Haley Stevens Is Exactly Who We Thought She Was
"They are what we thought they were, and we let them off the hook!"
I wasn't going to write about anything today. Mostly because I try to take Mondays off so I don't burn out on writing by mid-week, as I, dear reader, write a lot when I'm motivated, and lately, I've been cooking with gas. Mostly, I've been writing about this midterm election for URL Media's We The Many newsletter, but I also banged out not one, but two profiles last week on top of appearing on both Don Lemon and Joy Reid's YouTube shows.
But when the news dropped over the weekend that former Michigan Democrat—like, former; they kicked her out of the party—Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers in the Michigan U.S. Senate race over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, I suddenly felt motivated to say sumpthin!
And in the spirit of legendary NFL coach Dennis Green (RIP), Haley Stevens is who we thought she was!
Stevens couldn't articulate exactly why she was endorsing Rogers when she sat down with CNN's Anderson Cooper. Her responses were very word salad.
“Look, this is just a weight off my shoulders, okay. Abdul has been getting angrier and angrier. I was trying to help, and I endorsed him. That ad was very painful,” she said. “There are so many Democrats who want to vote for our Democratic nominee. And they’re just being told, hey, this is a party you don’t belong in, or this is a campaign you don’t belong in.”
She mumbled some words about Hasan Piker (I don't use Twitch, so my response to this was, "Who?") and El-Sayed being "angry," but those are reasons to maybe not campaign for him directly, not go full turncoat and run to the nearest Black mega (MAGA?) church with Rogers to act like you've seen the light. But the convolutedness is probably because the real reasons would make her look even worse than she already does!
Like, it couldn't be because she's still mad that El-Sayed beat her fair and square during the Michigan Democratic primary! Nobody likes a sore loser! You learn that in Kindergarten!
It couldn't be that she suddenly agreed with Rogers, a Republican! He's a Trump stooge!
It couldn't be she felt entitled to the seat by virtue of being white? That's crazy (and racist)!
It couldn't be because of good ol' fashioned Islamophobia. WE ALL KNOW THAT'S BAD!
It couldn't be that she's playing both sides because some kind of outside influence is pressuring her! What does that have to do with the Democrats' attempt to take back the Senate?
No, it couldn't be any of those things. No sane adult would flip on their beliefs, principles, community, state party, or nation because they're a completely self-involved, hating narcissist!
Like, that can't be it, right?
Unless it's all those things! (Because none are mutually exclusive.) She could be mad about losing. Her principles could be for sale. She could believe she is more deserving as a white woman than El-Sayed because he's an Arab Muslim. She could be an islamophobe! It could be all that AIPAC money!
Because why choose political suicide like this unless Stevens is exactly who we thought she was to begin with? She lost the primary for a reason. And that reason was Michigan's Democratic voters wanted El-Sayed.
Take your "L" like a champ and move on dot org!
Because of Stevens' 11th-hour endorsement, more than half her staff has quit. The party has shown her the door. She was called a "traitor" at her own presser. And the Democrats have finally come together to fully back El-Sayed, while the election is tomorrow.
I don't know what tomorrow will bring. Some are predicting a blue wave. I'm preparing for a blue bust, just in case, because my heart literally can't take getting emotionally invested in another election.
If I'm wrong, I will be the happiest incorrect person ever. I will wash my crow down with a bottle of Veuve!
Of course, I already voted as soon as I could in the midterms, on Oct. 24th in New York, but if you haven't, this is your message to get out there and be the change you want to see in the world. Seize the power our ancestors fought and died for, and go vote. Even if you don't really vibe with any candidate, hold your nose and hold the line by voting for the candidate not promising to continue the current White House occupants' Heritage Foundation-based agenda.
Just do what you have to do and get it done. Make a voting plan, and if you're worried about feds at your polling place, bring a buddy, record everything, and alert your local election official or the ACLU's hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE. To quote another Michiganer who I actually can't stand, you only get one shot! Do not miss your chance to stop the continued destruction of whatever remains of our Democracy.
Let your voice be heard now, before it can't be heard at all.
Because I posted a newsletter today, my Snips & Snobs newsletter will be published on Wednesday. I'll probably still write something tomorrow, but I'm trying to keep to two newsletters a week so I don't overwhelm your inbox.
Also, again, please vote tomorrow. Thank you!