WASHINGTON — On a weekend when the nation was bracing for the approaching toll of 100,000 lives lost to the coronavirus and honoring the many more people who have died in wars, President Donald Trump amplified a series of demeaning personal attacks from a supporter with a history of racist and sexist online commentary.
Trump reposted eight tweets from John K. Stahl, a self-described conservative former political candidate, including attacks on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Stacey Abrams, the black former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives who is considered a potential Democratic vice-presidential pick.
Stahl, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in California’s 52nd District in 2012, has a history of derogatory posts, especially against black women. He has referred online to Sen. Kamala Harris of California — who is of Indian and Jamaican descent and is another potential running mate for Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee — as “Willie’s Ho,” an apparent reference to Willie Brown, the powerful California state Assembly speaker who was her mentor and onetime boyfriend.
Stahl has called Abrams “Shamu” and posted racist remarks about Joy Reid, the African-American MSNBC host. “When you’re born butt ugly, changing your hairstyle every day is only going to make you look phonier than you nonsense, pathetic show,” he wrote of Reid, calling her a “skank.”
Among the posts Trump retweeted Saturday, one accused Pelosi of wearing dentures and drinking “booze on the job.” Another mocked Abrams’ appearance by saying that she “visited every buffet restaurant in the State” during her unsuccessful campaign for Georgia governor, and that Biden would be “a racist if he doesn’t pick her” as his running mate.
To protect PolyGrip during this pandemic, we have developed 2 options. With the DJT option, she will be able to tongue and adjust her dentures more easily. With duct tape, she won’t be able to drink booze on the job as much. Which do you think she will prefer? #maga #tcot #kag pic.twitter.com/cqRnPmmdyf
— John K Stahl (@JohnKStahlUSA) May 22, 2020
Anyone know what’s going on with PolyGrip? I’ve noticed lately that her face seems glossy and she is sporting a poorly marked 2nd set of eyebrows. I’m thinking it’s an extreme case of incurable TDS. Any thoughts? #maga #tcot #kag pic.twitter.com/FkduhFHWZR
— John K Stahl (@JohnKStahlUSA) May 21, 2020
We just got a look at the official portrait for the self proclaimed Governor of Georgia. She fought a tough race, kissed a lot of babies and visited every buffet restaurant in the State. Joe will be a racist if he doesn’t pick her. #maga #tcot #kag pic.twitter.com/T0gESxbKX4
— John K Stahl (@JohnKStahlUSA) May 22, 2020
Trump also retweeted another post from Stahl that referred to Biden as “Malarkey the Racist” and called Hillary Clinton, the 2016 Democratic nominee, “HRC the Skank.”
When I see 1 of those polls that has Malarkey the Racist up 6-8 points everywhere, I’m thinking they must have called the same 1,000 people from 2016 that said HRC the Skank was up 6-8 %. #maga #tcot #kag pic.twitter.com/NHoUAsCTud
— John K Stahl (@JohnKStahlUSA) May 23, 2020
Stahl did not immediately respond to an online message seeking comment. He was yet another person whose posts denigrating women and people of color — particularly black women — with foul and juvenile insults seemed to resonate with Trump.
