The Coup That Was Not a Coup

Once upon a time, a newspaper editorial was a beacon of thought, a voice that carried weight and commanded respect. It was an instrument of intellect, raising unconventional ideas and stirring action towards noble goals.

Nowadays, the Bangor Daily News’ editorials bear an uncanny resemblance to the impassioned rants you might find on your boomer aunt’s Facebook page, especially after she’s indulged in a marathon of MSNBC and a bag of wine.

Here’s a suggestion for the publisher: consider replacing the entire editorial team with ChatGPT. Simply feed the OpenAI language model this prompt: “Write an opinion editorial about [insert topic here] demonstrating how Republicans are bad, Democrats are good, and Donald Trump is a mortal threat to democracy, the Constitution, human rights, the global climate, and general decency. If possible, add a tangential connection to Maine.”

This is the apparent formula for a BDN editorial. However, with the recent failed assassination attempt on former Republican President Donald Trump and the looming prospect of his likely return to the presidency, the editorial writers are increasingly losing the thread of reality. I am hesitant to use the term “Karen,” as it strikes me as an ethnic slur aimed at disparaging white women. Nonetheless, the editorial board seems to fit the caricature.

Last week, the Queen City’s intellectual giants sought to reassure their liberal readers that President Joe Biden was not ousted in a coup. To suggest that he was compelled or coerced into withdrawing from the presidential race is, in their view, toxic rhetoric.

Curiously, the writers drew a parallel between Rep. Mike Soboleski’s return to a state legislative role, after an associate held the position for him, and the conspiracy to end Biden’s re-election bid due to his perceived cognitive decline. According to the BDN, Maine Republicans should not question the undemocratic nature of the Democratic presidential nomination process because they used a placeholder candidate in Maine House District 73.

The recurring question when evaluating a BDN editorial is whether the writers are merely ill-informed or are willfully sacrificing their intellectual integrity to support their Democratic allies.

Unquestionably, Biden was compelled to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race against his wishes and against the advice of his closest advisors, including his megalomaniacal wife and crackhead son. Quibbling over the definition of a coup is a disingenuous way for the BDN’s editors to sidestep the reality of what is happening at the highest levels of their party.

Following the infamous debate, a coordinated effort unfolded in the media and Democratic circles to undermine Biden. From Jon Stewart and the New Yorker to CNN and MSNBC, the narrative that Biden was mentally unfit quickly became the liberal consensus. Subsequently, Democratic leaders coalesced around a strategy to pressure Biden into stepping down, as reported by the New York Post, Politico, and others. They pulled his funding, applied political pressure, and leaked damaging stories. Some reports even suggest that top Democratic officials threatened to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Biden from office.

Does this constitute a coup? Use whatever term you prefer, but it is neither normal nor democratic. Regardless of how the Bangor paper attempts to spin this for their dwindling readership, the reality is that a cabal of wealthy, politically connected elites—an oligarchy, if you will—has orchestrated a presidential slate without any voter input. Republicans like Donald Trump and Maine GOP Executive Director Jason Savage are justified in describing the elite conspiracy to force Biden out as a palace coup.

Instead of nitpicking GOP terminology and invoking tortured whataboutism, the Bangor paper’s editors should reflect on how it is that, after decrying Donald Trump as a threat to democracy for nearly a decade, Democrats are now rallying behind a candidate who has earned fewer presidential primary votes than Vermin Supreme.