WSJ Condemned For ‘Susan Collins Consents’ Headline: ‘A Rape Joke’
In an opinion piece praising Republican Senator Susan Collins for backing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, the Wall Street Journal editorial board used the Senate’s “advise an consent” duties to make a joke about rape.
“Susan Collins Consents,” the headline states.
While some have defended the Journal by claiming they were only referring to “advise and consent,” given the circumstances of Kavanaugh’s nomination — which was stalled by sexual assault allegations — it’s very unlikely that the Rupert Murdoch owned paper did not intend “consent” as a double entendre.
The Journal is also the same paper that published an op-ed by Kavanaugh in-which he defended himself against the allegations and tried to justify his emotional outbursts during last week’s hearings.
The newspaper’s headline choice was fiercely condemned by journalists and pundits on Twitter:
And @WSJ decides to go with a rape joke pic.twitter.com/ooQAtACBz0
— Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) October 5, 2018
The WSJ’s editorial board is full of radicalized extremists. On the other side of a fire wall, they have excellent reporters. Waking up to see their employer publish a rape joke in the midst of this Kanaugh mess has got to have a few of them questioning their life choices.
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) October 6, 2018
Interesting choice of headline wording for lead WSJ editorial today. pic.twitter.com/osSrT8Q9XG
— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) October 6, 2018
Seriously I can’t believe this @wsj headline (a rape joke!) is still up, or was chosen in the first place. This isn’t juvenile, it’s shameful. As things stand I don’t feel comfortable being quoted in this newspaper as an expert any more. Get your house in order. https://t.co/RcZl8gPbHc
— Thomas Rid (@RidT) October 6, 2018
this is completely unacceptable and the WSJ editorial board should be ashamed. https://t.co/A5UxT8C4DW pic.twitter.com/7KDe4DRANE
— female assistant (@qjurecic) October 5, 2018
WSJ editorial board makes a rape joke https://t.co/eFcdhPJmGo
— april glaser (@aprilaser) October 5, 2018
Tasteful as always, wsj editorial board. https://t.co/pMDg5Ndkqy
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) October 5, 2018
Making a rape joke to own the libs https://t.co/UuUViakgNL
— Tom Scocca (@tomscocca) October 5, 2018
Classy, you hideous monsters. pic.twitter.com/qKxY3dqZpE
— Scarydeath Maggoty (@manymanywords) October 5, 2018
[image via screengrab]
