Jesse Watters can’t seem to stop admiring Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. The Fox News host loves to talk about how Michigan’s Democratic nominee for the Senate is “in great shape” and how “Abdul . . . beat the machine” — meaning the party establishment’s candidate, Rep. Haley Stevens — in a hard-fought primary. During an interview in August, Watters clearly enjoyed El-Sayed’s jokes and blunt speech, which included calling his opponent, former Rep. Mike Rogers, a “beta,” and asking the host if he was circumcised when Watters tried to corner him on gender-affirming surgery for minors. The next day, Watters made no bones about El-Sayed’s appeal. “I like him,” he said. “I don’t want to like him. I like him for some stupid reason.”
But the reason was obvious. The doctor-turned-politician has an aggressive bro style that appeals to someone like Watters. Quick-witted with bulldog energy, El-Sayed never backs down from a fight. But despite Watters’ admiration, Fox News has become obsessed with taking El-Sayed down. It’s not because he’s Muslim, though Republicans are ratcheting up the racism in their efforts to derail his campaign. It’s because he is a model for how Democrats can escape their reputations for being weak and feckless.
Ugh. Can we talk about his politics without turning it into some weird gender thing? I want to relate to his policies and goals. Pointless masculine aggression makes me not want to have anything to do with someone.
Literally no, we can’t
Politicians have broken faith so many times that talking about policy doesn’t work. People will not simply vote for their self interest
A good candidate has to dress up their policies in presentation. They have to stand out in people’s minds in a way that inspires confidence with limited exposure
What is gender but a bucket of traits and behaviors we group into a social role. It’s ultimately a mental shortcut - if people see certain traits or behavior, people assume other associated traits and behaviors
The way that people are engaging with the gender presentation of a candidate is really important in politics (and pretty much nothing else)
All of this is true and serves not as an excuse, but as an indictment.
Yeah well… You can spend your time upset about how the world sucks, or you can look at it accurately so you can effectively do something to make it better
Politics is a dumb game, but it’s really important to play it well
This makes no sense. If I’m upset about how the world sucks, it’s because I am looking at it accurately. I’m accurately evaluating it as a thing that sucks and should be changed. This isn’t change, this is just the same shit creeping back in under the flag of change, and I’m not buying it. Have a nice day.
No, you’re upset that someone with good positions is being praised for qualities that shouldn’t matter instead of their policies
But those traits do matter - the fact that El-Sayed delivers his message in a way that inspires confidence in low information voters doesn’t take away from his positions. Instead, it empowers his positions. It enables positive change
This is what forward progress looks like. This is what winning looks like. It’s progressive policy in a pretty package. It’s good delivery of a good message
Nothing about that is a compromise
Yikes. Blocked.
That’s kinda the point of the story though right? That Jesse is a weirdo that is actually taken by that attitude
If you can’t change someone’s mind without appealing to their problematic side, then you’ve failed to change their mind, and they’ve succeeded at compromising your integrity.
I dunno that changing a fox news host’s mind is the main game here…
Re-read the comment I was replying to.
Take your own advice. You’re the only one talking about changing minds.
No we cannot. The story is how his disposition and personality appeal to toxic bro culture. It’s real and useful insight into the right and how to fight it.