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Update: New Video-Did Scott Brown Respond to ‘Sodomize Coakley’ Remark?

by Tommy Christopher | 11:34 am, January 18th, 2010

» 24 comments

At a Scott Brown rally in Worcester yesterday, a supporter of Brown’s yelled a suggestion that they “shove a curling iron up (Martha Coakley’s) butt.” The clip is gaining traction, though, because of Brown’s reaction to the outburst. Initial reports had Brown smiling at the comment, but the video shows he may have responded by saying “We can do this.” Or not.

Curiously, Politico reports the very kindest interpretation as fact: (emphasis mine)

The video above appears to show Brown smiling at the line and nodding, before returning to his message: “We can do this.”

Huffington Post has a different take:

Usually, tying a candidate to the angry screams of his or her crowd can be a difficult supposition. But on Sunday night, video emerged that seemed to show the state senator acknowledging the curling iron remark as it transpired.

I’m inclined to give people the benefit of the doubt, but Brown’s “We can do this” seems pretty clearly to be a direct response to an individual in the crowd. Politico’s assertion that he was “returning to his message” isn’t at all obvious.

That dosen’t mean that Brown necessarily knew what he was responding to. He might have just registered a negative comment about his opponent, and made the response in the moment. “We can do this” might have actually been part of his prepared remarks, and he was simply smiling at the coincidence. Or, he might have heard the comment clearly and been so unnerved by the other guy shouting “Suicide!” that he didn’t think before responding.

Any way you look at it, this is an unfortunate juxtaposition for Brown, one which his opponents will exploit. As for Politico, in a very short piece, they tilt way in favor of Brown, not only insisting that he wasn’t responding to the rabble, but also uncritically justifying it: (emphasis mine, again)

The jibe isn’t out of the blue: It’s a reference to the charge, explored at length recently by the Boston Globe, that Coakley failed to aggressively prosecute a sexual abuse case involving a curling iron.

So, Coakley didn’t deserve it, but she was kinda asking for it. Maybe someone’s a little too addicted to those Drudge links.

Note: Mediaite contacted the Brown campaign for comment, and for a transcript of Brown’s remarks, and we are awaiting a reply.

Update: New video from Crooks and Liars (h/t Sarainitaly) makes it pretty clear that Brown wasn’t “continuing his message,” and that if he wasn’t reacting to what the guy said, the crowd sure thought he was. “We can do this” gets a huge laugh. Combine that with the original video, and it’s clear he was interacting with the crowd.

As I said before, though, it’s entirely possible Brown didn’t hear exactly what the guy said, or maybe he was saying “We can do this!” to the guy who yelled “Suicide!” So, I do not think that this in any way proves that Brown approves of the curling iron remark. It sure does make Brown look bad, though.

Update 2: Scott Brown says he did not hear the remark, and would have said something if he had.

Brown Lead, Brown Rape, Coakley Rape, Drudge Report, Massachusetts Senate Race, Obama campaign, Politico, Politics News, Rape Charges Coakley, Scott Brown, Senate Race Brown, Tommy Christopher

Fidoohki

It sounds like just a cooincidence to me. Better luck next time:P
sarainitaly

It, due to the editing of the video, makes it seem that Brown is responding to the guy, but why the heck would he, honestly, say we could shove a curling iron up her bum? PLeeeeeeeeeease. A nine second video, clearly edited to make it appear the way it does.

desperation.

Also, why would re reply *we can do this*, and not, we could do that?

Why would someone yell Suicide?
sarainitaly

listening to it a couple of more times, it seems like he is saying, “we can [get through this speech without more shout outs]…or “we can do this” as in we can win this election.

I just don’t buy that if he heard the guy clearly, he would be saying he agreed. not buying it.
sarainitaly

after more research, this really sounds like a staged frame up or something, to me. Amazing how fast this got out, a 9 second video edited to make it look bad, and the media running with it…

‘Curling iron’ rape remark leveled at Martha Coakley by Scott Brown supporter may burn GOPer

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/01/18/2010-01-18_curling_iron_rape_remark_leveled_at_martha_coakley_by_scott_brown_supporter_may_.html

total desperation.
germ

So are we going to get this kind of reporting on Coakley, Tommy? Mr. Ed Schultz POS apologist.
sarainitaly

Longer video here – http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/scott-brown-i-hop-rally-shove-curling-iron

Scott Brown was interrupted, and was, as I thought, making the point that *we can win this* when he said, *we can do this*.

He does pause when the guy yelled it out, but it is unclear if he heard exactly what the guy said, or if he was just stunned, but he did pause, and then continued on with his speech – “we can do this, get out there and call, get your friends and family out there…”
TfT

Obama and Coakley making fun of truck drivers is a much more important story than interpreting some comment by someone in the audience of a campaign rally. Absurd desperation.

