The Left’s Political Playbook: Projection And Deflection
30th September 2025
In hockey, it is routine for a defenseman to project a slap shot from the blue line into a crowd in front of the net. The hope is that his or her teammate’s stick—or, inadvertently, an opponent’s body—will deflect the puck, alter its course, and steer it past a goaltender who is moving in the opposite direction and, thus, has little chance to make a save. While not a fan of soccer (a.k.a. “football”), I suppose this play has its equivalent in other sports, where the kick is projected toward the goal and a teammate “heads” the ball into the net past the flailing goalkeeper.
Speaking of projection, deflection, and kicks to the head, this routine maneuver undoubtedly constitutes page one of the left’s political playbook. The question is whether the right can keep their eye on the puck and prevent the left from firing unfounded shots into the electoral scrum and, abetted by a gaggle of media milling about the goal crease, scoring partisan points and winning elections through projection and deflection.