Bruce Fischer Refusing To Shake Kamala Harris’ Hand Is The Latest Example Of Political Misogynoir

Here’s the thing: The anti-woke crowd is going to say that “the left” is making a mountain out of a molehill when it comes to the issue of a newly sworn-in Republican’s husband refusing to shake Kamala Harris’ hand. They’ll ask, “What’s the big deal.” It is only a handshake, after all.

Well, it’s not only a handshake.

When Bruce Fisher, husband of Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer, showed his outright contempt for Harris (seriously, Trump already won — what are these people still so salty about?) by refusing to shake her hand, he was perpetuating what has become a shift in what’s considered acceptable political and professional decorum — a shift that came about amid the emergence of prominent Black women in U.S. politics.

There was a time when there were only white men in the world of politics, and certainly only white men who were in contention to become president of the United States. Mudslinging still existed during that time. Politicians still beat each other up in the press, but there were lines you couldn’t cross. There were standards of decency and professionalism you were expected to adhere to. There was language you couldn’t use, gestures you couldn’t make and formalities you were expected to participate in.

During those times, especially during a formal ceremony, a white man who was a relative of an elected official would never refuse to shake the hand of a fellow white man who became the Democratic presidential nominee after serving as a vice president, U.S. senator, state attorney general and district attorney. Hell, while we’re on the subject, a white man with a resume that extensive would never be subject to his own colleagues diminishing his accomplishments by calling him a “DEI hire” (although, in this case, he would be a “white supremacy hire“) or making absurd claims that he “slept his way to the top.” It wouldn’t be proper. It wouldn’t be decent. It would be juvenile and unbecoming of public figures.

But Kamala Harris is a Black woman, so, suddenly, it’s all fair game. And she’s not the only Black woman who is forced to grapple with the new standard of acceptable and commonplace misogynoir.

Just a few days after Donald Trump was elected president for the second time, Trump attorney Mike Davis made and appearance on The Benny Show, with conservative YouTuber Benny Johnson, where he leveled threats at New York Attorney General Letitia James, who won a civil fraud case against Trump and top Trump organization executives in March.

“Let me just say this to Big Tish James, the New York Attorney General, I dare you to try to continue your lawfare against President Trump in his second term,” Davis said. “Listen here, sweetheart, we’re not messing around this time, and we will put your fat a** in prison for conspiracy against rights. I promise you.”

Trump's lawyer Mike Davis issues dark warning to NY AG Letitia James:

"I dare you to try to continue your lawfare against President Trump… listen here, sweetheart, we're not messing around this time and we will put your fatass in prison for conspiracy against rights." pic.twitter.com/FfGGxzsaq6

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) November 7, 2024

Here’s what I wrote about that previously:

First off, I don’t know where Davis gets off calling James a “fat a**” as if his client isn’t likely over-pressuring the wheels on his favorite golfcart right now. We all know Trump thinks he’s a 215-pound 35-year-old in a 78-year-old body,  but, really, he’s a 78-year-old toddler who’s probably closer to 10 pounds for each one of his felonies — so, maybe Davis should STFU about a Black woman’s body.

But, more to the point, look where we are already.

A decade ago, people would have been outraged if, just after the election, an attorney for the president- elect used crude, profane, and childishly insulting language while addressing a state attorney general. James could never have gotten away with going on a televised program and calling Trump a “fat a**” whether Trump was set to become president or not. But Trump and his people are Trump and his people and James is a Black woman so the rules have changed.

The rules have indeed changed. From Harris to James to the scrutiny, body-shaming, sexist and racist attacks, and prying into her private life that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has endured. From Rep. Jasmine Crockett being called “ghetto” by MAGA supporters for standing up to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene‘s thinly veiled racism to right-wing commentator Laura Loomer being embraced by Trump and his campaign even after she referred to Harris, James and Willis as “meritless DEI Shaniquas,” which she did after she called Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) a “ghetto b*tch” shortly after Lee died of pancreatic cancer.

Yep, the standard of decorum has changed. Harris’ declined handshake is only the latest symptom of the MAGA disease.

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