Today’s conservatives (read: Trump supporters) seem to be trying very hard to make “whataboutism” a legitimate debate tactic. Seems that every time I turn around they’re making specious arguments with no supporting evidence at all, let alone fact. (As God is my witness, I am convinced today’s Republican don’t even know the definition of “evidence”, but I digress.)
Anyway, back in March 2018 I wrote a piece on “whataboutism”. Long story short whataboutism is frowned upon in most debate circles. Ironically enough, Republicans seem to be going out of their way to set it up as legitimate discourse. Their arguments usually go something like this…
“Joe Biden is incoherent.” Obviously a slam directed at his mental capacities and capabilities in handling the job of president. He probably slurred a word, or misspoke, or whatever. And he does have a history of stuttering. But granted, Joe Biden is not as sharp as he once was, and in an ideal world I’d prefer someone sharper in the job now. Joe Biden has indeed lost a step, in the mind.
We all know the only people saying these things are Trump supporters and they’re inferring Trump was better and more qualified for the job than Biden is. Kind of a pre-emptive whataboutism, if you will. Beat ’em to the punch! If it weren’t so sad and transparently weak it might be mildly humorous.
So for those who are so inclined, what might you “whatabout”? How about this…
Well what I would do, is I would, we would, we have tremendous military capability and what we can do without planes, to be honest with you, without 44-year-old jets, what we can do is enormous, and we should be doing it and we should be helping them to survive and they’re doing an amazing job. (Fox Business TV show, “Varney & Co,” in March 2022)
…or the time he tried to redirect a hurricane with a Sharpie. And we will be polite and not compare Joe’s “handling” of young girls with “grabbing them by the pussy” and walking in on naked teen girls at beauty pageants. It’s almost as if Republicans are BEGGING people to counter with a whataboutism as pretty much everything they can possibly come up with to shame Biden Trump has most assuredly done worse. There is nothing you can ding Biden for where Trump has not himself been more incompetent or sleazy or repugnent or Every. Single. Time.
And really, what about Hillary’s emails?