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Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(108,192 posts)
Sun Sep 16, 2018, 09:56 PM Sep 2018

John Kerry criticized for saying Trump has 'the insecurity of a teenage girl'

Former U.S. secretary of state John F. Kerry is being criticized for comparing President Trump to a teenage girl during an appearance on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher.”

Kerry visited the late-night talk show Friday to promote his new memoir, “Every Day is Extra.” Shortly after Kerry sat down, however, host Bill Maher brought up a Trump tweet from the day before, in which the president had accused the former secretary of state of having “illegal meetings” with the Iranian government.

-snip-

Online, though, Kerry’s comments were not as well received. Though some lauded the comparison as “absolutely priceless” and a “mic drop” moment, many expressed disappointment in Kerry, even if they agreed with his assessment of Trump.

Others cited young women like Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, and Parkland shooting survivor-turned-anti-gun-violence activist Emma González — or even their own past teenage selves — as examples of teenage girls who were far from insecure.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/john-kerry-criticized-for-saying-trump-has-the-insecurity-of-a-teenage-girl/ar-BBNpJ2Y?li=BBnb7Kz


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John Kerry criticized for saying Trump has 'the insecurity of a teenage girl' (Original Post) Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Sep 2018 OP
Breaking: some people on twitter complained about something! Loki Liesmith Sep 2018 #1
What are we going to do now? Sneederbunk Sep 2018 #6
Well, folks could light their hair on fire and run around in circles A HERETIC I AM Sep 2018 #14
We are fast becoming a nation of ninnies. Good grief. Stop being so sensitive. Stand and Fight Sep 2018 #2
Are ninnies male or female? pennylane100 Sep 2018 #5
I thought his remark was somewhat inappropriate when I first read it. pennylane100 Sep 2018 #3
me too. Teen age years are a time of insecurity for both sexes Demovictory9 Sep 2018 #22
That was my thought too Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Sep 2018 #25
It was sexist. Why use a girl as an example? Stupid thing to say. nt USALiberal Sep 2018 #4
Oh god Loki Liesmith Sep 2018 #12
He used an 8 year boy as an example in the same sentence. phleshdef Sep 2018 #13
I had the same reaction -- till I saw that he FIRST mentioned 8 year old boys. pnwmom Sep 2018 #16
Its not like John Kerry goes around saying non-PC stuff all the time. But he is also 74 years old. phleshdef Sep 2018 #18
Right. There are LOTS of expressions that older people heard growing up pnwmom Sep 2018 #23
True. Having been a teenage boy, I can say that I.... Caliman73 Sep 2018 #19
Spanky's insecurities are more like a toddlers donkeypoofed Sep 2018 #7
Toddlers are not really insecure. Caliman73 Sep 2018 #20
Ya don't think so? really? ever heard of separation anxiety? donkeypoofed Sep 2018 #28
Yes. That is completely normal. Caliman73 Sep 2018 #34
Some people simply must complain about everything. BlueTsunami2018 Sep 2018 #8
Yeah, anything more important maybe? Nt BootinUp Sep 2018 #9
He's got the menstrual cycles of a teenage girl, unpredictable, irregular and varying intensities. TheBlackAdder Sep 2018 #10
I thought it was ageist and shitty. WhiskeyGrinder Sep 2018 #11
Oh. BannonsLiver Sep 2018 #15
Anyone who objects to this dflprincess Sep 2018 #17
The PC Police won't like this one bit. jalan48 Sep 2018 #21
Correction: "Teenage girls have the insecurity of Trump" Zambero Sep 2018 #24
He later clarified, he meant to say 'a pre-teenage girl' spanone Sep 2018 #26
I have a daughter who hated the whole teenage years. rusty quoin Sep 2018 #27
Oh good grief.Have any of these people considered how the TARGET feels about it? It's aimed at TRUMP Hekate Sep 2018 #29
KNEW IT! Behind the Aegis Sep 2018 #30
pretty dumb thing to say. Kurt V. Sep 2018 #31
This thread demonstrates why Trump has support loyalsister Sep 2018 #32
My immediate thought was that Kerry shanny Sep 2018 #33
He should have said politicasista Sep 2018 #35

pnwmom

(108,994 posts)
16. I had the same reaction -- till I saw that he FIRST mentioned 8 year old boys.
Sun Sep 16, 2018, 10:35 PM
Sep 2018

That's what made it okay, but it's often quoted without that part.

 

phleshdef

(11,936 posts)
18. Its not like John Kerry goes around saying non-PC stuff all the time. But he is also 74 years old.
Sun Sep 16, 2018, 10:38 PM
Sep 2018

When you are that age, sometimes comments that no one would've thought twice about in the "old days" are gonna slip. I have to remind my grandmother about certain things she says all the time... like she had no idea the R word for people with mental disabilities was a big no no now.

pnwmom

(108,994 posts)
23. Right. There are LOTS of expressions that older people heard growing up
Sun Sep 16, 2018, 10:57 PM
Sep 2018

that progressives are more aware of as problematical now.

