It takes grit and determination to run for office at any level. Your private life becomes public. Your time is not your own. There’s little relief from the pressure and scrutiny even in your sleep. These pressures are multiplied when you decide to run for the high office of Vice-President.
The tragedy that destroyed the Diamond & Silk minstrel team created a lucrative opening. Someone had to become Republicans’ favorite black person. Tim Scott wants to take his place at the Naval Observatory by filling that role, but there’s a problem. Republicans don’t like gays.
Republicans don’t have ‘lots of gay friends.’ They don’t have that gay cousin. Their son who lives in that transitional neighborhood downtown with his ‘friend,’ definitely isn’t gay. That other Republican Senator from South Carolina is straight as a blade. The only color Republicans hate as much as black is all of them, together, on a flag. If Tim Scott wants to be Trump’s Vice President he has to get his man card stamped.
For months now on the campaign trail, Tim Scott has responded to questions about his sexual orientation by insisting that he totally has a girlfriend you’ve never met. He’s kissed her, on the mouth, and done all of those nasty disturbing things. And he liked it. In fact, he loved every minute of it and wasn’t grossed out at all.
After the debate last night Scott trotted out actual, physical proof that he loves the ladies. Some staffer found Mindy Noce, a South Carolina interior designer, who was willing to walk onstage and stand next to Scott. She did not speak. Scott rested an arm around her waist for a moment and smiled before they awkwardly parted. It was chilly, the kind of embrace you’d expect from a candidate taking a photo with a supporter, with none of the sexual tension we witness when Trump handles his daughter.
In every repressive system there are opportunities for a few ambitious sociopaths to profit from turning on their own people. Scott makes a handsome living helping evil people destroy others who are just like him. There’s an ugly term for that.
Scott has never attempted to win an election by gaining support from black people. From his first campaign back in the 90’s, he built a career protecting Southern racists. He’s used his race as evidence that Republicans aren’t racist, but if he ever threw his weight behind a policy needed by African Americans he’d be out of office before you can say Stepan Fetchit.
So why go to such lengths to avoid appearing gay? Why does a tokenism that works for a black candidate fail for an LGBTQ candidate? It’s simple – there aren’t many Republicans out there who are worried that they might be black.
The most powerful hatred directed at LGBTQ people comes from denial. When you see someone at the podium in a school board meeting railing about gay indoctrination, you should get a look a their Internet history. There are lots of Republicans out there who are determined not to be gay. They’re trying real hard. Having an openly gay person out there living their life with happiness and success fills them with loathing. Having that person accepted as a Republican leader is utterly intolerable. In this atmosphere, tokenism can work for an African-American candidate while it fails for a homosexual.
This all begs the question – is Tim Scott actually gay? Who knows? He might not know. He’s the only person with the right to make that determination and decide whether to share it. Thing is, Republicans think he’s gay, for the same reasons you do, except they care.
True to character, when faced with ugly insinuations from Republicans, Scott has responded by validating their bigotry. He could have made the simple, true statement that “my sexuality, whatever it is, is my business and has no implications for my character or fitness.” Instead, his response has been a softened version of “I’m definitely not one of those disgusting homos.”
What matters about Tim Scott is his willingness to sell his identity to protect bigots. Whether he does that with a man, a woman, or no one at his side, it leaves a grim legacy.
In breaking news that will shock no one, Scott had suspended his campaign. I won’t hold my breath waiting for him to do the right time and refuse to endorse Mango Mussolini under any circumstances.
There are literally millions of Republicans who are LGBTQ and hiding it. A lot of Republican voters will absolutely loathe a Republican who is willing to come out… so, we end up with stuff like this, regardless of whether Tim Scott is straight or not straight.
SC seems to be particularly blessed with Senators like this for whatever reason. I’m not sure what it says about SC, but I’ll let you make your mind up on that one.
All of that said, Tim Scott also checks the “not white” category, so everything being equal, he has no chance in hell of ever being an elected President. Now, get him elected as VP with an 80+ year old President, and just maybe…
I recall Tim Scott yelling a story about how he’d have periodic troubles with Capitol police who didn’t realize that he was a Senator. So he can’t deny that he’s been racially profiled, but he’s not man enough to do something about it.
“Telling” that is
I don’t think anyone cares much, even if this sociopath ends up as VP for the tyrant. People have to keep their eyes on the existential threat: the tyrant.
Tim may have checked the box for a girlfriend, but he will not be able to check the box for skin color. I think this will disqualify him for any national office in the eyes of many Republican voters.
In Kentucky this week, there were six statewide offices on the ballot. Republican party candidates for five of the offices were white males. On average, they all won by over 200K votes.
Daniel Cameron (governor’s race) was the exception and he received over 100K fewer votes than any of five white candidates for the other offices. He lost his race because he is African American.
At least 15% of these Republican voters chose to vote for the white Democratic candidate (Andy Beshear) rather then the MAGA Republican candidate (Daniel Cameron).
Tim Scott will likely experience this result too. This is unfortunate, because he seems to be one of the better qualified Republican candidates.
Good to hear from you. Frankly I do not care when hiring a politician to represent me what their sexual orientation is. I do care how they treat others , especially marginalize people.
I live in Florida where there is an all out war on the entire LBGTQ community. Not to mention that pesky mouse that lives in a mansion in Orlando:-)! It seems to me the GOP looks for subjects that will get their followers in an uproar! Not to mention Fox News, that throws gas on the fire.
It never occurred that there were so many haters in this country. But there are and it seems the advent of Trump has unleashed them!
I’ve started referring to Fox & co. as the Right-Wing Rage Machine (RWRM) because, well, that’s what they are. Their entire business model is based on making people angry about [insert target of week here]. It gets clicks, so it makes money, and that’s all that matters for them.
Grifters gonna grift.
Bravo, Chris! Hypocrisy is alive and well in the GOP.
Getting a girlfriend for appearances (or, in Gaetz’ case, a very quick wife), or for purposes other than real relationships, is so in character for Maga men for whom women are disposable accessories.
There is a lesson in there.
Superbly well written!