The U.S. now has a member of Congress who is regarded as a rising leader of a major political party who talks like this…
“Y’all know we got Governor Hot Wheels down there. Come on now! And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot-ass mess, honey!”
That was Rep. Crockett speaking at a human rights event over the weekend. The intentionally vulgar, street-talking Texas representative (she was raised in a wealthy family and attended private schools, so her Samuel L. Jacskon imitation is pure cynical artifice) was already being justly criticized for telling Democrats to “take out” Elon Musk, at a time when her party’s loonies are looking for an excuse to move from domestic terrorism against Tesla owners to more direct forms of violence. Now this member of what styles itself as the sensitive, caring party is mocking a man, Texas Governor Abbott, who has been in a wheelchair for decades by calling him “Hot Wheels.” Be proud, Democrats, Texans, women, homo sapiens.
Crockett’s excuse after her cruel ad hominem attack was properly condemned tells us even more about the character of the latest “rising star” of the Left:
“I wasn’t thinking about the governor’s condition—I was thinking about the planes, trains, and automobiles he used to transfer migrants into communities led by Black mayors, deliberately stoking tension and fear among the most vulnerable. Literally, the next line I said was that he was a “Hot Ass Mess,” referencing his terrible policies. At no point did I mention or allude to his condition. So, I’m even more appalled that the very people who unequivocally support Trump—a man known for racially insensitive nicknames and mocking those with disabilities—are now outraged.”
She’s beneath contempt, but Crockett’s “Whataboutism” (#2 on the Rationalization List) argument following her self-evident lie is not without validity. How far is calling a governor in a wheelchair “Hot Wheels” from calling a President obviously suffering from progressive dementia “Slow Joe”?
I’ll accept the utilitarian conclusion that electing Trump President twice was, on balance, important for the nation; I might even agree with it. However, I don’t think it is possible to credibly argue that the destructive decline in civility and decorum in society, and especially in political discourse, should not be laid at Donald Trump’s feet. It is a major cultural wound with implications for democracy as well as social relations in our society generally.
Ethics Alarms 
She must have been exposed to too many episodes of “The Jeffersons” at too young an age to comprehend the show’s humor and insight.
Jack: “How far is calling a governor in a wheelchair “Hot Wheels” from calling a President obviously suffering from progressive dementia “Slow Joe”?”
Wasn’t it “sleepy Joe”?
Anyway, I think there is a BIG difference. That difference is this: the Democrats were lying about Biden. Trump’s statement was along the line of “The Emperor has no clothes.” He was stating the truth that they were denying. And, of course they lied about it. To admit the truth would be to admit that Biden needed to step down (and never should have been elected in the first place).
I have begun referring to Biden as a “brain dead sock puppet.” That is not at all to make fun of Biden; I feel sorry for him. It is to show my utter contempt for those who lied, as well as those who refuse either to admit they were lied to, or to admit they believed the lie.
-Jut
Ooooh, I think you’re spinning. It was Slow Joe AND Sleepy Joe, but just like “Little Marco,” it’s an attack on a physical feature, just like”Hot Wheels.”
Being demented while being held out as being the leader of the free world is different than being a paraplegic while governor of Texas.
Which is not to say Trump is expert at ad hominem insults. I’m just agreeing with Jut on this one.
The ad hominem insult is still aimed at the disabled person. Are we saying that calling the guv “Hot Wheels” would be acceptable if Republicans insisted that he could run a 4 minute mile?
Maybe so. Reductio ad absurdum. Effective, and sometimes appropriate, in my book.
Per my understanding of the ad hominem fallacy, it’s an attack on the person, rather than the substance of his argument.
In Biden’s case, the substance of his reelection pitch was that he (1) wasn’t too old for the job; (2) had been incredibly effective president; and (3) could continue to be effective, for another four years. Thus, insulting Biden’s “sleepiness” wasn’t an ad hominem– it directly attacked his self-professed ability to do his job (and to continue doing it for another four years).
If Gov. Abbott (or Republicans generally) claimed he could run a 4-minute mile, the “Hot Wheels” insult wouldn’t be an ad hominem, either. It would still be rude, but it would attack the substance of the argument being made.
