Those of us who know history are well aware that fascism metastasizes when cowards abet it. nnCase in point: The Republican senators, virtually all of whom refused to throw Trump out of office during the two impeachment trials, virtually all of whom remained mute after Trump’s goons ransacked the chamber in which they serve. And even now, amidst multiple federal and state investigations and ever-rising vitriol from the thief of nuclear secrets, they still can’t muster the moral strength to act like Americans.
Take, for instance, Rick Scott. Just another twisted Florida Man.
By now, you may have heard what Trump crayoned the other day on his social media site. He’s mad that Mitch McConnell had the temerity to support a budget bill that keeps the federal government running; therefore, McConnell “has a DEATH WISH. Must immediately seek help and advise from his China loving wife Coco Chow!”
At minimum, it should be a slam dunk for Republican leaders to rebuke Trump for flashing the bat signal to batty followers who might wish to commit violence upon the Senate minority leader; and for sliming McConnell’s wife, former Trump Cabinet member Elaine Chao, with a viciously racist moniker. Heck, I’d even throw in the fact that Trump doesn’t know the difference between “advise” and “advice.”
But no. Here’s how a worm plays the game when asked to man up.
On CBS News’ Face the Nation Oct 2, Scott talked about Hurricane Ian relief measures. Then host Margaret Brennan posed this question:
“Over this weekend, we heard some pretty disturbing rhetoric from the former president who tweeted that Senator McConnell has a death wish. He said some racist things about his wife, the former Cabinet Secretary Elaine Chao. Last night at his rally, Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene made a false claim that Democrats want Republicans dead, and they have quote, ‘already started the killings’. Given the level of security threat right now, would you rebuke those comments?”
Scott’s first response was a dodge and a lie:
“But I think what we got to do is we gotta bring everybody together. I’d also say that would vice versa. (VP Kamala) Harris said yesterday, or day before yesterday, that, you know if you if you have a different skin color, you’re going to get (FEMA) relief.”
Brennan refused to take the bait:
“That’s not what the vice president said. (On Friday, Harris lamented the disproportionate effects of disasters on low-income and minority communities.) She talked about equity and the problem within FEMA. But I’m specifically talking about Marjorie Taylor Greene.”
Scott’s second response was another dodge:
“Now, I here’s what I, here’s what I’ll tell you, I believe that we’ve got to do – President Trump has talked about this unbelievable spending that’s causing inflation hurting the poorest families. I grew up in a poor family. I watched him play should hurt my mom. We’ve gotten a house, watch how we spend this money. I know, you’re talking about – “
Brennan tried again:
‘What I quoted you as a phrase saying McConnell has a ‘death wish’. He said racist things about Elaine Chao. And (that Democrats) have ‘already started the killings’? Senator, the language is what I’m talking about. Isn’t that dangerous?”
Scott’s third response was yet another dodge:
“I think we all have to figure out how do we start bringing people together and have a common goal to give every American the opportunity to get a great job, their kids to have an education, they believe they can be anything, and make sure everybody lives in a safe community. That’s what I do every day. And I’ve tried to bring people together to do that.”
sBrennan spied an opening, or thought she had:
“And you would agree that that language doesn’t bring people together?”
Scott’s fourth response was dodge number two:
“I believe that what I believe what the President Trump was talking about is the fact that we can’t keep spending money. We are – We’re going to hurt our poorest families the most with this reckless Democrats spending and we cannot we got to stop it. We can’t cave into their spending.”
Brennan tried yet again:
“Okay. That’s not what the former president said. And ‘Coco Chow’ was the phrase he used to refer to a former Cabinet Secretary, Elaine Chao.”
Scott’s fifth response was my favorite:
“He, look, – he likes for, you know, he, he gives people nicknames. I’m sure he has a nickname for me. Alright. So you can ask him what he means by his nicknames. What I what, what I want to make sure is what I can do, I can try my best to bring people together and I’m gonna try to bring people together.”
Brennan hung in there:
“Okay, but Senator, you know that Democrats have not ‘already started the killings’ of Republicans, as Marjorie Taylor Greene has said.”
Scott’s sixth and final response was to plead deafness and repeat an earlier lie:
“I didn’t see what she said. But it’s also not helpful what the Vice President says when she, when she thinks that FEMA’s gonna treat people differently based on their skin color…Bring people together, please pray for our state.”
I’d prefer to pray for his soul, if he has one. But he’s no different than most of his colleagues, who continue to abet our national descent.
Dick Polman, a veteran national political columnist based in Philadelphia and a Writer in Residence at the University of Pennsylvania, writes at DickPolman.net. Email him at dickpolman7@gmail.com.
From The Progressive Populist, November 1, 2022
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