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Trump praises fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter during rally speech (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 4 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

64 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Ex-president calls Hopkins’ cannibalistic Lecter ‘late, great’ while condemning ‘people who are being released into our country’

Donald Trump on Saturday praised fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter “as a wonderful man” before segueing into comments disparaging people who have immigrated into the US without permission.

The former president’s remarks to political rally-goers in Wildwood, New Jersey, as he challenges Joe Biden’s re-election in November were a not-so-subtle rhetorical bridge exalting Anthony Hopkins’ cannibalistic Lecter in Silence of the Lambs as “late [and] great” while simultaneously condemning “people who are being released into our country that we don’t want”.

Trump delivered his address to an estimated crowd of about 80,000 supporters under the shadow of the Great White roller coaster in a 1950s-kitsch seaside resort 90 miles (144.8km) south of Philadelphia.

The occasion served for Trump to renew his stated admiration for Lecter, as he’s done before, after the actor Mads Mikkleson – who previously portrayed Lecter in a television series – once described Trump as “a fresh wind for some people”.

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[–] [email protected] 39 points 4 months ago (11 children)

The article didn't have the full quote, so here it is:

Silence of the Lambs. Has anyone ever seen The Silence of the Lambs? The late, great Hannibal Lecter is a wonderful man. He often times would have a friend for dinner. Remember the last scene? ‘Excuse me. I’m about to have a friend for dinner,’ as this poor doctor walked by. ‘I’m about to have a friend for dinner.’ But Hannibal Lecter. Congratulations. The late, great Hannibal Lecter. We have people who are being released into our country that we don’t want in our country, and they’re coming in totally unchecked, totally unvetted.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 4 months ago (3 children)

I’m honestly baffled as to why a movie character would even come up in a political speech, much less this incoherently.

And yes, it’s a quote, it’s a funny line… why is he using it? It’s utterly silly. I’m also confused by the ‘late, great’ as if this was an actual person who had died, as opposed to a fictional character who hasn’t died in any book, movie or show I’m familiar with. And Anthony Hopkins is very much alive as well, as is writer Thomas Harris.

It doesn’t make any… goddamn… sense.

Please don’t elect this guy again.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (3 children)

Apparently this isn't the first time that he has related illegal immigrants to Hannibal. I'm not sure what he means by this - is he implying they're cannibals?

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Heck, maybe he’s hoping Hannibal Lecter likes Mexican food, if you know what I mean.

God only knows what Trump’s thinking. Though he’s likely to be as confused as the rest of us mere mortals…

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

The right wing brain worms had a recent hate orgy about Haitians and cannibalism, so it's probably that. This dipshit can only reach the lowest hanging fruits.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

He was just watching the movie on the flight to the rally.

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[–] [email protected] 24 points 4 months ago (2 children)

I think reading that is giving me dementia...

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago (2 children)

The brain worms are having a feast again.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago

It would be sad if an elderly family member started talking this way. The fact that a presidential nominee is talking like this, and yet the polls are close, is a bit mind boggling.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You know, usually if I try hard I can kinda figure out how his rambling stream of consciousness verbal diarrhea got from one point to another. This is just...nonsense.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (2 children)

He's trying to say that the people coming into the country are dangerous criminals, but he's done the talking points so often by now that neither he nor his audience need the connective tissue between the ideas.

"Oh, now he's doing the Hannibal Lecter bit? Yeah, screw illegals or whatever."

They have their own coded language at this point where as Trump slips more and more into dementia they still understand what their adoptive hate spewing neo-Nazi grandpa dictator is talking about.

"And then the blargabaghehhhh...."

"Exactly. Fuck the blargabaghehhhh...."

Edit: I don't think I'll ever stop laughing when I see that clip, btw.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

That seemed more like a drug orgasm then a brain fart

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Here's the video. In context, it doesn't make a whole lot more sense than what's in the article. Here's a story that goes into the other more coherent things he said which are actually a good bit worse.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I don't know which one is actually worse.

A nostalgia themed glamourizing of brutality right next to "unwanted people". No explanation of how those two things connect, so all that stays is the association.

Kind of on a neuro-marketing like level of discours (just strenghtening your associations by creating emotions or atmosphere) he is mobilizing violence against immigrants. (And normalizing violence as a means of governing in general)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

(And normalizing violence as a means of governing in general)

Yeah. I think as his dementia is getting more pronounced, his general admiration for people who kill you if you disagree with them is getting more explicit and weirdly specific and he's talking about it a lot more openly.

