Saturday, October 29, 2016

Obsessed With Sex

Newt Gingrich would like us to know that we are, or at least those of us who would bother to bring up Donald J. Tremp's more prurient topics instead of the more salient points of his public policy. That's what he was telling Megyn Kelly in a testy little back and forth on Tuesday evening. While most right-thinking Americans should have been focusing their attentions on baseball, Megyn and Newt were arguing about who had the problem and why. For her part, Ms. Kelly responded to Gingrich's assertion thus: “I think your defensiveness on this may speak volumes, sir,” she said. “No, no, let me make my point. And then I’ll give you the floor. What I said is if Trump is a sexual predator, then it’s a big story. And what we saw on that tape is Trump himself saying that he likes to grab women by their genitals and kiss them against their will.” 
Advantage Megyn, and not just because of her journalistic standpoint. She was speaking as a victim of sexual harassment herself. If there was a gap in our collective understanding of what has been going on in presidential politics for the past six months, it could be that Newt actually has a point. Maybe we are far too concerned with the personal lives of celebrities and consenting adults. Sex sells. Ask Don Draper. Or better yet, think of how many people tuned in each week to watch this duplicitous rake love, leave, crash and burn in ways that would make Don Trumper green with envy. Which would be kind of nasty, since all that orange would make brown mixed with the green.
Are we ignoring Bill Clinton and all his crimes and misdemeanors? Probably, but since it is his wife who is currently running for the highest office in the land, why not focus on her economic plan or her experience as Secretary of State? 
And here's the feedback in which I am currently stuck. With all these accusers coming forward to point a finger at our not quite admitted adulterer, Donald P. Trumj. He wants to dismiss one as "a porn star." Well, at least she's a star. I can't imagine anything less. Especially if it didn't happen. And then the rejoinder“Oh, I’m sure she’s never been grabbed before.” And just when did you stop groping porn stars, Mister Truhhh?
I'm sorry for dragging you all through this most unpleasant dissertation, and I hope that soon we will return to the more polite and well-regarded conversations about how much we all hate bananas, but sometimes, a banana is just a banana or a substitute for something much much worse.

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