Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Is This What is Meant by Cult of Personality?

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by

Dick Hall-Sizemore
in ,

by Dick Hall-Sizemore

The primary race for Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District seat is a microcosm of what the modern Republican party has become. Both candidates, Bob Good, the incumbent, and John McGuire, a member of the Virginia Senate, are ultra-conservative. There is probably not any substantive difference between them on policy issues. Yet, they and their opponents are at each other’s throats. The issue:  who is more supportive of Donald Trump.

The Virginia Political Newsletter has compiled a summary of the confrontations, including one in a church; the allegations, the cease-and-desist letter and the court suits. It is juicy reading.

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64 responses to “Is This What is Meant by Cult of Personality?”

  1. Wahoo'74 Avatar
    Wahoo’74

    I see. The Republican Party is blindly following a candidate you hate, and should be condemned for it?

    How do you label a Democrat party who props up a clearly senile puppet who is jeopardizing US international standing by promulgating a disjointed, chaotic foreign policy whose core premise is appeasement? A party who refuses to enforce immigration law, letting in 10+ million illegal aliens with the obvious intent of granting them citizenship so they can assure a permanent Democrat plurality?

    I’d call that a cult predicated on raw power vs. loyalty to America, one devoid of patriotism. Shameless.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      re: the "cult" and senility

      https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7cea3051446facc031afc8d23c4fa69f446ff78217d3bb96c787240e387dbd8e.png https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1cb6436a3acaa40b93ad3ca9362ba143d0a471e2953d02740cdab6f207089b6b.png https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c55e1b1358813d3a90e7b36e897ce37131a20c999c9f9342b2687957658dbac3.png

    2. Eric the half a troll Avatar
      Eric the half a troll

      “…a clearly senile puppet…”

      Every public speaking event I have seen for Biden, he appears to be mentally capable. If you are going to cite errors in his speeches he has made, I can cite many more for Trump – who apparently is concerned about being eaten by a shark these days…

      “…is jeopardizing US international standing by promulgating a disjointed, chaotic foreign policy whose core premise is appeasement….”

      He actually seems to be doing a fine job on the international front. Again, engaged and aware. Hawks like yourself might find him “appeasing” but fall down when details are requested to buttress their claims. Case in point from today’s news: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckvv1wydkwqo.amp … hardly appeasement.

      “A party who refuses to enforce immigration law
      letting in 10+ million illegal aliens…”

      A claim not supported by the actual immigration enforcement figures which have been refuted before on this very platform.

      “…with the obvious intent of granting them citizenship so they can assure a permanent Democrat plurality?”

      The President does not grant citizenship to anybody and again, the figures do not support your claim. A huge majority of those seeking asylum status are denied that status after they are given their hearing (which is their right under current law) and are deported. Seems counter productive if your claim is true… but the Cult of Trump believes such conspiracy theories as if they are gospel and have no interest in examining real fact-based evidence which counter them. Instead they argue that you can’t trust the data and only Trump (and by extension themselves, of course) know the “truth”. That is the very definition of a cult.

      1. LarrytheG Avatar
        LarrytheG

        Biden is getting older and possible he may not serve out a 2nd term but the people he has in his administration can and will continue to operate a competent and reasonable govt as opposed to the chaos we already know has happened in the past with Trump and he promises even more of it .

        How anyone can support that is beyond me and it does walk and talk like a cult.

        A modern-day "Evita".

        1. Eric the half a troll Avatar
          Eric the half a troll

          The current argument by Republicans seems to center around the concept that there is no real difference between the two so there is no harm voting for Trump. The reality is there is a real difference between the two and there is great harm in voting for Trump. Many Republicans have bought into this line (hence the cult situation) but many Republicans know it is false yet persist. That is the most disturbing part of the whole thing. They are the real cowards who are simply petrified of saying “Nope! Our guy should certainly never come close to the oval office ever again.”

        2. Wahoo'74 Avatar
          Wahoo’74

          LarrytheG, yep, you’ve chosen a real superstar to take over with your VP, Kamala Harris. Listening to her speak makes Joe Biden seem like he’s a member of Mensa.

          1. LarrytheG Avatar
            LarrytheG

            It’s the administration – which is not a bunch of sycophants.. but real people with devotion to
            their duty to the country and not some wacko.

