.
Swallwell’s a moron, buster. If you admire Swallwell, your brain is fried.
Fascist Democrats are always focused on style, because their policies fail. Socialism doesn’t work. Mamdani is proving that in real time. Of course, people with half a brain or more already knew that from the Soviet Union. And Cuba. And Nicaragua. And Venezuela. And Vietnam. And North Korean. But, hey, give it another try, New York City. Fascists need to control the message, and propagandist lackeys like Colbert are more than happy to play along with modern-day Goebbels acolytes.
Turley comes in hot with his standard rage fueled resentment of Swalwell. It’s hilarious what a clown Turley is…
Swalwell and AOC aren’t campaigning on style points, they’re campaigning on not belonging to the wildly corrupt party Turley actively shills for with his rants and rages.
Turley is a cautionary tale of utter failure. So much so he had to be taken in by the Russian disinformation outlet he works for.
Seek help.
I’m so glad you understand this. People on the left have no sense of justice, fairness or shame. They don’t care about facts at all. They care only about power and the way they get that power is by playing to the fantasies and frankly sickness of their base.
I hope you also get to the point to realize that these people aren’t just the loyal opposition, because there is no loyalty. These are fascists who want to cut off children’s genitalia, rip fully formed infants from their mother’s wombs, create homeless encampments open the borders, and force people to kowtow to their sickness. They cannot win again or we will all be in the soup much worse than last time. And that was horrible.
People on the left have no sense of justice, fairness or shame. Really? What have they been howling about for decades? Your mentality is a danger to our society.
Yes, really. They’ve been howling for injustice, unfairness, and brazenness.
I remember when they used to indignantly complain when we dared to (correctly) question their patriotism. Nowadays they openly reject patriotism and don’t even pretend.
Residual Effects. Remarkable to me is how often these Swalwell, AOC-type events occur. Maybe Iām just old and slowed down, but in decades past, a major faux pas like AOCās in Munich would have finished her candidacy. Today, AOC makes her TikTok appearance, accuses her critics, offers a few epithets against Trump, and with the Mediaās support, sheās back on top. All that remains are some residual effects, that sheās trying hard, and Orange Man is bad. These events happen so often and so fast that for most, they become a blur, and residuals comprise our only memories.
You are old and slowed down… You’re living in the past. As all are you geriatrics who waste precious time here thinking you’re somehow special. You are not. You are old men.
You’re days are numbered. If you have a family, give it your utmost attention instead of wasting it here.
Dems love Pizzaz and Frenzy – no need for stinkin facts or hard questions! If you can utter trigger words in your faux freedom speech you too can be El Hefe! Say what you want about MAGA having blinders for Trump but the MAGA crowd has shown it is ready and willing too hang its own pols when they smell BS like in the Epstein Files Tap Along. Same with TRUMP economics – FAFO if you don’t deliver. Does anyone think the DEM LEMMINGS would rise up on their own party? NOT A SHOT because those Dem Pols are mindless robots that understand the protection of the herd and the Low Information Dem voters only want to hear echo chamber speeches. President AOC and VP Mamdani are the future because the pendulum has to swing – just the physics of rage politics.
Dems love Pizzaz and Frenzy …. and it is working. They thrive on collective hate. Just like Reps.
Look at the above examples. Its not theatrics, its a strategy. As corny as it sounds, it right out of 1984. Two minutes hate. It serves as a tool of psychological control, uniting citizens through shared animosity, redirecting their frustrations away from the oppressive regime, and reinforcing loyalty to a Big Brother.
Never in my mind did I think America would get to this stage.
They then grabbed another gold for style in American politics. …. and the winner of the 2026 mid-term election is the …. democrats. And the winner of the 2028 presidential election is …. the democrats. Republicans have fouled up at every juncture. They look like dunces and fools in the media Americans are exposed to. And do they do to counteract that…. stare at the camera. MAGA is done. No doubt about it. You people will be in concentration camps by 2029.
FOUL ANON!!
Another Trump hater? Maybe you can get rid of your rage by eating more bran in your diet.
What’s wrong with hating Trump? If that were the case. You cretins hate yourselves, you can’t pass the SAVE act, that’s why you will lose the midterms. MAGA is done for.
Bless your heart. Actually, if the Dems take the WH and Congress again, the country is done for.
Interesting how you are supporting the notion of doing to conservatives what you accuse conservatives of wanting to do to liberals. Insane projection.
Interesting. There is no difference between Reps and Dems, hate is at the core of their existence. Harsh but true.
We are truly at the beginning of the end of the USA as we knew it.
“The end of the USA as we knew it”? Due to DF’S like you ANON!! Anon is off of her meds again! PSYCHOBABBLE!
I have to ask, are you a Democrat or a parody of a Democrat? If you’re actually a parody of a Democrat, you need to make it less believable; otherwise, you might be accused of fraud. But how does one make the absurd less believable? And is it really a crime to defraud the party of frauds? What would one even call that? Fraud squared? A nested fraud? Look at the mess you’ve gotten yourself into š