Ex-president calls Hopkinsā€™ cannibalistic Lecter ā€˜late, greatā€™ while condemning ā€˜people who are being released into our countryā€™

Donald Trump on Saturday praised fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter ā€œas a wonderful manā€ before segueing into comments disparaging people who have immigrated into the US without permission.

The former presidentā€™s remarks to political rally-goers in Wildwood, New Jersey, as he challenges Joe Bidenā€™s re-election in November were a not-so-subtle rhetorical bridge exalting Anthony Hopkinsā€™ cannibalistic Lecter in Silence of the Lambs as ā€œlate [and] greatā€ while simultaneously condemning ā€œpeople who are being released into our country that we donā€™t wantā€.

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 heā€™s done before, after the actor Mads Mikkleson ā€“ who previously portrayed Lecter in a television series ā€“ once described Trump as ā€œa fresh wind for some peopleā€.

  • mommykink@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Is there a transcript for the full speech anywhere? Iā€™m not going to listen to audio of Trump talking but this article feels like itā€™s doing a bit of cherry picking.

    • Diplomjodler@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      The full quote is given in another comment. And no, it doesnā€™t make any sense whatsoever, even by Donnieā€™s lofty standards.

      • barooboodoo (he/him)@lemm.ee
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        6 months ago

        Iā€™m honestly flabbergasted that after a decade of insane Trump quotes people still think context will make them any less insane.

        • Kalkaline @leminal.space
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          6 months ago

          Itā€™s important to give the full quotes because it further establishes that Trump and Biden are not equivalent. Biden will stumble over his words from time to time while making a coherent thought while Trump is confusing asylum with Silence of the Lambs.

          • barooboodoo (he/him)@lemm.ee
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            6 months ago

            I agree completely, Iā€™m more referring to OP saying they might be cherry picking. Journalists always try to generously interpret his ramblings instead of pretending like anyone with half a brain is reading their articles and making up their mind for themselves.

    • AFK BRB Chocolate@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      This comment has the whole quote. Itā€™s usually a mistake to try and make sense out of what he says, but it kind of looks like heā€™s trying to invoke the image of the cannibalistic serial killer and then saying thatā€™s the kind of criminal weā€™re releasing.

    • tsonfeir@lemm.ee
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      6 months ago

      I canā€™t seem to find audio or video on that link (mobile). So itā€™s even worse to hear someone talk about it but not give any sources.