A cut-and-paste job that puts former vice president Joe Biden and President Donald Trump in the ring of a Rocky Balboa boxing film. (Image: pbs.twimg.com)
Mar 22, 2018
A former vice president threatens to beat up the current president--or at least fantasizes about doing so back when the two septuagenarians were back in high school and buffed out like teenage jocks.
So the current president fires back, saying the former vice-president would lose and "go down hard and fast."
But what are these two grown men fighting over?
Women, of course. One threatening to defend the dignity of women from a man intent on assaulting them. And the other defending, it seems, his right to sexually assault women.
But pay attention, because whoever wins the fight over these women, might just be the man to win the 2020 presidential election.
This all comes from the latest comments by former vice president Joe Biden, who on Wednesday repeated the idea that, if given the chance back in high school, "I'd take [Trump] behind the gym and beat the hell out of him."
Compelled to respond on Twitter Thursday morning, Trump declared:
\u201cCrazy Joe Biden is trying to act like a tough guy. Actually, he is weak, both mentally and physically, and yet he threatens me, for the second time, with physical assault. He doesn\u2019t know me, but he would go down fast and hard, crying all the way. Don\u2019t threaten people Joe!\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1521713997
While no feminist has argued that Trump's abusive attitude towards women has been healthy--and while more than a dozen women still have outstanding accusations against him for sexual harassment or assault--Biden's instinct to respond to Trump with macho threats of violence is also drawing fire.
"No one doubts the former veep's heart and commitment," wrote Erin Keane for Salon Wednesday evening following Biden's latest comments. "But his macho posturing is ugly and counterproductive."
"Can we declare a moratorium on glorifying violence, on celebrating the patriarchal ideal of man as enforcer and protector, and on equating (even in the inverse) athletic prowess with good character?" Keane continues. "Because these ingrained cultural habits have historically not been kind to women and girls."
\u201cBipartisan toxic masculinity https://t.co/gmHHiRCh49\u201d— Adam Smith (@Adam Smith) 1521723088
\u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong, I love me some Joe Biden - but there were several areas of his speech that were terribly problematic. This whole toxic masculinity thing has to die. We\u2019re over it.\u201d— Hillary (@Hillary) 1521722617
And as notes Eugene Scott at the Washington Post notes, "Biden's words could cost him some votes from women who are tired of seeing stereotypical expressions of manhood offered as a solution to the very real problem of sexual assault of women."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
A former vice president threatens to beat up the current president--or at least fantasizes about doing so back when the two septuagenarians were back in high school and buffed out like teenage jocks.
So the current president fires back, saying the former vice-president would lose and "go down hard and fast."
But what are these two grown men fighting over?
Women, of course. One threatening to defend the dignity of women from a man intent on assaulting them. And the other defending, it seems, his right to sexually assault women.
But pay attention, because whoever wins the fight over these women, might just be the man to win the 2020 presidential election.
This all comes from the latest comments by former vice president Joe Biden, who on Wednesday repeated the idea that, if given the chance back in high school, "I'd take [Trump] behind the gym and beat the hell out of him."
Compelled to respond on Twitter Thursday morning, Trump declared:
\u201cCrazy Joe Biden is trying to act like a tough guy. Actually, he is weak, both mentally and physically, and yet he threatens me, for the second time, with physical assault. He doesn\u2019t know me, but he would go down fast and hard, crying all the way. Don\u2019t threaten people Joe!\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1521713997
While no feminist has argued that Trump's abusive attitude towards women has been healthy--and while more than a dozen women still have outstanding accusations against him for sexual harassment or assault--Biden's instinct to respond to Trump with macho threats of violence is also drawing fire.
"No one doubts the former veep's heart and commitment," wrote Erin Keane for Salon Wednesday evening following Biden's latest comments. "But his macho posturing is ugly and counterproductive."
"Can we declare a moratorium on glorifying violence, on celebrating the patriarchal ideal of man as enforcer and protector, and on equating (even in the inverse) athletic prowess with good character?" Keane continues. "Because these ingrained cultural habits have historically not been kind to women and girls."
\u201cBipartisan toxic masculinity https://t.co/gmHHiRCh49\u201d— Adam Smith (@Adam Smith) 1521723088
\u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong, I love me some Joe Biden - but there were several areas of his speech that were terribly problematic. This whole toxic masculinity thing has to die. We\u2019re over it.\u201d— Hillary (@Hillary) 1521722617
And as notes Eugene Scott at the Washington Post notes, "Biden's words could cost him some votes from women who are tired of seeing stereotypical expressions of manhood offered as a solution to the very real problem of sexual assault of women."
A former vice president threatens to beat up the current president--or at least fantasizes about doing so back when the two septuagenarians were back in high school and buffed out like teenage jocks.
So the current president fires back, saying the former vice-president would lose and "go down hard and fast."
But what are these two grown men fighting over?
Women, of course. One threatening to defend the dignity of women from a man intent on assaulting them. And the other defending, it seems, his right to sexually assault women.
But pay attention, because whoever wins the fight over these women, might just be the man to win the 2020 presidential election.
This all comes from the latest comments by former vice president Joe Biden, who on Wednesday repeated the idea that, if given the chance back in high school, "I'd take [Trump] behind the gym and beat the hell out of him."
Compelled to respond on Twitter Thursday morning, Trump declared:
\u201cCrazy Joe Biden is trying to act like a tough guy. Actually, he is weak, both mentally and physically, and yet he threatens me, for the second time, with physical assault. He doesn\u2019t know me, but he would go down fast and hard, crying all the way. Don\u2019t threaten people Joe!\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1521713997
While no feminist has argued that Trump's abusive attitude towards women has been healthy--and while more than a dozen women still have outstanding accusations against him for sexual harassment or assault--Biden's instinct to respond to Trump with macho threats of violence is also drawing fire.
"No one doubts the former veep's heart and commitment," wrote Erin Keane for Salon Wednesday evening following Biden's latest comments. "But his macho posturing is ugly and counterproductive."
"Can we declare a moratorium on glorifying violence, on celebrating the patriarchal ideal of man as enforcer and protector, and on equating (even in the inverse) athletic prowess with good character?" Keane continues. "Because these ingrained cultural habits have historically not been kind to women and girls."
\u201cBipartisan toxic masculinity https://t.co/gmHHiRCh49\u201d— Adam Smith (@Adam Smith) 1521723088
\u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong, I love me some Joe Biden - but there were several areas of his speech that were terribly problematic. This whole toxic masculinity thing has to die. We\u2019re over it.\u201d— Hillary (@Hillary) 1521722617
And as notes Eugene Scott at the Washington Post notes, "Biden's words could cost him some votes from women who are tired of seeing stereotypical expressions of manhood offered as a solution to the very real problem of sexual assault of women."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.