Democratic Senator Cory Booker Accused of Performing Nazi Salute by MAGA Supporter
Senate Democrat Cory Booker of New Jersey has faced criticism for a gesture similar to those made by Elon Musk and Steve Bannon, who were heavily criticized in the past.
Booker ended his speech at a Democratic convention in California on Saturday with a gesture involving placing his hand over his heart and extending it towards the crowd. The likeness to Musk and Bannon's gestures, particularly Musk's at President Donald Trump's second inauguration, has sparked criticism from right-wing commentators and social media users, who liken Booker to a Nazi sympathizer.
Musk made a gesture during Trump's inauguration that many claimed resembled a Nazi salute, while the tech mogul defended it as a harmless gesture signifying "my heart goes out to you." Musk repeated the gesture twice. Bannon responded by making a similar gesture during a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February, adding "fight, fight, fight."
Supporters of Musk and Bannon contend that the pair performed a Roman salute, but there is no historical evidence from ancient Rome to support this claim.
Both Musk and Bannon have faced criticism for their gestures in the past, with Musk responding to criticism with a message on X, saying "Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired."
Booker's team has responded to the accusations, calling them "absurd and offensive." They maintain that the gesture was a heartfelt expression of gratitude to the crowd.
This controversy has revived discussions about media bias and the interpretation of public gestures. Some argue that there is a double standard in how similar gestures by different figures are reported and perceived.
Booker's speech, however, was widely praised for its record-setting duration of 25 hours and five minutes and his passionate protest against Trump and Republican policies, which earned him a fourth-place ranking among Democratic voters for a potential 2028 presidential nominee.
This weighed favorably in a recent poll released by AtlasIntel, placing him behind Pete Buttigieg, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Kamala Harris.
- The controversy surrounding Senate Democrat Cory Booker's gesture at a Democratic convention has brought up discussions about media bias, as some argue there is a double standard in reporting and perceiving similar gestures from different figures.
- Booker's speech at the California Democratic convention, despite the controversy, was widely praised for its duration of 25 hours and five minutes, as well as his passionate protest against Trump and Republican policies.
- In the realm of politics, Booker's ranking as a potential 2028 presidential nominee rose to fourth place in a recent poll by AtlasIntel, placing him behind Pete Buttigieg, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Kamala Harris.
- The debate about gestures in the public sphere has once again highlighted the intersection of politics and news, with Booker's gesture sparking comparisons to those made by Elon Musk and Steve Bannon in the past, during politics-heavy events such as presidential inaugurals and Conservative Political Action Conference speeches.
