Trump lowered the bar, and now some Democratic presidential candidates are cursing with unusual abandon. Why?
J. Clara Chan | September 9, 2019 @ 6:29 PM
Last Updated: September 9, 2019 @ 7:02 PM
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There’s nothing quite like a well-timed expletive to get your message across.
Last week, after yet another mass shooting, Beto O’Rourke released his campaign’s latest T-shirt — a dark gray shirt with the blunt message: “This is f*cked up. This is f*cked up. This is f*cked up. This is f*cked up. This is f*cked up. This is f*cked up.” In a smaller-sized font was the phrase, “End gun violence now.”
Politicians have been caught swearing since the days of George Washington. But according to an analysis by the government research company GovPredict, the number of swear words used by lawmakers on Twitter noticeably jumped after 2016. Counting words like s—, f—, a–hole, and b—-, among others, lawmakers have sworn on Twitter almost 1,900 times this year; in 2016, that number was at 193.
The first is a natural byproduct of how language norms evolve over time and across generations. Younger Americans, Bergen said, find “run of the mill” profanity to be less offensive than older generations, and the Democratic candidates — who range from 37 to 78 years old — may be “censoring themselves less” to appeal to a younger demographic.
“Run of the mill” swear words, according to Bergen, usually include profanity related to sex (e.g., f—), bodily functions (e.g., s—), or religion (e.g., Jesus Christ, holy s—). In a study of UCLA students who were asked to rank the offensiveness of certain words over a decade ago, “f—” was ranked as the 15th most offensive word. (The n-word was ranked the most offensive.)
The “Twitterization of political discourse,” Bergen pointed out, has lent a degree of informality to recorded language not previously seen in prior generations.
“Social media is different from what preceded this, because it’s this weird combination of informal and written [language]. It used to be that most of what you read [from politicians] was formal language. It was in newspapers, it was in books, and so on, it was in letters,” Bergen said. “That’s not the case anymore.”
Now, as many politicians are utilizing Twitter to speak directly with their followers and constituents in a more informal way, those modes of communication are still considered part of the public record due to their written nature.
“That might be part of the reason why we’re now seeing so much written profanity,” he said. “It’s just being recorded because this is an informal way to communicate with people.”
President Trump, then, must be acknowledged for the part he’s played in propelling Twitter forward as a forum for statements, insults, and policy decisions. His inclination toward profane language has been critical in changing what’s “allowable in political discourse,” Bergen said.
In 2016, audio from a 2005 “Access Hollywood” appearance caught the then-reality TV star bragging about how his fame allowed him to treat women like objects: “I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait,” Trump said. “Grab ‘em by the p—y.” A month earlier, Trump, while a candidate, called former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick a “son of a b—h” for taking a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality.
The profanity hasn’t stopped since Trump’s election. In 2018, he described Haiti, El Salvador, and other African countries as being “s—hole countries.“
He also appears to have a double standard. When Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib was quoted in January saying she wanted to “impeach the motherf—er,” he criticized her language as “disgraceful,” “a great dishonor to her and her family,” and “highly disrespectful to the United States of America.”
“It’s a classic move,” Bergen said. “When you are an adherent to a particular belief, or a proponent of a particular candidate, then swearing seems a particular way to you; it seems like they’re being authentic, and they’re being truthful, and they’re energized, and they’re enthusiastic. And if someone who you already don’t like swears, then you view that as evidence that they are out of control, or they’re illiterate, or they don’t understand social norms, so you view it more negatively.”
So where does that leave the current group of Democratic presidential candidates as they compete for the support of large swathes of Americans? Though T-shirts like O’Rourke’s are certainly part of a campaign strategy, candidates might just be exhibiting a human impulse to curse in the face of emotionally heightened situations.
“There are a lot of strong emotions at present surrounding this particular campaign or this particular election, and I think that swearing is a way to signal strong emotions and to evoke them in the people who are listening to you,” Bergen said. “Candidates who want to demonstrate their authentic, emotional commitment to whatever it is that they’re trying to push, they may be looking to profanity to do that for them.”
That’s especially been the case following the numerous mass shootings that have taken place within the last few months in O’Rourke’s home state of Texas. In early August, after the El Paso shooting in which 22 people died, O’Rourke responded to a reporter’s question with exasperation: “Members of the press, what the f—?” Later that same month, speaking to a crowd of supporters in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Odessa, Texas, O’Rourke once again turned to the expletive to make his position known: “What we do know is this is f—ed up.”
