A couple of suggestions, actually, beginning with the caption above. There are all sorts of ways a grown adult and ostensibly elected public official can act like a baby … but this has to rank right up there with as-despicable-and-downright-ugly-as-it-gets. In other words, perfectly in keeping with Tom Cotton, the junior — and apparently juvenile toddler — Senator from Arkansas.
Some people are ideologues. Some people are charlatans. Some people are opportunists. And some people are simply raging, flaming holes of pure ass. As [New York Times writer Frank] Bruni’s column makes clear, at least in the case of Tom Cotton, these categories are far from mutually exclusive.
The column tells the story of a woman named Cassandra Butts, who recently passed away from leukemia at the age of 50. In 2014, prior to her diagnosis, the president proposed to name Butts the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas—which sounds to these ears anyway to be a pretty sweet gig. That was when the nonsense began. First, Tailgunner Ted Cruz put a hold on all nominations because he was upset with the deal the president cut with Iran, and because the Tailgunner is an unlikable algae of a human being. Later, our man Cotton jumped in and slapped a hold on Butts and a couple of other nominees for ambassadorships.
Bruni notes Cotton’s motivation was to “inflict special pain on the president,” with whom Butts had a long-standing friendship. Isn’t that nice…?
Sure, Cotton likely didn’t know of the diagnosis, but that’s hardly an excuse for what amounted to a two years plus temper tantrum. So…and not to step on one of Adrastos’ themes, but…if/when the next Malaka is anointed, I’d like to nominate Senator Cotton, whose action ought to merit no worse than a solid dishonorable mention…
You won’t be surprised to learn that Cotton has already been honored: https://first-draft.com/2015/03/11/malaka-of-the-week-tom-cotton/
Oh, good. Should have remembered…and won’t be surprised if Senator Cotton becomes a real all-star of assholery…or malakatude, if you prefer.
I have the feeling that Cotton was wrapped a little too tight for the military to begin with, and his time in Iraq pushed him over the edge. He’s not just an asshole. He’s undoubtedly an asshole, but he’s an asshole with a mental health problem on top of that. I’m hoping that MDMA therapy is approved for PTSD, and that Cotton is in the very first trials.
There’s no cure for the assholery, but at least, after treatment, we wouldn’t be subjected to his insanity, as well. And, fuck you very much, Arkansas, for inflicting this sorry excuse for a human being on the rest of us.