Democrats rolled out the indignation routine this week after Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posted a spoof cover of Franklin the Turtle blasting narco-trafficking boats, but Senator Mark Kelly’s outrage reeks of political theater. Kelly lashed out, saying a man who sits in the national command authority posting “turtles with rocket-propelled grenades” is not a serious person and should be fired. The whole episode shows the party of optics would rather score headlines than defend the brave Americans who actually stop drugs at sea.

The publisher of Franklin, understandably protective of a beloved children’s character, condemned the unauthorized use of the image — and no one is accusing a national security chief of literary taste. Still, the left’s immediate pivot to moral high ground ignores a basic fact: cartoons don’t kill cartels, bad actors do. Americans who see fentanyl flowing across our borders want results, not sanctimony from senators.

Kelly’s theatrics were amplified by cable and social media, with Democrats and NeverTrump commentators treating the meme like proof of an existential crisis in national defense. Kelly himself called Hegseth “not a serious person” and argued the post was another reason the secretary should be removed from office — a dramatic demand for headline hunters. If the standard for “serious” is how many tweets you dislike, Washington is in far worse shape than the critics admit.

Glenn Beck rightly called out that kind of selective outrage, pointing out that many on the left use piety as a cudgel while excusing soft policies that let cartels and chaos flourish. Conservatives who actually care about law and order see through this: it is easier for a senator to posture on the Senate floor than to stand with men and women in uniform who face danger every day. Beck’s takedown was about consistency and courage, and voters should take note when their leaders prefer press releases to policy.

This flap matters because it distracts from a far grimmer story: reporting that the Pentagon’s strikes on alleged drug boats, including a contested follow-up attack that killed survivors, are under intense scrutiny and possible investigation. Questions about whether orders were lawful and whether commanders crossed a line deserve sober debate, not tweet-driven grandstanding from coastal elites. The American people want clarity and accountability — not another media spectacle that lets traffickers keep shipping poison to our kids.

Here’s the bottom line for hard-working Americans: support our troops, demand proper oversight, and reject performative outrage from Washington insiders. If Senator Kelly truly cares about the rule of law he’ll call for the facts, not just a viral moment; if he won’t, voters should remember whose side he’s on when the next crisis hits. We need leaders who do the hard work, not those who grandstand for ratings while the rest of the country pays the price.