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.
This just seems like extending purity politics to a cultural affect.
There’s a debate to be had on purity politics in respect to actual policies and positions like supporting genocide, trans rights etc.
But if it’s in regards to how you express those policies and positions that’s just limiting your voting base with no real gain.
I"m just disappointed that this is the limit to the progress achievable from the best candidates the left can offer. I don’t like having to compromise on anything considering how uncompromisingly awful this administration has been about everything. Making sure your hands are thoroughly washed isn’t about some goofball idea of purity, it’s a practical precaution.