Donald Trump is now notorious for his persistent verbal abuse and degrading comments about women from stem to stern. His vulgarian tendencies have only been amplified during the past year, and he seems to have no governing sense of propriety or decency. He attacks and verbally assaults women of both parties, from all walks of life, and of every degree of professional accomplishment, in a crudely expansive number of ways.
To help catalogue the state of his depredations, here is the 2015-2016 edition of A Women’s Hall of Shame, according to the self-appointed expert and sole judge, one Donald J. Trump.
A Wall of Shame is not unfamiliar to Trump as a demeaning and derisive device. In his campaign HQ on the 5th floor of Trump Tower, there is a low-rent version of such a wall, as noted by New York Magazine during a tour of the place. Here Trump has mounted an unattractive picture of each of the 2016 Republican presidential candidates, labeled with the date they dropped out of the race written underneath the photo. It serves as a risible entertainment and butt of jokes for his amused campaign staff. A sort of morale booster.
Imagine the contribution this little campaign booster will make to producing post-primary Republican party healing and unity. Pictures displayed in the 4 x 4 grid photo lineup still include (as of April3) those of Chris Christie and Ben Carson, even after they endorsed Trump. Maybe Trump will have their sad faces removed now that the press has written about this gratuitous insult to his former political rivals. Or not.
The term Wall of Shame (Hall of Shame) was introduced, in a political context, 55-years ago to refer to the Berlin Wall (1961) by West German Chancellor Willy Brandt.*
From the Wikipedia entry for Wall of Shame:
“Wall of Shame” is originally a term used by western politicians and media to refer to the Berlin Wall, and more generally a negative term for a wall, fence or barrier that, in the opinion of those using the term, brings shame upon the builders or others. The term was coined by Willy Brandt.
In some cases, it is the circumstances of the wall’s construction or its intended purpose that is fingered as bringing dishonor. In other cases, a collection of photographs or names is posted on the wall, for the purpose of shaming those listed there, or the actions or situations depicted or described. The term may also be used to refer to a published collection of names or photographs (such as newspaper columns or web pages) which follow this convention.
The term was first used in reference to the Berlin Wall, which separated East Berlin from West Berlin. In 1961 the government of East Germany named the erected wall as the “Anti-fascist protection wall”, a part of the inner German border; many Berliners, however, called it “Schandmauer” (“Wall of Shame”). Outside Germany it first appeared as “Wall of Shame” in a cover story published by Time Magazine in 1962, and President of the United States John F. Kennedy used the term in his Annual Message to the US Congress on the State of the Union, January 14, 1963.
The modern physical walls described above are often criticized as “walls of shame” because as such barriers prevent the free flow of civilians. They may also be perceived as a tool of some other form of oppression or injustice, such as the maintenance of an authoritarian regime or territorial expansion.
The 2015-2016 Women’s Hall of Shame (HOS) Sponsored by DJ Trump
As has been noted many times, Trump has an enormous problem with women. His current unfavorable rating with all women exceeds 70%, and he has less than 50% support even among Republican women. This Presidential election in 2016 is almost certain to turn on the extent of support Trump is finally able to cajole from women, particularly Republican and Independent women
This Women’s Hall of Shame (HOS) post will be updated as Trump continues to open his mouth until November, but we begin with seven of the more prominent examples added to Trump’s insult reservoir since the beginning of 2015. Historical examples of his boorish verbal behavior towards women go back 30 years or more, so this is no recent phenomena Trump-wise.
The seven inaugural entries are listed below in reverse chronological order based on the dates of the news sources capturing Trump’s degrading comments. A brief précis of Trump’s pithy and outrageous putdowns is included to represent each woman honoree victim’s defects and failings in Trump’s imagination.
Trump’s Women HOS Nominee No. 7
Honorable Susana Martinez, J.D.: Current Governor of New Mexico (R)
Date of Induction: May 24, 2016
On Tuesday night, Mr. Trump purposefully attacked Gov. Susana Martinez of New Mexico, who in addition to being the most prominent Hispanic woman in American politics, also happens to be the chairwoman of the Republican Governors Association.
Ms. Martinez has been critical of Mr. Trump. She has declined to endorse him, expressed concerns about him at closed-door party gatherings and did not appear at his rally here because, she told reporters, she was “really busy.”
