The schlong remains the same
by digby
538 is featuring a fun conversation among its writers about how "masculinity" is playing into this election. There's discussion about both the GOP and the Dems and how the first woman potential nominee might play into it. Obviously Trump's literal evocation of his manly member in a presidential debate brought the whole thing into stark relief.
But I found this quite astonishing:
Harry Enten: I think it has more to do with society overall. A ridiculously high 68 percent of Trump supporters say society is becoming too soft and feminine. Cruz and Kasich supporters come in with 57 percent and 52 percent, respectively. Now compare those numbers with the Democratic side, where Sanders supporters were slightly less likely than Clinton supporters to say that (28 percent vs. 31 percent).
A whole lot of the differences between the two parties can probably be attributed to that one perception.
This quote from the Trump voter who shoved a protester in the face this week in New York makes it very clear:
“Hey, I’ll snatch anybody up if they yell in my face over anything. I have my personal rights and my personal space. They’re gonna start yelling about some bullshit, I’ll snatch ya ass up. That’s all.”
Mike added that he is “hell yeah” supporting Trump for president because he is “no bullshit. All balls. Fuck you all balls. That’s what I’m about.
Trump's response when the protester who was assaulted was being led out:
“That guy walking out with his arms held high like he’s a big shot. Only because 10 years ago he couldn’t have gotten away with that stuff, believe me. Believe me.”
I think perhaps these macho Republicans are making this whole thing waaaay too complicated. They should just have all the candidates drop their drawers and display the goods. Why should they have to take Trump at his word? Let's see what they've got --- and what they're hiding.
Update: Oh dear. I somehow came upon this piece from 2003 today:
POLITICALLY, the United States is split down the middle these days. The dead-heat presidential election of 2000 followed congressional elections in 1996 and 1998 which were also, in effect, drawn by the two main parties. The Republicans and the Democrats are now preparing for next year's elections in the belief that the outcomes could be just as close.
What does this deep, central division mean? Are the voters split between yin and yang? Masculine, feminine? Mars, Venus? The Economist thought an answer might be found by looking at a leading member of each party and, perhaps more revealingly, at the districts that send them to the House of Representatives in Washington, the chamber the Founding Fathers designed to be closest to popular opinion.
In the House, Dennis Hastert is the Republican speaker, Nancy Pelosi the leader of the Democratic minority. Mr Hastert, a hulking former wrestling coach, is a fairly straightforward conservative: he is against abortion, gay marriage, the Kyoto protocol; for the invasion of Iraq, the death penalty. Ms Pelosi, a tiny bird-like woman, is an unabashed, card-carrying liberal.
Yes, Denny Hastert was certainly an avatar of America's manly virtues.
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