If Governor Wes Moore ever dreams of becoming President, someone should tell him that step one is learning how not to lose your cool over a meme. Because right now, Maryland’s rising star is melting down faster than a snowflake in July — all thanks to a little website called No Moore.
That’s right — the same guy who sells himself as a unifier, a man of the people, and a post-partisan beacon of hope is now clutching his pearls because an anonymous meme page dared to criticize him. Forget the budget, crime, or Maryland’s decaying infrastructure — the Governor has declared war on memes.
Moore and his allies are calling No Moore every scary political buzzword in the book: “dark money,” “shadowy,” “racist.” Apparently, if you post a funny picture or a pointed critique, you’re automatically part of a “shadowy racist cabal.” It’s the Democratic version of saying the dog ate your homework.
He’s even demanding an official investigation. Yes — a real, taxpayer-funded investigation into a meme page. The Maryland Democratic Party filed a 14-page complaint with the State Board of Elections claiming NoMoore.org might be violating campaign laws by — wait for it — not including full “authority lines” on every post. Fourteen pages of legal panic over missing fine print.
This is where you just have to laugh. A governor who wants to run the country can’t handle a website with a logo that probably cost thirty bucks on Fiverr.
Moore’s team argues that “No Moore” pretends to be an issue advocacy group when it’s really a political hit squad. Okay, but let’s be honest — that’s literally what every political nonprofit in America does. When Democrats fundraise to “defend democracy,” that’s “civic engagement.” But when Marylanders criticize Wes Moore, suddenly it’s a criminal conspiracy.
And then there’s the anonymity. Moore’s camp hates that they can’t find out who’s behind No Moore. Because how dare citizens criticize their governor without attaching their names, addresses, and blood types! Maybe the next bill out of Annapolis will require everyone with a Twitter account to register with the State Board of Elections.
It’s as if Governor Moore just discovered the Internet and can’t believe people there are mean.
The irony is that past Maryland governors took far worse public ridicule and didn’t lose their cool. Remember Parris Glendening — or as people called him, Parris Spendening — the tax-and-spend guy who smiled through the criticism and kept campaigning anyway. Then came Martin O’Malley, affectionately known as Martin O’Smelly after his endless fees and “rain tax.” He didn’t call the Board of Elections every time someone roasted him online.
And let’s not forget even Larry Hogan. Republicans called him Lockdown Larry during COVID, and conservatives dubbed him Larry the RINO when he spent more time bashing Trump than balancing Maryland’s books. Did Hogan like it? No. But he didn’t whine to a judge about it either. He shrugged it off, cracked a joke, and moved on.
That’s called having a backbone.
Governor Moore, meanwhile, seems allergic to criticism. His office described No Moore as a “dark money operation” that’s “trying to tear down progress.” In reality, the site is just highlighting the obvious: that crime is up, taxes are rising, and the governor spends more time auditioning for CNN than governing Maryland. If that’s “dark money,” then so is your average Facebook group for frustrated commuters.
The best part? Moore insists the group is “racist” — because when your policies aren’t working, accuse your critics of racism. It’s like the political version of “UNO Reverse.” Never mind that No Moore doesn’t mention race at all — it’s focused on policy failures. But sure, let’s pretend an Instagram meme about high gas prices is secretly a hate crime.
Moore’s meltdown says more about him than it does about his critics. This is a guy who clearly wants to run for president in 2028. You can practically see the campaign ad now: “Wes Moore — the leader who united Maryland, inspired America, and bravely fought anonymous meme accounts.”
If he can’t handle anonymous Marylanders poking fun at his job performance, how’s he going to handle Donald Trump’s nickname factory? Imagine President Trump on a debate stage calling him “Weak Wes” — this guy would have to be escorted off by security before the second question.
Meanwhile, another Marylander, Chris Van Hollen, is apparently warming up in the bullpen — yet another Democrat dreaming of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Good luck, Senator. The last Marylander to think he could make that trip was Marty O’Malley, who ended up as a trivia question and a punchline.
What this whole episode proves is that Wes Moore doesn’t understand what being a public figure means. Criticism comes with the territory. Memes are part of democracy now. Voters have every right to vent, parody, and poke fun. That’s how free speech works.
Parris Spendening survived it. Martin O’Smelly survived it. Lockdown Larry and Larry the RINO survived it. But apparently, Governor Wes “No More Memes” Moore is just too delicate for democracy.
If a meme page can rattle him this badly, he’s not ready for the presidency — or even for the next Maryland budget fight. Because if a couple of snarky posts can send him into a frenzy, imagine what’ll happen when the national press starts asking real questions.
So yes, the No Moore saga is funny — but it’s also revealing. The governor who promised unity can’t even unite his sense of humor. He’s trying to censor criticism instead of learning from it.
And that tells you all you need to know: Wes Moore can’t take a joke, and Maryland can’t afford another governor who can’t take a punch.
Ian Schwartz is a columnist for Direct Line Contact at Ian.Schwartz@mcgopclub.com
Direct Line News is a Maryland-based free-access publication committed to the Republican reform tradition.
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