Link: https://www.salon.com/2026/10/19/abdul-el-sayeds-fighting-style-terrifies-maga/

Jesse Watters can’t seem to stop admiring Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. The Fox News host loves to talk about how Michigan’s Democratic nominee for the Senate is “in great shape” and how “Abdul . . . beat the machine” — meaning the party establishment’s candidate, Rep. Haley Stevens — in a hard-fought primary. During an interview in August, Watters clearly enjoyed El-Sayed’s jokes and blunt speech, which included calling his opponent, former Rep. Mike Rogers, a “beta,” and asking the host if he was circumcised when Watters tried to corner him on gender-affirming surgery for minors. The next day, Watters made no bones about El-Sayed’s appeal. “I like him,” he said. “I don’t want to like him. I like him for some stupid reason.”

But the reason was obvious. The doctor-turned-politician has an aggressive bro style that appeals to someone like Watters. Quick-witted with bulldog energy, El-Sayed never backs down from a fight. But despite Watters’ admiration, Fox News has become obsessed with taking El-Sayed down. It’s not because he’s Muslim, though Republicans are ratcheting up the racism in their efforts to derail his campaign. It’s because he is a model for how Democrats can escape their reputations for being weak and feckless.

Republicans only know how to run against neoliberals...

If a candidate just wants to talk about progressive policy, they can't counter it. Because virtually every American wants progressive policy

Thank you for posting this, OP. This is a race the world over is watching. Let's hope for the best - and may the state of AIPAC/Israel get their genociding asses kicked once more in a few days.

“All of our lies aren’t working, and that’s all we know how to do!“

Every time I see this guy speak he just kills its. Dude knows how to debate and get his point across.

Wanted to share this clip of him from the other day, in case anyone hadn’t seen it yet. Not sure what com it belongs in tho since politics is articles only.

https://mastodon.social/@benroyce/117461856187677583

Roosevelt energy. Forward and unafraid + progressive pretty clearly wins in the US, historically. Seeing it again a century-ish later isn’t surprising but it does give a tiny spark of hope.

I mean, he's against genocide...

But it's weird people act like that's the main topic.

Like, you've never even heard him speak on video, have you? It's nowhere near his priority and the only time it comes up is from rightwingers at townhalls.

Because they're desperate to talk about anything other than domestic progressive policy.

Making everything about Israel is Republicans best (but still shitty) option.

bulldog

fighting

bro energy

Ugh. Can we talk about his politics without turning it into some weird gender thing? I want to relate to his policies and goals. Pointless masculine aggression makes me not want to have anything to do with someone.

You just know that if he was a woman, they'd be foaming at the mouth about how she's "emotional", "unstable", or "shrill" instead.

A Democrat that doesn't immediately fold on culture war issues. "Holy shit what do we do?? We had no plan for this!"

Well of course. He’s a doctor. He fully understands down to your raw psychology why one is even asking a question. He’s extremely educated for a politician. A VAST improvement over these MAGAts.

That's kinda the point of the story though right? That Jesse is a weirdo that is actually taken by that attitude

It would be his opponents saying those things, not fans. It's his fans saying these things about him now and it doesn't fill me with confidence for a future not led by yet another shining symbol of masculine aggression.

If you can't change someone's mind without appealing to their problematic side, then you've failed to change their mind, and they've succeeded at compromising your integrity.

I dunno that changing a fox news host's mind is the main game here..

Re-read the comment I was replying to.

Too fucking bad. You need votes. Getting bros excited to vote is about the only fucking chance you have to non violently avoid literal death camps being built out.

Whether you like it it not large swaths of humans act emotionally and how bros are feeling about a progressive is very much tied to our future.

It'll be a future that doesn't represent me or people like me, but I'd still be paying taxes. Hope they enjoy meeting the new boss who's the same as the old boss.

Tommy got dissected in front of a crowd.

Take your own advice. You're the only one talking about changing minds.

👌👍

c/videos would work.

Because Republicans have become incredibly lazy and just resort to name calling. They say, "this guys a socialist" and socialists are like ya I am and the Rs have no response because they can't define socialism and have no firm policy on anything thanks to Trumpism.

It's not just understanding; most American politicians are actually very well educated. Aside from just raw talent, the important factor here is his willingness to fight back and his having a platform that he can fight back over.

I keep seeing him addressed as "Dr." What does he have a doctorate in? Just curious

Edit. He's an epidemiologist. Hells yeah, man!

Give Abdul a show on the food network because our boy is fucking cooking!

I agree, but if you actually listen to El-Sayed, that isn't what he's doing or who he is. It's easy for confidence to be misunderstood as aggression, particularly in politics. The right always tries to attack their opponents as "weak". Their understanding of that term is based on toxic masculinity as their only role model.

El-Sayed is a case study in the difference between toxic masculinity and healthy masculinity. He is a fighter, but he's fighting to help people, not to bully anyone. That is only an issue because his opponents keep bringing it up.

Maybe you haven't listened to him talk? He always mentions get money about of foreign wars aka the war with Iran that Israel started.

Everytime they mention Israel, he claps back with not spending money overseas. He doesn't make a direct focus, but it's a core part of keeping our tax dollars at home.

Right! Like, if that's not who he is, then who are they preaching to when they characterize him that way? Who are they appealing to? What I want to bring people across the aisle is improved empathy and understanding, not "our guy is your style" kind of compromises. The problem seems to exist in the media pipeline.

Mehmet Oz is a doctor too. I'd be less liberal with how discerning and smart you think a person is based on that title alone.

