Twitter lit up last month after the Guardian’s Ben Jacobs tweeted that GOP House candidate Paul Gianforte had just “body slammed” him and broken his glasses. That didn’t stop Gianforte from winning the next day’s special election, but Jacobs’ broken glasses enjoyed a happy ending: the Newseum took them in as an historical artifact.
Roving journalist Michael Tracey on Saturday tweeted that Rep. Maxine Waters had just shoved him, but the public wasn’t quite so sympathetic, especially after seeing the shove on video.
Rep. Maxine Waters just shoved me and angrily stormed off as I asked her questions. (Not a violent shove but she initiated physical contact)
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) June 3, 2017
Note: Tracey did state up front it was “not a violent shove” but unwanted physical contact — not that feminists were willing to excuse Tracey’s alleged gigantism, toxic masculinity, and his beard.
You can watch for yourself shortly — the questions were reasonable. Extremely suspect for a member of Congress to shove anybody.
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) June 3, 2017
It wasn't "an assault" by any stretch but there's no justification for escalating physical contact like that.
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) June 3, 2017
Let’s go to the tape:
pic.twitter.com/1TnP5tZmvu here it is on video
— TRUMP FOR PRISON (@TrumpysTaxes) June 3, 2017
Oh my god what a fucking whiner. We've all now seen the video. You were in her way and she just brushed you off. What. A. Dick.
— Elliott Lusztig (@ezlusztig) June 3, 2017
She brushed away his microphone, and then he SMILED.
— Michael St. John (@frightwigwam) June 3, 2017
Because I found it amusing that she would've acted in such a ridiculous fashion.
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) June 3, 2017
"racist bearded jagoff gets gets lightly touched by elderly Black woman he was harassing"
— Agent of Soros (@Agent_Of_Soros) June 3, 2017
Waters has dedicated every remaining breath to seeing that President Trump is impeached — she doesn’t have a second to waste on Obama haters.
She pushed away your hand holding the mic; she did not shove you away in that video.
— (((David Lytle))) (@davitydave) June 3, 2017
Oh my fucking god, you are pathetic.
— Brian Scully (@brianscully) June 3, 2017
Don't be such a whiny wimp. This hurts your credibility.
— Jeremy Repanich (@racefortheprize) June 3, 2017
Sexist!
The receipts are amazing! Thanks for providing us all a good laugh on your behalf, you desperate and pathetic oaf.
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) June 3, 2017
If anyone was assaulted, it was apparently Tracey, whose titanic frame encroached on the slight Waters, threatening to crush her, were such a thing possible. To untrained eyes like ours, the video didn’t look like much, but apparently race, gender, body type, and age are all factors to consider when judging these things after the fact.
She held up her hand to brush away your mic while you imposed yourself in her space. God this is so disingenuous, even for you guys.
— The Resisterhood (@resisterhood) June 3, 2017
your round belly & your mic are invading the space of a petite woman. You tried to intimidate her w your body. She's on defense BRO
— Miss Alissa (@themstems) June 3, 2017
Not surprised that a big white man considers the actions of a black woman to be aggressive if she does anything less than supplicate herself
— J. David Jentsch (@jdavidjentsch) June 3, 2017
we are praying that that you recover from being physically hurt from having a elderly black woman touch you#prayformichaeltracey
— Regina (@ReginaA1981) June 3, 2017
A giant man shoves a phallus-shaped object in a tiny woman's face & cries victimhood when she's not down with it. You're part of the problem
— Tracy E. Gilchrist (@TracyEGilchrist) June 3, 2017
I love this tweet
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) June 3, 2017
Seriously — you’ve got six inches, eighty pounds and maybe 30 years on her. I’m no-one’s idea of macho but that’s just tragic.
— MichaelMarshallSmith (@ememess) June 4, 2017
It doesn't matter what her age or size is. It's not behavior becoming of a member of Congress.
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) June 4, 2017
mike you have to admit it would be funny if she did a full overhead press ultimate warrior bodyslam on you though
— Mr. Peppers (@ItsTonyNow) June 3, 2017
I agree that would've been funny
— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) June 3, 2017
You are a pathetic joke. Soul Aslyum's song "Somebody to Shove" touches you more over the radio than @MaxineWaters does here.
— Dane Rauschenberg (@SeeDaneRun) June 3, 2017
Are you going to donate your shirt to the Newseum?
— RightWired (@_donaldson) June 3, 2017
* * *
Related:
‘This is ridiculous’! Ben Jacobs donates Gianforte’d glasses to Newseum https://t.co/Hy6PTeRjtN
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 30, 2017