Crash Course: Herschel Walker's abortion scandal won't alienate Christian right voters — here's why

Trump showed Republican voters are fine with sexual freedom — for straight conservative men. [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0Q2aHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL2xldHRlci81MzA5VwNzcGNCCmM80mM9Y5052g9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpjPNJjPWOdOdoPUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). [Herschel-Walker] Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images Herschel Walker's abortion scandal won't alienate Christian right voters — here's why Monday evening, [Roger Sollenberger of the Daily Beast (and formerly of Salon) published](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZGFpbHliZWFzdC5jb20vcHJvLWxpZmUtaGVyc2NoZWwtd2Fsa2VyLXBhaWQtZm9yLWdpcmxmcmllbmRzLWFib3J0aW9uLWdlb3JnaWEtc2VuYXRlVwNzcGNCCmM80mM9Y5052g9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) a blockbuster scoop: [Herschel Walker](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0QraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL3RvcGljL2hlcnNjaGVsX3dhbGtlclcDc3BjQgpjPNJjPWOdOdoPUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), former NFL running back and current Georgia Senate candidate for the GOP, allegedly asked for and paid for a girlfriend to get an abortion in 2009. Walker has taken a hard line against abortion, wanting it banned in all cases, even to save the life of the pregnant person. The woman, who understandably wants to remain anonymous, substantiated her claim with a receipt from the abortion clinic, a check from Walker, a get-well card he gave her, and the testimony of the friend who took care of her after the abortion. [Walker denies it happened](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RLaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY25uLmNvbS8yMDIyLzEwLzAzL3BvbGl0aWNzL2hlcnNjaGVsLXdhbGtlci1hYm9ydGlvbi9pbmRleC5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmM80mM9Y5052g9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). Walker also has a history of shameless lying, to the point where [his own campaign aides describe him as a "pathological liar.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RlaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZGFpbHliZWFzdC5jb20vaGVyc2NoZWwtd2Fsa2VyLWxpZWQtYWJvdXQtaGlzLXNlY3JldC1raWRzLXRvLWhpcy1vd24tY2FtcGFpZ24_cmVmPXdyYXBXA3NwY0IKYzzSYz1jnTnaD1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)" As far as Walker's credibility goes, it might be safer at this point to assume anything he says could well be a lie. But that does not mean he will lose Christian right support over allegations of a secret abortion. They will simply scream "fake news!!!!" to dismiss this deeply reported allegation, and call it a day. It is unlikely that Republicans actually believe Walker over this anonymous woman, but they don't have to. They simply do not care. The abortion issue is not and never has been about "life." Abortion bans are about controlling women and punishing female sexuality, full stop. Walker is a straight cisgender man and a Republican. That means, as far as the Christian right is concerned, he can do whatever he wants when it comes to sex. [Read more from Amanda Marcotte.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDQvaGVyc2NoZWwtd2Fsa2Vycy1hYm9ydGlvbi1zY2FuZGFsLXdvbnQtYWxpZW5hdGUtY2hyaXN0aWFuLXJpZ2h0LWhlcmVzLXdoeS9XA3NwY0IKYzzSYz1jnTnaD1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) [Donald-Trump] Emily Elconin/Getty Images Promotion from Finny [Sign up for free!] Game-based finance education for working adults! When it comes down to learning good money habits, there's so much jargon out there. Finny's newsletter, The Gist, is different. Twice a week, you'll get simple 5-minute breakdowns of top money trends, personal finance, and investing tips delivered right to your inbox - for free. We highly recommend it. [Sign up for free!](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvNWs0aDM3NTV6dFcDc3BjQgpjPNJjPWOdOdoPUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) “Open and shut”: Experts say Trump lawyer's admission just made DOJ Mar-a-Lago case a “lot stronger” Trump in February asked attorney Alex Cannon to tell the National Archives and Records Administration that all of the documents had been returned. Cannon refused the request because "he was not sure that statement was true," sources told the Washington Post. The FBI ultimately found thousands more documents when they searched Trump's residence in August as part of a criminal investigation into the potential mishandling of classified documents and obstruction. Trump packed the boxes himself, a source told the Post, and "seemed determined" in February to declare that all documents had been returned. Trump told his team to release a public statement declaring that he had returned "everything" and asked Cannon to make a similar statement to the National Archives. Cannon, who worked as an attorney for the Trump Organization and later the Trump campaign before representing him after he left the White House, refused the request, according to the report. "DOJ case for obstruction against Trump (18 USC 1519) just got a lot