Jemele Hill: Herschel Walker's Candidacy Is Just Insulting

[Nevilledog]

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The Atlantic
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Herschel Walker's "disturbing history in no way reflects on other Black men. But I can’t help sensing some condescension in Republicans’ elevation of such a buffoonish candidate. Does Walker embody what they think Black men really are?" writes @jemelehill:

theatlantic.com
Herschel Walker’s Candidacy Is Just Insulting
The contrast with his opponent renders it all the more egregious.
9:19 AM · Oct 7, 2022

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/10/herschel-walker-abortion-son-2022-election-warnock/671675/

No paywall
https://archive.ph/bw3jt


Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia couldn’t be more different from his Republican opponent, the former football player Herschel Walker—and news coverage of their campaigns in the past week is a perfect example.

Warnock didn’t generate a single juicy or humiliating headline. Articles about the Democratic incumbent dutifully describe his issue positions and his campaign strategies. Meanwhile, the Daily Beast reported recently that the staunchly anti-abortion challenger had paid for an abortion that the mother of one of his children underwent. That story prompted Walker’s son Christian to post a bitter rebuke of his father on Twitter.

Until this week, Christian had appeared to earnestly support Walker even after revelations that he had fathered two more children than he had publicly disclosed and that he had lied about working in law enforcement, his academic record at the University of Georgia, and his business success. Christian appeared at an early campaign event for his father even though his mother, Cindy Grossman, had told ABC News in 2008 that when she and Walker were married, he’d pointed a gun at her head.

Under different circumstances, a Senate race in the Deep South between two Black candidates would be something to celebrate. But Walker is so unqualified that the Georgia contest has become cringeworthy.

The GOP is running some familiar plays in nominating Walker, a University of Georgia legend who won the Heisman Trophy in 1982 and played professionally in the United States Football League and National Football League for 15 years. He’s a favorite of former President Donald Trump, who endorsed him in the Republican primary. Like Tommy Tuberville, the former Auburn coach who represents neighboring Alabama in the Senate, Walker is counting on his football fame to win over voters. He has aligned himself with conservatives’ entire agenda—including their refusal to acknowledge that Joe Biden legitimately won the 2020 presidential election.

*snip*

[BlueTsunami2018]

1. It's hard to imagine someone that stupid running around the Senate.

But there’s a coin flip chance he will be.

[Zambero]

3. I'm betting against it

But given uncertainty will be relieved when it hopefully never comes about.

[Zambero]

2. Jim Crow meets Uncle Tom

Throw in the know-nothingness plus a nod to the classic black male stereotype, and voila, the perfect "balanced" GOP candidate for the times!

[Mr. Ected]

4. Walker is too ignorant and too vain

To realize he's being used by white men seeking to exploit the color of his skin for their sole benefit.