“Donald Trump Gives Gov. Susana Martinez a Poor Performance Review” by Ashley Parker And Jonathan Martin, New York Times (May 25, 2016)
“Trump’s Swipe at Martinez Alarms GOP”, by Caitlin Huey-Burns, RealClear Politics (May 26, 2016)
Trump’s Women HOS Nominee No. 6
Ms. Alicia Machado: Miss Universe (1996)
Date of Induction: May 20, 2016
The winner of the 1996 Miss Universe competition said Donald Trump, who owned the pageant company until last year, body-shamed her and mocked her Latina heritage.
Alicia Machado, who won the Miss Venezuela pageant in 1995 and went on to be crowned Miss Universe the following year, told “Inside Edition“ last week that she faced verbal abuse from Trump “all the time” after she gained weight following the pageant.
“He called me Miss Piggy,” she told “Inside Edition.” “I was very depressed.”
He also openly derided her weight in a interview with radio host Howard Stern, describing her as an “eating machine.”
Machado said Trump also made fun of her English language skills and called her “Miss Housekeeping” in an apparent jab at her Venezuelan accent.
“Former Miss Universe Says Trump Called Her ‘Miss Piggy,’ ‘Miss Housekeeping’”, by Mollie Reilly, Huffington Post (May 23, 2016)
“Former Miss Universe: Trump called me ‘Miss Piggy’”, by Nolan McCaskill, Politico (May 19, 2016)
Trump’s Women HOS Nominee No. 5
Heidi S. Cruz, MEB, MBA, Investment Banker (wife of Ted Cruz)
Date of Induction: March 23, 2016
Sometime after 10, he and his wife rose from the table and said good night. Back in his bedroom just before midnight, he checked his Twitter feed, as he often did when, he told me, he felt the passing urge to “knock the crap out of” somebody. Tonight, one of his eight million Twitter followers had tweeted a pair of photographs: a flattering image of Melania alongside one of Cruz’s wife, Heidi, with a sort of prune-faced expression, with the caption “A picture is worth a thousand words” and the hashtag #NEVERCRUZ. Trump retweeted it from his own account — his last public statement of the day.
“Mr. Trump’s Wild Ride Down the homestretch with the impossible nominee.” by Robert Draper, New York Times (May 18,2016)
“Donald Trump makes wild threat to ‘spill the beans’ on Ted Cruz’s wife”, by Theodore Schleifer and Julia Manchester, CNN (March 23, 2016)
Trump’s Women HOS Nominee No. 4
Honorable Elizabeth A. Warren, J.D.: Current Senior Senator from Massachusetts (D)
Date of Induction: March 21, 2016
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) must be getting under Donald Trump‘s skin: The presumptive GOP presidential nominee added “big mouth” to his list of favorite nicknames for the progressive darling at a press conference Thursday.
“She’s a woman that’s been very ineffective, other than she’s got a big mouth,” Trump said of Warren, who has been criticizing him heavily lately.
Trump also called Warren “Pocahontas”— a nickname he’s used before, reviving a 2012 controversy over her claims that she had Cherokee heritage. While Warren could not prove that she has Native American ancestry, there is also no evidence that she benefited professionally from the claim. But Trump insinuated Thursday that she used it to get where she is now.
“I don’t know if you’d call it a fraud or not, but she was able to get into various schools because of the fact she applied as a Native American and probably able to get other things,” he said. “I think she’s as Native American as I am, OK?”
Every time Trump attempts to defend himself against the senator, something sexist or offensive tumbles out of his mouth. He tweeted earlier this month that he hopes Hillary Clinton chooses “goofy Elizabeth Warren” as his running mate, and then attacked them both for “shouting” — a common criticism men have of female politicians.
‘‘She gets nothing done, nothing passed,” he said Wednesday. “She’s got a big mouth, and that’s about it. But they use her because Hillary’s trying to be very presidential. She’s stopping with the shouting, OK?’’
“Donald Trump On Elizabeth Warren: ‘She’s Got A Big Mouth’”, byLaura Bassett, Huffington Post (May 26, 2016)
“‘That’s Very Offensive’: Reporter Confronts Trump for Calling Elizabeth Warren ‘Pocahontas’ — He Responds Like You’d Expect”, by Leigh Munsil, The Blaze (May 26, 2016)
“Trump Refers to Sen. Elizabeth Warren as ‘The Indian’ After Her Twitter Tirade Against Him”, by Alexander Mallin, Paola Chavez and Veronica StracqualursI, ABC News (March 21, 2016)
Trump’s Women HOS Nominee No. 3
Her Excellency Nikki R. Haley: Current Governor of South Carolina (R)
Date of Induction: January 13, 2016
Trump, the Republican presidential front-runner, responded by calling Haley “very weak” on illegal immigration during a “Fox & Friends” interview.
