Last Wednesday, Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., accused Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker of giving women “the back of his hand,” which critics claimed trivialized domestic abuse victims.
Wasserman Schultz was, of course, using the strong language to criticize Walker’s policies, but the release Monday of new footage (warning: graphic content) that purports to show Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice punching his then-fiancée in the face is a reminder of why her comments were so offensive.
After the comment about Walker, Wasserman Schultz said that “Republican Tea Party extremists” are “grabbing [women] by the hair and pulling us back.”
The footage of the Rice incident purports to show the NFL star punch his wife in the face, drag her out of the elevator and drop her on the floor of the hallway outside.
That is what attacking a woman looks like, not policies Wasserman Schultz disagrees with.
In a non-apology after her comments, Wasserman Schultz said that while she “shouldn’t have used the words I used,” that didn’t change the fact, in her mind, that Walker’s “policies have been bad for Wisconsin women.”
UPDATE: The Ravens terminated Rice’s contract, the team announced Monday afternoon.