MSNBC thinks MA voters have “lost their mind”.

I think David Schuster attacking the voters of MA as insane is a much more important story than trying to interpret a meaning that clearly wasn’t there.

But hey, that is just mho.
sarainitaly

“Politico’s assertion that he was “returning to his message” isn’t at all obvious.” – it is, if you see the longer clip.
sarainitaly

btw – i think the comment is gross, and has no place at a rally. especially when it is used to smear the candidate…. however, perhaps the person was very upset about the guy Coakley let off that was guilty of assault with the curling iron.
kimm

This is poetic writing, Tommy: “So, Coakley didn’t deserve it, but she was kinda asking for it.”
J Baustian

Much ado about NOTHING.
Johnny M

“So, Coakley didn’t deserve it, but she was kinda asking for it.”

Touche, that was well played.

Are the liberals truly going to play dumb with this one and pretend he didnt mean “we can do this” in a context of seeing this thru to his election? At a rally to pump up his supporters, this doesnt seem like a more logical answer? This reeks of desperation and shows they are not confident in Coakley’s chances in the least. I have tended to thino polling in Brown’s direction would prove incorrect, but maybe not if they are this desperate.
germ

Let’s do a Mediaite count on Brown smear articles compared to Coakley’s:

Brown: 4
Coakley: 0

Although Coakley has given much more material to have these types of articles written. I guess Glynnis and Tommy have their head so far up Ed “I would cheat” Schultz’s @ss they can’t see straight.
TfT

Kind of makes you wonder what this really means:

Mediaite is the site for news, information and smart opinions about print, online and broadcast media, offering original and immediate assessments of the latest news as it breaks.

Perhaps the word “selective” should be inserted before the words “news” and “opinion” in Dan’s “about mediaite” statement.

Oh well – it is what it is; nice we can post our strong opinions about their opinions here though.
Capt Kirk

I heard Scott Brown was responsible for the Reichstag fire.
Facebook User

Coakley just released a last minute as featuring Obama. You can watch it here:
http://www.gotchamediablog.com/2010/01/obama-stars-in-new-martha-coakley-ad.html
sarainitaly

I typed out everything I could hear:

“…we can communicate, and solve problems…the problems now, enemy combatants, rather have us as tax payers…to lawyer them up to take the fifth…to find out…”

[lots of boo's SUICIDE, clapping cheering, inaudible noise, Curling iron up her butt!!]

“So, so, We can do this. We can do this. I want to thank you all for coming, so please do not take anything for granted. Phone calls, emails, get your friends and families out, their friends and familes out, get them out, we can make a difference.”

He was clearly returning to message.

He was thrown off by the remarks, and paused, but there is no proof that he heard what was acually said, or that it even registered.

Scott Brown was saying *we can do this* in reference to WINNING, if everyone called, emailed, and got their family and friends out to the polls. NOT we can stick a curling iron up *Marcia’s* butt. Good gawd. This is a new low.

The crowd that we can hear does seem to think that is what Brown was saying, but it doesn’t mean that is what he meant. Just like the crowd thought Obama was flipping Hillary off (which I didn’t think he intended).

Please, do you really think he is going to stand up there and commit to sticking a curling iron up *Marcia’s* butt? please.
Pat Doherty

I heard Scott Brown told people not to donate to Haiti.
dhg

“we can do this” makes no sense as a remark to the curling iron statement at all.What does make unfortunate sense is HuffPo grabbing onto it in it’s worst possible interpretation and running with it.Sounds like desperation.
germ

Tommy… Still waiting on a Croakley article…

Come on, they are easy… they write themselves!

+ Coakley campaign isssued “cease and desist” order from UPS for their “What Can Brown Do for You?” flyer
+ Coakley sends flyer eroneously saying Brown wants to turn “all rape victims away from hospitals”
+ Coakley says Schilling is “another Yankee fan” on the radio
+ Brown files criminal charges against Coakley campaign for illegal use of government resources towards her campaign
+ etc…
germ

dhg,

This whole article reeks as Tommy is deperately trying to get a job at HuffPo.

But then again, Tommy is a POS Ed “I would cheat” Schultz apologist.
liberalontogeny

You can look at this video and articles related to this “curling irongate” across the web or TV this way.

If Brown wins, then I guess you would include that victory to be a referendum against extreme left wing media outlets as well.
http://lnsmitheeblog.blogspot.com LNSmithee

All together now, one…two…three!

Des-s-s-s-peradoes….why don’t you come to your senses….
http://www.karlspensen.blogspot.com Karl Spensen

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