Iowa Senate Hopeful 'Appalled' Her Husband Called Janet Napolitano A 'Traitorous Skank'

TPM ^ | Sahil Kapur

[ObamahatesPACoal]

Iowa Republican Senate nominee Joni Ernst told a local news outlet she's "appalled" that her husband once called former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano a "traitorous skank" on Facebook.

As reported by the Des Moines Register, Democrats took a screenshot of Gail Ernst's written comments, which had been up since April 2013, and seized on them. That prompted him to delete that and other inflammatory posts and apologize for them before Ernst denounced them.

"I'm appalled by my husband's remarks," Joni Ernst said, according to the Register

[nickcarraway]

Would a gentleman talk this way? No, a gentleman wouldn’t. Did you see Ronald Reagan do this kind of thing no? If you give in to the left on this kind of behavior, don’t think you are ever going to beat them on the big issues. You’ve already conceded the game to them.

[Smokin' Joe]

Unfortunately, the comments one makes on Facebook have no expectation of privacy, nor of being in a closed loop, though doubtless, even an encrypted e-mail would have been found if it took that much digging. While I fundamentally agree with the characterizations, Mr. Ernst would do well to realize what you say can hurt you in the court of public opinion (well ginned up by the media, of course).

The sad part here is that he puts his wife in a position of having to distance herself from her husband's remarks. Awkward.

Time for hubby to play on the team, and pay attention. Democrats can get away with almost anything, but Republicans are held to a higher standard, both personally, and especially by the Democrat press.

[nathanbedford]

Actually, the import of the article which I was at pains to point out was to identify the man's sin as violating political correctness: Evidently, to describe a woman as a skank is to violate the PC norm and, by inference, to accuse her of treason is not.

I thought this anomaly was worth pointing out and it distresses me that you think contrariwise. I do not understand how it is that skanks pose a greater threat to the survival of the Republic than traitors.

If traders do pose a greater threat, PC at least assures us that we will maintain a level of gentility as we decline. That is something we can hold fast to until the end.

[ObamahatesPACoal]

This is more of a cause célèbre for the liberal groups like Progress Iowa. Braley has no mention of it on his facebook. He’s talking about the Koch brothers and working across the aisle.

[Conspiracy Guy]

For Janet Napolitano, Skank would be a promotion.

[broken_arrow1]

A whole lot of skanking going on at the Obozo White Whore House!

[Gaffer]

Yes. One would think. One also would think that this applies to Michelle Obama - unelected and unaccountable.

[IncPen]

Reminds me of the campaign when Mary Matalin said, “Others may say that Bill Clinton is a philandering, pot-smoking draft-dodger. We would never say that.”

[Vehmgericht]

He will be hearing from the Traitorous Skank Anti-Defamation League.

[Vehmgericht]

He will be hearing from the Traitorous Skank Anti-Defamation League.

[DoodleDawg]

Think twice before speaking, three times before writing, and four times before posting. Twitter and Facebook have damaged or destroyed more campaigns lately than anything else I can think of.

[Rumplemeyer]

I also need a list.

[Rome2000]

Maybe that’s what the skanks look like in iowa

[liberalh8ter]

Her response should have been, ‘Is my husband not entitled to his opinion or is the thought here that because I'm a woman I must submit to and share his opinion?’ She should refrain from making anything close to an apology for his comment and I don't understand why she's distancing herself from the comment. She should be insulted and instead turn the criticism back on those doing the criticizing.

[dalereed]

Sounds like a good definition to me.

[Lion Den Dan]

Joni just lost my support when she chickened out. It is her husband’s opinion and he stated truth and facts. Nothing to apologize for.

[9YearLurker]

Yep. This is the sort of thing you never see from political wives.

[bert]

Which part of the appellation was wrong?

Traitorous or Skank?

[bray]

This is the way people talk on the internweb. Big deal.

[Rummyfan]

...her husband once called former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano a "traitorous skank" on Facebook.

And the problem is? If they're fishing this deep, Ernst's opponent must be in big trouble.