Texas attorney general kinda sorta walks back thanks for tweet calling Wendy Davis 'Retard Barbie'

Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis

Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis

As the frontrunner in the 2014 gubernatorial campaign, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott could face state Sen. Wendy Davis. Over the weekend, one of Abbott's supporters took to Twitter to cheer the Republican on, drawing thanks from Abbott. Standard enough stuff, but there was just a wee tiny problem with the original tweet:

@GregAbbott_TX would absolutely demolish idiot @WendyDavisTexas in Gov race - run Wendy run! Retard Barbie to learn life lesson. #TGDN @tcot
— @jefflegal

@jefflegal @tcot -- Jeff, thanks for your support. #TGDN
— @GregAbbott_TX

Yeah, Jeff, thanks for calling my potential opponent "retard Barbie"! I really appreciate that. Abbott's thanks came at 12:15 PM on August 17. At 6:52 PM on August 18, Abbott got around to walking it back a little bit:

FYI: I thank supporters on Twitter, but I don't endorse anyone's offensive language. Stay positive.
— @GregAbbott_TX

"I thank you for, but do not endorse after the first 30 hours, your offensive language." Or something. Abbott couldn't even bring himself to seriously push back on the use of "retard," generally understood to be something you just don't say unless you're a bratty pre-teen (or, apparently, the kind of guy who thinks that's irony).

The amount of vitriol Davis has drawn, from Gov. Rick Perry mansplaining her own life at her to this latest bit of juvenile poo-flinging, highlights just why women in Texas might be fed up—and the degree to which Texas Republicans are threatened by Wendy Davis.

Sign the petition drafting Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis to run for governor in 2014.