Monitoring Biden and other Contemporary Events

I know. Seems weird.

Psaki: Biden 'has not spent a moment thinking about the color scheme of Air Force One'
BY CAMERON JENKINS - 01/22/21 05:01 PM EST 752

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday that President Biden has not thought about the color scheme of Air Force One.

Psaki told reporters during Friday's White House press briefing that Biden "has not spent a moment" thinking about the color scheme, referring to former President Trump's proposal to exchange the aircraft's baby blue color for a new red, white and blue design.

In February, the Air Force requested $800.9 million in fiscal 2021 for the "VC-25B Presidential Aircraft Recapitalization program," which would swap out the current planes for modified Boeing 747-8s and paint them with a white top half, blue bottom third and red stripe down the middle.

"[W]e are certainly aware of the White House military units proposal that has been submitted to them about reconsidering the color scheme of Air Force One," Psaki said to reporters.

"I can confirm for you here, the president has not spent a moment thinking about the color scheme of Air Force One or anything in the House or any article of anything. And no one is going to submit a decision memo to him on that particular topic," she added.

The aircraft's current blue and white color scheme was designed by President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jackie Kennedy.

"We're aware of the proposal and as there are any updates we are happy to provide them to you," Psaki concluded.

Joe Biden Removing Trump's 'Diet Coke Button' From the Oval Office Prompts Wave of Jokes
BY SEREN MORRIS ON 1/22/21 AT 6:37 AM EST

President Joe Biden has removed Donald Trump's supposed "Diet Coke button" as part of the changes he has made to the Oval Office.

While in office, Trump had a red button on his desk that was said to alert a butler to bring him Diet Coke. Some Twitter users are shocked that Biden had the button removed, while others are shocked that the "Diet Coke button" may have even existed in the first place.

Trump's love for Diet Coke has been well-documented, as is the rumor that he supposedly has 12 of the drinks a day. But the rumor that the button on his desk was used to summon the soda is news for some.

In an Associated Press report about memorable moments from Trump's first year in office, reporter Julie Pace discussed how she saw the "Diet Coke button" in action. She described how when he pressed the button, a "White House butler walked in with a single glass of Diet Coke on a silver tray for the commander in chief."

Now, with Biden in office, the "Diet Coke button" is no more, as pointed out by journalist Tom Newton Dunn, who said: "President Biden has removed the Diet Coke button.

"When [Tim Shipman] and I interviewed Donald Trump in 2019, we became fascinated by what the little red button did. Eventually Trump pressed it, and a butler swiftly brought in a Diet Coke on a silver platter. It's gone now."



Twitter users were quick to joke about the "Diet Coke button", like Emmy Bengston, who imagined how the conversation telling Biden about the button would have gone: "I would've paid so much money to get to be in the room for the conversation that I imagine went like:

BIDEN: ok what's next

STAFFER: setting up the Oval. Photos are all done. Do you want to keep the Diet Coke button?

BIDEN:

STAFFER:


BIDEN: the what in god's name button"

Bengston followed up her tweet and said: "although honestly I'm surprised he didn't want to turn it into an ice cream button"

Emily Nussbaum also seemed surprised that the button was removed, saying: "I very much want a Diet Coke button, it's the only part of being President that seems appealing."

Other Twitter users were shocked to hear that Trump may have even had a "Diet Coke button" in the first place, like @shoopdahoop25 who said: "FAMILY GUY WASN'T JOKING ABOUT THE 'DIET COKE BUTTON'?"

Family Guy referenced the "Diet Coke button" in the 2019 episode "Trump Guy" which sees four butlers bring in four cans of soda while Trump is fighting Peter Griffin.



Twitter user @harpybones summed up how a lot of people seem to feel with Confused Woman meme, saying: "'biden has removed the diet coke button' all of us: there was a diet coke button...............?"


Donald Trump
Donald Trump listens during an event in the Oval Office of the White House August 28, 2020, in Washington, D.C. A button on his desk allegedly called for a butler to bring him a Diet Coke.
POOL/GETTY

There have been some shifts in the attitude of conservative white politicians concerning African American citizens. Basically, they don't want to be seen as being 100% racist all the time. So they're more than willing to confirm a figure like General Austin because they can do it and get minimal feedback from their base. And this doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with Austin, it's not that he's a closet conservative or a sellout — it's just that they're not worried about losing any votes by confirming him and can use the vote to burnish their image as a party of tolerance.

He’s a good man with a long record of competent service and effective leadership. He came with Joe Biden’s and many others’ imprimatur.

So, there was also that.
Sigh

I made no such accusation. I said that conservative white politicians don't want to be seen as being 100% racist all the time. Are you insinuating that they do? That assertion is nonsense. Even you don't wish to be perceived as being 100% racist all the time.