This seems to be kind of weird. Well, it
is actually very weird indeed. But we understand what's going on here, I expect. Pardon the length of this paste but Pence said it again today and we ought to grasp the continuity of the thing:
Quote:July 15, 2016: “Donald Trump is going to provide the kind of broad-shouldered American leadership on the world stage that I think will make the world a more stable place.”
July 17, 2016: “One of the reasons why I said yes in a heartbeat to run with this man, is because he embodies American strength, and I know that he will provide that kind of broad-shouldered American strength on the global stage as well.”
July 29, 2016: “To be around Donald Trump is to be around a man with broad shoulders …”
August 14, 2016 “He’s a man with broad shoulders, he’s got a clear vision, he’s strong.”
August 14, 2016: “I think you’re going to be ready, Chris, for a vision, but also for real specifics about how new leadership in the White House, a change of direction in the White House and the kind of broad-shouldered leadership that Donald Trump will bring is going to make our country more safe.”
August 28, 2016: “As I am traveling all over the country, people are coming up to me. They are responding to Donald Trump’s broad-shouldered, plainspoken leadership that we can make America great again, we can be strong on the world stage, we can have an economy that works for every American.”
August 31, 2016: “I think it shows the kind of broad-shouldered leader he is. He’s willing to sit down with whom he may have strong differences of opinion to look for things we can work on together and begin the process of discussions.”
September 23, 2016: “Well, I said today at — at the church gathering where we were before, this is a broad-shouldered leader, but he’s also a man that’s impatient with failure.”
Sept 26, 2016: “Look, Donald Trump’s got broad shoulders. He’s able to make his case and make a point.”
October 4, 2016: “We have got to lean into this with strong, broad-shouldered, American leadership.”
December 4, 2016: “— with broad shoulders, who’s going to advance America’s interest. But he’s also going to be engaging the world on behalf of America.”
December 4, 2016: “And I think the American people want — are encouraged, rather, George, to see that President-elect Trump is — is taking calls from the world, speaking to the world. They know he’s going to be out there advancing America’s interests first with that broad-shouldered leadership that’s characterized his entire life.”
NYMag
Do you find yourself a tad bemused that a commendation and metric for foreign policy chops is the distance between an individuals two arm pits?
HELL YEAH! I'M VOTING FOR THAT GUY!
I don't think for a second that Pence is suppressing homo-erotic tendencies. This is Pence making an address to the most reductive and primitive of human responses - appeal to the father figure to protect you.
This is a recurring feature on the right, particularly, whether here or in Iran or Russia or Israel, etc. It is a fundamental that underlies the authoritarian mindset. Consumers of the notion gobble it up and promoters of notion gain the means to control through peddling it.
