Lede
When the line is “I am so proud of myself,” the subject is not the country.

What does not make sense

• Pride without a list of delivered fixes.
• Speeches about glory while basics crack.
• “Only I can fix it”, after years in charge.
• Headlines chasing the quote, not the record.
• Fans fed on mood, not measures.

The sketch

• Scene one: The podium. “I am so proud of myself!” The crowd roars. Bullet points: none.
• Scene two: A White House wall of mirrors. The brief says “jobs, rights, allies.” The marker pens stay capped.
• Scene three: A voter opens the fridge. It is not impressed by pride.

What to watch, not the show

• Jobs, prices, rights, alliances. Pick numbers. Track them.
• Who benefits from the boast? Spoiler: It is rarely you.
• Policy that survives court, not press night.

The Hermit take

Pride is free. Delivery is not. Count what matters, and say where it came from.

Keep or toss

Toss the chest-beating. Keep the receipts.

Sources

Video clip: “I am so proud of myself.”