The Right-Cheek Ass Clown for April, 2023

I was having a great deal of difficulty in selecting this first Ass Clown for April. The swirling cesspool of drama surrounding the arrival (finally) of possible consequences for the criminal behavior of Der Furor yielded a bumper crop of candidates, including Der Furor himself, Empty G, the lachrymose Lindsey Graham, and countless others. There was the Tennessee legislature, which expelled two Black Democratic representatives who protested (inappropriately, but in about the only way they could) the legislature's inaction on gun violence ... and did not expel (by a single vote) a white woman representative accused of the same thing. There was Kid Rock, who shot up cases of Bud Light beer after the brewer was praised in a post by a transgender activist. There was Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, who was exposed in a report by ProPublica of having for decades not reported lavish and expensive gifts from a powerful Republican donor and political activist. And the list went on and on.

But I held my nose and finally settled on a winner.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers,

With a sad shrug for the state of the nation, I have decided to designate as

The Right-Cheek Ass Clown for April, 2023

Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidate

Daniel Kelly

At a time when respect for civil discourse and democracy is on the ropes, and millions of people gleefully emulate the hateful and boorish behavior of Der Furor, a new low was reached in the wake of Wednesday's election for a Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin, where Democratic candidate Janet Protasiewicz trounced Republican Daniel Kelly by nearly 11 percentage points, giving the state's Supreme Court a liberal majority for the first time in 15 years.

When the results were announced, Mr Kelly declined to give a traditional concession speech. Instead, he delivered an angry and bitter tirade in which he said,

“I wish that in a circumstance like this I would be able to concede to a worthy opponent, but I do not have a worthy opponent to which I can concede.”

He went on to grudgingly add,

"I respect the decision that the people of Wisconsin have made, but I think this does not end well."

It has become sadly routine for some elected officials to behave poorly, but when a losing judicial candidate - a person from whom one might expect thoughtful, measured, indeed judicious behavior, delivers such a spiteful and angry non-concession, it does not bode well for the dignity of our courts and respect for the rule of law ... both of which have been seriously undermined by the antics of Der Furor and the Republican Party in general.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers, the Right-Cheek Ass Clown for April, 2023, is would-be Republican jurist Daniel Kelly - a poster child for the angry and intolerant right. One hopes that his loss is a good sign for the future of Wisconsin.

Have a good day, and come back tomorrow for Cartoon Saturday - as always, you'll need it.

More thoughts then.

Bilbo