      2. Wahoo'74 Avatar
        Wahoo’74

        Your point on illegal immigrants is just factually incorrect. You need to expand your media outlets beyond Joe Scarborough, George Stephanopoulos, and The View. The “vast majority” disappear into the US with hearings postponed for years, in reality never to occur.

        Asylum is legally not supposed to be granted for “better jobs,” despite what the MSM purports.

        1. LarrytheG Avatar
          LarrytheG

          Don't want a guy who tells people to go break the law because he'll pardon them later..

        2. Eric the half a troll Avatar
          Eric the half a troll

          "Your point on illegal immigrants is just factually incorrect."

          Which point is that? The "vast majority" are actually immediately deported. “The U.S. southern border has witnessed a record of at least 6.3 million migrant encounters at and between ports of entry since Biden took office in January 2021, according to data from the Office of Homeland Security Statistics, resulting in more than 2.4 million migrants allowed into the country. Most of these individuals are in active removal proceedings in immigration court, in which they can claim asylum as a defense against removal.”

          …or maybe you don't consider 2/3rd to be a majority…

          Under Trump, there were about 344K removals annually. In the second half of last year alone, DHS carried out 470K removals.

          "…hearings postponed for years, in reality never to occur."

          Yet in 2023 the courts completed a record 523K cases. 2-3 times the record under Trump. Only 50K or less Refugees have actually been approved for admission each year under Biden – far less than the record under Trump.

      3. Bedfordboy Avatar
        Bedfordboy

        "appears to be mentally capable".

        So I guess Special Counsel Hur was wrong in your view for declining to prosecute Biden for "willful retention of classified documents" because he's a sympathetic, forgetful old man. My lord, at the G 7 today he had to be reeled in by the Italian Prime Minister to stop him from wandering off stage.

        It wasn't a Republican who emphasized Biden's ineptitude (long before the recent dementia acceleration) with the memorable assessment: "never underestimate Joe's ability to f… things up."

        1. Eric the half a troll Avatar
          Eric the half a troll

          Speaking of Hur, this from his hearing…

          https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx2Yg4h9nwo&pp=ygUUdHJ1bXAgbW9udGFnZSBuYWRsZXI%3D

          1. Bedfordboy Avatar
            Bedfordboy

            Projection and deflection. Where would the Left be without them?

            Can't you stay on your own point?

          2. Eric the half a troll Avatar
            Eric the half a troll

            I thought we were discussing the mental acuity of the two candidates for president. Seems to be spot on to me.

          3. Bedfordboy Avatar
            Bedfordboy

            Explains a lot

        2. Lefty665 Avatar
          Lefty665

          …and that was when he had something that passed for a brain.

      4. Bedfordboy Avatar
        Bedfordboy

        May I present President Joe Biden to give a personal rebuttal to your accolades? I expect you will try to smear the source, but the videos are equally as authentic as Hunter’s laptop.

        https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2024/06/13/biden-presser-with-zelensky-in-italy-n2175440

    3. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      Battery? Or shark? Which is your choice? Or are you going to blindly accept Trump’s decision?

      BTW, loved the hurricane map. Started a long time ago for your boy.

  2. walter smith Avatar
    walter smith

    Ultimately, there will be hardly any difference between the two. Lefties should prefer Good for his supporting DeSantis, which he no longer does. Trump remembers if he feels betrayed – and he was betrayed by many "Republicans" (and all the instrumentalities of the Deep State, including the medical people and the military – Milley the incompetent traitor with more medals than Ike…doe DEI classes!)
    It's too bad they can't be in different districts. I'd trade Wittman for McGuire in a heartbeat.

    1. Stephen Haner Avatar
      Stephen Haner

      So anybody who preferred DeSantis or Haley is a "lefty?" To choose other that DJT is "betrayal"? I am so happy with my current status as a reprobate Republican. Ya'll have fun. You need neither my votes nor my money. Given the choice between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, I am still sitting on my hands.

    2. Stephen Haner Avatar
      Stephen Haner

      So anybody who preferred DeSantis or Haley is a "lefty?" To choose other that DJT is "betrayal"? I am so happy with my current status as a reprobate Republican. Ya'll have fun. You need neither my votes nor my money. Given the choice between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, I am still sitting on my hands.

      1. walter smith Avatar
        walter smith

        Misinterpreting what I said. The Left hates Good. But given their TDS, that should make them like Good for supporting DeSantis. Between the two there will likely be very little difference. I did not say Lefties supported DeSantis and Haley. I am not a Haley fan, but am a DeSantis fan. Many Congresscritters I like supported DeSantis.

