Jesse Watters can’t seem to stop admiring Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. The Fox News host loves to talk about how Michigan’s Democratic nominee for the Senate is “in great shape” and how “Abdul . . . beat the machine” — meaning the party establishment’s candidate, Rep. Haley Stevens — in a hard-fought primary. During an interview in August, Watters clearly enjoyed El-Sayed’s jokes and blunt speech, which included calling his opponent, former Rep. Mike Rogers, a “beta,” and asking the host if he was circumcised when Watters tried to corner him on gender-affirming surgery for minors. The next day, Watters made no bones about El-Sayed’s appeal. “I like him,” he said. “I don’t want to like him. I like him for some stupid reason.”
But the reason was obvious. The doctor-turned-politician has an aggressive bro style that appeals to someone like Watters. Quick-witted with bulldog energy, El-Sayed never backs down from a fight. But despite Watters’ admiration, Fox News has become obsessed with taking El-Sayed down. It’s not because he’s Muslim, though Republicans are ratcheting up the racism in their efforts to derail his campaign. It’s because he is a model for how Democrats can escape their reputations for being weak and feckless.
El-Sayed isn’t toxically masculine like that MAGAt idiots. Don’t confuse a guy that stands up for himself as more the same shit we have already. Talarico in Texas is similar. They both display “healthy” masculinity. So does Pete Buttigeig, that matter. There’s a night and day difference between healthy and toxic masculinity. We need more of the healthy and truckload less of the toxic. El-Sayed is NOT more of the same. It’s a different energy. It’s very much the same difference of Obama versus Trump. If you think Obama and Trump are the same kind of man…then you need psychological help.
They’re so completely different that people who admire toxic masculinity find him appealing. Yep. Definitely buying that.