It's hard to tell even what the hell he means when he's talking about Hannibal Lecter. That's the only reason I say it's worse when he's talking about deporting protestors, because it's very clear what he means and it has more of a pathway to becoming reality. But I agree; my best guess when he talks about Hannibal Lecter and Al Capone is simply that he's playing it straight -- he admires someone who can casually talk about murdering other people, and aspires to be like that, because that means strength.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Wait is he advocating for the eating of immigrants?

Are these dependent or independent thoughts?

Also he does know Hannibal Lecter is fictional right?

And literally no person on the planet can give definitive answers.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Also, does he understand the double meaning of "having a friend for dinner"?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

If he didn't get the rest of it. No way he got that part.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago

This is like early versions of LLMs hallucinating.

EDIT: I feel I need to apologize to LLMs for this comparison.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Does he... Does he just not know what referring to someone as "the late, great whatever" means? Does he just like the sound of the rhyme?

How do people in his audience come away from rallies like this one and go, "Yep, that's the guy who should be president"? Are they as brain-damaged as him?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Well apparently a lot of people didn't come to hear what he said, they left during the speech...

https://twitter.com/aliyareports/status/1789435508822561181

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Never been to any political rally or event, but do people actually stay during the whole thing usually? People leave early during baseball games to beat the traffic, even if they like baseball or the match.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (2 children)

This is the nuclear speech all over again.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

No this is somehow weirder. He seems to be confusing movies and real people, and possibly thinking it’s still the 1980s, when silence is the lambs was popular.

Like mid stage Alzheimer’s dementia.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

newculer

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 4 months ago (2 children)

People are focused on the nonsense he’s spouting and I’m reading the full article and notice the quoted 62 year old Kelly Carter-Currier who proclaims if the right person doesn’t win, then we’re looking at WW3. Why are you waiting for a democratic process to happen when you’re not willing to accept the results unless its what you want? To which, you’re going to have a war to get it? JUST START THE FUCKING WAR. Or you know, shut up and let the rest of us that are actually wanting a better America (world) for everyone and not its current form where corporations and billionaires “win” while a majority of people work 3 jobs so they can afford to eat and sleep.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

The war has already begun, but one side doesn't want to recognize or believe that while the other readies it's battle plans.

The Republicans have no interest in the Democratic process anymore, only insurrection and chaos.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

Because they're not going to start a war. It's just chest beating from them. Shit has gotta get a lot lot worse for even the thought of a civil war to be seriously thought about. We're not even close to it, people are still fed, clothed, housed and they still have jobs and their TV's and entertainment...no one is starting a war.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 4 months ago

How much d'you want to bet that Putin was waxing lyrical to him about Hannibal (the Carthaginian General and great military tactician), and the ignorant fuckwit assumed he meant Lecter?

Edit: typo.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I know the answer already, but does he not know that Hannibal is canonically a Lithuanian immigrant??

[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Does it matter when the immigrant is white? My money is on those immigrants being the "good ones"

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I can't remember, is Lithuania on Trump's "shithole" list?

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 months ago (1 children)

80,000 ~~supporters~~ idiots.

Fixed.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Read on a bit, the crowd thinned considerably as Trump was talking. He appears to be losing ground with people for his verbal diarrhea. We only need to hope its enough people either not voting or voting for biden.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

I'm telling you folks, another great man persecuted by the democrats and fake news media. Clarice, what a vile woman. It gets the hose again she said.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

He could be signaling to some cult or secret society that he will literally let them eat people if he wins (/s)

Or he’s signaling to his base that they should go all Brevik and kill brown and black people (not /s)

Or he has dementia (also not /s)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

Late and great? Lecter hasn't died in fiction thus far

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

Oh no, is Joe Biden going to take away my night vision goggles and fill in the well I keep my prisoners in too? WHO'S GOUNG TO FUCK ME??

Oh that's right. I'd fuck me. I'd fuck me so hard.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Donnie Diapers needs a diaper change..

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

When do we find out that Ronald McDonald has a worm in his brain?

Also: was BrainDead cancelled because it was just a little too real?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Again? This isn't the first time he's brought him up and praised him.

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