Apparently sexism remains as potent as racism in America. The despicable Republican campaign against Hillary Clinton makes that case. The vitriol directed at Clinton rivals, if not surpasses, the explicit and implicit racism directed at President Obama.
The GOP Convention was an abominable gathering on many counts, but the Hillary-hatred is deeply troubling. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was among many speakers, official and unofficial, who seem more intent on defeating Clinton than electing Donald Trump. Christie’s bully-boy call and response performance was offensive and dangerous. After repeating each alleged indictment of Clinton, he asked the frothing crowd, “Guilty or not-guilty?” The deafening response to each: “GUILTY!”
Signs demanding, “Lock her up” were ubiquitous. New Hampshire state Rep. Al Baldasaro, of Londonderry, said that she should be “put in the firing line and shot for treason.” Even after the Secret Service announced an investigation, Baldasaro doubled down and reiterated the vile threat. Trump feebly stated that he “didn’t agree” with the threat, quickly adding that he was “incredibly grateful” for Baldasaro’s support. He’s incredibly grateful for the support of many disgusting characters.
The entire Trump campaign is based on the GOP electorate’s disdain for Clinton. Even the Republican candidates who endured Trump’s childish attacks in the primaries are holding their noses and supporting him. (With the rare exception of Ted Cruz, who was unable to overcome Trump’s demeaning of his wife and slandering of his father.)
Trump has uttered public expletives, threatened to punch people at rallies, made fun of a disabled reporter, cited a reporter’s menstrual period, allegedly defrauded tens of thousands of Trump University students, declared bankruptcy four times, stiffed many small contractors, cheated on at least one of his three wives, stigmatized an entire religion, declared that he could “shoot someone on Fifth Avenue” and still be loved . . . I could go on.
These things and more are on the record. Yet Trump, a candidate with no relevant experience, no apparent knowledge of policy or constitutional law, no intellectual curiosity and a record of constant ideological shifts, is a better choice than “Crooked Hillary.” The Trump campaign, represented by Donald Trump Jr., allegedly sought John Kasich as vice presidential candidate by telling him he could run “domestic and foreign policy” if he came on board. When pressed to explain what his father would be doing as president, Junior replied, “Making America great again.” Still, Republicans see Trump as a better choice than “Crooked Hillary.”
The most remarkable thing about this campaign is that Trump is thriving by making it a campaign about character and personality rather than issues. It’s like an elderly man with a paunch and toupee counting on winning the swimsuit portion of a beauty pageant. But, in the estimation of partisan Republicans, his disgusting behavior and tawdry record evidently pale in comparison to Crooked Hillary’s dishonesty and incompetence.
And just what are the facts? The Pulitzer Prize-winning organization PolitiFact rates the honesty of candidates. Here are some of the 2016 candidates ranked by the percentage of their statements rated as partly true or true: Clinton, 73 percent; Kasich, 68 percent; Christie, 65 percent; Rubio, 59 percent; Santorum, 45 percent; Cruz, 35 percent; Trump, 25 percent.
Who’s crooked?
The email scandal: The director of the FBI and attorney general of the United States found carelessness, but no criminal or civil culpability. Even the Bush-era icon Colin Powell admitted that her practice was common and not actionable.
Benghazi: She has been cleared by every investigation. The witch-hunt has cost taxpayers nearly $7 million. Yet Trump had the unmitigated gall to exploit a grieving mother, who excited the fevered convention crowd by blaming Clinton personally for her son’s death. It was as ugly a political moment as I’ve ever witnessed.
Hillary Clinton has never been accused of any personal impropriety, sexual or otherwise.
Even the notoriously partisan Whitewater investigation came up empty. She and her husband were completely exonerated of any wrongdoing.
She is, as President Obama and many others have acknowledged, as well prepared as any candidate in history. She was an exceptional student and law clerk. She has been an advocate for women and children for more than 40 years. As senator, she served for eight years on the Armed Services Committee. Even Republican Lindsey Graham said she was “ . . . one of the most effective secretary of states (sic), greatest ambassadors for the American people that I have known in my lifetime.”
It leaves me with the inevitable conclusion that the hostility toward Clinton is largely based on her gender. A man with her record —personal, professional and political — would be beyond reproach. But she has the audacity to be a strong, ambitious woman. That is just too much for some folks.
Steve Nelson lives in Sharon and New York City, where he is the head of the Calhoun School, a private school. He can be reached at steve.nelson@calhoun.org.