You are shaming me: Nancy Mace calls news presenter disgusting for rape-shaming her over Trump
In a recent news segment filled with extreme tension, US Republican representative Nancy Mace and TV host and political commentator George Stephanopoulos showcased the political complexities, and indeed partisan clashes, that exist when it comes to the sexual misconduct of former president Donald Trump. Specifically, Stephanopoulos has been accused of taking problematic steps in order to pose this very important question: how do we grapple with the double standards of Trump’s supporters, and, more importantly, where’s the moral line?
For context, Mace—a vocal proponent of Trump who worked on the businessman’s 2016 election campaign—appeared on ABC’s This Week on Sunday 10 March 2024, with Stephanopoulos hosting the segment. During their conversation, Stephanopoulos pushed Mace to justify her endorsement of Trump given the fact that judges and two separate juries had found him liable for rape.
In her response, Mace stated: “I was raped at the age of 16, and any rape victim will tell you I’ve lived for 30 years with an incredible amount of shame over being raped. It’s a shame that you will never feel George and I’m not going to sit here on your show and be asked a question meant to shame me, about another potential rape victim, I’m not going to do it. You are shaming me.”
When pressed for further clarification about her endorsement, the politician went on to say: “It is not a criminal court case, I live with shame and you’re asking me a decision about my political choices trying to shame me as a rape victim and I find it disgusting and quite frankly E. Jean Carroll’s comments when she did get the judgement joking about what she was going to buy, it makes it harder for women to come forward when they make a mockery out of rape.”
Mace has faced a lot of backlash from within the Republican party due to her ‘middle ground’ stance regarding abortion rights. While still being pro-life, Mace has stated the importance of including exceptions for rape and incest, commonsense positions that she believes conservatives should support.
The two continued to go back and forth, with Stephanopoulos pressing over why she would endorse someone who had been found liable for rape. Mace, resolute in her position, maintained the argument that, due to her personal history, it was shameful of the news presenter to direct such a question at her.
Nancy Mace:
— Schrödinger's Litter Box (@Brewjew308) March 10, 2024
"It was only civil rape, not like real rape." pic.twitter.com/eqTiDK3tIh
Moreover, Mace repeatedly stated that Carroll had made a mockery of the case due to the comments she had made regarding what she was planning on doing with the money she’d just been rewarded in damages. After the verdict was made in January 2024 that Carroll would be awarded $83.3 million in damages, the author jokingly told news commentators that she would be going out to buy a whole new wardrobe, new shoes, and a penthouse apartment.
Later on, Carroll clarified that she planned to use the money to help women who have been victims of sexual assault.
A number of conservatives took to X, formerly Twitter, to congratulate Mace and defend her for standing her ground:
This guy is a complete scumbag…
— Sue Knows Best (@sues86453) March 10, 2024
Watch this footage of E Jean Carroll… if you were truly devastated by rape would you be live gleefully talking about how to spend the money. Does she look devastated to you? Ridiculous
I’m glad Nancy Mace took him to the woodshed. pic.twitter.com/0HZ7i1f0uu
George Stephanopoulos pulls out a stupid question for Rep Nancy Mace on this show.
— AJ Inapi (Allan) (@aj_inapi) March 11, 2024
Watching this video makes me sick to think that real rape victims are taken lightly and dirt bags like @ejeancarroll are taken seriously for framing a rape with the help of the corrupt DOJ. pic.twitter.com/VlsGQxjSLl
However, many other users criticised Mace for diminishing Carroll’s experience:
Nancy Mace fought for the rape exception in abortion laws. I thought she was brave. But yet another person sacrificed their reputation and morals for Trump. It’s a cult. Not a party. #MorningJoe
— Sara Spector (@Miriam2626) March 11, 2024
This is a complex scenario, wherein the sensitivities and real-life trauma of Mace must be taken into consideration. However, that being said, the politician’s unwillingness to recognise the very real damage Trump has inflicted on a number of women’s lives, is definitely beyond disappointing.
