Thread by @jinpeili

CCTV FOLLIES 10/28 (AM) Xi does Yanan

-Xi drags the politburo on a guided tour of the holy land
-Only matter of time before Xi's mug replaces that of Mao at Tiananmen Square
-Retro behavior modeled after emperors of old
-Russia invading and pounding Ukraine okay with Beijing

Yanan is an obsession of Xi Jinping. Mao jailed and humiliated his father, Xi Zhongzun, but the red, red son can't get enough of the Mao juice.

Xi speaks off the cuff, and the politburo listens.
Hands hanging loose on the side. It's important to adopt tics and body language of the boss. It shows loyalty.

Tour mostly consists of Xi pointing at things.

Checking the mattress for firmness
Listening to boss teacher like little school boys.
Tea anyone?

Pyongyang vibes

Xi seems to like museums. Especially those with bright colors, 3-D exhibits and dioramas.

Applause everywhere all the time is the new normal.
Is hand-clapping of this kind originally a Western thing?
Today it's adulation with N. Korean characteristics.

The leaders.

Get it?

Rapt attention called for in between long bouts of applause. Advanced age no excuse for lapses in the CCP's steely etiquette.

Ask Hu Jintao

North Korean heebie-jeebies.

It's the morning news, what better time to advertise the strong stuff? Distilleries see a bright future under Xi.

And over to you Igor, for objective news from the front, as dictated by Moscow.

Russian high-tech attacks (left) are matched by retro views of Ukraine fighting back in foxholes.

And now, CCTV presents....
Vlad the invader. (only kidding)
But, hey. Putin has a sense of humor.
He is asked about his nuclear threats and makes a joke about it.
Ha-ha.

The news closes the usual way. Heartfelt pity for the gas-deprived denizens of Europe, schadenfreude about gun violence in the US, and, will you look at that? Starvation in Africa which somehow can be traced to brutal US sanctions on Russia.

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