Donald Trump’s endorsement of the bizarre claim that Dr. Jill Biden is “in love” with the President-elect after their friendly interaction at the Notre Dame Cathedral reopening ceremony in Paris is a clear example of the challenges women often face.
For women who are naturally kind, polite, and attentive to everyone, it’s not unusual to encounter situations where men misinterpret basic friendliness as romantic interest. Women know all too well how easy it is for a simple smile or polite gesture to be seen as something more than it is.
Enter Donald Trump, who, despite numerous allegations of sexual misconduct, continues to misread even the smallest friendly gestures. He takes advantage of a photo of himself and the First Lady (not his own, as Melania was absent) at the event to further promote his products, such as $199 perfumes. As comedian John Stewart aptly put it: “You won. You don’t need to push merchandise anymore. It’s beneath you.”
But for Trump and his supporters, winning isn’t enough. Their behavior is like that of sore winners who rub it in when they win and throw tantrums when they lose—always making it worse for everyone else involved. The same goes for his media allies, like Fox News, and even Sky News in Australia, who, while still somewhat respectful, indulge in ridiculous analysis of situations like the Notre Dame ceremony.
However, Fox News’ Larry Kudlow stands out for taking things to a new low, acting like an internet troll on air. On the Dec. 9 edition of Outnumbered, Kudlow made an uncomfortable and inappropriate comment about the photo of Jill Biden and Trump in the cathedral. He suggested that their conversation wasn’t just polite, but flirtatious, even implying that there was some form of “heavy-duty petting” happening.
While his co-commentators joined in, making absurd claims that Jill Biden was after power, Kudlow quickly realized how wrong he sounded and tried to backtrack, calling his earlier remarks a metaphor. Regardless, this entire situation highlights how the standards for political dignity and decency have sunk so low that they’re now buried beneath layers of disrespect, similar to a cold, unfeeling wasteland in the depths of hell.
In this climate, it’s understandable why some women, like Dr. Biden, might feel the need to keep their distance from certain men, especially when their actions and words seem to constantly misinterpret good intentions.