Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was once being seriously considered as Joe Biden's vice presidential running mate. After this video exploded on X, I bet he's glad he didn't choose her.
The most common question being asked, even by Democrats, is: "What was she thinking"?
Let’s be clear what’s happening in this video.
— Tim Murtaugh (@TimMurtaugh) October 10, 2024
Gov. Whitmer of Michigan is pretending to give communion to an leftist podcaster on her knees, using a Dorito as the Eucharist while wearing a Harris-Walz hat.
Do they want ZERO Catholic votes for Harris?pic.twitter.com/daUTNX9vNn
And they call Trump/Vance "weird?"
The video is a twist on a TikTok meme.
But Plank’s video follows a meme format of many similar TikTok videos, which include a similar dynamic of people being fed with the song “Dilemma,” by Nelly and Kelly Rowland playing in the background. Plank’s video — and its inclusion of Doritos — were intended to be in support of the CHIPS and Science Act, which was signed into law by Pres. Biden in 2022 and aimed to boost semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S.
So I guess because all the cool kids are doing it, it's okay? Sheesh.
As a former or "lapsed" Catholic, as the church likes to call us, even I'm offended. And you can bet that Catholics, devout or otherwise, are also feeling their skin crawl.
Liz Plank, an "influencer" of some note, who played the role of worshipping supplicant in this bizarre interlude, attempted to explain it:
“If he won’t, Gretchen Whitmer will,” the influencer wrote with the video on Instagram. “Chips aren’t just delicious, the CHIPS Act is a game-changer for U.S. tech and manufacturing, boosting domestic production of semiconductors to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers! Donald Trump would put that at risk.”
Get it? "Chips," as in "microchips," and "chips," as in Doritos. Except wouldn't using potato chips like Lays or Ruffles have been more apropos?
That's not the point. The point is to mock the most sacred, the most meaningful of all the sacraments in the Catholic Church (as well as many protestant sects) where the communicant actually ingests "The Body of Christ" as the priest solemnly reminds the supplicant when presenting the Eucharist to be eaten.
Ed Morrisey who frequently writes at Hot Air about his Catholic faith, clarifies what Wilson and the Harris campaign are trying to get across.
Forget the specific policy and just reflect on the 'argument' presented in this mini-psychodrama ... heavy on the psycho. Plank apparently wants voters to simply swallow what Whitmer is handing out on sheer adoration and loyalty. This isn't an intellectual argument for the CHIPS Act, or even for Whitmer's continued governance. This is an invitation to join a cult, brought to you by their idol, or at least one of them. Call them Gretchenologists, or perhaps Kamalites.
So much for the ongoing "republic vs democracy" debate. The Left wants to transform us into a secular theocracy. Don't ask questions, don't talk about issues -- just swallow what you're given and be grateful for it!
And say ... isn't that exactly what Team Kamala demands of voters in this cycle? Don't ask her questions, don't expect answers ... just worship The Vibe!
Remind me again which party claims to be protecting democracy and self-governance?
Catholic League President Bill Donohue was not pleased.
“Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer insulted Catholics nationwide when she intentionally ridiculed the Eucharist in a video,” Donohue wrote in a statement. He added: “There is no way to understand this stunt other than as an expression of vintage anti-Catholic bigotry. Whitmer’s team, and her allies in the media, are trying to distort what she did.”
Indeed, the Plank video is not even close to being the same as the TikTok meme fest.
“There are indeed many clips of people feeding each other on social media, but there is no reference to the CHIPS Act, nor are they eating chips. The typical video on TikTok shows one person sitting at a table, often in a restaurant, being fed — usually with a fork or spoon — by a friend,” he argued.
“None of them are kneeling. None of them are receiving food on the tongue,” he added, though it’s unclear from the video whether Plank is kneeling or not. “What Whitmer did was to deride Holy Communion. There is no wiggle room for her to deny the obvious.”
Ed Morrisey had another point about the origin of the Whitmer video.
Others rushed to defend against that interpretation by claiming -- I kid you not -- that it was only a fetish milieu from Tik-Tok and BDSM porn. Well, that's certainly a relief! The sitting governor of Michigan likes to create weird porn-influenced videos for self-promotion and promotion of Democrats and their agenda. I can't express how much better I feel as a voter and a Catholic to know that. Not to mention how much better I feel that a governor marinates in the tweeny stew of TikTok, where Beijing has its fingers firmly inserted to influence content and messaging.
Great defense, everyone!
Indeed.
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