        1. LarrytheG Avatar
          LarrytheG

          got a newsflash… they're the SAME.. there is no difference!

          In EITHER case, whoever is elected, will do EXACTLY what Trump tells them to no different than most other GOP in Congress.

          1. walter smith Avatar
            walter smith

            Because of course the CommieDems don’t march in lockstep…oops… I mean goosestep.

          2. LarrytheG Avatar
            LarrytheG

            I do like the two of them whacking on each other… fun!

      2. James Wyatt Whitehead Avatar
        James Wyatt Whitehead

        Reprobate. I had to look that one up. My Virginia Tech education only stretches so far. Did you know that the archaic definition of reprobate means a sinner predestined to eternal damnation?

        1. Stephen Haner Avatar
          Stephen Haner

          The degree is in religion and the upbringing was in the Calvinist tradition, so, yes, I know what it means. The Good Lord predestined me to abhor the likes of DJT….and Smith and his friends would consider me beyond the pale.

      3. CAPT Jake Avatar
        CAPT Jake

        Yep. Down ballot, I will vote, but not for either one of these "losers".
        (See how I did that?)

  3. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    The Ohio-6th special election should be worrisome to RPV. A Republican State Senator raised $700,000 against a waiter who raised $20,000 and won by only 9 points in a district where Republicans usually win by roughly 30 points.

    I will not say Blue Wave, but the Red Sea has retreated from view.

  4. Eric the half a troll Avatar
    Eric the half a troll

    “Cult” is right!

    1. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      “Right” is cult, too!

    2. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      “Right” is cult, too!

  5. William O'Keefe Avatar
    William O’Keefe

    This is just another example of how the Republican Party has morphed into a cult. How either of these two or others can support a candidate who clearly has no moral values and doesn't support the constitution and rule of law ought to scare the hell out of any citizens who really love America and what it stands for.
    In November, we don't have good choices but the choice should simple, old and showing it is better than evil.

    1. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      it’s done in the same manner as an American flag with a cross and an assault rife instead of stars.

      1. Lefty665 Avatar
        Lefty665

        Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition? Betsy Ross 2.0?

    2. Lefty665 Avatar
      Lefty665

      Do you really want to debate whether senile dementia is better than pathological narcissism or vice versa? A pox on both their houses.

      If the Dems really want Trump for another 4 years they will keep Biden and Giggles on the ticket. The country understands old and soft in the head and is done with it.

      1. Nancy Naive Avatar
        Nancy Naive

        In the binary world that is presidential politics, he’s bang on. If you want Trump for the rest of his life, don’t vote for Biden and Giggles. Trump has told you it’s his intention to end it all.

        1. Lefty665 Avatar
          Lefty665

          Trump has a big mouth and says a lot of things. You do well as Nancy, no need to vie for the Chicken Little niche with the sky is falling stuff.

          Trump's first term was terrible and there's no reason to think his second would be better. No learning curve among other things.

          The problem is that Biden demonstrates his slide further into dementia with every appearance, and Giggles makes Dan Quayle look good as Veep (something I never thought I'd say).

          How bad is Biden? Well, Trump's lead has gone up after his conviction on 34 felony counts, that's how bad Biden is.

          There's still hope if the Dems thank Joe for his service, invite him to retire to the beach, take Giggles with him and nominate an actual candidate at the convention. Otherwise its 4 more years of Trump, if the cheeseburgers don't get him first.

        2. Lefty665 Avatar
          Lefty665

          Trump has a big mouth and says a lot of things. You do well as Nancy, no need to vie for the Chicken Little niche with the sky is falling stuff.

          Trump's first term was terrible and there's no reason to think his second would be better. No learning curve among other things.

          The problem is that Biden demonstrates his slide further into dementia with every appearance, and Giggles makes Dan Quayle look qualified as Veep (something I never thought I'd say).

          How bad is Biden? Well, Trump's lead has gone up after his conviction on 34 felony counts, that's how bad Biden is.

          There's still hope if the Dems thank Joe for his service, invite him to retire to the beach, take Giggles with him and nominate an actual candidate at the convention. Otherwise it is 4 more years of Trump, if the cheeseburgers don't get him first.