Appearing on MSNBC’s morning show “A.M. Joy” with Joy Reid the following day, O’Rourke defended his use of the word. “Profanity is not the f-bomb. What’s profane is a 17-month-old baby being shot in the face,” O’Rourke began, referencing a tweet by the rabbi Michael Latz. “What is profane is losing the life of a high-school student in that shooting yesterday who will not be returning to school tomorrow. What is profane is 40,000 gun violence deaths in this country.”
“What we’ve been saying, the rhetoric we’ve been using, the policies and practices of this country has not been urgent enough as needed, doesn’t meet this crisis,” he continued. “So let’s speak clearly and bluntly and then take decisive action.”
O’Rourke, of course, isn’t the only Democratic candidate who has publicly sworn during the 2020 race: Cory Booker defended Kamala Harris on Twitter two months ago, writing that “she doesn’t have s— to prove,” and criticized “thoughts and prayers” following acts of gun violence as being “bulls—” in a May interview with CNN. Bernie Sanders also made the rounds on social media after exclaiming, “I wrote the damn bill!” during the July Democratic debates. At the June debate, Andrew Yang said the Russians were “laughing their asses off,” while Julián Castro and Pete Buttigieg both used variations of “piss” in the course of the evening.
O’Rourke’s recent use of the f-word has drawn criticism — some call it inappropriate and a ploy for attention. But the blatant irony of this kind of critique settles in next to the sexist and racist profanity that has been used by the country’s current president.
Timothy Jay, a professor emeritus of psychology at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and a leading scholar on cursing, pointed to the double standard that allows men — like Trump, or Beto, or Cory, or Bernie — the freedom to swear publicly in a way that women often get punished or criticized for.
The difference, however, is that Trump’s profanity is used as a device for insulting others; Beto’s is in response to horrific death.
“There’s something every day that raises your emotions. And I think that’s part of a reaction to treat offensiveness with offensive language,” Jay said. “If you have to use ‘f—‘ to get somebody to listen to you, then that’s what you do.”
2020 Presidential Contenders: Who's Still Challenging Donald Trump and Who's Dropped Out (Photos)
There's less than a year to go until the 2020 presidential election, where the presumptive Democratic nominee — former Vice President Joe Biden — is expected to take on President Donald Trump.
But before then, the race was filled with a number of candidates eyeing the Oval Office. Here's TheWrap's list of everyone who is running for president — and who has dropped out.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
Joe Biden – Democratic Party
Entered Race: April 25, 2019
The former Obama VP was a late entry to the race, formally declaring his run for the presidency on April 25. But he's long been a presumed frontrunner, leading many early polls. This is his third presidential run, and for months he's been telling anyone who'll listen that he'd be the most qualified candidate for the job. He's also already been under scrutiny over criticism about his behavior with women, prompting him to post a video promising he'd be "more mindful and respectful" of a woman's "personal space."
The Massachusetts Senator formally announced her candidacy on Feb. 9 at a rally in her home state, and shortly after followed up with a tweet that read: "I believe in an America of opportunity. My daddy ended up as a janitor, but his little girl got the chance to be a public school teacher, a college professor, a United States Senator – and a candidate for President of the United States. #Warren2020." But on March 5, 2020, following a disappointing Super Tuesday performance, Warren officially ended her bid for the presidency.
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Bernie Sanders – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Feb. 19, 2019
Dropped Out: April 8, 2020
Bernie Sanders, the runner-up in the 2016 contest for the Democratic nomination, had a momentous campaign for the presidency with policies championing economic equality and rhetoric advocating for a political revolution that drew him scores of dedicated supporters. But as the Democratic primary elections arrived, his campaign's disappointing performance widened the gap toward the nomination between the Vermont senator and his main competitor, Joe Biden. In early April, Sanders officially suspended his campaign for the presidency.
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Pete Buttigieg – Democratic Party
Entered Race: April 14, 2019
Dropped Out: March 1, 2020
The 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana became the first openly gay presidential nominee from a major political party. Buttigieg came away with the most delegates from the Iowa Caucuses but couldn't keep his momentum going in the other early state primaries.
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Michael Bloomberg - Democratic Party
Entered Race: Nov. 24, 2019
Dropped Out: March 4, 2020
The former mayor of New York is the second billionaire to enter the crowded Democratic field with just one year until the election, using his considerable personal wealth to fund his ad campaign. He dropped out after a poor showing on Super Tuesday.
