tim scott repeated trump's slur for annie andrews on live tv, and made sure to credit trump for it. citing your sources, how scholarly.
Sen. Tim Scott's official portrait. Photo: U.S. Senate Photographic Studio, Renee Bouchard, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
via the clip posted by Aaron Rupar and LGBTQ Nation
Some men go on television and say the ugly word. Tim Scott went on television, said the ugly word, and gave the president a byline.
"Annie Andrews, as President Trump calls her," Scott began on Monday, then said the slur Trump has been using for her, the anti-trans one we don't print. The clip, which Aaron Rupar posted on X on Monday afternoon, shows Scott on The Charlie Kirk Show on Real America's Voice, the network's chyron reading "SEN. TIM SCOTT (R-S.C.)" under his face. He carried on: "here's a person who believes as a pediatrician for a surgery, trans surgery, gender surgery for trans kid. That's wrong. Period."
how tim scott got here
Scott is South Carolina's senior senator. Andrews is the pediatrician running as a Democrat for the state's other Senate seat, against Republican Sen. Darline Graham. Trump coined the slur for Andrews in a Truth Social post on Oct. 5, using it three times; Andrews called it "not presidential." Trump then said it out loud at a rally in Clemson. Scott is the first sitting senator we have seen take it for a spin on air.
It lands the same week two former South Carolina governors, a Republican and a Democrat, cut an ad together endorsing Andrews. One side of the race is recruiting bipartisan elder statesmen. The other is workshopping playground names on a streaming network.
the one apology request so far
South Carolina Democrat Jaime Harrison told Scott the slur was "disgusting and beneath the dignity of the US Senate" and that he owed "Dr. Andrews and the transgender community an apology." As of Tuesday evening we could not find any response from Scott's office in the coverage of the clip.
For the record: Andrews is not trans, she is a pediatrician, and the word is a slur whoever you aim it at. Scott knows two of those three things. We are rooting for him on the third.
the internet reacts
the clip went around monday afternoon, and the loudest replies came from people who know south carolina politics up close.
Jaime Harrison @harrisonjaime.@votetimscott stop embarrassing our state. You’re South Carolina’s senior senator. Dammit act like it. For all that fake preaching you like to do maybe you missed the lessons on how to treat others. Calling Dr. Andrews a slur is disgusting and beneath the dignity of the US Senate. You owe Dr. Andrews and the transgender community an apology. South Carolina deserves better. @dscc @SenateDems @scdp2,784 likesJessica Riedl @JessicaBRiedlImagine being a South Carolinian who happens to be transgender. Lawmakers can vote however they want on trans sports or whatever, but would you feel comfortable visiting the office of your elected official who behaves this way? Try representing all your constituents with dignity.256 likes
