The big Mandela Barnes opposition research “he’s a lothario!” bomb dropped tonight, and it’s a steaming hot pile of garbage. I’m actually surprised he quit over this (unless there’s some other Damocles’ sword poised to drop or he left for a different reason, like a job promise), and I’m shocked that they printed it. Shame on reporters Mary Spicuzza and Molly Beck. If this is all they’ve got, Barnes should get back in the race. It’s also a racial trope.
You knew the story wasn’t going to deliver when the headline vaguely said, “Sources detail concerns about Mandela Barnes’ behavior toward women.” It reads like they rushed it out half-baked because Barnes quit earlier in the day.
Molly and Mary tell us they talked to three women, only one of whom actually had s*x with Barnes. They stress that no one accused Barnes of abuse. So it was consensual behavior with adults who won’t go on the record and who don’t allege anything criminal or abusive…