David Horsey, a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize and who formerly worked in Seattle, is under fire for describing President Trump’s press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, as a “slightly chunky soccer mom” in The Los Angeles Times.
Since his political commentary was published in The Los Angeles Times on Wednesday, David Horsey says he has heard from a number of angry people.
They have chastised Horsey, a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning, mostly for describing President Donald Trump’s press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, as a “slightly chunky soccer mom” in The Times.
And Saturday, he heard from another critic he acknowledged had a particular right to be offended: Sanders’ mother.
“She was mad,” Horsey said Saturday night. “But she was good about it,” he added. “It wasn’t anything like the really nasty stuff.”
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He said he replied to her email and told her, “I know I was wrong, and I sincerely apologize.”
Horsey sent his individualized note of regret a day after issuing a much broader mea culpa that The Times affixed to the top of his commentary.
Horsey had opened by writing that Sanders “does not look like the kind of woman Donald Trump would choose as his chief spokesperson.”
He went on to say that “the president has generally exhibited a preference for sleek beauties with long legs and stiletto heels to represent his interests and act as his arm candy.”
He continued: “Trump’s daughter Ivanka and wife Melania are the apotheosis of this type. By comparison, Sanders looks more like a slightly chunky soccer mom who organizes snacks for the kids’ games.”
Many people, including some reporters, were quick to lay into Horsey.
Several called the column sexist and accused him of body shaming. Others responded by attacking Horsey’s own appearance.
“Find me anything written about Sean Spicer, Josh Earnest or Jay Carney that begins with two paragraphs about his appearance and body shape,” wrote Steve Reilly, a reporter for USA Today.
The Times added a note at the top of the column with Horsey’s apology, which said the description was “insensitive and failed to meet the standards of our newspaper.”
Almost all of the first two paragraphs of the column were removed and a “For the Record” was added reiterating that the language was not up to The Times’ standards.
An email to the White House press office and to Sanders seeking comment Saturday night was not returned.
Horsey has been drawing political cartoons and accompanying them with short commentary at The Times since 2012. He previously worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.