'Curling iron' rape remark leveled at Martha Coakley by Scott Brown supporter may burn GOPer

[usregimechange]

The Senate race in Massachusetts has taken an ugly turn.

A video is circulating in which Republican Scott Brown seemingly smiles at a violent, sexist taunt directed at his Democratic challenger Martha Coakley at a rally.

"Shove a curling up HER butt," shouted one attendee off-camera. Brown, holding a bullhorn, seemed to smile and nod in acknowledgement.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/01/18/2010-01-18_curling_iron_rape_remark_leveled_at_martha_coakley_by_scott_brown_supporter_may_.html#ixzz0d1vWGrcF

[Juche]

1. Thank god republicans are violent and stupid

And thank god for video cameras.

"Suicide"
"Shove a curling iron up her butt"

[usregimechange]

2. He will get the foam at the mouth mob vote

[omega minimo]

3. Yeah, Reagan Jr show talk about vile Repuke comments about Kennedy on top of that.

:thumbsdown:

[MercutioATC]

4. You DO realize where the curling iron suggestion came from, right?

In October 2005, a Somerville police officer living in Melrose raped his 23-month-old niece with a hot object, most likely a curling iron.

Keith Winfield, then 31, told police he was alone with the toddler that day and made additional statements that would ultimately be used to convict him.

But in the aftermath of the crime, a Middlesex County grand jury overseen by Martha Coakley, then the district attorney, investigated without taking action.

It was only after the toddler’s mother filed applications for criminal complaints that Coakley won grand jury indictments charging rape and assault and battery.

Even then, nearly 10 months after the crime, Coakley’s office recommended that Winfield be released on personal recognizance, with no cash bail. He remained free until December 2007, when Coakley’s successor as district attorney won a conviction and two life terms."

http://freedomeden.blogspot.com/2010/01/martha-coakley-and-keith-winfield-child.html


It's not like this was a random statement. It was directly related to Coakley's past actions...ala "Waterboard Cheney and see how HE likes it".

[usregimechange]

6. Oh, I guess it is ok then

:eyes:

[MercutioATC]

9. No, but the character of the statement changes when one knows the history.

"We should waterboard Cheney" would have a completely different context had Cheney not approved of waterboarding prisoners.

[omega minimo]

7. What possible rationale did the Grand Jury have for taking no action? Did they have that power?

[MercutioATC]

8. A Grand Jury simply decides whether or not to bring charges.

They don't decide what bail is appropriate.

[omega minimo]

17. Is the inference she did something wrong and is it correct?

[MercutioATC]

19. The thought is that she was unusally lenient with a man who sodomized a toddler.

...possibly because he was a police officer.

Whether that view is "correct" is subjective. People form their own opinions.


From what I've read on the subject, she dropped the ball in a HUGE way on this one...but that's just my opinion.

[omega minimo]

20. Fishing for something specific here. Thank you.

[MercutioATC]

22. I've read enough of your posts to discern that.

Hope I gave you what you needed.

[omega minimo]

24. no

[MercutioATC]

25. Such is life.

If you want something specific that I can answer, ask away.

Good luck on your quest.

[omega minimo]

26. Clearly you are incapable

[MercutioATC]

27. Perhaps. I can't really tell unless I know what you're looking for.

You've asked questions and I've responded to the best of my ability. If that's not meeting your expectations, perhaps you might be better served by either asking different questions or choosing somebody else to ask.

[Bolo Boffin]

28. The big allegation was that the perp's father was working on Coakley's campaign

as a union rep. No hard evidence of this at all, but that means it's the gospel truth over on the RW blogs.

ETA: I too was completely flabbergasted at this remark until I heard about this case. Then I was all like, OK, so you get someone in the crowd to yell it out so Brown doesn't have to say it himself. Plausible deniability and all. Get the opponents all hopping mad and yelling about it, and then the case itself comes out.

Meanwhile, someone at Brown's campaign event can openly advocate anal rape of his opponent and it becomes the side issue. I believe Scott Brown might be the Antichrist.

[MercutioATC]

29. I'm afraid we're going to have to disagree on this one.

The "curling iron guy" might have been a plant, but there's no evidence of this and I have no problem believing that an anti-Coakley attendee just came up with it on his own.

Nobody is really advocating anal rape here...at least no more that a ton of DUers advocated torturing Dick Cheney when they advocated "waterboarding" Cheney after his support of waterboarding as an interrogation technique.


What has happened here is that a MA voter, more aware of Coakley's history in MA than most of us, made a crude comment referencing her past...which was promptly blown out of proportion by those who weren't aware of the situation he was referencing.