He always mentions get money about of foreign wars aka the war with Iran that Israel started.

Again...

It's a lot more than just that single one.

Do you legitimately think that thata the only foreign war America is involved with?

Everytime they mention Israel, he claps back with not spending money overseas. He doesn’t make a direct focus, but it’s a core part of keeping our tax dollars at home.

Yes...

Everytime someone does what you did, he says what I just said...

What the actual fuck are you still having difficulty with here?

Literally no, we can't

Politicians have broken faith so many times that talking about policy doesn't work. People will not simply vote for their self interest

A good candidate has to dress up their policies in presentation. They have to stand out in people's minds in a way that inspires confidence with limited exposure

What is gender but a bucket of traits and behaviors we group into a social role. It's ultimately a mental shortcut - if people see certain traits or behavior, people assume other associated traits and behaviors

The way that people are engaging with the gender presentation of a candidate is really important in politics (and pretty much nothing else)

I personally prefer the term vivisected, since it portrays just how bad Tommy got owned.

Republicans only know how to run against neoliberals…

True for the party in general now, and MAGA specifically can't debate against anyone with an actual opinion. As soon as they try, they expose the fact that all of their opinions are based on racism (disguised poorly if at all) or simply being contrarian to whatever their "enemies" want. If their enemies want it, it MUST be bad. They are completely unable to actually provide any reasons for their beliefs being better for people/society, or why other opinions are worse that don't come back to those racism or "just because".

All of this is true and serves not as an excuse, but as an indictment.

It's very interesting to see their complete lack of answers when getting into a discussion about socialism with modern Republicans/MAGA. It's always "socialism bad", and when you ask why it's all fear mongering crap. Trying to get them to explain why capitalism is better, if you can get a real answer at all, always results in them talking about things that inevitably came from public research, grants, etc. and were then co-opted by private businesses to make a profit.

Their go-to is usually the Internet. They never seem to know it was developed by DARPA and the NSF for military and scientific/academic communication and collaboration. That 99% of the internet operates om open source software.

Another go-to is how "great" healthcare is even in it's bastardized form in the US, government death panels, etc. And never understanding that even private healthcare is socialism. Everything paying the insurance company premiums ends up paying for everyone else's care, except a handful of assholes in the middle steal millions for themselves while denying legitimate claims (literal profit-driven death panels).

Yeah well.... You can spend your time upset about how the world sucks, or you can look at it accurately so you can effectively do something to make it better

Politics is a dumb game, but it's really important to play it well

It’s always “socialism bad”, and when you ask why it’s all fear mongering crap.

Because that's all they have. If the repugs actually started talking about the policies they want to implement half of their voter base would shit bricks and switch sides. So instead they create invisible boogymen and have their propaganda outlets shove that shit down their throats 24/7.

Yeah well… You can spend your time upset about how the world sucks, or you can look at it accurately so you can effectively do something to make it better

This makes no sense. If I'm upset about how the world sucks, it's because I am looking at it accurately. I'm accurately evaluating it as a thing that sucks and should be changed. This isn't change, this is just the same shit creeping back in under the flag of change, and I'm not buying it. Have a nice day.

El-Sayed isn't toxically masculine like that MAGAt idiots. Don't confuse a guy that stands up for himself as more the same shit we have already. Talarico in Texas is similar. They both display "healthy" masculinity. So does Pete Buttigeig, that matter. There's a night and day difference between healthy and toxic masculinity. We need more of the healthy and truckload less of the toxic. El-Sayed is NOT more of the same. It's a different energy. It's very much the same difference of Obama versus Trump. If you think Obama and Trump are the same kind of man...then you need psychological help.

They're so completely different that people who admire toxic masculinity find him appealing. Yep. Definitely buying that.

Isn't Oz a grifter?

I love this. We need more and more of candidates like this guy.

No more folding and no more resorting to a fake "civility" when the POS conservatives are out there lying their motherfucking asses off all the time.

I'm so sick of the Murc's Law Media giving the conservatives a pass in the name of "civility" and only punching leftwards. Glad to see a candidate that doesn't give that shit about fake "civility".

Tell the reactionary centrist Tone Police to go fuck themselves.

Which is exactly why the conservatives are trying to make this election about things like "men in women's sports".

Bro style? He's a reserved person of color who knows any aggression will get him called a terrorist. The MF is so cool and collected it blows my mind. Standing up for yourself, caring about others, and not getting pulled into immature name calling isn't being a bro. People forget what a real grown ass man looks like.

lmao only misandrists would call those words “aggressive masculine”. You’re not the hero you think you are. You are part of the problem.

not getting pulled into immature name calling

He called his opponent a beta multiple times on his Fox News interview.

He definitely has a bro persona that he puts on to cater to certain audiences, which is good, a politician should be able to communicate with different groups on their level. Democrats do have a problem meeting young men / bros where they're at. If him calling Mike Rogers a cuck gets more disaffected young men to vote for him instead of the Republicans I'm all for it

Bro has pretty much become a derogatory term on the left, but a ton of young men identify with that sort of culture and we can't just call them all misogynists and cede them to the right if we want to win.

He's a world renowned cardiothorasic surgeon. Also a grifter, but the surgical credentials are legit

This just seems like extending purity politics to a cultural affect.

There's a debate to be had on purity politics in respect to actual policies and positions like supporting genocide, trans rights etc.

But if it's in regards to how you express those policies and positions that's just limiting your voting base with no real gain.

Abso-goddam-lutely