When you’re a member of Congress and decide to derail a hearing to toot your own horn, you might want to make sure your so-called achievements are actually impressive.
Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett, however, clearly missed that memo. Fresh from a humiliating spat with Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez during a committee hearing, Crockett took the opportunity to boast about her rather mediocre resume.
Crockett expressed her frustration during the hearing in a video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by journalist Tom Elliott. According to her, the discussions around diversity seemed to imply that you could either be diverse or qualified, but not both. In response, she rattled off her list of “qualifications”: an honorary doctorate, a juris doctorate, a bachelor’s degree, the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Civil Air Patrol, nearly two decades of law practice, various board memberships, and a stint as a state lawmaker.
To the astonishment of many, Crockett seemed to believe that this laundry list of underwhelming credentials would silence her critics. “And there are those who would make some people believe,” she added ominously, “that because I happen to be black, and/or a woman, that somehow, even though I can rattle off all the qualifications in the world, my blackness makes me unqualified.”
Rep. Crockett (@JasmineForUS) uses a confirmation hearing to tout accomplishments: “I currently hold an honorary doctorate; I also hold a juris doctorate. I also hold a bachelor’s. I also technically hold the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Civil Air Patrol, and I actually… pic.twitter.com/qyVXoNHb97
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) May 22, 2024
Oh, please.
Let’s break this down. Crockett’s list of so-called achievements reads like a resume padded by a high school guidance counselor. An honorary doctorate? Newsflash: those hold no academic weight and are typically handed out like participation trophies to commencement speakers or donors.
As Verify has pointed out, honorary doctorates are more about honoring someone’s life work or contributions to a field—not their academic prowess. In other words, it’s like being crowned prom queen.
Then there’s her rank in the Civil Air Patrol. As Joel Berry of the Babylon Bee succinctly put it, “I was in the Civil Air Patrol and it’s basically boy scouts.” Not exactly something to write home about. And let’s not forget her almost two decades of law practice and various board memberships—because who among us hasn’t served on a local board or two?
The reaction on X was swift and merciless. Republican Party official Harmeet Dhillon retweeted the video with the caption, “Dr Seuss, too, holds an honorary doctorate,” while another user quipped, “It’s the ‘honorary doctorate’ that impresses me the most. Like Obama’s Nobel Peace prize.” Ouch.
If Crockett thought her honorary doctorate was her golden ticket to respect, she should have reconsidered. In today’s higher education landscape, most degrees are seen as evidence that you spent a lot of time and money—not necessarily that you accomplished anything groundbreaking.
In reality, Crockett’s attempt to parade her pedestrian resume was nothing more than a desperate race-baiting stunt designed to divert attention from her recent catty spat with AOC and Greene. While she did succeed in getting attention, it was likely not the kind she wanted.
Pride, as they say, goes before a fall. And Crockett’s fall was as ungraceful as they come.
Let’s not forget this woman got into a catfight with her colleagues during a congressional hearing. Is this the kind of behavior we want from our elected officials?
And then there’s the T-shirt fundraiser Crockett made about Greene. “Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Body.” Really? How old are we, in middle school?
Rep. Greene stated that being physically fit is not something to be ashamed of. In fact, it’s something to be celebrated, especially as we age.
“Yes, my body is built and strong NOT with nips, tucks, plastic, or silicone, but through a healthy lifestyle,” the 49-year-old lawmaker wrote on the social platform X on Monday.
Greene said, “Soon turning 50 years old, God willing, I will continue to lift, run, swim, play sports, surf, ski, climb and LIVE this life to the fullest and enjoy every single moment!”
Yes my body is built and strong 💪 NOT with nips, tucks, plastic, or silicone, but through a healthy lifestyle. Soon turning 50 years old, God willing, I will continue to lift, run, swim, play sports, surf, ski, climb and LIVE this life to the fullest and enjoy every single… pic.twitter.com/DSkqJEuEnM
— Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) May 20, 2024
So let this be a lesson to Rep. Crockett and any other politician who feels the need to brag about their superficial accomplishments or attack their colleagues’ appearances: focus on the issues that actually matter and leave the petty personal attacks at the door.