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Amy Klobuchar – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Feb. 10, 2019
Dropped Out: March 2, 2020
The Minnesota Democrat, first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006, announced her bid on Feb. 10, 2019, saying that she wanted to work for "everyone who wanted their work recognized." Klobuchar's key issues she wants to tackle if elected president include revising voting rights protections and prioritizing cybersecurity.
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Tulsi Gabbard – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Jan. 11, 2019
Dropped Out: March 19, 2020
Gabbard, a U.S. Representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district, endorsed Bernie Sanders in 2016, but in 2020 she's all-in on herself. Gabbard is running on immigration and criminal justice reform.
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Tom Steyer – Democratic Party
Entered Race: July 9, 2019
Dropped Out: Feb. 29, 2020
The billionaire and climate change activist entered the race in July, saying in a video "if you think that there's something absolutely critical, try as hard as you can and let the chips fall where they may. And that's exactly what I'm doing. My name's Tom Steyer, and I'm running for president."
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Bill Weld – Republican Party
Entered Race: April 15, 2019
Weld is a former Governor of Massachusetts who has been on the record about his displeasure of Trump, specifically Trump's desire to be more of a "king than a president."
The former governor of Massachusetts acknowledged the challenge of jumping into the Democratic primary so late in the game. But in his announcement he took a veiled swipe at other candidates, saying the party was torn between "nostalgia" and "our big idea or no way.” He dropped out after the New Hampshire primary, failing to secure a single delegate.
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Michael Bennet – Democratic Party
Entered Race: May 2, 2019 Dropped Out: Feb. 11, 2020
The Colorado senator has been a vocal supporter on advancing the field of artificial intelligence and expanding the Child Tax Credit. He dropped out on the day of the New Hampshire primary.
The entrepreneur and son of immigrant parents from Taiwan became a contender a year ago, telling The New York Times that he will advocate for a universal basic income. But he failed to gain traction and dropped out the day of the New Hampshire primary.
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Joe Walsh – Republican Party
Entered Race: Aug. 25, 2019 Dropped Out: Feb. 7, 2020
The former congressman from Illinois turned conservative talk show host announced in August 2019 that he would enter the GOP primaries to challenge President Trump. "I'm running because he's unfit; somebody needs to step up and there needs to be an alternative. The country is sick of this guy's tantrum -- he's a child," he told ABC News.
The New Jersey senator and former mayor of Newark formally tossed his name into the presidential hat on Feb. 1, the first day of Black History Month. Booker ran on a platform of ending mass incarceration if he were to be elected president. His absence in the race ahead of the caucuses made the remaining Democratic field significantly less diverse.
The "Healing the Soul of America" author and founder of Project Angel Food announced her candidacy during a political rally at the Saban Theater in Los Angeles on Jan. 28. Williamson ran on a platform of reparations and "economic justice for women and children."
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Julián Castro – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Jan. 12, 2019
Dropped Out: Jan. 2, 2020
The former mayor of San Antonio -- and former Obama cabinet member -- supports immigration reform and eliminating lead poisoning. Castro was the only Latino candidate in the running, and he said in a video released by his campaign that he's "not done fighting."
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Kamala Harris – Democratic Party
Entered Race: Jan. 21, 2019
Dropped Out: December 3, 2019
The California senator announced her bid for the presidency on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 21, while appearing on ABC’s "Good Morning America." As a possible indication of her chances, her January CNN town hall was the network's highest rated single presidential candidate town hall ever. Harris is pro Medicare-for-all and raising teacher pay.
Harris came out of the gate strong with a solid showing at the first debate, but failed to carry that momentum. Reports of staff mismanagement and fundraising challenges led to her to suspend her candidacy in early December.
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Beto O'Rourke – Democratic Party
Entered Race: March 14, 2019
Dropped Out: November 1, 2019
The former congressman from El Paso, Texas, announced he is running for president on March 14, saying: "This is a defining moment of truth for this country and for every single one of us," and that the challenges have never been greater. "They will either consume us, or they will afford us the greatest opportunity to unleash the genius of the United States of America," he added. O'Rourke has already made a name for himself as a record-breaking fundraiser, the subject of an HBO documentary and a favorite among Hollywood elite. He dropped out Nov 1., tweeting, "I am announcing that my service to the country will not be as a candidate or as the nominee."
