Blake Hall
This cringe-worthy tweet is so uncomfortable, it transcends politics.
Rep. Tammy Duckworth, an Army veteran who flew helicopters during the Iraq War, is challenging Republican incumbent Sen. Mark Kirk for his Senate seat. As with any campaign, there’s a good amount of mudslinging going on between the Duckworth and Kirk camps.
In the tweet above, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is trying to bring attention to recent accusations that Duckworth ignored VA whistleblowers in order to cover up corruption. Make no mistake, this is a really pertinent issue that deserves to be discussed. The NRSC just used the worst phrasing imaginable.
“Tammy Duckworth has a sad record of not standing up for our veterans.”
Tammy Duckworth ain’t got no legs.
Duckworth became the first female double amputee of the Iraq War when her Black Hawk helicopter was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade. Her right leg was amputated near the hip and her left below the knee. She relies on both a wheelchair and prosthetics to get around, depending on the situation.
Disagree with her policies if you wish, but you have to admit that insulting a military veteran and double amputee for not standing up is incredibly tone deaf.
Tammy Duckworth has a Purple Heart, Air Medal & Army Commendation medal. Meanwhile the idjit that wrote that tweet probably never served
— Mikki Kendall (@Karnythia) March 8, 2016
We don’t know if the author of that tweet was trying to make a joke or if it was an honest mistake. At any rate, the NRSC deleted the offending tweet.
Both Duckworth and the NRSC issued scathing statements following the Twitter mishap.
“It would be great if reporters would pay as much attention to a deleted tweet as they should to Tammy Duckworth being sued by VA whistleblowers for ignoring claims of mistreatment and corruption,” the [NRSC] statement said.
Duckworth’s Senate campaign called the NRSC tweet “vile” and fired back at incumbent Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL).
“Tasteless and dishonest, just like everything else to do with Mark Kirk’s flailing campaign,” spokesman Matt McGrath said in a statement to TPM. “Tammy has made fighting for Veterans her life’s work, and will continue to do so in the Senate.”
In other words, business as usual.