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.
This is the same reason why they’re so obsessed with Hasan. The right has benefited from a perception that men, or at least “real” men, don’t have a place on the left. It’s been a highly effective strategy that shifts things away from the actual issues and onto meaningless aesthetics, and which is partially responsible for the political gender gap, particularly among young men who are more impressionable in that way. Having at least a handful of men who can challenge that perception (provided it doesn’t fall into actual toxicity) is, from a purely pragmatic perspective, strategically invaluable.
The right understands the potential impact of such aesthetics better than many on the left do, and so they’re desperate to discredit such figures, and especially, to try to get liberals and leftists to denounce them, because the goal is to reinforce this narrative that men have no place on the left. Of course we shouldn’t let their narratives dictate our actions, but we should at least be aware of them and try to avoid playing into them. Know the enemy.
Bro style? He’s a reserved person of color who knows any aggression will get him called a terrorist. The MF is so cool and collected it blows my mind. Standing up for yourself, caring about others, and not getting pulled into immature name calling isn’t being a bro. People forget what a real grown ass man looks like.
Glad to know I’m not the only one who noticed this. Him and Mamdani are brave people despite the bigotry. Their fighting prowess (which corporate Dems lack and it’s by intention from them) is what’s very needed to push against fascism.
Abso-goddam-lutely
I love this. We need more and more of candidates like this guy.
No more folding and no more resorting to a fake “civility” when the POS conservatives are out there lying their motherfucking asses off all the time.
I’m so sick of the Murc’s Law Media giving the conservatives a pass in the name of “civility” and only punching leftwards. Glad to see a candidate that doesn’t give that shit about fake “civility”.
Tell the reactionary centrist Tone Police to go fuck themselves.
I keep seeing him addressed as “Dr.” What does he have a doctorate in? Just curious
Edit. He’s an epidemiologist. Hells yeah, man!
Republicans only know how to run against neoliberals…
If a candidate just wants to talk about progressive policy, they can’t counter it. Because virtually every American wants progressive policy
Because Republicans have become incredibly lazy and just resort to name calling. They say, “this guys a socialist” and socialists are like ya I am and the Rs have no response because they can’t define socialism and have no firm policy on anything thanks to Trumpism.
Roosevelt energy. Forward and unafraid + progressive pretty clearly wins in the US, historically. Seeing it again a century-ish later isn’t surprising but it does give a tiny spark of hope.
Give Abdul a show on the food network because our boy is fucking cooking!
Every time I see this guy speak he just kills its. Dude knows how to debate and get his point across.
Wanted to share this clip of him from the other day, in case anyone hadn’t seen it yet. Not sure what com it belongs in tho since politics is articles only.
Thank you for posting this, OP. This is a race the world over is watching. Let’s hope for the best - and may the state of AIPAC/Israel get their genociding asses kicked once more in a few days.
Watching from EU
I mean, he’s against genocide…
But it’s weird people act like that’s the main topic.
Like, you’ve never even heard him speak on video, have you? It’s nowhere near his priority and the only time it comes up is from rightwingers at townhalls.
Because they’re desperate to talk about anything other than domestic progressive policy.
Making everything about Israel is Republicans best (but still shitty) option.
Maybe you haven’t listened to him talk? He always mentions get money about of foreign wars aka the war with Iran that Israel started.
Everytime they mention Israel, he claps back with not spending money overseas. He doesn’t make a direct focus, but it’s a core part of keeping our tax dollars at home.
He always mentions get money about of foreign wars aka the war with Iran that Israel started.
Again…
It’s a lot more than just that single one.
Do you legitimately think that thata the only foreign war America is involved with?
Everytime they mention Israel, he claps back with not spending money overseas. He doesn’t make a direct focus, but it’s a core part of keeping our tax dollars at home.
Yes…
Everytime someone does what you did, he says what I just said…
What the actual fuck are you still having difficulty with here?
bulldog
fighting
bro energy
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
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
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
No, you’re upset that someone with good positions is being praised for qualities that shouldn’t matter instead of their policies
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.
