The Sound of Silence

By Joseph Catena

Shhh. Listen closely. Did you hear that?

Neither did anyone else.

That was the eerie silence from Abigail Spanberger’s response to the sadistic texts that fellow Democrat and Virginia’s candidate for attorney general, Jay Jones, sent regarding a political foe, along with his foe’s wife and small children. The woman who strives to be Virginia’s next governor had nothing to say about violence towards tots.

It was the lowlight in her debate against Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears.

Jones’ disturbing fantasies about shooting former Virginia House Speaker, Todd Gilbert, with ”two bullets to the head” was reprehensible enough. That was until he turned it up a notch and brought Gilbert’s wife in and gushed about her watching their two small children – “little fascists” – die in her arms. Jones’ rhetoric was as low as could be. There is no apology that can make anyone forget what he said. Even as time passes, Jay Jones can never take back what he said, and it will surely result in a permanent stain on his political epitaph.

To witness Spanberger’s silent response was chilling in its own way. Lt. Gov. Sears could not get an answer, even as she pleaded, “Abigail? Abigail?” Spanberger’s icy, stoic stare was as unshakable as it was unfathomable. It was as if someone whispered in her ear, “Move and I’ll shoot.” No pun intended. Sears even reminded her that she has young children of her own, as she attempted to put her in Jennifer Wishon Gilbert’s shoes.

Nothing.

What the public did hear was a slew of psychobabble pardons from various Democrat officials, who specialize in psychobabble. Illinois Governor and presidential wannabe J.B. Pritzker offered absolution. After all, Jones did apologize and deserves forgiveness, according to Pritzker.

“If you’re making comments repeatedly that are like that, no doubt that was an offensive thing to write,” the governor bloviated.

And just to show that he is such a forgiving guy, J.B. donated $20,000 to Jones’ hazardous campaign. After all, Jay’s perverse vision of children perishing in their loving mother’s arms was only spewed once. It’s not as though he said it over and over.

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin reminded voters that Jones said he was very sorry to the Gilberts and to voters in the commonwealth, and he has taken responsibility for his reprehensible quotes. The chairman even pivoted and attempted to put the focus on the race.

“I believe in free and fair elections, and Virginia voters are the ones that will have to make this decision,” Martin said. “Virginians will make a final decision on who they want to be their next attorney general.”

Virginia’s U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, offered this weak excuse, “The comments are completely indefensible. I’ve known Jay Jones for 25 years, and those comments are very much out of character. So if I put the comments, which are clearly beyond the pale, against knowing this guy for 25 years, I’m still supporting Jay Jones.”

Well, thank God Tim Kaine put perspective on this! If he, the almighty senator and failed 2016 vice presidential candidate, can put this aside, then what is your problem? And that goes for you too, Gilberts!

Shhh. Listen closely. Did you hear that?

That was the blissful silence of the two most powerful Democrats, Minority Leaders Rep. Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Chuck Schumer, both of New York. Their silence poses a dual problem. Neither man has endorsed their party’s latest trend, New York City Mayoral candidate and frontrunner, Zohran Mamdani, the avowed socialist, who has promised to cut police funding, punish whom he considers wealthy with a property grab, globalize the intifada, institute government-run grocery stores, and a man who has associated himself with radical Islamic leaders near and far who call for the imprisonment of gay, lesbian, and trans people. The non-endorsement will undoubtedly harm the two “leaders” with their woke base. It is widely speculated that Schumer will face a primary challenge in 2028 by the darling of the radicals, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Conversely, Schumer and Jeffries also showed cowardice by not speaking out against the antisemitic mayor-to-be. How can these “leaders” in America’s most Jewish city – one of them a Jew! – not scold the shallow, spoiled nepo baby who drips political bubble snot? This makes Chuck and Hakeem look wimpy and listless, and it weakens their support with moderates and even those who are classic centrists and liberals. If only Ed Koch were around to excoriate these cowards and tell them to act like Democrats instead of jackasses.

Here is what Jeffries did say in his best politicalese: “I have not refused to endorse. I refuse to articulate my position and I will momentarily, at some point, in advance of early voting.” Maybe it was better when he kept his mouth shut.

Shhh. Listen closely. Did you hear that? Neither did New Jersey’s most powerful Democrats.

Surely they couldn’t have, or they would have vociferously defended Marlboro Board of Education member, Danielle Bellomo. They would defend the rights of any woman, especially a woman who had derogatory sexual comments made about her and who was the main subject in a violent group text called “ThisB****NeedsToDie.” Unfortunately, Bellomo isn’t the right kind of woman. She is a 38-year-old MAGA-loving mother of three, who espouses conservative values.

She doesn’t count.

The demented purveyor of this alleged propaganda was none other than someone running for a board seat, Scott Semaya. Semaya eventually ended his campaign. However, another person allegedly in this group chat was Chad Hyett, vice president of the Marlboro school board. Hyett refuses to step away from his position. Hyett was lambasted at a recent board meeting by numerous Marlboro parents and residents, many who called for his ouster. The township’s Democrat Mayor Jonathan Horn had the decency to denounce the sadistic verbiage and stated, “those responsible are clearly not equipped to hold public office.”

One would think that Democrat gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill, a fellow female, would stand in solidarity with Bellomo. Not a word. She would rather give a tepid endorsement to Mamdani and talk about real women’s rights, like abortion up until the moment before birth, because that’s what Garden State ladies really care about. But Governor Phil Murphy, who Sherrill hopes to succeed, must have given a good tongue lashing to Hyett and call for his resignation, especially because adults like Hyett should never be anywhere near children, much less decide on their curriculum. Maybe the governor, who champions himself as a fierce advocate for women’s rights, was out of the country that day spending time in his 23-room mansion in Tarrano, Italy.

One more time.

Shhh. Listen closely. Did you hear that?

This one sounds a lot louder. It’s the stampede of voters running as far away from the Democrat party as they can.