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Mark Sanford – Republican Party
Entered Race: Sept. 8, 2019
Dropped Out: Nov. 12, 2019
The former governor of South Carolina -- who resigned in disgrace in 2007 after lying about an extramarital affair -- announced his challenge to Trump, saying, "We have lost our way." Sanford, who was also a U.S. congressman from 1995 to 2001 and 2013 to 2019, pledged to tackle the nation's ballooning national debt and reverse Trump's policies on trade protectionism. He dropped out in November saying the issues on his platform were overshadowed by the ongoing impeachment process.
The senator from New York announced her bid Tuesday, Jan. 15 on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert." Gillibrand, whose campaign slogan is "Brave Wins," supported paid family leave and protecting women's rights.
On August 28, 2019, she announced her withdrawal. "To our supporters: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Now, let's go beat Donald Trump and win back the Senate," she tweeted.
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Seth Moulton – Democratic Party
Entered Race: April 22, 2019 Dropped Out: August 23, 2019
The Massachusetts congressman and Iraq War veteran ended his campaign for president in a speech to the DNC in San Fransisco. “I think it’s evident that this is now a three-way race between Biden, Warren and Sanders, and really it’s a debate about how far left the party should go,” Mr. Moulton told the New York Times.
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John Hickenlooper
Entered Race: March 4, 2019 Dropped Out: Aug. 15, 2019
The former Colorado governor supported stricter gun control laws and free trade.
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Howard Schultz – Independent
Dropped Out: Sept. 6, 2019
In January the former Starbucks CEO expressed initial interest in running. In August, Schultz reportedly suspended his campaigning until after Labor Day, citing medical issues. In September, Schultz cited those issues and more in a letter on his website as reasons he had to take himself out of the running.
"My belief in the need to reform our two-party system has not wavered, but I have concluded that an independent campaign for the White House is not how I can best serve our country at this time," he wrote.
Schultz is a co-founder of the venture capital firm Maveron, which is an investor in TheWrap.
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Eric Swalwell
Entered Race: April 8, 2019 Dropped Out: July 8, 2019
The California congressman wrote in a statement on his campaign's website about his decision to bow out of the 2020 presidential race, "I’ll never forget the people I met and lessons I learned while travelling [sic] around our great nation – especially in the communities most affected by gun violence."
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Jay Inslee – Democratic Party
Entered Race: March 1, 2019 Dropped Out: Aug. 21, 2019
The Governor of Washington ran on a platform focused on climate change, proposing a "100% Clean Energy for America Plan" that would see emissions drop to zero by 2035.
He announced he was dropping out of the race during an appearance on "The Rachel Maddow Show."
"It's become clear that I'm not going to be carrying the ball," Inslee told Maddow. "I'm not going to be the President, I'm withdrawing tonight from the race."
Inslee added that he's optimistic that climate change will be a major part of the Democratic party's priorities.
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Wayne Messam – Democratic Candidate
Entered Race: March 28, 2019 Dropped Out: Nov. 20, 2019
The mayor of Miramar, Florida, a city near Miami, is a first-generation American who has called for end the filibuster and erasing student debt. He only raised $5 -- five -- during the quarter that ended Sep. 30, and dropped out less than two months later.
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Bill De Blasio – Democratic Party
Entered Race: May 16, 2019
Dropped Out: Sept. 20, 2019
The New York City mayor was looking for more taxes for the wealthy and regulating "gig jobs" under his proposed Universal Labor Standards.
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Steve Bullock – Democratic Party
Entered Race: May 14, 2019
Dropped Out: Dec. 2, 2019
The Montana governor said in a statement, "While there were many obstacles we could not have anticipated when entering this race, it has become clear that in this moment, I won’t be able to break through to the top tier of this still-crowded field of candidates."
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John Delaney – Democratic Party
Entered Race: July 28, 2017 Dropped Out: Jan. 31, 2020
The U.S. Representative for Maryland's 6th district declared back in July 2017. He said he'll "end reckless trade wars and expand trade," "create a universal health care system" and "launch a national AI strategy." But he dropped out before the Iowa caucuses.
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Joe Sestak – Democratic Party
Entered Race: June 23, 2019 Dropped Out: Dec. 1, 2019
The former Pennsylvania Congressman had a plan for America that includes investing in American manufacturing and strengthening antitrust laws. But short of funds and media attention, he dropped out.
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Bernie Sanders is the latest to end the race for the Oval Office
There's less than a year to go until the 2020 presidential election, where the presumptive Democratic nominee — former Vice President Joe Biden — is expected to take on President Donald Trump.
But before then, the race was filled with a number of candidates eyeing the Oval Office. Here's TheWrap's list of everyone who is running for president — and who has dropped out.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
CBS
