Whatever You Do, Don't be Like Little Marco

A spine is a terrible thing to waste

Friday’s debacle at the White House, when Trump and Vance decided to humiliate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, live on TV, was a disgraceful breakdown in diplomacy and common decency. That this was a planned mugging was made evident by Trump’s boast at the end that, “This is going to be great television.” Careful what you wish for, Donny.

Always playing to the base — plus the all important and-one of Russian President Putin — Trump and Vance but on a show that the base surely loved, but the entire rest of the world found appalling. No fewer than twenty-four world leaders responded with words of support for Ukraine and Zelensky; these comments from French President Emmanuel Macron being illustrative:

There is an aggressor: Russia. There is a victim: Ukraine. We were right to help Ukraine and sanction Russia three years ago - and to keep doing so."

So in one forty-minute presser, Trump and Vance managed to drive a wedge between the United States, and nearly every other western democracy. Classic. So much for “owning the libs.”¹

Which brings us to the sad, pathetic, and useless case of Secretary of State in-name-only, Marco Rubio. Rubio — who sailed through Senate confirmation without a single ‘No’ vote — was supposed to be the “normal” one; a Trump Cabinet pick without the insanity of Hegseth, Gabbard, or Patel. The problem is, the Secretary of State’s job is to be a diplomat, and that requires some spine. Something Rubio has repeatedly demonstrated that he lacks. Who can forget that the “Little Marco” moniker arose from Trump during the 2016 campaign, and Rubio responded by calling Trump a “conman” whose rhetoric was “dangerous.” Rubio, of course, was right about Trump, and yet there he was on Friday, turning green and trying to disappear into the seat cushions at the Oval Office.

That expression pretty much tells you everything you need to know about how far Little Marco has been willing to go for a shred of power and relevancy. Listening to Trump’s “dangerous rhetoric” blow holes in 80-years of alliance building just to satisfy Putin, is clearly sickening to Little Marco. A person with the courage of their convictions might resign in protest over the petty, public humiliation of the leader of an embattled ally.

Instead, Little Marco jumped onto Twitter (fuck you, Elon) to tongue bathe Trump with praise for this fiasco:

Pathetic.

So there you have it folks. In life, don’t be like Little Marco.

In community, forward!

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Notes:

European leaders back Zelensky after Trump clash (BBC)

1. Not to be outdone, the White House put out a press release claiming that, “Support Pours in for President Trump, VP Vance’s America First Strength,” which then proceeds to quote from the sycophantic Republican Cabinet and members of Congress. Only click on that link if you have a high tolerance for toadyism — I don’t recommend it.