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GOP Faux Outrage? Katie Britt Has Nothing on Nancy Mace

Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at 10:02 AM
Written by Anthony L. Hall

Republican men have their women talking about sex trafficking and rape to deflect from their policies that deny all women bodily autonomy.

Britt’s opening act about sex trafficking

Republican Sen. Katie Britt gained infamy on Thursday with her State of the Union rebuttal. Her faux outrage—over a child trafficking story that was riddled with lies—was bad enough.

But her melodramatic, overblown delivery was more akin to a teaser for an upcoming SNL skit. True to form, SNL obliged with its usual satirical ferocity, not missing a beat and not disappointing.

 

Mace’s headlining performance about rape

Astonishingly, Republican Rep. Nancy Mace upstaged Britt on Sunday. Her faux outrage—over ABC News anchor George Stephanopolous asking why a rape victim like her would support an adjudged rapist like Trump—was bad enough. 

Trump is still mocking and defaming his victim. This, despite her winning a nearly $100 million defamation judgment against him. 

But then came this:

Nancy Mace commenting on her appearance on This Week with George Stephanopolous.

‘SHOCKED AND DISMAYED’: Congresswoman Nancy Mace demands ABC reprimand Stephanopoulos over ‘disgusting’ on-air remark. [Mace] feels women’s groups and ABC executives should ‘demand an apology’ from anchor George Stephanopoulos for trying to ‘shame’ her for endorsing former President Trump. 

(Fox News, March 12, 2024)

Of course, that makes about as much sense as Trump demanding the DOJ reprimand Jack Smith over “unfair” indictments. But, thanks to Trump, Republicans think the art of public debate is playing the victim, gaslighting, and telling brazen lies.

I watched her interview as it aired on Sunday’s edition of This Week. And I was genuinely outraged by her faux outrage. Frankly, no victim has ever played the victim card more cynically and clumsily than Mace. She should apologize to rape victims.

GOP outreach to women

Yet, the most cynical element in this whole charade is unmistakable: Britt and Mace’s theatrics are part of a calculated GOP ploy to claw back sympathy and support. 

GOP men are championing policies that brazenly strip women of their bodily autonomy. That has alienated many women, including Republicans. This is their desperate attempt to make amends.

However, this patronizing outreach to women will fare no better than Trump’s racist outreach to blacks. His, you may recall, featured him using gold sneakers and T-shirts with his mugshot.