The entire Democratic Party is animated by race, gender, sexuality, and social justice. Everyone within and without is evaluated on an ever-shifting scale of identity grievance called “intersectionality.” It’s only natural, then, that its first major openly gay candidate for president would stand accused of not having suffered enough in life to justify the attention he’s receiving.
Antjuan Seawright, a Democratic strategist based in South Carolina, groaned to Politico that the news media are dedicating too much airtime and print space to South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, a gay man who, nonetheless, apparently hasn’t suffered enough to merit the publicity.
“[Some] Democrats see Buttigieg’s rise as a reflection of entrenched racial and gender biases — that the Buttigieg bump would be impossible if he wasn’t a white man,” the Politico report said. It quoted Seawright saying, “What I hear from people is that they see the epitome of privilege.”
Seawright expertly played the “privilege” card, which is intended to end the round and see the more properly oppressed player advance forward, perhaps a black or female candidate in the 2020 primary. (By the way, never ask how it’s determined who is more oppressed than who, because there is no logic to it — it’s decided on a whim.)
But even though the national media are also governed by social justice, they have to work within the normal confines of the news business. Right now, a candidate like Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., who is black, is old news. He’s been on the national scene since 2012, when he started pulling stunts and tweeting rather than fixing policy problems as mayor of Newark, N.J.
Booker had an interview on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” He had the sticky-sweet print profile. He had the glossy New York Magazine treatment.
Booker and the rest of the Democratic Party’s grievance gang can relax about their temporary obscurity. Buttigieg won’t always be new. Everyone gets old. Just ask Beto O’Rourke.
[Read more: Brother of Buttigieg’s husband: ‘I just don’t support the gay lifestyle’]