Caliman73

(11,744 posts)
19. True. Having been a teenage boy, I can say that I....
Sun Sep 16, 2018, 10:43 PM
Sep 2018

and most of my friends were the epitome of insecurity. Though we masked it and feigned confidence with crude jokes, sports talk, and other masks; insecurity is not a feminine or masculine trait. It is a human trait.

Kerry is right about the insecurity, but he definitely could have done without the gendered insult.

donkeypoofed

(2,187 posts)
7. Spanky's insecurities are more like a toddlers
Sun Sep 16, 2018, 10:10 PM
Sep 2018

No disrespect to toddlers intended.

Also - I think John more.meant the teen girl comment as an ode to "drama"

Caliman73

(11,744 posts)
20. Toddlers are not really insecure.
Sun Sep 16, 2018, 10:45 PM
Sep 2018

They lack the self awareness to be insecure. Unless there is some kind of attachment injury, they are pretty secure and the world tends to revolve around them.

I think Kerry could have said, "teenager" and it would have been just fine.

Caliman73

(11,744 posts)
34. Yes. That is completely normal.
Mon Sep 17, 2018, 12:29 PM
Sep 2018

Which is why I mentioned that unless there is an attachment injury. Toddlers are not particularly insecure. Separation anxiety occurs when the primary care giver of the child leaves. The child becomes anxious, but is fairly quickly comforted. Once the primary care provider returns the child happy to see them. Separation Anxiety has to do with a lack of object permanence in the child. Once the child understands that the primary will return, then they are fine.

The kind of insecurity that Kerry was speaking about is the self doubt that permeates people in this culture because of the messaging that we are not good enough. It can certainly stem from childhood experiences, but teenagers (boys and girls) are notoriously insecure which is why Kerry made the comparison.

Trump likely suffered an attachment injury based on his inability to empathize with others, to remain in any kind of committed relationship, and his need for constant praise.

BlueTsunami2018

(3,503 posts)
8. Some people simply must complain about everything.
Sun Sep 16, 2018, 10:11 PM
Sep 2018

And attack our own people for the slightest “infraction”.

Eyes on the prize people, Kerry isn’t our enemy.

dflprincess

(28,082 posts)
17. Anyone who objects to this
Sun Sep 16, 2018, 10:37 PM
Sep 2018

never had to deal with my nieces between the ages of 12 and 16. - I still have nightmares.

 

rusty quoin

(6,133 posts)
27. I have a daughter who hated the whole teenage years.
Mon Sep 17, 2018, 12:59 AM
Sep 2018

Kerry was on point of what it is like. Not every girl was like that, but the system is like that.

My wife had been through it and thank God my daughter was much like my wife and hardly gave into that system of peer pressure to the point of being a social outcast.

It was more important to do what they believed. But I don’t think most girls do so, because of insecurity.

Hekate

(90,793 posts)
29. Oh good grief.Have any of these people considered how the TARGET feels about it? It's aimed at TRUMP
Mon Sep 17, 2018, 03:16 AM
Sep 2018

For gods sake I imagine it really pisses him off to be compared to a teenage girl, and that is the point after all.

Concerned. So concerned. Sooooo concerned.

Behind the Aegis

(53,987 posts)
30. KNEW IT!
Mon Sep 17, 2018, 05:49 AM
Sep 2018

Soon as I heard him say it, I knew there would be those hypersensitive assholes who would jump into action. No surprise. We can see it in play here too. Again, no surprise. It really does make one wonder, who is really the enemy?

loyalsister

(13,390 posts)
32. This thread demonstrates why Trump has support
Mon Sep 17, 2018, 07:23 AM
Sep 2018

Those who were sick of people spoiling their fun by pointing out the bigoted sentiment behind exploitating demeaning stereotypes loved his in your face hate. It set them free to reclaim the joy of scrapping civility and decency while disregarding what it means to be the subject used to ridicule someone who couldn't be more deserving of criticism.
The evils of political correctness were interfering with the the satisfaction of flinging a snark they hope will be recognized as clever. Now they have a champion who is willing to cut loose sitting in the oval office.

 

shanny

(6,709 posts)
33. My immediate thought was that Kerry
Mon Sep 17, 2018, 08:34 AM
Sep 2018

was being deliberately provocative. This is our former top diplomat, the one who put together the deal with Iran.. What on earth would possess him to say those things?

Unless he was trying to spark a galvanic reaction. #TFA

politicasista

(14,128 posts)
35. He should have said
Mon Sep 17, 2018, 10:57 PM
Sep 2018

"Trump is a vile, racist, sexist, xenophobic piece of trash." We all know he is, but nothing wrong with repeating that truth

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