Viewers Speechless as Dem Senator's 'Compliment' to Minority Staff Goes Horribly Wrong
Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly of Indiana had to leave some of his Hoosier viewers speechless this week after he made some accidentally offensive comments about the ethnic background of some of his staff.
The moment came during a debate Tuesday between Donnelly and Republican challenger Mike Braun.
“Our state director is Indian-American, but he does an amazing job,” Donnelly said, apparently in a clumsy attempt at a compliment.
The use of the word “but” seems to imply that his Indian-American staff member does a great job despite the fact that he’s Indian-American.
He went on to make an identical comment about a black staff member.
“Our director of all constituent services, she’s African-American, but she does an even more incredible job than you could ever imagine,” Donnelly said.
(via DM) “Donnelly is like Michael Scott in the Diversity Day episode” pic.twitter.com/TpFvUSQHaz
— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) October 31, 2018
As Twitter user Liam Donovan pointed out, these are like comments you would see Michael Scott make on “The Office.”
The comparison was dead on. Here are some Steve Carrel character Mike Scott’s most memorable moments of misspeaking. (Note: Some adult situations.)
Obviously this was an awkward slip-up and Donnelly meant to compliment his staff, but this phrasing would count as an offensive “microaggression” by typical left-wing standards.
It’s not uncommon for the left to force otherwise innocent people into apologizing for unintentionally offensive “microaggressions.”
If liberals were consistent with their dogma, they would be forcing Donnelly to apologize.
“Gosh, too bad the media and lib elite decided awkward phrasing revealed hideous racism. Otherwise we’d just giggle and move on. but now we know it’s proof positive Donnelly is a white supremacist,” Townhall Senior Columnist Kurt Schlichter wrote on Twitter.
Gosh, too bad the media and lib elite decided awkward phrasing revealed hideous racism. Otherwise we’d just giggle and move on. but now we know it’s proof positive Donnelly is a white supremacist. https://t.co/VqG5ixkzkK
— Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) October 31, 2018
While conservatives have been left figuratively speechless over Donnelly’s comments, liberals on Twitter have been rationalizing why they are giving him a pass.
“I let politicians from both sides by with things that might’ve bothered me in the past because the sky is literally falling… and what’s falling is on fire,” one Twitter user said.
And it’s not a double standard. I let politicians from both sides by with things that might’ve bothered me in the past because the sky is literally falling… and what’s falling is on fire.
— Sara Says (@sara_fantastic) October 31, 2018
“Joe’s heart is in the right place. Also, have you met his challenger Mike Braun? When Mike Pence proposed letting restaurants refuse to serve gays, Mike Braun said sign me up,” another Twitter user said.
Joe’s heart is in the right place. Also, have you met his challenger Mike Braun? When Mike Pence proposed letting restaurants refuse to serve gays, Mike Braun said sign me up. @JoeforIndiana marched in the Indianapolis Pride parade. @yashar, go wide here.
— Andrew S. Potts🌈 (@AndrewSPotts) October 31, 2018
If Republican candidates made an accidentally offensive comment like Donnelly did, they would’ve been relentlessly attacked by the left.
Because Donnelly is a Democrat, the left seems to be giving him a pass.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
