A liberal comedian, writer, and television personality asked Democrats on Monday to demand Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton "step up" in the wake of the sexual misconduct allegations being levied against media mogul and Democratic donor Harvey Weinstein.
Lizz Winstead, co-creator of the "Daily Show" and founder of the women's health and reproductive rights non-profit organization, Lady Parts Justice, expressed her disappointment in the absent responses from Democratic political leaders including Obama and Clinton. Weinstein has supported both Clinton and Obama, having hosted numerous fundraisers over the years, and donated his own money to their campains. In total, he has donated nearly $600,000 to Democratic campaigns and committees since the early 2000s.
MSNBC host Katy Tur asked Winstead what her reaction has been to Obama and Clinton's silence.
"President Obama [and] Hillary Clinton, silent so far. How do you feel about the selective outrage? I could be outraged about Donald Trump last year, but not outraged about this?" Tur asked Winstead.
"I feel it happens a lot with women's issues and I feel really disappointed in both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton," Winstead began.
Winstead questioned why politicians haven't denounced Weinstein after the women's stories came to light.
"If you took money from this person, because this person had really good progressive goals that were in line with the politics, great. When you find out that this person is a monster, especially a monster towards women, why wouldn't you denounce it?" Winstead asked.
Not denouncing it, Winstead argued, makes accusations of sexist actions against Donald Trump ring hollow.
"Otherwise, you will never have credibility when trying to denounce, oh, I don't know, a president who talks about the freedom to sexually assault a woman in a tape that we hear on Access Hollywood," she said in reference to a recoding of a 2005 lewd conversation between Trump and Billy Bush of "Access Hollywood" that was released in October 2016.
Winstead asked if we are going to look down the road and see "America gave Trump a pass because we didn't call out this kind of behavior from Democrats?"
Tur further asked her guest about more specific connections between Weinstein, the Obama family and Clinton.
"Malia [Obama] interned for Havey Weinstein. They got tens of thousands of dollars, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, from donations. How long can they stay silent?" Tur asked.
"It is up to us to demand from them – and why aren't we demanding from Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton – 'where is your statement? Please step up. We supported you,'" Winstead said.