First things first: Chelsea Clinton herself has drawn attention to ThinkProgress editor Judd Legum’s thread on Harvey Weinstein, which begins by pointing out that the sexual harassment described in that New York Times piece is despicable.
Thread: https://t.co/NNmBzj65kG
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) October 7, 2017
Chelsea Clinton, of all people, probably doesn’t want to get into a discussion of despicable sexual behavior by men in power, but there you go: zero self-awareness.
In any case, it’s actually kind of sad that Legum’s thread takes the predictable turn that it does, and that it echoes the hot takes of so many on the left: sure, what Weinstein allegedly did is horrible, but what’s worse is the right trying to score points by wondering why Democrats kept taking his money when his behavior was apparently the biggest open secret in Hollywood.
We can’t argue the first point.
1. Weinstein's conduct, as documented in the NYT, is despicable
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 7, 2017
2. Also despicable are those that are using the story exclusively as a political narrative, with no actual concern for the victims or issue
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 7, 2017
Like the liberal entertainers saying there are different standards of behavior for men in the movie business and men who hold high office?
3. Core issue here is not Weinstein's political donations, but the powerful in Hollywood who knew about the conduct but stayed silent
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 7, 2017
And as we all know, the powerful in Hollwood …
https://twitter.com/EF517_V2/status/916766239413895168
4. It's an issue of powerful institutions protecting predatory men. If you care about this, you'll talk about that.
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 7, 2017
We have been. Scroll Twitter. All we have seen is an avalanche of "old news" from those in the industry. We have called them complicit. https://t.co/EKzFx6u1Ap
— Brad Slager: It's Lt-Col-VP-Rev-Kaiser, SIR ? ? (@MartiniShark) October 7, 2017
He actually typed this in a thread downplaying Weinstein's political connections. https://t.co/uAwzt0pcqx
— BT (@back_ttys) October 7, 2017
It's a good thing the Democrats he donated to and partied with aren't part of powerful institutions. https://t.co/uAwzt0pcqx
— BT (@back_ttys) October 7, 2017
5. Instead it's being absorbed by the right into their slime machine.
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 7, 2017
We think we read somewhere that “Slime Machine” was Weinstein’s nickname around the office.
6. This isn't just an effort to weaponize it politically against "liberals." It's also an effort to distract from the actual discussion
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 7, 2017
Ah, the old “distraction” from the actual discussion. So according to Legum, we’re not supposed to talk about Weinstein’s political influence, but focus only on Hollywood looking away and enabling Weinstein’s behavior. But isn’t that just what all those Democrats did when they accepted his donations and attended his star-studded fundraising parties?
And here’s the clincher:
7. FACT: Most of the folks talking about Weinstein on the far right don't even believe sexual harassment is a problem
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 7, 2017
See, conservatives don’t even really care about sexual harassment anyway — they’re just happy for the chance to slam a “liberal kingmaker.”
https://twitter.com/tanstaaflpnw/status/916765440528891904
https://twitter.com/molratty/status/916727044074962944
This, however, is the opposite of a "FACT."
Do better, @JuddLegum. https://t.co/SxuGiW7P9S
— Lance Salyers (@lancesalyers) October 7, 2017
Show your work, slugger. If it's a fact it should be easy. https://t.co/1icVhrSE05
— Senate Popular VotEEE (@EEElverhoy) October 7, 2017
I know this is completely false, but a liberal put the word *fact* in front of the lie, so it magically becomes true. https://t.co/DSKH8S51mG
— Slovydal (@Slovydal) October 7, 2017
Fact: Most people that voted for Hillary don't see the Clinton's treatment of #JaunitaBroaddrick as a problem. https://t.co/mJPqNFSQBo
— Kip "1/1024" Hooker (@TheVitaminPress) October 7, 2017
Uh, correction:
With Bill Clinton we were lectured about how it was not a problem. https://t.co/QQwm1IegiF— Brad Slager: It's Lt-Col-VP-Rev-Kaiser, SIR ? ? (@MartiniShark) October 7, 2017
We could almost stay with Legum up until about Tweet No. 4, but nah.
Pretty sure being advised & ripped by Clinton & Obama people who lectured us about silence is violence is a core issue https://t.co/cUYtF2ooZN
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) October 7, 2017
* * *
Related:
FAIL: John Legend spins Harvey Weinstein to hit Trump, knocks out Bill Clinton instead https://t.co/h68SzCmrZl
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 7, 2017
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