Vivek Ramaswamy, the tech billionaire who failed in his attempt to become the GOP presidential nominee in 2024, has turned his attention to becoming Ohio’s governor. His opponent is a physician, Amy Acton, the Democratic nominee. Dr. Acton had a very “colorful childhood”, as she was raped by her stepfather at age 12. Her mother stayed married to him, but she lost custody of both Amy and her brother. Neither of them has seen the mother since 1978, forty-one years ago.
Ramaswamy’s team found an interview with mom from some indeterminate time in the past. Mom claims that Amy is a liar and a host of other ills (I haven’t seen the ad), all in an attempt for Ramaswamy to gain votes and smear his opponent. It’s important to note that after the accusations were filed against the stepfather, he fled and never faced those and other charges, dying twenty-two years ago.
Even without Ramaswamy, Trump, and Vance’s whole hearted endorsement of the ad, praising it for perfectly encapsulating Acton’s character, it implicitly dismisses pedophilia, misogyny, and the rights of all women.
Eight years ago Adam Serwer wrote an essay in The Atlantic, titled, “The Cruelty is the Point.” He says, Trump’s “only real, authentic pleasure is in cruelty,” Serwer wrote. “It is that cruelty, and the delight it brings them, that binds his most ardent supporters to him, in shared scorn for those they hate and fear: immigrants, black voters, feminists, and treasonous white men who empathize with any of those who would steal their birthright.”
This was taken from another essay, “Despicable Doesn’t Cover It”, by David French in today’s New York Times. French adds, “Long ago we learned that there is no bottom for MAGA, and there is still no bottom to this scandal. If Ramaswamy had a molecule of decency, he would take the ad down and apologize. Instead, he attacked Acton. “It is an ad from our campaign,” he said. “I would love for this race and this election to be about the substantive issues that impact Ohioans. Unfortunately, Amy Acton has been hiding from those issues. She won’t debate me. She doesn’t allow cameras at her events.”
Donna lost custody of her children and — as Charles Hilu at National Review reported — she has her own criminal history. She was convicted of theft by deception in the 1990s and accused of animal neglect in 2021.
Of course Trump and Vance love the ad. Cruelty and hate are integral to their M.O. I titled this essay, “Election Footnote.” Sometimes the footnote becomes the story.
Separated at birth?