When Representative Jasmine Crockett quipped about Texas Governor Greg Abbott as 'Governor Hot Wheels' during a recent Human Rights Campaign dinner in Los Angeles, the backlash was swift and severe. But as headlines exploded across social media and conservatives demanded her censure, the controversy began to resemble another highly publicised incident — one involving a tearful teenage athlete, a viral baton strike, and the blurry line between intent and perception.
Just like the high school track star who insisted she didn't mean to hit her opponent mid-race, Crockett is now facing the court of public opinion, explaining what she meant — and what she didn't — in a comment that has triggered national outrage.