          1. Nancy Naive Avatar
            Nancy Naive

            You don’t think the next bunch of appointees won’t be worse. A lot Germans thought the paperhanger was harmless too.

          2. Lefty665 Avatar
            Lefty665

            I thought it would be hard to be worse than Clinton/Kerry and Rice as Sec State and Nat Sec Advisor, but then we got Pompeo and Bolton, and they were followed by Blinken and Sullivan.

            I've given up on speculating where the bottom might be, but it is clear there is no partisan advantage in seeking it.

            In a sane world both Blinken and Sullivan would have been gone after the Afghanistan debacle, but Joe is so out of it he is clueless. Int'l affairs and nat sec are not Dr. Jill's area of expertise either, think Edith Wilson.

            But things could be worse, Giggles could be in the loop. Oh, but wait, if they're re-elected she will be, sooner rather than later. There's the dream team we want on the world stage dealing with Putin and Xi, Giggles, Blinken & Sullivan. That's the ticket! Where's Gilbert when we need him? He could at least add music to this comedy. They could be like the band on the Titanic playing "Nearer my god to thee".

            It's enough to make me contemplate moving back to the D.C. area to ensure that I'm in the immediate blast area. I want to avoid the misfortune of surviving the first round of Armageddon.

          3. Marty Chapman Avatar
            Marty Chapman

            "How bad is Biden? Well, Trump's lead has gone up after his conviction on 34 felony counts, that's how bad Biden is." Amen to that !

    3. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      Minor edit: “In November, we don't have good choices but the choice should simple, old and showing it is better than evil, old, and showing it.”

      He’s 3 years younger, not 10, but he’s 6 years further in his dementia.

      1. William O'Keefe Avatar
        William O’Keefe

        And, people who served in his first Administration and who know his behavior as President have declared him unfit–John Kelly, Jim Mattis, Mark Esper, Rex Tillerson, and most of his national security staff. There is not a real choice.

        1. Lefty665 Avatar
          Lefty665

          <i>"There is not a real choice."</i>

          We agree on some things:)

          The question is do we want the lesser of two lessors or the moster of two lessors? Which one is most less, or less most?

        2. Clarity77 Avatar
          Clarity77

          Have you ever heard of deep state?

    4. Clarity77 Avatar
      Clarity77

      TDS, maybe?

  6. James Wyatt Whitehead Avatar
    James Wyatt Whitehead

    The very first 5th District election featured James Madison versus James Monroe in 1789. A campaign for the ages. Both men were friends and allies of each other yet waged political combat in the bitter cold months of December 1788 and January 1789. The diminutive Madison won! His pledge to secure religious freedom and a Bill of Rights swayed the voters in a district that Governor Patrick Henry gerrymandered so that Monroe could win. When the dust settled Madison and Monroe remained friends and allies. Madison becoming Jefferson's Secretary of State and then a two term President. Monroe becoming Virginia's Governor then Madison's Secretary of State followed by his own two term Era of Good Feelings presidency. It would be nice to have able leadership once again in the 5th district.

    1. walter smith Avatar
      walter smith

      That is some great history!
      UVA had the three of them involved in its origins.
      Meanwhile, here in River City, at the (formerly Baptist) University of Richmond is the Baptist Historical Society. They have the original warrant for a Baptist preacher in Culpeper (1774 I believe) that was part of what led to Madison agreeing to the Bill of Rights. Lots of paintings of historical events, apparently there was a meeting in Orange between Madison and Baptists – must have been 1788ish – that led him to the necessity for the Bill of Rights.

      1. Stephen Haner Avatar
        Stephen Haner

        A museum open to the public? I'd go. When I finished at W&M I thought hard about a master's in American church history. It is so totally entwined with everything else, far more so than most know.

      2. Stephen Haner Avatar
        Stephen Haner

        A museum open to the public? I'd go. When I finished at W&M I thought hard about a master's in American church history. It is so totally entwined with everything else, far more so than most know.

        1. walter smith Avatar
          walter smith

          you have to make an appointment, but it is connected to Boatwright Library
          And if you have specific things of interest, they have lots of files they will hand to you. Much of the history of people buried in Hollywood. Fascinating.

