Are you a woman who is currently supporting Donald Trump's inane attempt to turn American presidential politics into the world's worst reality show? Do you know any women who are? Are you a man, but like and respect women? Because if you are a woman or care about women and have seriously entertained even the slightest thought of the words "President Trump," we need to do an intervention right now.
On Monday, Trump shared a few choice words about DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz on Breitbart News on Sirius XM radio. Speaking with Stephen Bannon about the debates, Trump noted that "You have this crazy Wasserman Schultz — Deborah Wasserman Schultz — who is in there, a highly neurotic woman. This is a woman that is a terrible person. I watch her on television. She's a terrible person." He added, "And in all fairness, she negotiated a great deal for Hillary because they gave Hillary all softballs." In contrast, he declared Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus "a very good guy."
Trump has certainly lobbed the word "crazy" before — in fact, on Monday, he also called CNBC crazy. He's consistently generous with his insults, calling John Harwood "a dope" and "a fool" at an event on Saturday. And in the past, he's suggested that Texas Governor Rick Perry "should be forced to take an IQ test before being allowed to enter the GOP debate." But there was something about Trump's use of the word "crazy" in such close proximity to "neurotic" — especially to describe a 49 year-old woman — that had a particularly familiar ring to it. It was the sound of a nearly 70 year-old man once again not so subtly accusing a female of being "crazy" in a uniquely hysterical lady way.
While Trump is unquestionably capable of trolling both men and women, he does have a special way of going after the ladies. They're "shrill" and "can't satisfy" their husbands like Hillary Clinton, or "neurotic" like Wasserman Schultz. Responding to Trump's comments the DNC issued a statement Monday that "The Republican front-runner's misogynistic attacks are sadly representative of the GOP's outdated approach to women and the issues that affect them and their families."
They're also typical Trump. In his world, women who run afoul of his good graces are too attractive — you may recall that in August, Trump put down Fox's Megyn Kelley with the assertion that she's a “bimbo” who only got her job for being "sexy." He's also told a female reporter that "We could say politically correct that look doesn't matter, but the look obviously matters. Like you wouldn't have your job if you weren't beautiful." Or they're not attractive enough — in September, he boggled over Carly Fiorina, "Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?!"
Back in 2011, he sent writer Gail Collins a copy of her own column and wrote "The Face of a Dog!" over her photo. He's complained about Bette Midler's "ugly face [and] body" and that Arianna Huffington is "unattractive both inside and out" and that "I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man." He's called Rosie O'Donnell a "fat pig" and a "slob," among other things. And he called a new mother who requested a break to breastfeed pump breast milk "disgusting," a sentiment he appeared to stand by to CNN earlier this year.
Even when he's ostensibly being kind, his commentary is degrading. He's boasted that "Women have one of the great acts of all time. The smart ones act very feminine and needy, but inside they are real killers." And of his own daughter he's said, "She's really something, and what a beauty, that one. If I weren't happily married and, ya know, her father …" So, ew.
There are plenty of great reasons to say that Donald Trump is the candidate of your racist, climate change-denying uncle from back home. But his outrageously toxic and seemingly nonstop commentary about women — about their appearance, about their shrillness or bimboness or neuroses — is all you should really need to find him loathsome. And every moment his embarrassing shtick endures is another chance for him — under the guise of a serious representative of the Republican party — to say that degrading women is a completely acceptable political tactic.
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