Hating Trump was never enough for the Left because it was never about the man but what he embodied — unashamedly American, unapologetically capitalist, and openly joyful in the achievements of others.

Millions of us normies who set our alarm clocks in order to watch SpaceX launches know exactly how President-elect Trump was feeling as he was fan-boying the “chopstick” capture of the Super Heavy booster.

In describing his slack-jawed amazement at watching the feat — the first stage of a Starship rocket returning to the launch tower upon coming back to Earth — Trump spoke for all us.

The various videos of the operation that witnesses have posted online never get old.

It’s not just the technical achievement — the joyous awe of spectators is itself wonderful to behold.

The other day, President-elect Trump took time off from forming his new administration to travel to South Texas with Musk to observe another test launch of Starship, and why not?

Rockets are an enduring object of human fascination, and Space X is bringing an appropriate sense of brio to one of mankind’s coolest ventures.

This is American Exceptionalism personified. Rather than the Left’s cynical and self-serving mantra of “American was never great” and decades of trying to stamp out meritocracy and heroism, while substituting a faux pride that is defined by group-identity rather than individual achievement, 2023 marks one of the few times since the Reagan era of the 1980s when Americans have stood athwart the Woke status quo and said enough.

It wasn’t just Elon Musk’s teaming up with Trump that brought out the worst knee-jerk calls of the Left to “cancel Musk”. It has been his achievements and the risks and gambles he’s taken along the way. All accompanied with a very American sense of joyous swagger and confidence.

American popular culture in film and print has always produced such characters. One of the quintessential was the American cowboy and embodied by actor John Wayne. But as many of the children of the Greatest and Silent generations came of age, Wayne was mocked, derided and rejected. We even elected a President whose wife explicitly said she was ‘never proud of America’.

And as our new Cultural Betters decided to shape the New Soviet American non-binary, gender-fluid they/them, even fictional characters too white/male/heroic (and especially American) were to be struck or recast in remakes. Sensitivity readers became a thing in publishing. The swagger of Han Solo after he shot first in Star Wars? The sacrifices of Rick Blain in Casablanca or Tom Doniphon in Who Shot Liberty Valance? The dogged determination (and change of heart) of Ethan Edwards in The Searchers? The flawed, reluctant man facing circumstances he’d rather not get involved with, but who does the right thing anyway.

As Bruce Willis’ character says in Live Free or Die Hard:

John McClane : You know what you get for being a hero? Nothin’. You get shot at. You get a little pat on the back, blah, blah, blah, attaboy. You get divorced. Your wife can’t remember your last name. Your kids don’t want to talk to you. You get to eat a lot of meals by yourself. Trust me, kid, nobody wants to be that guy.

Matt Farrell : Then why you doing this?

John McClane : Because there’s no body else to do it right now, that’s why. Believe me, if there were somebody else to do it, I’d let them do it, but there’s not. So we’re doing it.

Matt Farrell : Ah. That’s what makes you that guy

And recall how nasty some of the professional critics were about “Top Gun: Maverick” and realize how much they hate the normies who crowded the theaters, cheered the screen and went back to see it multiple times. Swagger triumphed over cynicism.

When this happened six years ago —

— as God and Robert Heinlein intended … the only carping and pearl clutching came from the usual suspects on the Left. And the ensuing years have not changed their minds about Musk. Indeed, calls to strip him of his companies and imprison him reached fever pitch during the run up to Nov. 5th. Even the California Coastal Commission decided that Musk was just too American for their taste and SpaceX should be gelded.

We are a flawed nation because we are flawed human beings. Yet flaws don’t negate good behavior nor heroic acts. John Wayne’s characters were not too far removed from how he lived his life. Many dismissed his acting abilities for that exact reason — but it also lent a certain authenticity that delighted audiences far and wide. And this included his love of country and basic decency.

Wayne supported Richard Nixon for President in the 1960 election. But as a patriotic and humble American he stated upon JFK’s victory …

“I didn’t vote for him, but he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.”

May we all take a page from John Wayne.

Now excuse me, I think I’ll go put The Quiet Man in the disc player.

featured image original composite graphic by Darleen Click