MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle finally acknowledged on Tuesday the controversy in Loudoun County, Virginia, where the school board stands accused of covering up a bathroom rape in order to protect its transgender bathroom policy. Unfortunately, what started out as a decent enough segment with correspondent Catie Beck soon degenerated into Ruhle wondering why these "culture wars" even matter because they "aren't even major issues."
After Beck gave both sides of the bathroom policy debate a quick soundbite to explain their position, including one parent accusing superintendent Scott Ziegler of a cover-up, Ruhle wondered what the big deal was, "But it's just one county. And how have these school board fights become this big part of now a campaign across the state? I mean, that's extraordinary."
It has become a big part of the campaign because it is easy for parents to worry about their daughters being in the same situation, but unfortunately Beck too went off the rails, portraying the issue as just a GOP political ploy:
It is. And six days until election day, Steph. If you are watching television in Virginia, you are seeing the ads of both of these candidates focused on schools and parental choice. These issues that are surfacing here in Loudoun are certainly becoming a flashpoint in this governor's race. And we spoke to one political expert who said, specifically, Republicans are zeroing in on these topics. Knowing that they could potentially rev up their base, to galvanize their base, to show up at the polls six day from now.
Following up, Ruhle wondered who really cares about such things: "But how much misinformation ends up out there, right? These culture wars are often wrapped up in getting people fired up over things that aren't even major issues?"
Ruhle obviously doesn't believe that. She obviously cares about the transgender rights versus female-only spaces debate, she just takes the other side. What she is really concerned about is that the opposing side's argument is no longer just a hypothetical and that it could impact next week's gubernatorial election in Virginia.
As for Beck's answer, she concluded by warning: "There certainly is some genuine outrage here in this school district, about the ongoing issues, but, you have to take note, also, that in the parking lot, you are seeing political signs at a school board meeting and that too is unusual so I think it is certainly a combination of multiple things at work here."
This segment was sponsored by American Express.
Here is a transcript for the October 27 show:
MSNBC
Stephanie Ruhle Reports
9:58 AM ET
STEPHANIE RUHLE: But it's just one county. And how have these school board fights become this big part of now a campaign across the state? I mean, that's extraordinary.
CATIE BECK: It is. And six days until election day, Steph. If you are watching television in Virginia, you are seeing the ads of both of these candidates focused on schools and parental choice. These issues that are surfacing here in Loudoun are certainly becoming a flashpoint in this governor's race. And we spoke to one political expert who said, specifically, Republicans are zeroing in on these topics. Knowing that they could potentially rev up their base, to galvanize their base, to show up at the polls six day from now. So we'll see how this plays out. But certainly, both candidates speaking specifically about the Loudoun County incidents at their campaign rallies and in their political ads. Steph?
RUHLE: But, but how much misinformation ends up out there, right? These culture wars are often wrapped up in getting people fired up over things that aren't even major issues?
BECK: Absolutely. It is, it is hard to dispute, when you see more than a hundred parents come to the microphone last night. There certainly is some genuine outrage here in this school district, about the ongoing issues, but, you have to take note, also, that in the parking lot, you are seeing political signs at a school board meeting and that too is unusual so I think it is certainly a combination of multiple things at work here.
