Whatever Suits You

How empty and desperate is the extreme right of today’s Republican Party?  It seems that the best they can do to express their tender-hearted faux-outrage at Ukraine President Zelenskyy – whose country, you may have heard, is at war with Russia – for his visit to the White House and addressing Congress is…is…is…that he wasn’t wearing a suit.

Not what he was saying about fighting for independence when his country is under attack by one of America’s main enemies, no.  But that he wasn’t wearing a suit.  And looked rumpled.

Peter Schiff, chief economist and global strategist of Europac wrote – “I know there's a war, but #Zelensky isn't under fire. He flew to the U.S. aboard a U.S. government private jet, arrived at the White House in a Chauffeur Driven SUV, yet showed up wearing a sweatshirt. It's better than a t-shirt, but I still maintain the proper attire is a suit.”

And I maintain that if this is Europac’s idea of a “global strategist,” they might want to rethink the job description.  Mr. Schiff may “know” there’s a war on, but it doesn’t appear to care.  And he also seems unaware that Volodomir Zelenskyy is not only the president of Ukraine, but the world symbol of his country.  And what he wears in sympathy of those struggling for their lives against the brutality of one of the world’s great powers has deep, profound meaning.  Something most serious global strategists get.

Or there’s Newsmax’s Benny Johnson, who put his two cents in – “This ungrateful piece of sh*t does not have the decency to wear a suit to the White House -- no respect the country that is funding his survival.

“Track suit wearing eastern european con-man mafia. Our leaders fell for it.”

In fairness to Mr. Johnson, it’s possible that he has a promotional deal with Men’s Wearhouse, so he’s just really hawking fine fashion.  Though that doesn’t explain his swearing vitriol at what a foreign leader wears when at war – or how the “mafia” fits in there.  What explains all of that is that Johnson works at Newsmax, and that’s basically their standard.

And Breitbart’s Wendell Husebo, whose tender hear was all a-flutter when he wrote – “Zelensky arrives at the White House to demand more support than $45B aid in the omnibus bill.

"For $45B, show some respect and rent a suit."

Putting aside that I’m not sure if I’ve ever heard of a place that rents suits, I suspect that if they had any such stores in Ukraine there’s a good chance they’ve either been bombed out and destroyed, or closed down during the war since there isn’t likely a big market for renting suits at the present time.

Never mind, too, that he isn’t “demanding” anything.  By why quibble over linguistics when our national sartorial honor is at stake.

Actually, Breitbart seems most put-out by anyone as their politics editor Emma-Jo Morris wrote – “Zelensky flies all the way to the U.S., but still can’t put on a suit. 

“Circus.”

First of all, to correct Ms. Morris, I will bet cash money that President Zelenkyy can put on a suit.  He just thought it would be inappropriate with his country under attack and chose not to because his country at war was watching him and probably understood and admired him staying true to their national spirit.  I also have a feeling that she hasn’t been to many circuses, because he was incredibly well-dressed for one.  But then, she’s the political editor and not in charge of the fashion page, so she might be unaware of current circus attire.

I think the most unintentionally whimsical and clueless comment came from podcaster V.F. Castro, who wrote –"Zelensky can pose in fashion magazines during war, but he dresses in ‘war casual’ to the White House?”

All I could think when I read this was – Wait, your name is “Castro,” and you are outraged by a foreign leader wearing “casual” clothes when doing their job???

Then there was…nah, that’s enough, it goes on and on and on.  But I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least include was Donald Trump Jr. felt compelled to chime.  In fairness, he didn’t bring up clothes, but in his own cringing way was worse than them all.  That’s because he wrote –

“Zelensky is basically an ungrateful international welfare queen.”

This from someone whose sister was given 41 trademarks for free from China.  And whose brother-in-law got $2 billion from Saudi Arabia.  And whose family company just got convicted of 17 felonies.  And whose family “charity” foundation was such down for its fraudulent activities.  About someone whose speech to Congress was drenched throughout by gratitude.  What a little piece of empty, venal, thoughtless, criminal, infantile, whiney and entitled bilge.

So, that’s what just some notable voice of the extreme right thought about a foreign leader – just named Time magazine’s “Man of the Year – fighting on behalf of democracy to save his country against the Russian war machine.  And the best they could do, after he met with President Biden at the White House and addressed the joint houses of Congress, is to complain about…what he wore.

No doubt they will give a stiff lecture to Jim Jordan when he takes the gavel as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee without wearing a sportcoat.

I can only imagine how infuriated today’s GOP would have been during World War II when Winston Churchill showed up at official events and conferences with President Roosevelt.

​In the end, the best I could figure is that all this reaction about what President Zelenskyy was wearing was just leftover “outrage” material that the extreme right has from when President Obama wore a tan suit to a press conference.

Though it seems like they can’t make up their mind.  After all, at least President Obama was wearing a suit.

(Actually, what would have been hilarious and sent them in a tizzy over what to do is him President Zelenskyy did show up in a suit -- but a tan one.)

There’s oh-so much more than could be said about this inanity from the extreme right of today’s Republican Party.  But somehow, just saying “They’re complaining about a foreign leader at war fighting for democracy not wearing a suit” pretty much says more than enough.

Especially from people who love to slam people for what they consider over-sensitivity as “snowflakes.”  Man, was it ever an avalanche.