stronger," [tweeted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0Q3aHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9yZ29vZGxhdy9zdGF0dXMvMTU3NzA2NzU0NjEzNzY2MTQ0MFcDc3BjQgpjPNJjPWOdOdoPUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Ryan Goodman, a New York University law professor. "More evidence of willful retention and concealment," [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0Q6aHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9CcmFkTW9zc0VzcS9zdGF0dXMvMTU3NzA2NTI3NzAwNjU4NTg1NlcDc3BjQgpjPNJjPWOdOdoPUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) national security attorney Bradley Moss. "Open and shut," [tweeted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0Q5aHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9ndGNvbndheTNkL3N0YXR1cy8xNTc3MDY3MDQzODE1NTkxOTM3VwNzcGNCCmM80mM9Y5052g9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) conservative attorney George Conway. [Read more from Igor Derysh.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0R6aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDQvb3Blbi1hbmQtc2h1dC1leHBlcnRzLXNheS1sYXd5ZXJzLWFkbWlzc2lvbi1qdXN0LW1hZGUtZG9qLW1hci1hLWxhZ28tY2FzZS1hLWxvdC1zdHJvbmdlci9XA3NwY0IKYzzSYz1jnTnaD1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - “Shockingly baseless”: Legal experts mock “bad faith, unethical” [Trump lawsuit trying to silence CNN](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDQvc2hvY2tpbmdseS1iYXNlbGVzcy1sZWdhbC1leHBlcnRzLW1vY2stYmFkLWZhaXRoLXVuZXRoaWNhbC10cnlpbmctdG8tc2lsZW5jZS1jbm4vVwNzcGNCCmM80mM9Y5052g9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - By turning straw into gold records, [Loretta Lynn helped me love where I come from](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0Q5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDQvbG9yZXR0YS1seW5uLWFwcGFsYWNoaWEvVwNzcGNCCmM80mM9Y5052g9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - Rising cases of [variants BQ.1 and XBB](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0Q8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDQvYnExLXhiYi12YXJpYW50cy1yZXNpc3RhbnQvVwNzcGNCCmM80mM9Y5052g9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) could make COVID drugs all but useless, study finds - Emails show [Trump lawyers mocked his wealth](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0R1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDQvZW1haWxzLXNob3ctbGF3eWVycy1tb2NrZWQtaGlzLXdlYWx0aC0tdGhlbi10cmllZC10by1ibG9jay10aGUtZW1haWxzLWZyb20tY29uZ3Jlc3MvVwNzcGNCCmM80mM9Y5052g9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) — then tried to block the emails from Congress - Whoopi Goldberg says "The View" is so much ["calmer" in a post-Meghan McCain era](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RPaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDQvd2hvb3BpLWdvbGRiZXJnLXRoZS12aWV3LW1lZ2hhbi1tY2NhaW4tY2FsbWVyL1cDc3BjQgpjPNJjPWOdOdoPUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - Study suggests the [heart benefits from coffee](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RZaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDQvY29mZmVlLW1heS1iZS1nb29kLWZvci15b3VyLWhlYXJ0LW5ldy1yZXNlYXJjaC1zdWdnZXN0cy9XA3NwY0IKYzzSYz1jnTnaD1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) — but the preparation method matters - Schools are [harnessing solar power](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0ReaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDQvc2Nob29scy1hcmUtaGFybmVzc2luZy1zb2xhci1wb3dlci1pbi1yZWNvcmQtbnVtYmVyc19wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgpjPNJjPWOdOdoPUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) in record numbers - Serendipity 3's $100, golden dessert taco is the natural evolution of the [gourmet Choco Taco trend](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0SBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDQvc2VyZW5kaXBpdHktM3MtMTAwLWdvbGRlbi1kZXNzZXJ0LXRhY28taXMtdGhlLW5hdHVyYWwtZXZvbHV0aW9uLW9mLXRoZS1nb3VybWV0LWNob2NvLXRhY28tdHJlbmQvVwNzcGNCCmM80mM9Y5052g9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpjPNJjPWOdOdoPUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. [Trump-hat] Jeff Swensen/Getty Images Trump's long game: Executive privilege and the assault on historical memory The destruction of historical memory is a central element of fascist politics. In our own time, the attempt to erase history continues with Donald Trump's efforts to claim executive privilege to keep secret various government documents related to his stoking of the Jan. 6 insurrection and his retention of national security documents at Mar-a-Lago. As the [New York Times reports](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8wOS8zMC91cy9wb2xpdGljcy90cnVtcC1leGVjdXRpdmUtcHJpdmlsZWdlLmh0bWxXA3NwY0IKYzzSYz1jnTnaD1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), the legal question regarding whether he has the power to claim executive privilege to retain these documents is unclear. Independent of the legal questions at stake here, there are deeper substantive concerns for democracy if we empower a former president in his efforts to erase history. Over the last year and a half, Trump has consistently portrayed the Jan. 6 insurrectionists as patriots who sought to overturn a fraudulent election outcome in 2020, and as victims of federal government