Cheap Shot

Remember when characterizing entire groups of people with broad, unflattering stereotypes was considered unacceptable? Apparently the Biden administration doesn't, as evidenced by a recent Jen Psaki press briefing in which she said that the White House was trying to push their vaccine message to white conservatives by advertising on "The Deadliest Catch" (essentially a fishing show) and making outreach via Nascar and country music. 

While not specifically referenced, we assume taxpayer-funded pro-vaccination ads are also being put on confederate flags and packages of chewing tobacco, while bumper stickers ("White Trash Matters - Get The Shot") are being handed out in trailer parks.

To be clear, Stilton's Place is in favor of the vaccinations (albeit not enthusiastically). So we'd like to give Jen Psaki a little advice: rather than assume that white conservatives are all inbred hillbillies who are just too dumb or obstinate to get vaccinated, why not work on your actual messaging?

Because it's just possible that some people are resistant to the vaccine push because it's coming from people whose torrent of lies puts Niagara Falls to shame. And for that matter, it's coming from people who clearly hate white conservatives and have consistently acted against their interests. 

Or maybe it's because the Biden administration hasn't really made it clear what we can do when vaccinated that we can't do while unvaccinated? Can we gather in groups? Can we take off our masks? Can we put rusting wrecked cars on cement blocks in our front lawns and throw beer bottles into the crabgrass and then shoot at them like before the pandemic?

There could be some additional foot-dragging on getting The Shot owing to reputable stories about Covid-19 variants "breaking through" the Pfizer vaccine (although current efficacy is still high), and little "oopsies" like the discovery that the AstraZeneca vaccine can sometimes cause a potentially fatal blood clotting disorder. But, you know, only rarely. 

But really, Jen, all of these considerations can be boiled down to just one salient point: the Biden administration has no credibility among white conservatives. None. So quit throwing our hard-earned money at TV commercials which run during professional wrestling and "Beverly Hillbillies" re-runs. Instead, try giving us yokels some straight truth or, better still, just shut up.