Joni Ernst: Harkin Wouldn’t Comment On My Looks If My Name Were ‘John’

U.S. Sen. John McCain, left,and Iowa Republican senatorial candidate Joni Ernst speak to a packed cafe about veterans and voter turn out during a campaign stop, Wednesday Oct. 29, 2014, at Ivy Bake Shoppe & CafÈ in... U.S. Sen. John McCain, left,and Iowa Republican senatorial candidate Joni Ernst speak to a packed cafe about veterans and voter turn out during a campaign stop, Wednesday Oct. 29, 2014, at Ivy Bake Shoppe & CafÈ in West Burlington, Iowa. Ernst, a state lawmaker and lieutenant colonel in the Iowa National Guard, is locked in a tight race against Democrat Bruce Braley, a four-term congressman. (AP Photo/The Hawk Eye, Michael Noble Jr.) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Republican Senate candidate Joni Ernst responded Monday to comments Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), who she is running to replace, made comparing her looks to those of pop star Taylor Swift.

“I was very offended that Sen. Harkin would say that,” Ernst said in an appearance on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends.” “I think it’s unfortunate that he and many of their party believe that you can’t be a real woman if you’re conservative and you’re female.”

“If my name had been John Ernst attached to my resume, Sen. Harkin would not have said those things,” she added later.

Speaking at a local Democratic Party barbecue last week, Harkin said that campaign ads have given him the impression that Ernst is “attractive” and “sounds nice.” The remarks were flagged by Buzzfeed.

“I don’t care if she’s as good looking as Taylor Swift or as nice as Mr. Rogers, but if she votes like [Minnesota Rep.] Michele Bachmann, she’s wrong for the state of Iowa,” Harkin said at the event.

Asked how she thought those comments would have gone over if Harkin were a Republican talking about a female Democratic candidate, Ernst said she thought the press “would not have let that go.”

The TPM Polltracker average has Ernst leading her opponent Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) 47.7 percent to 45.9 percent.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Don’t think he was trying to compliment her. He was saying that her ads were trying to portray her as pretty and nice. And she’s not.

  2. Avatar for byteme byteme says:

    And Republicans wouldn’t pay attention to an ugly woman either. What’s her point again?

  3. His point was that looks shouldn’t matter; what should matter to voters is what’s best for the state.
    Acknowledging that appearance plays a role in the decision that many voters make is not sexism; it’s acknowledging the presence of a different kind of bias in politics. Just ask John Edwards, whose looks played a big role in the media’s reaction to him, for good or for ill. Perhaps the phrase, “if my name were John,” was poorly chosen, Ms. Ernst?

  4. Ernst said she thought the press “would not have let that go.”

    Oh please. There are a lot of comments made by Republicans that the “liberal” media let go. Most of which came out of her mouth.
    .
    I think Harkin should not have expressed what he did. First because it was dumb being close to the election and second because she would run to FOX (not local media) and play victim. Speaking of which. Republicans play all tough with their guns and threats to shoot but they sure are some chickenshits that get bent all out of shape when someone says something that’s not “PC”.

  5. Joni Ernst: Harkin Wouldn’t Comment On My Looks If My Name Were ‘John’

    He didn’t, you lying asshole. He said that people citing your looks as a reason for voting for you were wrong.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

39 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for webcelt Avatar for jw1 Avatar for ComradeAnon Avatar for srfromgr Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for jep07 Avatar for trippin Avatar for byteme Avatar for enon Avatar for ultraviolet_uk Avatar for thunderhawk Avatar for trumpdog Avatar for mantan Avatar for frankly_my_dear Avatar for okay Avatar for rssrai Avatar for magical_panda Avatar for BlueFranco Avatar for LoganFive Avatar for wrightwingnut Avatar for nothingruler Avatar for Philo Avatar for sashasmom

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: