Trump's Twitter War Of Words, Called Out For 'Slut-Shaming' Gillibrand
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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami/AP) — There's a war of words on social media as President Donald Trump plows into the sexual harassment debate in a big way.
President Trump laced into Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Tuesday, tweeting that the New York Democrat would come to his office "begging" for campaign contributions and "do anything" to get them. Democrats accused the president of making crude insinuations.
Gillibrand, D-N.Y., who had called for Trump's resignation a day earlier because of allegations of sexual misconduct, called Trump's attack a "sexist smear attempting to silence my voice."
"I see it as a sexist smear, that's what it is. It's part of the president's effort at name calling and it's not going to silence me. It's intended to silence me. It's not going to silence the women who have stood up against him, directly," said Sen. Gillibrand.
The tweet read: "Lightweight Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a total flunky for Chuck Schumer and someone who would come to my office "begging" for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them), is now in the ring fighting against Trump. Very disloyal to Bill & Crooked-USED!"
Lightweight Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a total flunky for Chuck Schumer and someone who would come to my office "begging" for campaign contributions not so long ago (and would do anything for them), is now in the ring fighting against Trump. Very disloyal to Bill & Crooked-USED!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2017
Tuesday afternoon, the White House said "there's no way" the president's tweet about Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand was "sexist at all."
Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Trump was talking about a political system he thinks is rigged and the fact that politicians repeatedly beg for money.
Sanders says only people with their minds in the gutter would read anything sexual into the tweet.
Standing up for Gillibrand, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., tweeted to the president: "Are you really trying to bully, intimidate and slut-shame @SenGillibrand? Do you know who you're picking a fight with? Good luck with that, @realDonaldTrump. Nevertheless, #shepersisted."
Are you really trying to bully, intimidate and slut-shame @SenGillibrand? Do you know who you're picking a fight with? Good luck with that, @realDonaldTrump. Nevertheless, #shepersisted. https://t.co/mYJtBZfxiu
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) December 12, 2017
President Trump also tweeted Tuesday morning the sexual harassment accusations are false. He alleges the claims against him were an invention by Democrats who are unable to prove his campaign colluded with Russia to meddle in the 2016 election.
The tweet read, "Despite thousands of hours wasted and many millions of dollars spent, the Democrats have been unable to show any collusion with Russia - so now they are moving on to the false accusations and fabricated stories of women who I don't know and/or have never met. FAKE NEWS!"
Despite thousands of hours wasted and many millions of dollars spent, the Democrats have been unable to show any collusion with Russia - so now they are moving on to the false accusations and fabricated stories of women who I don't know and/or have never met. FAKE NEWS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 12, 2017
"And again the American people knew this and voted for the president and we feel like we're ready to move forward in that process," said press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders during Tuesday afternoon's press briefing.
The White House has promised a list of eyewitnesses to exonerate the President, so far two have been quoted in news articles questioning the accusers' stories.
Monday, Gillibrand said Trump should resign because there were credible accusations against him. And barring that, she said, "Congress should investigate the multiple sexual harassment and assault allegations against him."
Trump's tweet Tuesday morning inflamed Democrats who said the president was again debasing a woman. Trump had not responded to earlier resignation calls from three male senators, Independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Democrats Cory Booker of New Jersey and Jeff Merkley of Oregon.
Hours later, Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono also called for the president to step down, declaring that Trump's "tweet against Kirsten was just another example of his misogyny."
"He is a liar. He is an admitted sexual predator and the only thing that will stop him is his resignation," Hirono said. "He not only owes Kirsten an apology, he owes an apology to our entire country, particularly the women in this country."
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., called it "an ugly and suggestive tweet, and we all know what he was trying to say there, and it is beneath the office of the presidency."
Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Ky., said Trump had "proven to be a poison for the presidency, a cancer on the country, and a truly disgraceful human being."
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island declared that Trump was "rather incontinent when it comes to tweets."
And the Democratic Women's Working Group held a news conference to demand that the House Oversight Committee investigate sexual misconduct allegations against Trump. Republican lawmakers, who control both houses of Congress, have suggested that such a probe was unlikely.
The criticism of Trump largely came from one side of the aisle. Republicans largely remained silent about the tweet, with Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, a frequent Trump critic, being an exception, saying he "didn't think it was appropriate at all."
More than a dozen women came forward during last year's campaign, many in the wake of the "Access Hollywood" tape in which Trump is heard bragging about committing sexual assault, to say that the celebrity businessman had harassed them.
With each day seeming to bring new headlines that force men from positions of power, four of Trump's accusers re-upped their claims Monday, believing the national movement on sexual harassment should force change at the White House too.
Trump has denied the claims.
