You Won't Ditch Him Unless What, Kellyanne Conway?
Moments after a temporary cessation of hostilities was called at the second presidential debate, MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews and Kellyanne Conway sat down for this exchange:
Matthews: You're with the campaign till the better end?
Conway: I'm with the campaign until the bitter end unless...
Matthews: Unless what?
Conway: [Shrugs]
Yes, unless what, Kellyanne? What exactly would it take for you to ditch this campaign that you didn't see last night?
For Conway, it would take more than Trump's pre-debate party trick, in which he paraded three alleged sexual assault victims before the cameras, challenging Bill Clinton to a game of "Guess Who's a Bigger Sexual Offender." (He followed that stunt by falsely accusing Hillary of laughing at a rape victim whose rapist she helped set free.) That wasn't low enough.
It would also take more than Trump's incessant pacing around the campaign stage-even though he only interrupted Clinton 18 times last night, he still managed to spread his legs all over her camera time. I assume he was trying to look powerful. Instead, he looked like a drunk Grim Reaper plotting to oust "the devil."
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For Conway, it would even take more than his refusal to apologize for his "Grab 'em by the pussy" comments. Instead, dripping in angry masculinity-the kind that "becomes toxic and feeds tribalism and violence and entitlement among his followers," as The Atlantic said-he wrote the comment off as locker room talk. The locker rooms have spoken, and they disagree.
Women, including those who have been grabbed in the pussy, disagree, too. Some might also note that by looming behind Clinton throughout the debate, Trump did an uncanny impression of the stranger who follows the lone woman a block too far at night, a step too close for comfort. And they may take offense to Donald Trump, alleged sexual offender, sitting next to alleged victims, pretending they were something more than a diversionary tactic.
But then, when has the Trump campaign given a damn what women think?
Actually, Trump might give a damn what noted Trump Wrangler Conway thinks. And as Conway said in a separate interview with CNN after the debate, she thinks he's a real swell guy who, despite numerous encounters alone, has "never been anything but gracious and a gentleman."
Well, that settles it.
For Conway, it would take more than last night's performance to sway her before the bitter end-"unless." I'd hate to see what's past "unless."
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