“I respond a couple of ways. Number one, she’s very weak on illegal immigration. I’ve known that for a long time. But she’s weak on illegal immigration. And she certainly has no trouble asking me for campaign contributions. Because over the years, she’s asked me for a hell of a lot of money in campaign contributions. So it’s sort of interesting to hear her,” Trump mused.
“So perhaps if I weren’t running, she’d be in my office asking me for money,” the billionaire businessman added. “But now that I’m running, she wants to take a weak side on immigration. I feel very strongly about illegal immigration. She doesn’t.”
One of the “Fox & Friends” hosts then asked Trump if he would select Haley as his vice president. Trump suggested that she wasn’t a front-runner for his hypothetical ticket.
“Well, considering I’m leading in the polls by a lot, I wouldn’t say she’s off to a good start based on what she has just said,” Trump said. “So let’s see what happens. We’ll pick somebody, but we’ll pick somebody who’s very good. But whoever I pick is also going to be very strong on illegal immigration. We’ve had it — we’ve had it — with illegal immigration, believe me, and a lot of other things.”
“‘Very weak on illegal immigration’: Donald Trump fires back at South Carolina governor after State of the Union snub”, by Colin Campbell, Business Insider (January 13, 2016)
“GOP Chaos As Nikki Haley Gives Donald Trump the Southern Stab”, by Sarah Jones, Politicus USA (March 1, 2016)
“Nikki Haley: Trump’s campaign is ‘just another project like Trump University and Trump Vodka — all failures’”, by Tom Boggioni, RawStory (February 28, 2016)
“Nikki Haley takes on Donald Trump”, by Dana Milbank, Washington Post (September 2, 2015)
Trump’s Women HOS Nominee No. 2
Cara C. (Carly) Fiorina, MBA, MSc: Republican Candidate for President (2016) Former CEO Hewlett-Packard (No. 19 on Fortune 500 List)
Date of Induction: September 9, 2015
Then he pivoted to Carly Fiorina. “Carly was a little nasty to me — be careful, Carly! Be careful! But I can’t say anything to her because she’s a woman. . . . I promised that I wouldn’t say that she ran Hewlett-Packard into the ground. I said I wouldn’t say it! That her stock value tanked. That she laid off tens of thousands of people, and she got viciously fired. I said I will not say that. And that she then went out and ran against Barbara Boxer, and . . . lost in a landslide. And I said, ‘I. Will. Not. Say. That!’ ”
“Trump Seriously: On the Trail With the GOP’s Tough Guy”, by Paul Solotaroff , Rolling Stone (September 9, 2015)
As Solotaroff writes it:
When the anchor throws to Carly Fiorina for her reaction to Trump’s momentum, Trump’s expression sours in schoolboy disgust as the camera bores in on Fiorina. “Look at that face!” he cries. “Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?!” The laughter grows halting and faint behind him. “I mean, she’s a woman, and I’m not s’posedta say bad things, but really, folks, come on. Are we serious?”
This was not the first time Trump has mocked Fiorina – in August, he tweeted about the lone woman in the GOP presidential field:
I just realized that if you listen to Carly Fiorina for more than ten minutes straight, you develop a massive headache. She has zero chance!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2015
“Donald Trump insults Carly Fiorina’s appearance”, by Ellen Uchimiya, CBS News (September 9, 2015)
Trump’s Women HOS Nominee No. 1
Megyn M. Kelly, J.D.: Fox News Anchor
Date of Induction: August 7, 2015
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Friday night that Fox News Channel anchor Megyn Kelly “had blood coming out of her eyes” when she aggressively questioned him during Thursday’s presidential debate.
“She gets out and she starts asking me all sorts of ridiculous questions,” Trump said in a CNN interview. “You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever. In my opinion, she was off base.”
(On Saturday morning, Trump tweeted that he was referring to Kelly’s nose. His campaign also issued a statement, claiming Trump said “whatever” instead of “wherever,” while again repeating that the reference was to her nose.)
In Thursday’s debate, Kelly questioned Trump over his history of offensive statements about women.
