Thanks for the coverage. I only briefly saw a headline about this and expecting the worst paid no attention. This is a nice take, and good for her for sidestepping the invitation to join the haters.
Trump dragging a “DoorDash grandma” into his latest rant about women in sports isn’t messaging—it’s exploitation.
Using a random worker as a prop to push tired, divisive talking points about trans athletes is as lazy as it is disrespectful. Women’s sports deserve serious, fact-based discussion—not cheap stunts and manufactured outrage.
And the real problem? Too many people just let it slide. No pushback, no accountability—just another headline that normalizes using everyday people as political props.
We shouldn’t be okay with that.
While she did not get pulled in I wish she would have push back.
Why are you publicising a staged event featuring a paid political operative pretending to be something other than that? This is embarrassing. It's not quite enough to make me cancel my paid subscription, but it's pretty much Strike One.
I’m curious about why you find this offensive. Not arguing, just curious. To me, it’s relevant because the statement was supposed to be about tax on tips, and Trump tried to reel her into his culture war against trans people. She didn’t take the bait. Someone else might’ve, if only to show deference to the President—any President—of USA. That it went viral, though, says that a lot of other people are fed up with his hateful rhetoric.
What she actually did was to stick to the script she was being paid to deliver. These people get a lot of media training, and as someone who has had some (in connection with a trans rights lawsuit), I can say that the first thing the comms people teach you is to "pivot" away from anything that's not relevant to the message you want to get across. That's exactly what she did, and it's one of a great many "tells" that she's a trained, professional operative. If she had said something positive about trans rights, THAT absolutely would be newsworthy, but that's not what she did. I don't think our side should be giving free publicity to GOP messaging -- period, full stop.
Thanks for answering. I agree about not giving space for GOP messaging. I do think this story is more about it going viral. Even though the operative had skillfully stuck to her script, the tax on tips messaging took a backseat. This could make those democrats who wish trans people weren’t under their big tent of equality reconsider their dread. I see where you’re coming from though. I’m more concerned about the Democrats these days. (Scratch that. Not *more* concerned. But *also* concerned. Downright worried.)
Actually, as I think some more about this, it seems to me that having this event go viral because of an imagined trans-positive spin on it is a gift to Door Dash and the ECS, and also to the GOP. That it did go viral counts as bad news, IMO -- not that it reflects any kind of 3D chess or whatever on Trump's part, but, jeez, I wish more people were able to think critically about this stuff and not spread what is essentially "fake news."
The Door Dash people, and the other exploitative corporate scum behind the "No Tax on Tips" business, are probably none too pleased with Trump for derailing their moment on the White House steps and making it about something else. And yes, I'm also worried about the Democrats, although I never expect much from them given that at least at the national level, they're just as beholden to the corporate scum.
Embarrassingly bad publicity stunt.
Thanks for the coverage. I only briefly saw a headline about this and expecting the worst paid no attention. This is a nice take, and good for her for sidestepping the invitation to join the haters.
Trump dragging a “DoorDash grandma” into his latest rant about women in sports isn’t messaging—it’s exploitation.
Using a random worker as a prop to push tired, divisive talking points about trans athletes is as lazy as it is disrespectful. Women’s sports deserve serious, fact-based discussion—not cheap stunts and manufactured outrage.
And the real problem? Too many people just let it slide. No pushback, no accountability—just another headline that normalizes using everyday people as political props.
We shouldn’t be okay with that.
While she did not get pulled in I wish she would have push back.
Good for her. Don’t reward (tRump’s) bad behavior. Trump is one of those people who thrives on conflict, to the point of creating it.
Social Conservatives have to lie and deceive to pretend they have a point.
News at 11p . . .
Thank you, Baum
Why are you publicising a staged event featuring a paid political operative pretending to be something other than that? This is embarrassing. It's not quite enough to make me cancel my paid subscription, but it's pretty much Strike One.
I’m curious about why you find this offensive. Not arguing, just curious. To me, it’s relevant because the statement was supposed to be about tax on tips, and Trump tried to reel her into his culture war against trans people. She didn’t take the bait. Someone else might’ve, if only to show deference to the President—any President—of USA. That it went viral, though, says that a lot of other people are fed up with his hateful rhetoric.
Do you see this differently?
What she actually did was to stick to the script she was being paid to deliver. These people get a lot of media training, and as someone who has had some (in connection with a trans rights lawsuit), I can say that the first thing the comms people teach you is to "pivot" away from anything that's not relevant to the message you want to get across. That's exactly what she did, and it's one of a great many "tells" that she's a trained, professional operative. If she had said something positive about trans rights, THAT absolutely would be newsworthy, but that's not what she did. I don't think our side should be giving free publicity to GOP messaging -- period, full stop.
Thanks for answering. I agree about not giving space for GOP messaging. I do think this story is more about it going viral. Even though the operative had skillfully stuck to her script, the tax on tips messaging took a backseat. This could make those democrats who wish trans people weren’t under their big tent of equality reconsider their dread. I see where you’re coming from though. I’m more concerned about the Democrats these days. (Scratch that. Not *more* concerned. But *also* concerned. Downright worried.)
Actually, as I think some more about this, it seems to me that having this event go viral because of an imagined trans-positive spin on it is a gift to Door Dash and the ECS, and also to the GOP. That it did go viral counts as bad news, IMO -- not that it reflects any kind of 3D chess or whatever on Trump's part, but, jeez, I wish more people were able to think critically about this stuff and not spread what is essentially "fake news."
All good points. I didn’t see it as trans positive. Just not trans negative and “not my beef.”
We’ll have to see how it plays out.
Yes, we will. It's been a pleasure talking with you.
The Door Dash people, and the other exploitative corporate scum behind the "No Tax on Tips" business, are probably none too pleased with Trump for derailing their moment on the White House steps and making it about something else. And yes, I'm also worried about the Democrats, although I never expect much from them given that at least at the national level, they're just as beholden to the corporate scum.
I think the story is about the fun off-script surprises.
The photo in this Advocate article of Agent Orange handing the "DoorDash Grandma" a cash tip — the look on her face — is one for the ages.
https://www.advocate.com/politics/national/doordash-trump-transgender-athletes
Also: Check out this new article at The New Republic by Melissa Gira Grant.
Idaho Is Ground Zero of Republicans’ Escalating War on Trans People
Ten years ago, bathroom bans inspired boycotts and celebrity opposition. Where’s the national outrage now?
https://newrepublic.com/article/208968/idaho-trans-bathroom-ban-republican-anti-lgbtq-laws
“Waging culture wars is no sustanance.”
He should have known better than to ask too many questions. When he asked her earlier if she had voted for him, she demurred and said, "maybe."