We have to hand it to Republican Party of Minnesota deputy chair Chris Fields. He hasn't lost any of the well-developed tact he showed when he suggested that congressional opponent Representative Keith Ellison had a daddy problem. Or, in a separate episode, blamed the death of Trayvon Martin on hip-hop.
His response to a heart-felt tweet about Monday's announcement of the death of actor Robin Williams is in the same sensitive vein.
Update: Fields has deleted his tweets, but fortunately, we took screenshots of the tweets. Here are the pictures, followed by the exchanges:
DFL social media director Ellen C. Anderson tweeted from her personal account:
My cat's nickname is Nanu Nanu. The world is lucky Robin Williams was able to share his genius with so many.
— Ellen C. Anderson (@ellencanderson) August 11, 2014
Fields replied:
.@ellencanderson how very 80's. Want an economy like we had in 80's under Reagan...Vote @Jeff4Gov tomorrow in the primary.
— chris fields (@ChrisFieldsMN) August 11, 2014
The original tweets:
That set off Minnesota's political twitterverse, with Fields digging himself in deeper as it went:
seriously? @ChrisFieldsMN @ellencanderson @Jeff4Gov
— DJ Draper (@DJDanielson) August 11, 2014
@ChrisFieldsMN What is wrong with you? @ellencanderson @Jeff4Gov
— Carly Melin (@carlymelin) August 12, 2014
@ChrisFieldsMN You have got to be kidding. @ellencanderson @Jeff4Gov
— Salena (@Salencita) August 12, 2014
.@DJDanielson @ellencanderson Yes! Bcuz real ppl who dont have millions are crushed by the policies of guilt ridden celebrity above all libs
— chris fields (@ChrisFieldsMN) August 12, 2014
@ChrisFieldsMN @ellencanderson @Jeff4Gov this is at the least, distasteful. At its best... Never mind
— Steve (@justsayOV23) August 12, 2014
@DJDanielson @ellencanderson @ChrisFieldsMN that asinine Repub response is exactly what I expected. And exactly why I'm voting Dem
— Jennica Date (@imelda13) August 12, 2014
@Salencita @ellencanderson @ChrisFieldsMN @Jeff4Gov WOW.
— Elle Ess (@ViaMarsala18) August 12, 2014
@ChrisFieldsMN @DJDanielson @ellencanderson The man knows no shame, has no class. Must antagonize to be recognized. 0 original ideas.
— Adam Bürnside (@arburnside) August 12, 2014
.@carlymelin Really?? You gripe they don't pay their fair share and then ur somehow adversely affected by their passing? @ellencanderson
— chris fields (@ChrisFieldsMN) August 12, 2014
@ChrisFieldsMN That is awful. You should go for a walk and think about why your tweet was so very wrong.
— Jon Hoffmann (@JonHoffmannMN) August 12, 2014
@ChrisFieldsMN @carlymelin @ellencanderson Antagonize to be Recognized. Zero ideas of his own.
— Adam Bürnside (@arburnside) August 12, 2014
@ChrisFieldsMN Your thought process is scary. @ellencanderson
— Carly Melin (@carlymelin) August 12, 2014
.@Salencita I'm more concerned abt kids that don't have a future than abt ur pretend grief for someone u didn't know @ellencanderson #mndfl
— chris fields (@ChrisFieldsMN) August 12, 2014
@ChrisFieldsMN @carlymelin @ellencanderson I think you're missing the point.
— Abby Simons (@AJillSimons) August 12, 2014
.@ChrisFieldsMN @ellencanderson Yeah, people can't have thoughts or concerns about more than one thing at a time. I always forget that part.
— Salena (@Salencita) August 12, 2014
@ChrisFieldsMN I bet @Jeff4Gov is thrilled about this! Good luck tomorrow! Hope your vile attitude serves you well.
— Salena (@Salencita) August 12, 2014
.@JonHoffmannMN Bcuz ppl who place celebrity above all don't want their world interrupted by the fact that they actually hurt real ppl?
— chris fields (@ChrisFieldsMN) August 12, 2014
@Salencita @ChrisFieldsMN @Jeff4Gov Tomorrow's campaign slogan. "Don't worry, we fired Chris."
— Jon Hoffmann (@JonHoffmannMN) August 12, 2014
.@Salencita I bet you weren't going to vote for him anyway. He's not a liberal @Jeff4Gov is working to help real ppl. He's not out of touch
— chris fields (@ChrisFieldsMN) August 12, 2014
.@JonHoffmannMN Here's yours...Forget Reality, Don't Stop The Fantasy. @Salencita @Jeff4Gov
— chris fields (@ChrisFieldsMN) August 12, 2014
@ChrisFieldsMN @Salencita @Jeff4Gov Sounds like a great new pop song. I'm in.
— Jon Hoffmann (@JonHoffmannMN) August 12, 2014
.@Salencita Not in #mndfl land. Its always abt a fake moral superiority that leads 2 misery for real ppl U folks need a grip @ellencanderson
— chris fields (@ChrisFieldsMN) August 12, 2014
@ChrisFieldsMN @JonHoffmannMN @Jeff4Gov I live in Iowa. I hope this gets you to stop @ing me for the rest of eternity.
