Let's try an experiment, shall we? Let's say it's four years ago, and a Republican nominee for president makes a broad, sweeping statement about Democrat voters - saying they are dependent on government largese and this is the reason it's so difficult to get them to vote Republican. The statement is secretly recorded and released to the public.
What happens? Well, we don't have to speculate because this isn't imaginary. It really happened, and Mitt Romney's well-documented (and also totally accurate) comment about the 47 percent of voters who depend on government was used to beat him in the head continually by the news media. It helped lead to his defeat. If you ask me, that's an injustice because the statement was not only accurate but very much worth discussing, But I don't make the rules, and that's what happened.
Now, present day: You've probably heard by now that on Friday night, Hillary made one of the most astonishing and insulting statements I've ever heard about the supporters of someone's political opponents. Watch and listen:
Got that? Half of all Trump supporters. Now let's game this out. In all likelihood, Trump will receive between 50 million and 60 million votes even in the worst of scenarios for him. That means that, at a minimum, Hillary just tarred 25 million Americans as "deplorable" people who are guilty of racism, sexism and all the rest.
Question: Is this not a far worse insult than pointing out people are dependent on government and thus likely to vote Democrat? Given the usual attitude of the news media - which loves the recipients of government benefits and hates purported racists - it would certainly seem to be.
Or is this OK to them because they considered Trump's statement an unfair pejorative - how dare he cast aspersions on the fine recipients of welfare? - whereas Hillary was simply telling a brave truth about the horrible awfulness of Trump's supporters? After all, if your view from the Manhattan blue cocoon is that only racists, sexists, etc. could possibly be for Trump, maybe you think there was nothing remarkable about the statement at all. You and all your friends in the newsroom have long believed the same thing. It's what you all talk about during your smoke breaks and at the bar down the street where you tie one on after deadline.
Hillary called half of all Trump supporters deplorable racists!
Yeah? So?
It says a lot about Hillary's self-regard, however artificially conceived, that she thinks such horrible character traits are necessary for people to not want her to be president.
Let's try another experiment: What if Trump had said something equally insulting about Hillary voters? What do you think would have happened? Obviously, you know the answer, but it's mainly because the media has embraced the Trump-keeps-insulting-people narrative, and such an occurrence would slide perfectly into the narrative. Let Hillary do it, and the thinking is, Well, but she's experienced and she's been in the arena so whatever she may have said at that fundraiser, it's not indicative of anything we should be concerned about.
By the way, just to put it on the record, I support Trump because Hillary is the most dishonest, corrupt, inept, horrible person ever to seek the presidency and she has no capacity whatsoever to be a good president. Her election would be a disaster from which this country may never recover.
I guess that puts me in the good half. You deplorables, carry on as you were!
Let's try an experiment, shall we? Let's say it's four years ago, and a Republican nominee for president makes a broad, sweeping statement about Democrat voters - saying they are dependent on government largese and this is the reason it's so difficult to get them to vote Republican. The statement is secretly recorded and released to the public.
What happens? Well, we don't have to speculate because this isn't imaginary. It really happened, and Mitt Romney's well-documented (and also totally accurate) comment about the 47 percent of voters who depend on government was used to beat him in the head continually by the news media. It helped lead to his defeat. If you ask me, that's an injustice because the statement was not only accurate but very much worth discussing, But I don't make the rules, and that's what happened.
Now, present day: You've probably heard by now that on Friday night, Hillary made one of the most astonishing and insulting statements I've ever heard about the supporters of someone's political opponents. Watch and listen:
