Step one: Angry base, still in irate denial over losing the election, demands relentless fury. Step two: New party chairman, narrowly elected over an even more wild-eyed radical, eagerly complies. Step three: Asked about his profane, dehumanizing demagoguery, new party chairman doubles down. Because resist, or whatever:
Co-host Willie Geist asked Perez whether he regretted his choice of words, citing the Democratic Party's central argument against then-candidate Donald Trump during the presidential campaign that his rhetoric was "divisive." "You know, I don't," responded Perez, who then listed off some of President Trump's policy changes, saying that's what he regrets. "What I have regrets about are all the people who are scared to death as a result of the first 60 days of chaos and carnage in this administration," Perez said. "The children who got dropped off at school and literally saw their father half a block away getting arrested by [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]."
Perez also made his lack of contrition defiantly clear on Twitter:
Sorry not sorry. https://t.co/PPyuzAwbpq
— Tom Perez (@TomPerez) April 3, 2017
Blah, blah, climate of hate, and stuff! Meanwhile, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York -- whose anti-Trump posturing has fueled speculation that she may be eyeing a White House bid -- has decided to make a political point using...colorful language of her own:
Interesting choice of language by Senator Gillibrand -
— Heather R. Higgins (@TheHRH) April 4, 2017
repeated and deliberate. https://t.co/RW8wG9snbZ
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) believes lawmakers should "go the f--k home" if they are not helping the American people....“I know Susan’s worldview is similar to my worldview. Which is that we’re here to help people, and if we’re not helping people, we should go the f--k home,” she said...Gillibrand, who has cast the most "no" votes on President Trump's Cabinet nominees, defended her approach, saying she is judging each nomination on its own merits and not based on how she feels about Trump. “I look at each nominee. If they suck, I vote against them. If they’re worthy, I vote for them," she maintained.
According to her "standard," 14 of Trump's cabinet picks "suck," including Gen. Mattis. Gillibrand was the only Senator to vote against the revered General's confirmation. Someone has 2020 primary ads in mind. She and Perez are making a bet, and a pretty safe one, that unhinged derangement will remain the flavor of the month among their core constituency throughout Trump's entire presidency. Now, do Republicans have a leg to stand on when it comes to comportment and manners, having nominated this man for president? I argued last year that given his personal conduct throughout his adult life, coupled Hillary Clinton's compulsive lying, 2016 was the 'Character Doesn't Count' election. It's a bit much to hear conservatives who explain away or excuse Trump's words and actions feign offense at foul-mouthed tirades from Democrats (although I'm also not sure that trying to out-Trump Trump is a strategy that will work for run-of-the-mill politicians). It's also a bit much to see these vulgar outbursts from high-ranking members of a party that exploded in self-congratulatory applause when the former First Lady espoused a "take the high road" approach to politics and life. This is a nice sentiment for the Obama daughters, but as for its application to the Democratic Party? Spare me:
I don't give a s***. When they go low, we go lower, Chairman Perez might respond. Yeah, F*** it, Sen. Gillibrand could add. Welcome to America's race to the bottom. Who's winning?
