In 2018, Pete Davidson made a joke about Dan Crenshaw’s eyepatch. Conservatives were outraged and demanded that the (since departed) SNL stand-out apologize to the SEAL-turned-Texas representative. He did, on live television. Jump four years, and conservatives themselves are making fun of the fact that Crenshaw lost an eye in an IED explosion while defending the nation. But people haven’t forgotten about Pete.
It all started in May, when Tucker Carlson, angry that Crenshaw was calling out colleagues for not voting for a Ukraine aid package, came up with a sub-Trumpian insult: He called him “Eyepatch McCain.”
This weekend, some on the far right repeated that line to Crenshaw’s face. As per Mediaite, the lawmaker was attending the Republican Party of Texas convention when he was violently confronted by a group of far right wackjobs. Some of them identified as Proud Boys. One was Alex Stein, a far right social media activist, who filmed himself repeatedly repeating Carlson’s taunt, yelling “Eyepatch McCain” and calling him a “globalist.” He and the other activists were then escorted out of the building.
One witness said the activists “got physical with multiple people” and that Crenshaw’s campaign manager was “assaulted by being pushed aggressively into a pillar.”
As news of the incident became public, thought about Davidson, who made a silly joke for which he formally apologized, even inviting Crenshaw on SNL so he could do it in person, in front of the world.
Remember how every mainstream institution bent the knee to bad faith right wing actors who complained about Pete Davidson's SNL joke about Crenshaw? Sigh. https://t.co/JOWaZ8a8TB
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) June 18, 2022
Wasn’t that long ago that the right called out Pete Davidson for making fun of Crenshaw.
Now, they have no problem doing it themselves…
— Chris (@RugbyChris1) June 18, 2022
Pete Davidson (a comedian) had to go on an apology tour when he slightly teased Crenshaw. Everyone – including the right – attacked him for it. A year or so later, Tucker calls Crenshaw Eyepatch McCain and now you have the right doing this.
— Jorge Ribas (@jribas) June 18, 2022
Everyone got upset when Pete Davidson insulted him, but hardly anyone said anything when Tucker made a worse insult recently.
— EastRiverCroc (@AlligatorEast) June 18, 2022
When Pete Davidson made fun of Dan Crenshaw’s eyepatch Antifa did not go chasing after Crenshaw calling him Porno Movie Hitman.
Tucker Carlson calls him Eye Patch McCain and all of a sudden he’s being chased by MAGA’s at a convention.
It’s because one side knows it’s fiction.
— Melvin White 🃏 (@cmonmanbfd) June 18, 2022
If the GOP doesn't speak out against the recent attack on Dan Crenshaw by right-wing supporters, they owe Pete Davidson a huge fucking apology. Hypocrites.
— GenXtremist (@GenXtremist) June 19, 2022
As for Crenshaw himself, he later commented on the incident, tweeting, “This is what happens when angry little boys like @alexstein99 don’t grow up and can’t get girlfriends…”
This is what happens when angry little boys like @alexstein99 don’t grow up and can’t get girlfriends…
🤷 https://t.co/5KaIzx9umg— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) June 18, 2022
Crenshaw has a habit of breaking with the increasingly extremist wing of his party, though he’s still a guy who posted a bizarre video of him threatening to beat up leftist protesters.
(Via Mediaite)