When I saw the trending hashtag #DemocraticWhores, I got really excited, thinking maybe Democrats were all strutting around today in those sensational boots Julia Roberts wore way back in Pretty Woman. Nancy Pelosi could rock those boots, don’t you think?
Alas, the phrase Democratic Whores has nothing to do with iconic footwear, and everything to do with a doctor and Sanders supporter who should have asked for a second opinion on his speech at a rally for the Presidential hopeful.
Dr. Paul Y. Song was speaking before a crowd gathered to see Senator Sanders in New York City’s Washington Square Park last night. He was one of the early speakers and got the crowd revved up when he said:
“Now Secretary Clinton has said that Medicare for all will never happen. [boos] Well, I agree with Secretary Clinton that Medicare for all will never happen if we have a president who never aspires for something greater than the status quo. [cheers] Medicare for all will never happen if we continue to elect corporate Democratic whores [cheers] who are beholden to big pharma and the private insurance industry instead of us.”
Um… yeah, that’s some problematic language there. It sounds an awful lot like he’s calling Hillary Clinton a whore.
Song took to Twitter to clarify his remarks and assure us that he was talking about Congress, not Hillary Clinton.
Oh. Ok. So… he’s calling Congress whores. I’m curious: would he say that to the face of anyone in Congress? Would he call anyone a whore to their face, elected official or not? I’m gonna guess not. I’m also gonna say that using sexist insults in speeches at political rallies is a bad idea. It’s kinda Trump-y, in fact.
Let’s be better than that, Democrats. We’re supposed to be the ones working for tolerance and equality. Loaded insults like this should be beneath us.