This whole "righteous indignation" thing is just silly.

[bobbolink]

11. Dems often do a lousy job of picking candidates.

I just can't get excited about her at all.

"I knew Ted Kennedy, and you, Madam, are no Ted Kennedy."

[MercutioATC]

12. Frankly, I have neither the time nor the inclination to research EVERY candidate in the nation.

I live in Ohio. I don't have a say in this one.

She might be a great candidate...and I certainly have no preconceived bias against her.

The fact is, I feel that the outrage over this remark is unfounded if one knows the history.

[Bluebear]

13. Someone summed it up on Boston radio tonight, they BOTH are uninspiring.

"How can we get all revved up about two people who will only vote their party line anyhow?"

[bobbolink]

32. Pretty much sums it up, doesn't it?

What's so disgusting is that it was Teddy's seat!

Talk about inspiration.....:cry:

[benlurkin]

15. Did she ever answer to why she sat on this case?

I am not from the Mass. area and all I have read or heard about this case was that she was at fault for him going free until '07. Did the police fuck up the investigation? What happened?

Thanks for your reply in advance.

[MercutioATC]

23. I haven't seen her address it.

...but, then, I live in Ohio...and I don't do tons of research on other state's candidates.

[CoffinEd]

5. Boston Globe

There's an opinion piece in the Boston Globe also talking about this incident and how it seems a lot of folks are more outraged over Coakley's Shilling comment. Here's the http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2010/01/18/brown_supporters_trying_to_suppress_vote_by_bullying/">link to the full article.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brown supporters trying to suppress vote by bullying

By Joan Vennochi, Globe Columnist | January 18, 2010

Scott Brown is running for U.S. Senate as a pleasant guy in a pickup truck. But a mean spirit drives some of his campaign.

At a West Springfield rally on Sunday, a Brown supporter yelled out “Shove a curling iron up her butt’’. The remark was a crude reference to Brown’s opponent, Attorney General Martha Coakley, who was criticized in a recent Boston Globe story for failing to aggressively prosecute a sexual abuse case involving a curling iron.

After that charming rallying cry, a video clip shows Brown grinning and saying, “We can do this.’’

A campaign spokesman said the Republican state senator didn’t hear what was said and was merely giving his standard stump reply. But if Brown didn’t hear it then, shouldn’t he - especially as the father of two daughters - be outraged now ?

Instead, when Sen. John F. Kerry called upon Brown to curb his supporters, a Brown campaign spokesman replied “People are tired of John Kerry’s partisan politics. His baseless accusations reflect the desperate last gasps of a flailing campaign.’’

If Brown isn’t outraged by the crudeness of the curling iron remark, you would think Massachusetts voters would be. But so far, they’re more outraged by Coakley’s misstatement on a radio show that ex-Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling is a “Yankee fan’’, as in the evil empire, New York ball club.

[jtylerpittman]

10. i think some of this stuff they are saying should be criminal. I think it constitutes a violent thre

at

[tblue]

14. Brown has the look of a megalomaniac.

I think he's got his sights on a higher office in the future. He's scaring me. I don't know enough about him to tell if he's a dolt, but he looks like a male Sarah Palin. Good looking, arrogant, mean, and like he wants to rule the world. This is just a first impression but he's creeping me out.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

16. I sure hope so (nt)

[wisteria]

18. What a terrible thing to say- how ignorant and threatening. Just awful. n/t

[MercutioATC]

21. Maybe it would make more sense with this background:

"

In October 2005, a Somerville police officer living in Melrose raped his 23-month-old niece with a hot object, most likely a curling iron.

Keith Winfield, then 31, told police he was alone with the toddler that day and made additional statements that would ultimately be used to convict him.

But in the aftermath of the crime, a Middlesex County grand jury overseen by Martha Coakley, then the district attorney, investigated without taking action.

It was only after the toddler’s mother filed applications for criminal complaints that Coakley won grand jury indictments charging rape and assault and battery.

Even then, nearly 10 months after the crime, Coakley’s office recommended that Winfield be released on personal recognizance, with no cash bail. He remained free until December 2007, when Coakley’s successor as district attorney won a conviction and two life terms.""

[DeschutesRiver]

30. Oh, my, I hadn't heard that there was actual background for this comment

I didn't like the statement even delivered without context, and now I am aghast upon hearing where it came from.

I don't even have any more words I can say about this right now. Geez.

[newtothegame]

31. Doubt it. n/t