Look at this quote and think about the reaction:
If you were just a regular person, you turned on the TV, and you saw Chuck Schumer talking, I would say—and I’m fine with gay people, that’s all right—but my gaydar is 60-70 percent,” Schweitzer said in the interview.
“Don’t hold this against me, but I’m going to blurt it out. How do I say this … men in the Northeast, they are a little effeminate,” he said. “They just have effeminate mannerisms.”
If this was said by a Republican about a Democrat and about men in the northeast, the political world would have erupted in faux outrage. GLAAD would have already issued a statement. Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid would be expressing their outrage. President Obama, who seems annoyed at having to deal with a worsening situation in Iraq, would probably hold court with several media outlets over this. Every MSNBC personality would be asking for a fainting couch. Buzzfeed would have ten listicles already published and Media Matters would be wetting themselves.
But a Democrat said it:
Former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer chose an interesting path and offered puzzling critiques since he tossed his name in the hat for a potential presidential run in 2016.
But comments the Democrat made about Rep. Eric Cantor and Sen. Dianne Feinstein in a lengthy profile published by National Journal have probably knocked him off that path.
In the piece, Schweitzer shared his perceptions on Cantor’s sexuality while discussing the Virginia Republican’s shocking loss last week against an unknown primary candidate.
“If you were just a regular person, you turned on the TV, and you saw Eric Cantor talking, I would say—and I’m fine with gay people, that’s all right—but my gaydar is 60-70 percent,” Schweitzer said in the interview.
“Don’t hold this against me, but I’m going to blurt it out. How do I say this … men in the South, they are a little effeminate,” he said. “They just have effeminate mannerisms.”
Cantor, who represents central Virginia and is outgoing House Majority Leader, has been married to his wife for 25 years and has three children.
Therefore, there will be no repercussions.