      3. James Wyatt Whitehead Avatar
        James Wyatt Whitehead

        The Baptist preacher was James Ireland. He was jailed and terribly abused in Culpeper. Charged with preaching without a license and for jamming scripture down the throats of all that passed by. A Baptist church now occupies the former Culpeper jail. Madison was no orator. He was so smart. He recruited Baptist preachers, such as William Marshall (John Marshall's uncle) to speak at political gatherings and all the soft spoken Madison had to do was stand there. The debate between Madison and Monroe at the Hebron Lutheran Church in Madison County went on outside in the cold and snow for four hours. Left Madison with a frostbite scar on the tip of his nose.

        1. walter smith Avatar
          walter smith

          More great history!
          I thought that the famous Virginians of the Revolutionary period would have all been Anglicans, with Patrick Henry also being sort of Presbyterian adjacent through Davies (?) and the Blind Preacher's influence
          Were the Marshalls Baptist? Was John?
          Doing the genealogy thing I discovered an ancestor who fought in the Revolutionary War, worshipped Jefferson (naming one daughter Araminta Jefferson Coleman and another Louisiana Coleman). He was Presbyterian and married a Quaker…who subsequently got kicked out of the Meeting…guessing because of the marriage and supporting the war. The rest of her family eventually got kicked out. Again, guessing they chose war.

          1. James Wyatt Whitehead Avatar
            James Wyatt Whitehead

            Growing up in Hanover County Patrick Henry heard plenty of Samuel Davies sermons at the Pole Green Presbyterian Church. According to Henry legend Davies was his source of inspiration as an orator. The Marshall's were all Anglican/Episcopalian. Except William Marshall. He was an Old School or what would be called a Primitive Baptist today. Launched numerous churches in Virginia and Kentucky. He is buried in a cave out in Kentucky. The Baptists were not afraid of the sheriff or colonial government in Williamsburg. They looked forward to jail and considered it a badge of honor. They signed a 10,000 name petition for religious freedom. Madison and Jefferson admired their conviction and perseverance.

          2. James Wyatt Whitehead Avatar
            James Wyatt Whitehead

            Growing up in Hanover County Patrick Henry heard plenty of Samuel Davies sermons at the Pole Green Presbyterian Church. According to Henry legend Davies was his source of inspiration as an orator. The Marshall's were all Anglican/Episcopalian. Except William Marshall. He was an Old School or what would be called a Primitive Baptist today. Launched numerous churches in Virginia and Kentucky. He is buried in a cave out in Kentucky. The Baptists were not afraid of the sheriff or colonial government in Williamsburg. They looked forward to jail and considered it a badge of honor. They signed a 10,000 name petition for religious freedom. Madison and Jefferson admired their conviction and perseverance.

          3. walter smith Avatar
            walter smith

            Thank you. Kind of confirmed my suspicion you kinda had to be a Whiskeypalian to be in the top politically – sorta like the Sadducees…

            10000 back then? Wow. That took effort. No wonder Madison eventually saw the light.

  7. Marty Chapman Avatar
    Marty Chapman

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2b9aeec6f6a3e0a3e85fac07dc7ee5023f6a81394f0069f0129e7fda650ec6ee.jpg

    1. Marty Chapman Avatar
      Marty Chapman

      I am reminded of video showing public elementary school kids in New Jersey, led by their teacher, singing the praises of a certain former president (aka "Dear Leader")

  8. Drive-by Commentator Avatar
    Drive-by Commentator

    In one Northern Neck County, the county Republican Committee erected their new red canopies outside each polling place Tuesday. In addition to handing out Republican recruitment literature proclaiming that only Trump can save the US from communism, they also told prospective voters that there was no Democratic primary Tuesday.

    1. walter smith Avatar
      walter smith

      Uh-huh. Which county? Do you even know the Northern Neck counties? Each polling place? Again, could you even find them? No pictures?
      Were you paid to post that trash as a Drive By Commentator?

      1. Drive-by Commentator Avatar
        Drive-by Commentator

        GFY.

        I not only know all the NNeck counties, I have hunted and fished in most of them, live in one of them, and am deeply involved in politics across the NNeck and Middle Peninsula.

        1. walter smith Avatar
          walter smith

          Wow. GFY. So adult. You and the rest of your Leftist ilk would run to Mommy to censor me if I responded so uncivilly. And you’ve hunted and fished in them, too! Were you safe from the evil MAGA rednecks? Did they call you a “come here”?
          Which ones? Where did this happen at all the precincts?
          I believe your story was total BS. Still seems the most likely outcome to me.

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