One of the great double standards in American politics is that Republican elected officials can viciously insult the rank-and-file Democratic voters, including deriding Democratic-voting cities as disgusting hellholes. However, when Democrats do similar things, such as Hillary Clinton talking about the “basket of deplorables” in the 2016 election, it’s treated as a campaign-killing gaffe. If a Democratic official were to insult small towns or rural areas as bad places full of terrible people, that person would be treated as an avatar of elite condescension and possibly forced out of their job.
One example of that came on Thursday, when White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared on Fox News and stated that “The Democrat Party’s main constituency is made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals. That is who the Democrat Party is catering to.” Leavitt stated this in reference to New York Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who is neither a Hamas terrorist, an illegal alien, nor a violent criminal. He had appeared on Fox News, in fact, the day before.
Leavitt: “The Democrat Party’s main constituency is made up of Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals.” pic.twitter.com/IcJwhYYV5x
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 16, 2025
Indeed, 75 million people voted for Kamala Harris in last year’s election, and it’s patently absurd to denounce all of those millions of people as terrorists, aliens or criminals. Even Mamdani has focused his campaign on affordability, frequently pivoting back to that topic both in the Fox interview and a debate Thursday night.
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Per USA Today, “the remarks were slammed by critics, who described the characterization as menacing and noted the administration is painting its opposition as dangerous ahead of this weekend’s ‘No Kings’ protests, which are expected to attract a bevy of progressive groups and Trump opponents.”
Indeed, many social media users pointed out the double standard in Leavitt’s comments.
I live in one of the most heavily Democratic zip codes in America.
My neighbors are none of those things.
We disagree on some things, but they’re decent patriotic people.
Have you finally no shame Ms. Leavitt? https://t.co/he33ce0VhT
— Sohrab Ahmari (@SohrabAhmari) October 17, 2025
Most Republicans are good people. Most Democrats are good people.
The White House says outrageous things to make you hate your neighbor.
Your neighbor isn’t the problem. The White House is. https://t.co/pkjrafRaEk
— Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) October 16, 2025
I love how Hilary lost because she said a subset of Trump voters were a basket of deplorables in a flippant offhand comment and then Republicans call Democrats terrorists, criminals or satanic every five minutes in pre-rehearsed statements. https://t.co/JbxJye3Wla
— Matt (@mcinthedc) October 16, 2025
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
