When GOP nominee Donald Trump joked about grabbing women’s crotches in a 2005 ‘hot mic’ incident, Save Jerseyans, the 2016 presidential race was turned on its head. He may not recover. And Democrats have been all-too-happy to savage the Republican’s character over the incident.
Is what’s good for the goose also good for the gander?
Here’s looking at you, Monmouth Democrats.
On Tuesday, Monmouth Republicans dropped an October surprise of sorts in their opponents laps when they unearthed a 2007 public Facebook post from their 2016 surrogate candidate, Vincent Solomeno:
Think before you post, kiddos!
Solomeno, a millennial, told The Asbury Park Press that his comments were intended as a “joke,” one which he notes was made during his college years. The candidate further explained that he was en route to the Netherlands to study; prostitution is legal there, but he categorically denied patronizing any sex workers while visiting that country. The post is no longer visible in the group where it originally appeared.
I’m sure he’s telling the truth. That’s why the candidate’s adversaries are more appropriately focused on the hypocrisy angle.
“In light of [Democrat] Chairman [Vin] Gopal’s outrage over the words being thrown around in the Presidential race, Surrogate candidate Solomeno needs to explain why he feels it appropriate to use a vile term such as ‘whore’ when referencing a woman,” GOP County Executive Director Tom Szymanski opined in a party release. “He and Chairman Gopal need to take a long look in the mirror, and apologize to the women of Monmouth County. ”
Therein lies the rub.
There is no evidence that Trump or Solomeno did anything wrong other than saying some objectively dumb things.
Saying awful, uninformed things is an American right.
There are, however, some important differences between the two incidents.
Solomeno was a lot younger than Trump at the time, true, but his comments also weren’t explainable as a hot mic moment and, unlike the Republican nominee, Solomeno’s party is presently building an October campaign around accusing the other side of being sexist, evil perverts.
I’m just looking for a little moral consistency here, folks.
If Trump’s gross remarks render him “unfit” for the presidency (Hillary Clinton’s words, not mine), then what can Trump’s leading detractors say in Vincent Solomeno’s defense? Without outing themselves as hyper-partisan hypocrites who care less about women than winning elections?
Monmouth County voters will get the final word in just under four weeks.
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