The news cycle his weekend has been dominated with the Donald’s misogyny, his crude language and attitude towards woman. In response, I’ve seen a number of Trump supporters responding that it isn’t so bad, not when compared to ______ from Hillary Clinton. However, what they cite is not equivalent or worse at all. As you know my opinion on Clinton, let’s debunk these:
- Bill Clinton. Oh, what Trump did pales against Bill Clinton’s sexual escapades. First and foremost here: Bill Clinton is not running for President; he’s already had the job. This cannot be emphasized enough: Bill Clinton is not running, and wives are not responsible for their husband’s behavior. Wives do not make their husband’s cheat on them, they do not make their husband’s express horrible attitudes towards women, they do not make their husband’s commit acts of sexual violence. Saying Hillary Clinton is responsible in any way for Bill Clinton’s behavior is like blaming Melania Trump for Donald’s vulgar behavior, or blaming Marla or Ivana for Donald cheating on them. Bill Clinton’s sexual escapades are Bill Clinton’s responsibility, just as Donald Trump is responsible for what he said and the attitudes he continues to hold. See, that’s what people miss about Bill Clinton. Look at the long list of woman that have accused Bill Clinton. Notice something. They are all related to alleged incidents that happened during the first term of his presidency or before. After the Monica Lewinsky mess (literally and figurative), there are no more accusations. Lesson learned. Behavior change. Whereas Donald Trump has continued to express women-hating attitudes, as has been seen by statements made by Trump during this campaign. Trump has a continuing pattern of misogyny to this very day. So the two are not equivalent at all.
- Hillary Clinton. Oh, but Hillary as also slut-shamed and defended rapists. Let’s work back on this. The “defense of a rapist” was a case when Hillary Clinton was a private lawyer in 1975, and the court appointed her to defend a rapist. Remember, in the USA, everyone is presumed innocent (check your law books), and guaranteed a trial, and the court appoints a lawyer if they can’t afford one. The lawyer has no choice in the matter: law and ethics require they do the best defense possible. That’s what happened her: she did her job. As for the “slut shaming”, all the incidents were in the heat of Bill’s messes noted above. Since then… nothing. Further, fact checking by Politifact has put even the shut-slaming claims in doubt. There is no evidence of a continual pattern of the behavior. Whereas, and you know where this is going, Donald Trump has continued to express women-hating attitudes, as has been seen by statements made by Trump during this campaign. Trump has a continuing pattern of misogyny to this very day. So the two are not equivalent at all.
- Email Server. Oh, but Hillary leaded all this classified information through her email server. Not equivalent at all. The FBI has withdrawn the statement that there was anything significantly that was classified at the time on her server, and the few cases cited were labelled “confidential” (the lowest security rating), were not properly marked, and were sent by another person to her (which makes the other person responsible for the violation). There has been nothing that has risen to a sufficient level for prosecution. Much as people don’t realize it, minor classification spillages occur regularly because humans are stupid and sloppy. When they are called out, usually the first incident or two result in infractions or warnings, not jail. Prosecution only occurs (and lets say this together) when there is a pattern of disclosure, and that disclosure is accompanied with intent to disclose. That’s not the case with Clinton: there are a few minor incidents, all accidental, not reported by either side of the conversation, and that, most importantly, would not be repeated as President because the President cannot do their own IT (Information Technology). Whereas Trump’s behavior, and you know where this is going, Donald Trump has continued to express women-hating attitudes, as has been seen by statements made by Trump during this campaign. Trump has a continuing pattern of misogyny to this very day. So the two are not equivalent at all.
Isolated incidents cannot compare to continual misbehavior. All situations you see with Secretary Clinton are in the past and have not been repeated to the present day, or (such as the behavor of her husband) are not relevant. Whereas Donald Trump has continued to spew hatred — of blacks, of hispanics, of gays, of veterans, or the disabled, and of women — to the present day. He has disclosed information from National Security Briefings not on an email server, but over news microphones to the entire world.
There’s no comparison.
Of course, I must repeat again what I said in my post Thursday. Hillary Clinton is the best candidate, of the candidates on the ballot, out there, hands down. She is not only the most experienced candidate running, not only the candidate with the best restraint in what she says and how she behaves, and not only the candidate who is absolutely, positively guaranteed to keep it in her pants, she is the candidate (when you compare policy by policy) with the best policies to move this country forward. My vote for Hillary is not just a vote against Trump, it is a vote for Hillary Clinton.
