The Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee have truly distinguished themselves today. Pete Hegseth is a far-right Christian Nationalist, a renowned drunk and serial philanderer, a prolific misogynist and sexual abuser of women, and, if confirmed, the least qualified Defense Secretary (or Secretary of War) in our nation’s history.

Those facts, along with his having been a Fox News personality, are, of course, what attracted serial rapist and TV enthusiast Donald Trump to him as a nominee.

Trump’s proxies on the committee have offered a creative defense, summed up best by the junior senator from Oklahoma, Republican Markwayne Mullin:

“How many senators have showed up drunk to vote at night? [titters from audience] Have any of you [Democrats] asked them to resign and step down from their job? And don’t tell me you haven’t seen it because I know you have. And how many senators do you know have gotten a divorce for cheating on their wives? Did you ask them to step down? No. But it’s for show. You guys make sure you make a big show and point out the hypocrisy, because the man’s made a mistake. And you want to set there and say he’s not qualified? Gimme a joke [sic]. It is so ridiculous that you guys hold yourself at this higher standard you forget you gotta big plank in your eye.
We’ve all made mistakes. I’ve made mistakes and, Jennifer, thank you for loving him through that mistake. Because the only reason I’m here and not in prison [emphasis mine] is because my wife loved me, too.” [applause and cheers]

At what point in your childhood did you learn that But all of you are also assholes is not a great rejoinder to You’re an asshole? I’m thinking I was perhaps seven or eight?