Excellent commentaries on Tim Scott. I must say his behaviors are even more shameful than Mike Pence in 2016. Knowing what we know now, I have little doubt that Tim Scott will do all of Trump’s bidding if Trump drops any subtle hints that he may endorse Scott in 2028.
Not only has he enthusiastically endorsed Trump, but he has fully embraced Trump's politics of baldfaced gaslighting and projection.
For instance, his outrageous statement about Joe Biden "having blood on his hands" with regard to October 7th – despite Biden being a steadfast supporter of Israel who has nonetheless been wary of enabling their extreme right wing – unlike like a certain other President we could name.
Or the utterly ridiculous assertion that on immigration, "Democrats want an issue rather than a soultion", when status quo at the border right now is clearly in Republicans' favor. I'm not sure if his remarks came before or after House Republicans tanked a bipartisan immigration bill that gave conservatives everything they could have wanted, making an abrupt about face on previous demands of new border legislation after Trump won New Hampshire and demanded they kill the legislation so *he* could have an issue to run on. All the same, the assertion made no sense beforehand, and Scott now supports Trump knowing he's guilty of the very thing of which he so vehemently accused Democrats.
Or the absolutely galling claim about there being a "separate tier of justice" for Democrats vs. Republicans, despite the reality that a) the only other Republicans who have gotten in trouble with the law were those involved with Jan 6th b) Mike Pence (remember, a Republican!) was easily cleared of any wrongdoing in his own retained documents case, and c) Trump abused the pardon power more openly and flagrantly than anyone before him, shamelessly rewarding political allies and those who acted to protect him during Robert Mueller's investigation. And this claim most likely came straight from an RNC talking points memo, as Scott wasn't the only Republican to automatically regurgitate it upon being asked about Trump's legal issues.
The saddest thing about all of this is that it shows just how much politicians like Scott, Pence, and others deserve Trump. For all of Trump's disqualifying flaws, he is one of the few Republican politicians who doesn't speak from a bulleted list of pre-ordained positions. Unfortunately he also doesn't speak from anything resembling principle or a coherent governing philosophy – outside of "air my own grievances and otherwise say whatever sounds like what people want to hear at any given moment". But it seems people prefer that to the pre-programmed Stepford Republicans who appear to have abandoned any pretense of independent thought.
Trump couldn't ask for better heads to step on in his latest climb to power.
When Pence did this, it was just a stupid and embarrassing sellout. Now that Trump is openly trying to turn our democratic Republic into an Orban/Putin kleptocracy, it's something else. If Scott is really a Christian, he'd do well to rethink this move. It didn't even work for Pence.
It would be more accurate to say that he was principled-adjacent, rather than principled. He stood on stage with Nikki Haley and Marco Rubio during the 2016 cycle when the two South Carolinians backed a far saner choice for the party than Trump. His affect, also, is worlds apart from Trump's, which makes his backing of Trump all the more discordant. We have to be able to meaningfully distinguish people like MTG from people like Tim Scott—it's the very thing that makes him the far more tragic story.
There is a distinction between MTG and Scott, but Scott's deliberate choice to ignore both history and principle for power and fame don't make him a tragic figure...just a contemptible one.
Excellent commentaries on Tim Scott. I must say his behaviors are even more shameful than Mike Pence in 2016. Knowing what we know now, I have little doubt that Tim Scott will do all of Trump’s bidding if Trump drops any subtle hints that he may endorse Scott in 2028.
Not only has he enthusiastically endorsed Trump, but he has fully embraced Trump's politics of baldfaced gaslighting and projection.
For instance, his outrageous statement about Joe Biden "having blood on his hands" with regard to October 7th – despite Biden being a steadfast supporter of Israel who has nonetheless been wary of enabling their extreme right wing – unlike like a certain other President we could name.
Or the utterly ridiculous assertion that on immigration, "Democrats want an issue rather than a soultion", when status quo at the border right now is clearly in Republicans' favor. I'm not sure if his remarks came before or after House Republicans tanked a bipartisan immigration bill that gave conservatives everything they could have wanted, making an abrupt about face on previous demands of new border legislation after Trump won New Hampshire and demanded they kill the legislation so *he* could have an issue to run on. All the same, the assertion made no sense beforehand, and Scott now supports Trump knowing he's guilty of the very thing of which he so vehemently accused Democrats.
Or the absolutely galling claim about there being a "separate tier of justice" for Democrats vs. Republicans, despite the reality that a) the only other Republicans who have gotten in trouble with the law were those involved with Jan 6th b) Mike Pence (remember, a Republican!) was easily cleared of any wrongdoing in his own retained documents case, and c) Trump abused the pardon power more openly and flagrantly than anyone before him, shamelessly rewarding political allies and those who acted to protect him during Robert Mueller's investigation. And this claim most likely came straight from an RNC talking points memo, as Scott wasn't the only Republican to automatically regurgitate it upon being asked about Trump's legal issues.
The saddest thing about all of this is that it shows just how much politicians like Scott, Pence, and others deserve Trump. For all of Trump's disqualifying flaws, he is one of the few Republican politicians who doesn't speak from a bulleted list of pre-ordained positions. Unfortunately he also doesn't speak from anything resembling principle or a coherent governing philosophy – outside of "air my own grievances and otherwise say whatever sounds like what people want to hear at any given moment". But it seems people prefer that to the pre-programmed Stepford Republicans who appear to have abandoned any pretense of independent thought.
Trump couldn't ask for better heads to step on in his latest climb to power.
When Pence did this, it was just a stupid and embarrassing sellout. Now that Trump is openly trying to turn our democratic Republic into an Orban/Putin kleptocracy, it's something else. If Scott is really a Christian, he'd do well to rethink this move. It didn't even work for Pence.
I don't share your previous admiration for Scott as a principled Conservative.
When a politician so easily reverses his positions on every and any issue, it's evidence that his principles were never more than a tribal signal.
When the tribe shifts, the "principles" shift.
It would be more accurate to say that he was principled-adjacent, rather than principled. He stood on stage with Nikki Haley and Marco Rubio during the 2016 cycle when the two South Carolinians backed a far saner choice for the party than Trump. His affect, also, is worlds apart from Trump's, which makes his backing of Trump all the more discordant. We have to be able to meaningfully distinguish people like MTG from people like Tim Scott—it's the very thing that makes him the far more tragic story.
I agree with the distinction you detail.
There is a distinction between MTG and Scott, but Scott's deliberate choice to ignore both history and principle for power and fame don't make him a tragic figure...just a contemptible one.
Agree. I’ve heard him say some despicable things. Shame on him for discarding his ostensible values and principles.
Scott and similar never watched (or understood) this scene from The Crucible
https://youtu.be/SmneeIeh-TQ?si=WG4Dz5OIFSV_B34E