— Salena (@Salencita) August 12, 2014
Finally, former Republican house communications staffer Kevin Watterson weighed in:
@chrisfieldsmn Shut. The fuck. Up.
— Kevin Watterson (@kwatt) August 12, 2014
.@kwatt done playing nice with shallow ppl. Real ppl are hurt every day by them. Let's be more concerned abt real ppl, and watch ur mouth.
— chris fields (@ChrisFieldsMN) August 12, 2014
.@chrisfieldsmn You are an officer of the state party and making an ass of all of us. Don't tell me to watch my mouth.
— Kevin Watterson (@kwatt) August 12, 2014
.@kwatt and ur f-bomb makes us look like? I should buy in to faux shock and outrage. Y not then buy it even more if what their selling.
— chris fields (@ChrisFieldsMN) August 12, 2014
Well then. Anderson, who had triggered Fields' taunts, added another personal note before moving on:
I didn't want to make this about me so I didn't talk about how this hits close to home after losing my dad to alcoholism and depression.
— Ellen C. Anderson (@ellencanderson) August 12, 2014
Photo: Chris Fields, via Gregory Pratt's revealing 2012 City Pages article, Chris Fields says Keith Ellison isn't doing enough for black people.
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It's embarrassing that Chris Fields got all of 25% when he ran against Keith Ellison in 2012.
Posted by: Axelrod Shindig | Aug 11, 2014 at 11:17 PM
He's NOT Minnesota Nice, and should be removed from office for making MN look bad, POS troll. >:(
Posted by: MrsWelton | Aug 12, 2014 at 06:57 AM
@MrsWelton
Chris Fields is NOT ANYWHERE nice. Out of a job would be a good place for him.
Posted by: MJJohnson | Aug 12, 2014 at 03:13 PM
What a jerk!
Posted by: ron tyler | Aug 12, 2014 at 04:55 PM
Mr Fields, with all due respect, u and your party are simply full of shit!
Posted by: Phil Margo | Aug 12, 2014 at 05:46 PM
I'm surprised Bluestem isn't connecting some obvious dots here: The MNGOP Deputy Chair is creating a poopstorm on Twitter in the wake of the suicide of a millionaire celebrity depressive, and his boy Jeff4Gov just happens to be waging an election campaign against... a millionare celebrity depressive. When Fields Tweetles "Bcuz real ppl who dont have millions are crushed by the policies of guilt ridden celebrity above all" he ain't talkin' Robin Williams, as Mork isn't exactly known as a policy advocate.
This isn't inexcusable insensitivity to the tragic death of a beloved comedian and actor. It's a Machiavellian attempt to bring Mark Dayton history of treatment for mild depression on the table through the back-door, adding to the stigmatization of millions of people who suffer from chronic but highly treatable mental health issues. THAT hurts real people. (SMH)
Posted by: Dave Tetzlaff | Aug 12, 2014 at 05:56 PM
The wingnuts got the word to attack Robin Williams right from the get-go.
Last night, my neonazi father-in-law was spamming a right-wing smear that claimed that RW had dissed the troops at a USO show, so they turned their backs on him. What really happened was that a bugler had played the signal for "retreat" and that caused the audience to turn around as one:
http://m.thestar.com/#/article/entertainment/2014/08/12/when_an_entire_audience_turned_its_back_on_robin_williams.html
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | Aug 12, 2014 at 09:40 PM
Dave Tetzlaff:
Oh, I'm sure that Fields thought he was being clever and dog-whistling to the base. But it's hard to look Machiavellian when you've stepped on a rake. Repeatedly. And intentionally.
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | Aug 12, 2014 at 09:42 PM
If I could talk to Mr. Fields, this is what I would say. Guess what Mr. Fields? Poor people get severe clinical depression and suffer through addiction as do the middle class and the rich that no one has heard of. There is something called "empathy" -- a feeling of understanding of someones plight that comes from a shared "humanity." Art has power and affects people who aren't sociopaths like yourself. That is why they actually really truly DO mourn the loss of someone who made them laugh and cry over the years, even if they did not know him or her. Faked concern and empathy are something which I'm sure you know how to do well. So well, in fact, that you you think it is easy for other people to do. Well it isn't. As for Robin Williams, he gave an enormous amount of his talent, money and time, to Comic Relief, the USO, and the Christopher Reeve Foundation, so to make him sound like the enemy because he is taxed at an unfair rate from the rest of us, makes you sound like an even bigger boob. Believe me he was aware that he had an obligation based on his success and celebrity and he did his best to serve the homeless, the troops and the paralyzed. What good have you done Mr. Fields that isn't self serving? I hope you are fired and that your party loses this election. You are a disgrace to humanity.
Posted by: Blanche Norman | Aug 13, 2014 at 01:04 PM
Another reason why I left the GOP for a more civilized party. Rest in Peace Robin Williams, loved your work, I understand what you were going through, I too suffer from depression.
//s// A Proud Honorable Disabled American Veteran, 1970-1994, Combat 1991
Posted by: Shelly Ann the DesertFox | Aug 13, 2014 at 07:42 PM