oppression. In an Orwellian effort to annihilate historical facts, the late Rush Limbaugh, when he wasn't [celebrating](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RkaHR0cHM6Ly90aGVoaWxsLmNvbS9ob21lbmV3cy81MzMyMzYtbGltYmF1Z2gtZGlzbWlzc2VzLWNhbGxzLXRvLWVuZC12aW9sZW5jZS1hZnRlci1tb2ItaGl0cy1jYXBpdG9sL1cDc3BjQgpjPNJjPWOdOdoPUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) the insurrectionists, baselessly [claimed](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWVkaWFtYXR0ZXJzLm9yZy9qYW51YXJ5LTYtaW5zdXJyZWN0aW9uL3J1c2gtbGltYmF1Z2gtcHJvLXRydW1wLW1vYi11bmRvdWJ0ZWRseS1pbmNsdWRlZC1zb21lLWFudGlmYS1kZW1vY3JhdFcDc3BjQgpjPNJjPWOdOdoPUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) that they were fueled by antifa and "Democratically-sponsored instigators." [Read more from Anthony DiMaggio.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDQvbG9uZy1nYW1lLWV4ZWN1dGl2ZS1wcml2aWxlZ2UtYW5kLXRoZS1vbi1oaXN0b3JpY2FsLW1lbW9yeS9XA3NwY0IKYzzSYz1jnTnaD1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Has the C.I.A. Done More Harm Than Good?" [The New Yorker](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RSaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmV3eW9ya2VyLmNvbS9tYWdhemluZS8yMDIyLzEwLzEwL2hhcy10aGUtY2lhLWRvbmUtbW9yZS1oYXJtLXRoYW4tZ29vZFcDc3BjQgpjPNJjPWOdOdoPUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Risking Everything to Offer Abortions Across State Lines," [The New York Times](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RUaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMi8xMC8wNC9tYWdhemluZS9hYm9ydGlvbi1pbnRlcnN0YXRlLXRyYXZlbC1wb3N0LXJvZS5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmM80mM9Y5052g9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "The United States of Confederate America," [The Atlantic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0R1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlYXRsYW50aWMuY29tL2lkZWFzL2FyY2hpdmUvMjAyMi8xMC9jb25mZWRlcmF0ZS1tb251bWVudHMtc3VydmV5LXJhY2UtcmVsaWdpb24tZWR1Y2F0aW9uLWRpdmlkZS82NzE2MzkvVwNzcGNCCmM80mM9Y5052g9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "The Onion's Supreme Court Brief is Hysterical, of Course," [The Wrap](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhld3JhcC5jb20vdGhlLW9uaW9uLXN1cHJlbWUtY291cnQtYnJpZWYtcGFyb2R5LWhlYWRsaW5lLW5vdmFrL1cDc3BjQgpjPNJjPWOdOdoPUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Classic Teen Movies, Reviewed By Woke Teens," [Vice](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0TGaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudmljZS5jb20vZW4vYXJ0aWNsZS9nNXgza3kvYW1lcmljYW4tcGllLWNsdWVsZXNzLWJlc3QtdGVlbi1tb3ZpZXMtcmV2aWV3ZWQ_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1zb2NpYWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT12aWNlX2ZhY2Vib29rJmZiY2xpZD1Jd0FSMk1WYXNkeHQ1S0EzTzdZWl9wYlRZUzI5U0dzWkV4OWREMVlSTjB2YUZWaXFSOGVONmNUN3dwcEFBVwNzcGNCCmM80mM9Y5052g9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Attack of the pizza-making robots," [Axios](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0QsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYXhpb3MuY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDQvcm9ib3QtcGl6emFXA3NwY0IKYzzSYz1jnTnaD1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) [Roger-Stone] Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images Roger Stone is here to teach us a lesson — and it's one we should have learned years ago In the annals of unheeded warnings about appeasing bullies, there's British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who literally cut a deal with Adolf Hitler and promised "peace in our time." Then we have toddler-man Donald Trump, with his endless hissy-fits about not being treated fairly and mob-speak threats about what a shame it would be if our nice democracy was to — well, was to run into a narcissistic, psychopathic compulsive liar. Somebody like him.  Trump was also impeached twice, let us note — and got off the hook both times. With the recent revelation that [Trump acolyte Roger Stone](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0R9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDkvMjcvZmNrLXRoZS12b3RpbmctbGV0cy1nZXQtcmlnaHQtdG8tdGhlLXZpb2xlbmNlLWRhbW5pbmctcm9nZXItc3RvbmUtamFuLTYtdmlkZW8tbGVha3NfcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKYzzSYz1jnTnaD1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), a Republican dirty trickster clear back to the days of Richard Nixon — told his cronies, "Fuck the voting, let's get right to the violence," before the 2020 election had even happened — let alone any bullshit claims that it was stolen — we have yet another example of what happens when you give in to a bully. What happens? We've heard it a thousand times and more during the Trump era, so let's all say it together: He becomes emboldened. [Read more from Kirk Swearingen.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMDQvcm9nZXItc3RvbmUtaXMtaGVyZS10by10ZWFjaC11cy1hLWxlc3Nvbi0tYW5kLWl0cy1vbmUtd2Utc2hvdWxkLWhhdmUtbGVhcm5lZC15ZWFycy1hZ28vVwNzcGNCCmM80mM9Y5052g9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlH-jPP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmM80mM9Y5052g9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. 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