“We certainly wish him well,” President Donald Trump said of Rob Porter, the White House aide who has been accused of domestic abuse. “It’s obviously a tough time for him. He did a very good job when he was in the White House.” https://t.co/T9XclJXPuOhttps://t.co/T9XclJXPuO pic.twitter.com/O2ldQLBJOW— POLITICO (@politico) February 9, 2018
I don't know if we could have expected anything better from Trump than wishing the best of luck to outgoing Deputy Chief of Staff Rob Porter amid allegations from three women that he is guilty of domestic assault. Trump is sure to remind us that we should not forget that Porter himself says that he is innocent, which is something we could also say of Trump with respect to the twenty or so women who allege he has harassed or assaulted them. I will also remember that Porter said that Colbie Holderness and he were arguing over a vase, and she received a black eye because the vase somehow hit her. Vases are sneaky like that.
In his public statement, it can be noted that he doesn't mention Porter's accusers, which is just as well, because in private, he apparently thinks they are lying. This is, after all, a man who has said that women should be treated like shit. He's defended serial sexual harassers and assaulters like Roger Ailes and Bill O'Reilly. There is nothing breath-taking or shocking about Trump matter-of-factly hoping that the man who beats women goes on to have a successful career because he has given us no indication by anything ever said that he thinks any other way. When it was revealed that Steve Bannon might have been violent to his former spouse, he nicknamed him "Bam Bam".
Because it's a joke. Sometimes, in his mind, men just keep women in line like that. So maybe his staffer will just go on to better things, and maybe someday find a woman he won't have to beat on. Maybe Hope Hicks can be that woman--after all, he allegedly described her (according to Fire and Fury) as the best "piece of tail" Corey Lewandowski would ever have, which is both revolting and somehow what I believe Trump actually would try to bestow on someone as a compliment). But in the meanwhile, he is a little miffed at Hicks for not, in all this, managing to craft a message that also makes Trump look good. (Rob Porter who actually abused his wives and a girlfriend?--Great guy worked hard, really sad situation. John Kelly who seems to have known all about it and covered it up-well, you know full confidence. Woman in an awkward relationship with a man accused of being violent towards intimate partners? Totally responsible for figuring out how to not have made this into a "thing", you know? Jennie Willoughby is worried about Hicks, and frankly, so am I. )
This White House is basically soaking in misogyny. Another person working there, a speechwriter, has resigned for domestic violence allegations as well. But this is reflective of the man at the top. These are the people he has around him for reasons. They are not good reasons.
2 comments:
As the appalling responses from the White House piled up,I kept thinking of the Picture of Dorian Gray. Somewhere up in the attic there is a painting, and eventually we're going to see it.
Careful, it may well be Dorian Gray.
I keep thinking of Captain Queeg.
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