Calling in to CNN for a 30-minute interview on Friday night with Don Lemon, Trump hurled insults at Kelly, calling her a “lightweight,” and bashed her co-moderators, Chris Wallace and Bret Baier, as well as other Fox talent.
“I just don’t respect her as a journalist,” Trump said of Kelly. “I have no respect for her. I don’t think she’s very good. I think she’s highly overrated.”
“Trump says Fox’s Megyn Kelly had ‘blood coming out of her wherever’”, by Philip Rucker, Washington Post (August 8, 2015)
“Trump: Megyn Kelly had ‘blood coming out of her wherever’”, by Beckie Strum and Danika Fears, New York Post (August 8, 2015)
A most impressive xollection of women scorned by the great leader.** Just for a spin down qualifications lane, here’s a quick summary of the talent Trump wants to trash from just these seven women (all by themselves).
- Two Current Governors (both Republicans)
- One Senior U.S. Senator (Democratic)
- One Former CEO of a Top-20 Fortune 500 Business (Revenue $87 billion)
- One Network-TV Anchor
- Three Law Degrees
- Two MBA Degrees (Harvard)
- One MEB Degree (Master European Business Solvay)
- A Master of Science Degree in Management (MIT Sloan Fellow)
- A Crowned Miss Universe Winner
- A Bachelor of Science Degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology
- One Professor of Law (Endowed Chair) University of Pennsylvania***
- One Professor of Law (Endowed Chair) Harvard Law School
- Top-4 Ranked U.S. National Expert in Bankruptcy and Commercial Law
The range and breadth of the professional competencies demonstrated by these women dwarfs the personal accomplishments of Trump across multiple dimensions. Three are current elected office holders (Trump has never been); one was the CEO of a Fortune 500 company (9 times bigger in 2004 than Trump in 2016); one an endowed Professor of Law and published U.S. national expert in bankruptcy law (Trump is nowhere); two have Ivy League MBAs (Trump has none from anywhere); one has a Masters Degree in Management from MIT (Trump has no advanced degrees in anything).****
It has been written that the poisonous vitriol Trump so often displays against accomplished women reflects a deep seated male insecurity on his part of not being able to measure up. The constant boasting about how big he is, how much money, how brilliant, how successful in business, and the rest of his tiresome litany.
No wonder he has a complex.
America needs more of them and less of him.
In the Inverso World of Trump where all things are upside down and inside out, to be singled out by name for membership in the Trump Women’s Hall of Shame should be considered rather an outstanding Woman’s Badge of Honor.
Congratulations on selection for the 2015-2016 Entry Class. Women, please take a bow.
America’s voters, you know what to do. Vote to retire the troglodyte.
* In 1996 on a weeklong car road trip from Seattle, WA to Costa Mesa, CA, I visited my Dad, For a lark we went to visit the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda about 20 miles away from where he lived in Costa Mesa. The museum has had a 12-foot high section of the Berlin Wall on display since 1992. Nixon’s is bigger than Reagan’s (piece of the Berlin Wall on display at their respective Libraries).
In the museum gift shop I found a genuine souvenir chunk of the actual Berlin Wall for sale. It was in the form of a cube about1 inch on a side inside an acetate tube, with a printed Certificate of Authenticity.. I couldn’t resist. It cost about $8, as I recall.
Official Section of the Berlin Wall on Display at the Nixon Presidential Library Since 1992
The Nixon Presidential Library would never have sold me a fake piece of the Berlin Wall, would they? And I never had to leave the country to get it. This historical specimen rests on my political knick-knack shelf with pride of place to this very day.
**Precisely by whose authority and validation is Trump qualified to render judgment on the merits of women: intellectual, moral, spiritual, or physical? Another usurpers crown grabbed by Donald the Pretender.
***From the Wikipedia entry on Elizabeth Warren, a partial summary of her academic law career:
Law Professor: University of Houston (Associate Dean), University of Texas (1983 Full Professor) , University of Michigan (Visiting), University of Pennsylvania (1990 Endowed Chair), Harvard Law School (1995 Endowed Chair). Expertise in Bankruptcy and Commercial Law. One of Top-4 experts in the United States.
****And just from a glimpse at the superficial attractiveness criterion, each and every one of these women makes P.N. Trump look like the troll he is, even if you could temporarily ignore the hair whatever perched on his head.