Abdul El-Sayed exudes a volatile combination of "toxic masculinity" and "small-dog energy" on the campaign trail, especially when fielding questions from the press. The Michigan Democrat, who claims to be 5-foot-9 in basketball shoes, is trying to become one of the shortest men to serve in the U.S. Senate since the advent of modern nutrition.
When questioned, El-Sayed has a tendency to yap incessantly while lecturing journalists—mostly the female ones—on how to do their jobs. This is sometimes referred to as mansplaining and is generally regarded as obnoxious. El-Sayed is particularly sensitive to questions about his familial ties to terrorist organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as his many relationships with individuals who support terrorism. He has repeatedly suggested that reporters who ask those questions are racist and un-American.
READ MORE: Breaking the Ice with Abdul El-Sayed
Some would argue that El-Sayed's relentless bullying of hardworking journalists is an assault on the First Amendment that threatens to erode the foundations of our cherished democracy. Alas, it is consistent with the sentiment expressed in a letter the candidate signed in 2012 urging Egypt's then-newly-elected president, Mohamed Morsi, and the Muslim Brotherhood to "purge the media … as quickly as possible."
"No, no, no, no, no. Let me just stop there," El-Sayed recently interrupted Fox News anchor Bret Baier midway through a question about the Muslim Brotherhood. "You are asking this question to raise a question about whether or not I have dual loyalty. … Be a journalist."
Earlier this month, El-Sayed challenged the intelligence of a female journalist, Audrey Fahlberg of the Free Press, when she asked about his reluctance to comment on the death of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei because "there are a lot of people in Dearborn who are sad." The candidate, who has not publicly denied using steroids to enhance his compact frame, struggled to control his rage while berating Fahlberg. "Ask smart questions, I'll answer smart questions," he sneered.
Some context: El-Sayed has also denounced journalists for asking "dumb" questions about whether Israel or Iran is bigger threat to the United States. He has consistently refused to provide an answer.
In September, El-Sayed snapped at a reporter who asked about his opposition to former president Joe Biden's reelection on the grounds that Biden's administration was insufficiently antagonistic toward Israel. "I mean, ask a fact-based question and then I'll answer your question," he barked. "You're asking a question based on false premises, so I'm just getting you to clarify your premise."
El-Sayed's contention was that his opposition to Biden's reelection had nothing to do with Kamala Harris, who joined him on the campaign trail last month, enlisted in a desperate attempt to win over reluctant black voters.
Last week, in a far less contentious media encounter, El-Sayed sat down with local activist Osama Siblani, who encouraged the candidate to "say something right now to soothe" anti-Israel voters in Dearborn who are "not very happy" about his decision to campaign with Harris, as well as his relative moderation on issues concerning the moral righteousness of Islamic terrorism.
"There is no perfect candidate," El-Sayed told Siblani, who has described anti-Israel terrorists as "freedom fighters" and called for Jews living in Israel to be sent "back to Poland," where their ancestors were slaughtered in Nazi death camps.
