This is an encouraging sign. Nine term Iowa congressman Steve King, who spoke of drug dealers with “calves the size of cantaloupes, running drugs across the Mexican border” and how there “were 100 of them for every valedictorian” has finally done himself in. The man was the poster child for divisive, racist rhetoric. He will not be running for Congress this year and most likely his political career is done. That is good news. King has been talking white supremacist drivel for years, but in January, 2019, he finally crossed the line, even for the GOP. New Civil Rights Movement:
“White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?” he asked in a New York Times interview, ending any question of where he stands, and branding him a white supremacist.
n 2018 King met with representatives of a far-right party in Austria — and used the financial backing of a Holocaust memorial group to do so.
The following year, in August, King asked, if not for rape and incest, “would there be any population left?”
The man’s public career was a compendium of these dreadful non sequiturs. He lost his House committee assignments in 2019 after his now famous Western civilization crack.
This is a hopeful sign. It would be so nice if Iowa would clean house entirely. Joni Ernst needs to go, and the governor, Kim Reynolds needs to go.
These assclowns think they are oh so cute with their little racist quips and snide comments. The only good thing Trump-O has done is empower and thus expose these cockroaches to the light.
I still laugh at their brazen stupidity over that last part. They forget what’s kept them in power in the first place. Oh well…
To hear the asshole King finally is let go … a two part thrill for us is floating us through one of the worst weather whomps this year …. Iowa always needs rain for the crops, but not so much at once …
Biden’s drawing Trump across the 36 grit sandpaper with his call for peace, unity and pledge to NOT attack our own country with Trump-isms, was right on and so needed NOW …. Trump probably feels so bad, his fee fees really burning …
Like trying to sit comfortably on a black tractor seat, wearing shorts, and that seat has been out in the 90 degree sun all day …
Trump deserves every uncomfortable moment he has coming right up to the time he is hauled in to chat with the Judge in the NY court house …
You know, when I think of Trump holding up that Bible, I get a flash of Michael Dukakis in that tank from way back in the day. In both cases, what makes it look silly is that the man and prop are a complete mismatch.
Yeah, when I saw the pic I thought of that biblical phrase from Daniel- “the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place”…
Is that Biblical for “what the eff are you doing here, boy?”
Pretty much.
You aren’t the only one thinking of that. I saw a tweet elseweb comparing them. (Dukakis looks much more comfortable.)
Well, P J, Dukakis is a confirmed human, which makes the difference.
This guy agrees with you https://philiprotner.com/2020/06/02/trumps-dukakis-moment/
So passes the first political casualty of Trump’s incompetence. He will be far from the last…good riddance.
“When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and holding a cross……
They forgot to mention “and choking down a Big Mac”.
I really hate to spoil everyone’s celebration here but King’s loss may actually be worse for us than if he’d won the primary.
According to a story posted on The Atlantic’s website, not a single one of King’s primary opponents attacked him over his perceived racism. A supporter of Feenstra (the winner) is quoted in the story saying “A lot of King supporters have no problem with his racist comments, so it’s more trying to get them on board with I can do a better job.” Also in the story is this unsettling assessment: “Some GOP strategists worried that a King nomination would increase Democratic turnout, jeopardizing Donald Trump’s chances of winning the state in November—and the reelection of Senator Joni Ernst . . . .”
I’m glad I read the comments before writing my own. I agree that King’s primary loss will make it more difficult to flip the seat, and other races in Iowa.
It might be possible to paint Feenstra with the same brush but not as effectively because so many of the people in that District actually were fine with King’s beliefs. It was the shit he’d said out loud/publicly in blunt terms instead of using the GOP’s carefully crafted dog-whistle phrased to stir up their voters. He called unwanted attention to them, and like the racist fucking cowards they are they wanted to stay well out of the spotlight to be the assholes we know them to be. They were never going to vote for a Democrat, but King’s presence on the ticket in November might have discouraged enough of them from voting this fall to make a difference.
Now the spotlight will only briefly shine on their district with King gone and things can get back to business as usual.
Pfft…this is me caring about what any GOP guy has to say about anything right now. A pickup there would be nice but it’s dessert. The meal remains overall control of the House (excellent odds there), taking back the Senate (improving odds) and of course, serving Donnie Two Scoops his long-overdue eviction notice (ditto). Whoever gets the seat next, it won’t be King. For now, that’s enough.
It wasn’t so much what King said that turned off the primary voters. It was the fact that he was stripped of all powers such that he could get nothing done for Iowa’s conservatives and to help Trump’s agenda in Congress. That’s the real reason that there was a push to get Feenstra onto the Nov. ballot. FYI, have family in Iowa and that is basically what has been told to them by the Republican party/Feenstra, etc. trying to get their vote. Not that they even vote Republican as they are registered Independent.
As in true independent as opposed to Republican-in-exile independent?
Joseph, OUCH!
To be fair, Meg, that’s the kind of brutal triage math every Republican officeholder is going to have to employ from here on out.