Does a MAGA hat disqualify you from office?

[Greed and Death]

There thread's title question is a bit misleading given what the OP is actually asking. A more accurate title would have been "Does a MAGA hat make you look bad to the public?", to which my answer would be "maybe, specially if you're not even American". I mean, if you're not an American citizen and you own a MAGA hat, my first instinct, without any further provided context, would be to assume that your politics are probably cucked.

He took Clinton stuff as well.

So he is a collector not a side taker.

[Liriena]

There thread's title question is a bit misleading given what the OP is actually asking. A more accurate title would have been "Does a MAGA hat make you look bad to the public?", to which my answer would be "maybe, specially if you're not even American". I mean, if you're not an American citizen and you own a MAGA hat, my first instinct, without any further provided context, would be to assume that your politics are probably cucked.

He took Clinton stuff as well.

Even worse.

[Drongonia]

There thread's title question is a bit misleading given what the OP is actually asking. A more accurate title would have been "Does a MAGA hat make you look bad to the public?", to which my answer would be "maybe, specially if you're not even American". I mean, if you're not an American citizen and you own a MAGA hat, my first instinct, without any further provided context, would be to assume that your politics are probably cucked.

If you could come up with a snappy thread title that conveys that I might change it, but to be fair the media pouncing on him and attempting to make a mountain out of a molehill here could be seen as them trying to sway public opinion to get him so unpopular he has no chance (basically disqualifying).

[Nobel Hobos 2]

There thread's title question is a bit misleading given what the OP is actually asking. A more accurate title would have been "Does a MAGA hat make you look bad to the public?", to which my answer would be "maybe, specially if you're not even American". I mean, if you're not an American citizen and you own a MAGA hat, my first instinct, without any further provided context, would be to assume that your politics are probably cucked.

If you could come up with a snappy thread title that conveys that I might change it, but to be fair the media pouncing on him and attempting to make a mountain out of a molehill here could be seen as them trying to sway public opinion to get him so unpopular he has no chance (basically disqualifying).

You must be aware that starting this thread has resulted in another fifty hits or so, vindicating the New Zealand Herald in their attempt to make a mountain out of Todd Muller's molehill?

Another small point. In the OP you said Muller self-describes as "a bit of an American politics junkie" but in the NZH article it says "a US politics nut". "Nut" is clearly less derogatory than "junkie" ... do you think they might have edited after a complaint?

[Drongonia]

this thread has resulted in another fifty hits or so, vindicating the New Zealand Herald in their attempt to make a mountain out of Todd Muller's molehill?

Yes, that's true. But the NZ Herald weren't the only media outlet to make the points featured in the article, so I see it as relatively insignificant.

Another small point. In the OP you said Muller self-describes as "a bit of an American politics junkie" but in the NZH article it says "a US politics nut". "Nut" is clearly less derogatory than "junkie" ... do you think they might have edited after a complaint?

Perhaps. The phrasing is still in this Newshub article, and apparently the quote was taken from an interview with them.

Muller defended owning the hat during an interview on Newshub Nation on Saturday, saying he's just "a little bit of an American political junkie", which is why he has it.

[Forsher]

Or just a foreign country which is pretty much a given if you are a small country.

Either way, it's just in the 'kind of looks bad' category. Nothing worth any reaction beside a roll of the eyes, certainly not a news story, much less actual backlash.

Pay attention to what makes the news here. This is highly newsworthy. Remember this thread? Guess what it's based on! Ding! Ding! "National News"

That being said... of course there's a manufactured element to the story. It's mostly just old news that's become more relevant now its subject is more relevant. A bit like, incidentally, how everyone discovered the gun laws here didn't do what I daresay most of us assumed until it was made horribly clear.

That being said... I do think the content of this story is really fucking weird, regardless of the way that (the honestly very left leaning) Spinoff originally treated it (i.e. barely acknowledging it). The way Muller equates having a MAGA hat with having a Clinton badge is disturbing. There's a world of difference between saying, for example, "Look, I collect shit. I've got a MAGA hat, a Clinton badge and [some arbitrary third thing]" and saying:

"I got one of those, and I got a Hillary Clinton badge. I've got them both in my office. But for some reason, the Hillary Clinton badge never gets looked at. Everyone sees the MAGA cap and somehow reaches a conclusion that perhaps is where my sympathies lie."

Firstly, of course people notice the hat more. It's a giant red hat! Not a badge. Secondly, particularly given the size difference, there's a defensive tone in here... and that tells you both that Muller knows what he's doing strange and that he thinks there's an equivalence to draw between Clinton and Trump. Thirdly, it's obvious that Muller's aware of the problems the hat causes but has decided to keep his wall in his office anyway. When he's at work, in other words, he has a giant reminder of... Trumpian politics (remember that defensiveness?).

As to the question of whether or not a politician could say, "look I collect shit"... I really don't think people would give a fuck about that.

Another small point. In the OP you said Muller self-describes as "a bit of an American politics junkie" but in the NZH article it says "a US politics nut". "Nut" is clearly less derogatory than "junkie" ... do you think they might have edited after a complaint?

I don't think that's true.

Calling someone a nut is literally describing them as insane.

Drugs imagery, in contrast, is completely mundane. Consider the expression mainlining or getting a fix. All it indicates is being particularly interested in something... nut implies a level of obsession and detachment from reality.

It's certainly not "clearly less derogatory".