88°F
weather icon Clear

Myers: One more attack on women by Trump

There’s been considerable praise for Republicans who have withdrawn their support for Donald Trump in the wake of reaction to his sex tape. It’s fair to ask why they didn’t do so earlier, or why they endorsed him in the first place. After all, the only thing the sex tape added to our knowledge of Trump was vulgarity.

GOP leaders knew – we all knew – what he thought of women during most of this campaign. Any politically savvy GOP leader must have known that something out there like this was waiting, as surely as Cliven Bundy was likely to say something particularly outrageous sooner or later, as he finally did with his “Negro” comments.

Before the sex tape surfaced, Trump had attacked a breastfeeding mother, men who change diapers, women who want their husbands to change diapers, Muslim women, sexual harassment victims, women seeking abortions, Mika Brzezinski, Gail Collins, Heidi Cruz, Michelle Fields, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Arianna Huffington, Kim Kardashian, Megyn Kelly, Bette Midler, Rosie O’Donnell, Sarah Jessica Parker, Brande Roderick, Kristen Stewart, Katy Tur, and Elizabeth Warren. How does adding vulgarity to the mix suddenly make him irredeemable? If they didn’t understand what he was like before the sex tape, they were politically tone-deaf. It’s like not knowing what Nixon was like before Watergate.

Trump’s attack on women seeking abortions was particularly shameless and galling, since they have the same position on abortion he had until he needed to start winning Republican primaries and caucuses.

He once blamed Mike Tyson’s rape victim for the rape.

A few days ago, before the sex tape turned up, U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei agreed to accept the post as Trump’s Nevada state chair. It was an astonishing turn of events. Amodei is very conservative but also a decent person. More to the point, he has daughters. Yet he joined the presidential campaign of the nation’s best known misogynist. How is that possible?

Granted, there were those critical of Amodei accepting the job on OTHER grounds.

On Amodei’s Facebook page, Louis Granier wrote, “Mark, as your former government teacher and friend, I know your stance is to manipulate the voters. Politicians are the pawns for big business and Wall Street. I’m disappointed that you play the game better than most. You talk the talk but refuse to walk the walk.”

Amodei replied, “Hey Mr. Granier. Hope you are doing well. You taught me in Government class 40 years ago to be an open minded critical thinker. Also that facts are important! Please feel free to load up on some facts at the Federal Election website. I raise about 60 cents a person in my district. Not the stuff ‘pawns’ are made of and none of it from ‘Wall Street.’ Didn’t we also talk about the inaccuracy of sweeping generalizations in class? As we both know, Nevadans are independent folks and not manipulation prone. I said I’d support the Republican nominee and I believe it’s important to do what you say you will do. The ‘game’ you refer to? Is that supporting those in law enforcement like Frank? Or those who support the minerals industry like Laura? It’s not a game, Mr. Granier. It’s public service.”

But until the sex tape with its extreme language surfaced, no one faulted Amodei supporting Trump’s sexism. Many feminists have argued that sexism is excused while racism is condemned. Imagine if Trump had talked about Jews the way he has talked about women. Would Amodei have accepted a job with the campaign then?

In May, conservative columnist David Brooks wrote, “So for those of us appalled by [Trump] – what are we supposed to do? Well, not what the leaders of the Republican Party are doing. They’re going down meekly and hoping for a quiet convention. They seem blithely unaware that this is a Joe McCarthy moment. People will be judged by where they stood at this time. Those who walked with Trump will be tainted forever after for the degradation of standards and the general election slaughter.”

No Republican can say s/he wasn’t warned long before the sex tape.

Dennis Myers is an award-winning journalist who has reported on Nevada’s capital, government and politics for several decades. He has also served as Nevada’s chief deputy secretary of state.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
LETTER: Books in the children’s section; sexualization and grooming

Editor’s note: This complaint was originally emailed to Pahrump library trustee John Shewalter on Sept. 27, 2022. It is being republished after library trustees voted 5-0 Monday to craft a review system of “questionable” materials in the youth library that’s likely to include a number of LGBTQ-affirming titles. The writer of the complaint is unknown. Trustees redacted the name and email address of its sender before circulating a printed copy of the complaint at a public meeting this week.

COMMENTARY: Donald Trump gets just what he wanted

Does anyone really want to be indicted? Maybe if your name is Donald Trump, and you’re facing four investigations, three of them for serious abuse of presidential powers and one for using a lousy fix-it lawyer who paid hush money to an alleged mistress, writes columnist Susan Estrich.

TALK OF THE TOWN: Pahrump is hungry for new restaurants & business

Pahrump is hungry for new restaurants and other businesses. That’s evident by the long lines that snaked around the new Arby’s that opened along the frontage road of Highway 160 on Tuesday. Here’s what PV Times readers are saying about our most-read story of the week.

TALK OF THE TOWN: Pahrump ‘fired up’ after claims from firefighters unions

PVT readers share their thoughts about a 56-point list of health, safety and mismanagement concerns co-written by members of the local firefighters union that called for Pahrump Fire Rescue Chief Scott Lewis to step down — or face removal from his position.