On Thanksgiving morning, Turning Point USA’s Anna Paulina guested on Fox News to discuss the southern border. During the segment, host Rick Leventhal brought up the continuing life of Hillary Clinton’s email scandal (here):

“I am amazed that with everything going on in the world, we still have Hillary Clinton in the headlines.”

His assertion was both right and wrong. Firstly, Hillary’s staying power in the news, it appears to me, is nonsensical: What other failed presidential candidate — no longer holding office — was in the headlines two years after the fact? On the other hand, there are a whole lot of unresolved issues involving various shady, newsworthy business.

Anna got down to the business of abruptly ending her participation in the segment, vigilante-style:

“She won’t go away. She’s like herpes.”

Aaaand cut.

The camera went to analyst Doug Schoen, and Anna wasn’t seen again.

Did her chair dump her into the floor, á la Austin Powers?

Immediately, Leventhal responded, “Okay. … Not appropriate.” Later, the host apologized for the “language,” and Anna took to Twitter with her own “I’m sorry”:

“Yesterday on Fox I was placed on the wrong segment & in the confusion made a brash and unprofessional joke. To Fox and those watching, I am deeply sorry. My feeling simply is that Big Government creates dynasties like the Clintons that won’t go away & Americans are over it.”

https://twitter.com/realannapaulina/status/1066077189236391936

Juanita Broaddrick had somethin’ to say about the flare-up:

“Not awkward at all. Hillary is worse than Herpes.”

Not awkward at all. Hillary is worse than Herpes. https://t.co/1qCQcqGkFR

— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) November 23, 2018

Perhaps her comment seems rash, but she’d probably been itchin’ to say that for quite a while. Finally, she was able to let that one break out.

Makes sense; after all, Juanita claims Bill Clinton raped her in 1978. Moreover, she alleges Hillary tried to intimidate her into silence (here).

In October, Broaddrick had choice words about further investigation into Bill Clinton’s past sexual antics, including an incrimination of the former First Lady:

“[I’m] hoping an investigation will show these people: You’ve been following a criminal sexual predator all of these years, and it’s time to face up to the fact that you’ve done this. Turn your backs on this man and this woman. He’s a criminal, and she is an enabler of his criminal activities.”

In the media these days — related to politics — nasty name-calling is rampant, and we’re not better for it. A similar insult to Juanita’s was used earlier this year, by a television host against Ivanka Trump (here). If one is tasteless, so should the other be? For Anna Paulina, in my view, a little bit. Ivanka remains an innocent compared to the history of Hillary Clinton. Juanita Broaddrick is another story; she alleges to have been victimized by Hillary. Furthermore, she’s not a member of the media or a political representative. She’s a private citizen with a very personal relationship to the Clintons.

Either way, we’re living in ugly times. And in the realm of political discourse, it seems, inflammatory rhetoric is infectious.

Relevant RedState links in this article: here, here, and here.

See 3 more pieces from me: Rand Paul vs. Planned Parenthood, Trump’s European vacation, and the N-word in a political ad.

Find all my RedState work here.

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