Optimally, a person’s physical and mental conditions are off-limits, whether they’re off-topic or not. But a man (and/or his handlers) opens the door to attacks on his mental acuity when that person (1) holds a position as important and mentally-demanding as POTUS; and (2) aims to be reelected for another four years.
The reason an ad hominem attack is unethical is that it refers to a characteristic rather than conduct or positions. If Biden was performing brilliantly as President, it wouldn’t matter if he was demented. There is no way in the world the use of a wheelchair is relevant to Abbott’s performance, so it is by definition ad hominem, and worse, an invitation to bigotry.
I don’t remember Slow Joe. I do remember Sleepy Joe, like Low Energy Jeb. And, dementia or not, Biden was sleepy; you could see it from his schedule and the comments of staff. That’s could be as much an issue of age as dementia.
But, if Trump’s point was to point out Biden’s dementia (I am not sure he thought much about it beyond the nickname), he should have addressed it specifically and without a nickname. He (and the rest of the Republicans) should have been perfectly clear that Biden was unfit and anyone who suggests otherwise, including Harris, is lying to the American people.
-Jut
It is remarkable there was no successful effort to get to bottom of Joe’s condition. No one had whatever it took to really push the issue in an organized and timely manner.
There’s only so much you can do, when POTUS refuses to take a cognitive test.
Well, you can point out that he won’t take a cognitive test…
That completely-out-of-left-field insult to Jeb Bush will always be hilarious to me. My husband and I actually still refer to ourselves as “Low Energy Jeb Bush” when we want to communicate, “I’m tired and going to bed.”
I would not say it was out of left field.
Jeb was dull. He was not dynamic. Trump got it right.
the sad thing is that Trump might have pegged (no double-entendre intended) lots of great Presidents in his own juvenile way. But the greatest, Washington, Lincoln, and Teddy, probably would have kicked his ass.
ironically, he might have called FDR “hot wheels.”
-Jut
(I was thinking the same thing. He might have been lynched.)
Agreed. It was insulting. Funny, but insulting.
jvb
Yep. Abbott should get some aviator shades to go with the leather jacket.
jvb
Trump would have done that. In my world, that is the definition of “trolling done right.”
Politicians are responsible for their own (lack of) decorum. We should be careful not to shift the blame for one politician’s bad behavior on another person, such as Donald Trump.
Maybe I am wrong here, but I have the impression that Donald Trump has been improving lately; I have not hear him referring to “Little Marco” recently. I suppose wisdom comes with age.
Well, the fact that Little Marco is his most important Cabinet member probably has something to do with it.
However, I don’t think it is possible to credibly argue that the destructive decline in civility and decorum in society, and especially in political discourse, has to be laid at Donald Trump’s feet.
Is this worded correctly. Based on the sentence that follows about warnings in 2015 it seems like you meant to say – I don’t think it is possible to credibly argue that the destructive decline in civility and decorum in society, and especially in political discourse, should not be laid at Donald Trump’s feet.
I have always disagreed that such a decline should be laid at his feet because civility began to erode long before Trump became a major public figure. I will agree that Trump brought the behavior of the street to the campaign which in large measure caused him to look like everyman.
I find the whole concept of decorum and civility means little when the word of a politician isn’t worth a plug nickel and he or she would stab you in the back to eek out a little more power for themselves at your expense. Such concepts appear to be simply a means to cloak their otherwise bad behavior.
Ugh. You’re right, it’s the opposite of what I meant. Fixed. Thank-you.
However, I don’t think it is possible to credibly argue that the destructive decline in civility and decorum in society, and especially in political discourse, has to be laid at Donald Trump’s feet.
Calling Republicans racist is a lack of civility that predated Donald Trump’s entry in politics.
Different issue entirely. Racism describes conduct, and if it’s valid based on facts, then it’s a legitimate criticism. “You’re crippled!” never is.
Crockett can talk like an educated native English speaker; I’ve seen videos of her doing it. Her constituents should be insulted that she thinks she chooses to represent them with ghetto-speak.
And I may have used the term “SloJo” on this blog a couple of times…or more…