We heard enough nonsense about conservatives supposedly “defending” rape during last year’s campaign season to last several lifetimes. So now what’s this about conservatives defending a “rapey” TV spot? The Philly Post’s Joel Mathis saw the following ad from Audi and wondered, “Why are conservatives defending Audi’s rapey Super Bowl ad?” Maybe because they didn’t consider it to be “rapey” in the first place?

Game's over. So. Re-upping my quickie column about AUDI'S RAPEY SUPER BOWL AD. http://t.co/bMEUYMOe Why do some cons defend this stuff? — Joel Mathis (@joelmmathis) February 4, 2013

Not sure why some cons need to defend the Audi commercial against liberal feminists. I don't think rape-iness on TV is a conservative value. — Joel Mathis (@joelmmathis) February 4, 2013

It turns out that “conservatives” is shorthand for, essentially, Transom editor Ben Domenech, who retweeted this observation.

Prediction: The feminists will wage jihad against Audi for that ad. — Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) February 3, 2013

Just like they did against Dodge. http://t.co/gv7imz8q RT @SonnyBunch: Prediction: The feminists will wage jihad against Audi for that ad. — Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) February 3, 2013

So, if the ad is so offensive, why wouldn’t the question be, “Why did Audi produce such a rapey ad?” What do conservatives have to do with it?

@snerber The breakdown may not be politically neat, actually. When I wrote, some prominent conservatives had started the defense… — Joel Mathis (@joelmmathis) February 4, 2013

@snerber …in the absence of, but expectation of, a critique by liberals. I was responding to their framing. — Joel Mathis (@joelmmathis) February 4, 2013

You prominent conservatives and your framing. It turns out the expectation of a critique by liberals was dead on.

http://t.co/S0iC8E2n Post-Super Bowl misogyny watch: Mostly calm, but Audi failed miserably by endorsing the forcing of yourself on women. — Amanda Marcotte (@AmandaMarcotte) February 4, 2013

Or, in sum: Imagine that the person the Audi boy forced to kiss him was another boy, and believe the reaction would be different. — Amanda Marcotte (@AmandaMarcotte) February 5, 2013

@AmandaMarcotte That would have been a daring and awesome commercial to broadcast during the Super Bowl. — Patrick Levin (@patricklevin) February 5, 2013

@patricklevin It still would have been rape culture, so no. A truly daring commercial is one that assumes both partners are subjects. — Amanda Marcotte (@AmandaMarcotte) February 5, 2013

@mirandachale So the term wasn't "rape" but "rapey." And I'll contend that in this context, it's accurate. — Joel Mathis (@joelmmathis) February 4, 2013

Why I'm lucky to be a dude: No death threats or rape threats made to me for my column about the Audi car commercial. — Joel Mathis (@joelmmathis) February 4, 2013

Well, according to Lil Miss Rightie up there, maybe you’re not quite the dude you think you are. Once word of its supposed “rapiness” got around, it seems not everyone felt the ad was such a threat.

It's an anti-frat boy ad! With confidence infused by an Audi, nerd wins the prom queen's heart from violent prom king! http://t.co/oRI6sRsw — Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) February 4, 2013

@bdomenech Apparently half the romantic movies ever made are "rapey." @joelmmathis — jon gabriel (@exjon) February 4, 2013

Wow this preening moralist –> @joelmmathis must really hate John Hughes movies. http://t.co/nYthAccU #NerdWinsGirlEqualsRape — John Nolte (@NolteNC) February 4, 2013

@joelmmathis That ad doesn’t feel “rapey” to me. More like the ending of a coming-of-age movie from the Eighties. — Marco Tabini (@mtabini) February 4, 2013

A kid kisses the prom queen. People call it rape. You know why? Because they're mental patients. — John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) February 4, 2013

@fnwaypark @bdomenech I still can't believe people are upset by that Audi ad. — Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) February 4, 2013

Today, thanks to some beta males upset by the ending of virtually every coming of age 80's movie, I learned that "rapey" is a word. — Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) February 5, 2013

Also, Audi deserves a medal for making an ad about a guy who's confident risk-taker, not the an emasculated dope who's the butt of the joke. — Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) February 4, 2013

Audi ad is offensive because it disregards how women are physically vulnerable to men. Women in combat. Pick one. — Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) February 4, 2013

https://twitter.com/jstrevino/status/298554497683296257

https://twitter.com/mario_sl/status/298585153444392961

You dudes just don’t get it. At least women will have the sense to thank Mathis for his red-flagging of this spot promoting violence against women, right?

This individual @joelmmathis asks "Why Are Conservatives Defending Audi’s Rapey Super Bowl Ad?". Um, because we're not defending rape. — LMR (@LilMissRightie) February 4, 2013

I saw the Audi ad and cheered. Know why? Because the nerd that had no business kissing the girl got decked by the other male. @joelmmathis — LMR (@LilMissRightie) February 4, 2013

Let's play a game…. What a conservative had used a word like "rapey". What do you think the consequences would be there? — LMR (@LilMissRightie) February 5, 2013

Meanwhile progressive men can redefine something as serious as "rape" and no one (but a few) says a word. Least of the said stupid women. — LMR (@LilMissRightie) February 5, 2013

Men, women … even closet conservative Touré liked the ad.

Love this Audi Prom ad. — Touré (@Toure) February 3, 2013

Love an ad that's a good little short story, a mini movie, like the Rock for milk or Audi's prom ad. — Touré (@Toure) February 4, 2013

Why, Touré, why do you condone rape?