Rudy Giuliani's mug shot and Steve Bannon's prison sentence: Why MAGA loves to be seen as villains [View all]

Rudy Giuliani's mug shot and Steve Bannon's prison sentence: Why MAGA loves to be seen as villains
Most people see chronic criminality as a bad thing, but to the GOP base, it's something to celebrate

By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED JUNE 13, 2024 6:00AM (EDT)


(Salon) Rudy Giuliani and Steve Bannon are once again facing handcuffs and jail cells, and boy do they want people to think they are ecstatic about it.

After a judge declined to indulge more of his delay tactics and ordered Bannon to start his prison sentence on July 1, the former top Trump aide took to his popular "WarRoom" podcast to bloviate at pomposity levels heretofore unimaginable. "The purpose of this is to shut down this show because this show has become such a powerful platform for MAGA and President Trump," he declared, with maximum self-drama. Journalist Jennifer Senior described Bannon's performance for The Bulwark: "He plumped like a sponge in front of the cameras," performing "how pleased he was" at the prospect of playing up his MAGA martyrdom.

....(snip)....

As Margaret Hartmann at New York magazine wrote, Giuliani has turned himself into "a real-life Batman villain." When a reporter asked if he regrets his alleged crimes (Giuliani is charged with a scheme to steal Arizona's electoral votes and replace them with fake ones) he was gleeful. "I’m very, very proud of it!"

....(snip)....

MAGA mistakes immorality for strength. This is a common refrain with fascists and authoritarians who love to talk a big game about how they need to break some rules — and break some skulls — to get things done. That's why Gov. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., was so excited to tell that disturbing story about shooting her own dog. She portrayed it as "another unpleasant job needed to be done," as if she should be lauded for making "hard" choices that supposedly weaker people can't make. ................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2024/06/13/rudy-giulianis-mug-shot-and-steve-bannons-sentence-why-maga-loves-to-be-seen-as-villains/