‘A Document That Could Harm Both Animals and Democracy’

Kenan Thompson took to the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday night, using humor and sharp commentary to troll Republicans and their Project 2025 agenda. The comedian, known for his long-running stint on Saturday Night Live, made a dramatic entrance carrying a hefty “big old book” version of Project 2025.

The crowd responded with boos as Thompson explained what the book represented: a conservative blueprint for a potential second term for Donald Trump. “Yeah, yeah – boo!” Thompson chuckled. “You ever seen a document that could kill a small animal and democracy at the same time?” he joked.

With a sense of irony, Thompson likened Project 2025 to the lengthy terms and conditions of an app that no one actually reads before agreeing to. “Well, these are the terms and conditions of a second Trump presidency. You vote for him, you vote for all of this – let’s take a look!” he said, dramatically slamming the book down on a table.

After a brief interruption due to technical difficulties, Thompson was joined by a woman named Becky on a screen behind him. Becky shared that she had been married to her wife for about eight years, a revelation that prompted Thompson to offer some bad news. Turning to page 584 of Project 2025, Thompson read out that the agenda calls for the “elimination of protections for LGBTQ+ Americans,” earning another round of boos from the audience.

“So yeah, right back to the Stone Age,” he quipped, emphasizing the regressive nature of the proposal.

Thompson then spoke with Anita, an OBGYN, pointing out that her profession would face grim consequences under Project 2025. Anita agreed, anticipating bad news as Thompson sifted through the book’s pages. He confirmed that Project 2025 would aim to “ban abortion nationwide and throw healthcare providers in jail.”

Next, Thompson spoke to Sharia, a proud civil servant in the Department of Education. He highlighted that Project 2025 seeks to “purge” federal agencies of anyone who isn’t a MAGA loyalist and eliminate the Department of Education altogether.

Thompson used the opportunity to remind the audience that Project 2025 is a “real document” accessible online, including on Kamala Harris’s website. He urged the audience to prevent its implementation by electing Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States.

Project 2025 is a comprehensive blueprint laying out policies and proposals for a potential second Trump term should he win the upcoming presidential election. The document includes measures such as cutting Social Security, banning access to the abortion pill, and rescinding protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, and sex characteristics.

The blueprint is spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation and backed by over a dozen former Trump administration officials. Despite Trump publicly distancing himself from Project 2025, claiming at a recent rally, “I don’t know anything about it, I don’t want to know anything about it,” numerous former Trump officials have contributed to its development. Moreover, his running mate JD Vance wrote the foreword to the Project 2025 leader’s new book.

Russell Vought, one of the project’s leaders and the former head of the Office of Management and Budget in the latter half of the Trump administration, recently told undercover reporters that Trump is “very supportive” of their efforts. Vought is also being considered as a potential chief of staff should Trump secure a second term.

Source: AP