Somebody told Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) to turn it up to 11 when he launched his presidential campaign, and what Scott was when cranked up was really weird.
This was the first bad sign:
This is not the way you want to kick off a presidential campaign. Ouch. pic.twitter.com/CAVwLTUhGq
— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) May 22, 2023
Scott went on to asset his Republican cred by bragging about how he failed civics:
Tim Scott says he failed civics in high school pic.twitter.com/7HFrd7fWEH
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 22, 2023
Tim Scott’s full speech:
Two thoughts come to mind. First, should this guy even be in the Senate? 9.99% of Americans have never thought of Tim Scott before, and this is the impression that he voluntarily sent to the nation. Secondly, Tim Scott should be thanking the Writers Guild for being on strike right now because otherwise, he would be torched by every late-night talk show, comedian, and sketch show on television.
Scott tried to work the evangelical angle, but he came off as an over-the-top parody.
There have been bad presidential campaign launches. Donald Trump was mocked for the escalator ride, but that what immediately forgotten when he called Mexican immigrants rapists. Candidates are often clunky and awkward because they are stepping onto the biggest national stage.
Sen. Scott took cringeworthy weirdness to a whole other place.
The good news for Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) is that the bar is really low when he announces his presidential campaign this week. As long as somebody can program Robot Ron to replicate human behavior, he’ll look like Ronald Reagan on the campaign trail next to Tim Scott.
If this is what the 2024 Republican primary campaign is going to look like, buckle up for a whole lot of weirdness.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
