The GOP Is in an Abusive Relationship with Trump

[Nevilledog]

https://plus.thebulwark.com/p/gop-abusive-relationship-with-trump?utm_medium=%3D

WHEN A JURY FOUND Donald Trump liable for sexually assaulting and defaming E. Jean Carroll, it drove home one of the grosser features of our political era: No amount of contemptible behavior from Donald Trump toward women creates political problems for him with GOP primary voters. It didn’t in 2016 or 2020 and it isn’t now.

The former president’s record of abusive and demeaning conduct toward women is well-documented. He boasted about sexually assaulting women. Twenty-six women have accused him of sexual misconduct. He was indicted for paying hush money to Stormy Daniels. He called Carroll “not my type” in his deposition and told her lawyer, “you wouldn’t be a choice of mine either.” He doubled down on his statement that “when you’re a star, they let you do it,” saying, “that’s largely true, unfortunately or fortunately.” In his CNN town hall following the verdict, he ridiculed Carroll again to jeering laughter from the audience.

Yet most of the women voters who backed Trump in 2016 and 2020 aren’t walking away. In many cases, his behavior—and Democrats’ and the courts’ attempts to hold him accountable—only strengthens their support for him. Even those who condemn his misogyny often say it’s not a dealbreaker. At this point, eight years into the Trump era, the sexism is internalized by his supporters. And even shared by some of them.

Over the course of hundreds of focus groups, I’ve seen female GOP voters rationalize, compartmentalize, and defend Trump’s treatment of women. They say they “[don’t] like his lifestyle and the things he did personally,” but “believed that he could do the things he was saying because of his professional background.”

*snip*

[Blue Owl]

1. He moved on them like a bitch

[emulatorloo]

2. What "professional background?" Bankrupting businesses? Stiffing workers? Playing a

fake ‘billionaire’ of a TV show?

[Nevilledog]

4. It's the same way with them saying he's religious.

They live in a fact free fantasyland.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

3. They are in an abusive relationship

With democracy too.

[Thomas Hurt]

5. They like it...