When Red Meat Becomes Rotten Rhetoric: Tulsi Gabbard’s Desperate Reach

These are strange times for American politics, where volume often replaces value and drama overshadows decency. Watching Tulsi Gabbard accuse Barack Obama of a “treasonous conspiracy” feels like witnessing someone throw a torch into a dry forest just to see something burn. And for what? Political relevance? A speaking slot at the next extremist rally? Or simply another attempt to serve “red meat” to a base that’s become addicted to outrage more than truth?

Let’s talk about what’s really going on—and why what Gabbard’s pushing reeks of desperation.

The Accusation That Echoes Hollow

Tulsi Gabbard, once a Democratic congresswoman and military veteran, now floats in the ideological in-between—a sort of political mercenary, appearing on right-wing media more often than veterans groups or policy discussions. Her latest? Claiming that President Obama engaged in a “treasonous conspiracy” to undermine America’s security, tied to what she paints as a covert abuse of power through surveillance and foreign policy.

Now, I’ve worn the uniform. I know what treason is. And I also know what it’s not. You don’t accuse people of betraying their country because they took a policy route you disagreed with or followed intelligence protocols that happened to make you uncomfortable. You don’t twist national discourse because you’re chasing likes and angry claps from the crowd.

Obama the Traitor? That Dog Won’t Hunt

Let’s ground this absurdity with facts, something Gabbard conveniently skips over. Barack Obama, like every modern president, oversaw intelligence and security operations through legal channels already written into law post-9/11. If Gabbard has evidence of a genuine “conspiracy,” she should present it in court, not spill it out in podcast soundbites or in orchestrated interviews designed to go viral.

But truth isn’t the game here—performance is. She’s not looking to expose real wrongdoing; she’s lighting rhetorical flames for the applause of those already convinced that the system is irredeemable and only they hold the truth.

Playing to the Gallery: Red Meat vs. Responsible Leadership

This is what we’re witnessing: a once-promising figure scrambling to stay relevant by amplifying conspiracy theories. In the days of my service, we used to say, “You don’t disrespect the chain of command or the Constitution just to make a headline.” But that’s the very thing happening here. Gabbard isn’t challenging decades-old policy decisions with civil critique—she’s running full tilt into character assassination without needing, or wanting, to prove anything.

The Real Cost of Such Talk

What she’s doing isn’t just dishonest—it’s dangerous. Distrust in institutions, especially those protecting our national security, already runs deep. Veterans like myself—black, brown, white, all colors—have worked in those systems, and we’ve also seen them fail. We push for change not through sensationalism, but through sustained advocacy and honor.

When someone shouts “treason!” without proof, they’re not strengthening democracy. They’re weakening our ability to heal, to trust, and to fight the right battles—the real ones we’re facing every day in our communities.

Ask the Real Questions, Fight the Real Fights

Tulsi, I’ve seen pain and betrayal up close—from VA hospital neglect to systemic indifference in housing departments and beyond. If you want to talk about betrayal, how about the betrayal of veterans waiting months for care? Or families evicted while Wall Street flips houses with impunity?

That’s the battlefield we need warriors on. Leaders. Not provocateurs trying to reclaim spotlight with empty accusations under the guise of patriotism.

There’s Honor in Truth—Not Clickbait

America is bleeding in ways that can’t be healed by throwing political molotovs. We need people willing to show up—who understand what service really means, in uniform and beyond. Gabbard had that reputation once. She had a seat at the table. But somewhere along the way, chasing clout became more important than chasing justice.

Final Thought: Let’s Save Accountability for the Real Offenders

I know what it’s like to be angry at institutions. To feel betrayed not just by politicians, but by systems that disregard the very people they claim to protect. But the answer was never to inflame and demean—it was to dig in, demand truth, and stay grounded in reality.

To those following Tulsi Gabbard down this rabbit hole, I ask you: what would it mean *if* this narrative were true? And if it’s not—and the evidence shows time and again that it’s not—then who is really benefitting from this drama? Not us. Not the veteran still trying to receive mental health care