Chip Minemyer: For a small donation -- or a big one -- that perfect gift is yours

Nov. 27—Brandon is everywhere.

At political rallies, in local advertising and even proudly displayed in the student section of a recent high school football game.

Now you can have your very own T-shirt, compliments of ex-president Donald Trump.

Well, for a donation of $45.

Or a lot more.

What a fantastic Christmas gift idea! Do they come in green?

In a recent email solicitation, "Team Trump" usurped the popular phrase "Let's go, Brandon" — which has become an anti-Joe Biden rallying cry — as a fundraising opportunity.

Fundraising for what? Well, that remains to be seen.

"Team Trump" wrote:

"You've probably heard it being chanted anywhere patriotic Americans get together. Well now, President Trump has put America's favorite new phrase on a custom shirt. That's right. President Trump has just authorized the release of his brand-new, limited-edition "LET'S GO BRANDON" shirts, and he wants YOU to have one."

Me? Wow!

How bad does the ex-president want "patriotic Americans" to have that shirt?

"Please contribute $45 or more IMMEDIATELY to claim your limited-edition "LET'S GO BRANDON" shirt ..."

The pitch: "Whether you're at a concert, football game, or just out for a walk in the park, you're probably going to hear someone say 'LET'S GO BRANDON.' Now you can have a shirt to match."

Yes, probably.

You can click in the email and to "CONTRIBUTE $250, CONTRIBUTE $100, CONTRIBUTE $75, CONTRIBUTE $45, CONTRIBUTE ANY AMOUNT."

Of course, you needed to act RIGHT NOW.

The solicitation said: "We are already experiencing an overwhelming amount of demand for President Trump's new 'LET'S GO BRANDON' shirts, so we can only hold yours for another 15 minutes. Do not miss out on your opportunity to own one of these limited-edition shirts."

As you probably know, "Let's go, Brandon" is vocal camouflage for those who really want to chant "F--- Joe Biden!" — a dog-whistle employed to fire up folks who oppose the current administration and especially mandates connected to COVID-19.

The craze germinated after an Oct. 2 NASCAR race at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama, where driver Brandon Brown had just won for the first time in the Xfinity Series.

Brown was being interviewed by NBC sports reporter Kelli Stavast, as a crowd that had gathered behind him shouted that obscenity aimed at the president.

(That same colorful phrase could be heard during the telecast of Penn State's football game Oct. 9 at Iowa. Hope the kids in the children's hospital next door weren't listening.)

The NBC reporter interviewing Brown suggested that, gee, the fans must have been chanting "Let's go, Brandon." Sure.

And a movement was born.

The phrase — "Let's go, Brandon," not the other one — has been employed in official settings by Republican elected officials, including U.S. Rep. Bill Posey of Florida and Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas. Southwest Airlines investigated reports of one of its pilots uttering the line over the loudspeaker.

Social media posts claim that the Anti-Defamation League labeled the phrase as hate speech, which might be a bit extreme.

But the phrase clearly has become a political and social phenomenon — even spawning a rap song by artist Loza Alexander that hit the charts.

And now the ex-president and apparent future candidate for something is cashing in on the craze.

Hey, no need to look further in filling my Christmas shopping list.

I'm told you can even get "Let's go, Brandon" on a coronavirus mask.

How's that for some holiday irony?

Chip Minemyer is the editor and general manager of The Tribune-Democrat and TribDem.com, GM of The Times-News of Cumberland, Md., and CNHI regional editor for Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia and North Carolina. He can be reached at 814-532-5091. Follow him on Twitter @MinemyerChip.