I'm gonna come out and say it: I think Harry Taylor was a plant. [View All]

[The Witch]

There's a number of linguistic and other clues that his question of the president was previously thought out and memorized, and there are a number of choices that make me think this was not written by someone who is truly upset with the presidency.

Let's go to the transcript, boys and girls.

Please notice how all sentences have complete thoughts and many have subclauses. Notice the parallel structure.

Q You never stop talking about freedom, and I appreciate that.

He even starts off with a set-off praise.

But while I listen to you talk about freedom, I see you assert your right to tap my telephone, to arrest me and hold me without charges, to try to preclude me from breathing clean air and drinking clean water and eating safe food.

Thought #1: He sees the Presnit assert his right. Assuming that such a right exists.

Thoguht #2: Look how well he has broken the issues down into categories. It's all perfectly parallel.

To tap my telephone.
To arrest me
...and hold me without charges.
To try to preclude me from breathing clean air
...........................and drinking clean water
...........................and eating safe food.

It's like Rita Dove poetry.

If I were a woman, you’d like to restrict my opportunity to make a choice and decision about whether I can abort a pregnancy on my own behalf. You are –

Very few pro-choice thinkers use the word "abort" as a verb. We talk about ending a pregnancy, about terminating it, about having an abortion, but not aborting a pregnancy. At least to my ear it sounds wrong.

Also, please note "opportunity" and "on my own behalf." These are not words we are likely to use. These paint it as a selfish decision and a privilege, not as a tragic choice and a right.

THE PRESIDENT: I’m not your favorite guy. Go ahead. (Laughter and applause.) Go on, what’s your question?

Q Okay, I don’t have a question.

Whoops.

Anyone who really is upset with the President would have a million questions. Or they would be visibly angry and unable to keep this as calm and measured (dare I say scripted?) as this. I really feel like this fellow is what they want the Democrats to be-- disagreeing, but subservient and unwilling to challenge... but always willing to suck up, for lack of a better phrase, if they can at least have the chance to speak.

What I wanted to say to you is that I — in my lifetime, I have never felt more ashamed of, nor more frightened by my leadership in Washington, including the presidency, by the Senate, and –

Again with the parallel structure.

never(More ashamed of)
nor(more frightened by)
my leadership in Washington

It is so well crafted!

AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Booo!
THE PRESIDENT: No, wait a sec — let him speak.

Oh, look who is the hero standing up for free speech! Is this a teen movie? Because everyone knows this scene in the teen movie. It is a Compassionate Leader who allows the Dissenting Voice (TM).

Q And I would hope — I feel like despite your rhetoric, that compassion and common sense have been left far behind during your administration, and I would hope from time to time that you have the humility and the grace to be ashamed of yourself inside yourself.

Not to me, mind you. Not to the public. Just let me be your Jiminy Cricket and I will remind you to say I'm sorry to God at night -- and you won't ever have to say it to me or anybody else whose lives you've ruined.

And I also want to say I really appreciate the courtesy of allowing me to speak what I’m saying to you right now. That is part of what this country is about.

And he ends with another praise.

Q And I know that this doesn’t come welcome to most of the people in this room, but I do appreciate that.

Just in case you didn't get it.

THE PRESIDENT: Appreciate –

Q I don’t have a question, but I just wanted to make that comment to you.

By the way, did you notice he doesn't have a question?

In closing: These aren't the telltale signs of, say, lurking freepers. They're the hand of a more subtle language worker.

I hope I'm wrong. I hope this guy just thought a lot about what he would say if he were able to ask a question. But it's hard to believe someone who has "never been more frightened by" the government as it is controlled by the man he's talking to would have not a single challenge in the singular position he is in.

Your thoughts, please.