Sad what happened to Gerry. Because she went from a reason to be proud in the Democratic Party to an embarrassment. And everyone knows I'm a fucking die-hard Hillary lover. Just sad. Because whatever happens, this will overshadow her former life.
@SinisterRouge: like John Edwards, I wish she had just remained under the radar.
Although her obit will still read, "made history as first woman VP nominee" it also will read, "tainted with scandal over her husband's business dealings and later raised ire by suggesting Obama was unqualified." Folks, look to Mondale and Gore as your role models.
I'm sorry, but the fact that Katie Couric didn't kill Gov. Sarah Palin with hard questions is not what made her interview "very very good." Being president of the United States, or even vice president is about being faced with hard questions all of the time.
@rmric0.is.the.liberal.media.establishment: I dunno, I got to disagree wit you there. I think her interview was genius because it didn't kill her, she looked like an incompetent fool, meanwhile it was still Katie Couric doing the interview so the right couldnt attack her for being a bitch. I would have loved to see Couric wipe te floor with her, but I think Palin had more damage done to her by failing in an interview where she wasn't getting overtly attacked. Sorry, Im making my point poorly here, gist is is that Couric heavily attacking her woud have left room for the right wing media to say that it was just unfair treatment, but the way Couric did it Palin's idiocy was allowed to truly shine
@saltine: Bingo. See conservatives' initial response to the Charlie Gibson interview. Waaah, waaah, she was edited to look stupid. Waaah, waaah, he was going after her.
Call me strange but I'm the kind of feminist that wants a woman to succeed based on her merits. Or a black man to succeed on his merits. HRC and Obama both fall into these categories. Palin, notsomuch.
What Palin HAS succeeded in (albeit marinated in hotness) was taking away the right wings objections to female leadership. Any liberal woman coming up now that would get epitaphs hurled at her for being a feminazi bonerkiller and that women shouldn't rule can play the Palin trump card. And in that way, their token has blown up in their face in a deliciously unintended way.
@Kali Mama: Or it would, if conservatives were actually consistent about anything. Ya know, the party of "small government" that wants to regulate who we can marry and when we have children. Assuming they will respect the rules of logic gives them too much credit.
@Kali Mama: What Palin HAS succeeded in (albeit marinated in hotness) was taking away the right wings objections to female leadership. Any liberal woman coming up now that would get epitaphs hurled at her for being a feminazi bonerkiller and that women shouldn't rule can play the Palin trump card. And in that way, their token has blown up in their face in a deliciously unintended way.
And now that this is almost over, I can finally say something else I was always forgetting to say because I was ranting about something else:
I think it remains to be seen whether the Republican Party as a whole is ready to be lead by a woman. Yes, she's on the ticket, but I haven't seen any defense of her that doesn't include some reference to her looks or her "feistyness," even if the person does start out saying "Oh I think she could shake things up in Washington, blah blah" (shut up, read about her record in Alaska. :) I think because she isn't the brightest crayon in the box, they were willing to have her be the figurehead of the party because they assumed that there would be someone behind her pulling the strings, (see Bush/Cheney). The sexist way they've handled her throughout this campaign leaves me unconvinced that they're okay with her leading because she isn't a liberal because if you trust someone to lead, you trust them to do an interview without a chaperone, you let them take questions from the press, etc. Now there's the pinning of the campaign's failures on here "going rogue." I think if she's shown herself to be a true leader, even as a conservative, they'd have still been threatened by her, and I think that's why a more experienced woman wasn't chosen. What they didn't count on is the fact that even though she isn't that smart, she still isn't content to just be a puppet.
You know, I remember how livid I was when Michelle Obama made the comment about Clinton managing her household (paraphrasing here). The thing is, people sometimes say unfortunate things or things that are interpreted the wrong way. That I can move past, and I've come to really enjoy hearing MO speak.
What I don't understand is this. You're a feminist. So, yes, focusing on sexism is important (you can bet your ass I was back during the primaries). But, at some point you must accept the reality and realize that, as a feminist, you have two choices. One, a man who talks about women's health using air quotes. Two, a man who supports a woman's right to choose and healthcare reform that will do wonders for lower income women.
At what point do you gain some perspective? You can still talk about sexism and it's prevalence without sounding like a total ass. HRC has moved on because there are far bigger fish to fry. Why can't these women?
@Archetype: I have a lot of admiration for Ferraro, but what I'm reading in her is the same sort of self-importance that really shines through in the PUMA types. Upset because she never met him? Sounds like another version of the "upset because he didn't give her a job" or do things her way or whatever coming out of the (admittedly small) PUMA camp. I'm not totally sure where that self-importance comes from, but it seems to be a common thread.
@Archetype: this is the full quote from Michelle Obama on Media Matters (which highlights how it was edited to make it seem that Michelle was slagging HRC)
I think Michelle was more referring to how she had to change up her modus operandi so her husband could run for POTUS. Yes it's easy to read into it a dig about HRC but I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt as I have to so many other politicians and their wives, mothers, etc.
MICHELLE OBAMA: That one of the most important things that we need to know about the next President of the United States is, is he somebody that shares our values? Is he somebody that respects family? Is a good and decent person? So our view was that, if you can't run your own house, you certainly can't run the White House. So, so we've adjusted our schedules to make sure that our girls are first, so while he's traveling around, I do day trips. That means I get up in the morning, I get the girls ready, I get them off, I go and do trips, I'm home before bedtime. So the girls know that I was gone somewhere, but they don't care. They just know that I was at home to tuck them in at night, and it keeps them grounded, and, and children, the children in our country have to know that they come first. And our girls do and that's why we're doing this. We're in this race for not just our children, but all of our children.
@IamnotStarJones: I know the context of her quote. Still, I feel it was an unfortunate thing to say, given the flack HRC had to deal with in regard to her personal relationship with her husband.
That said, unfortunate statements came out of the Clinton campaign as well. Statements that I was not happy with.
@overnightly.is.making,turkey.hands: Ha! Exactly. Ferraro lost her appeal for me early on. All I care about is that it's one more vote in the pile for Obama.
It will always entertain me how Geraldine Ferraro (and others like her) can't admit that Hillary managed her campaign poorly and that more than sexism may have derailed her winning the nomination.
It seems to me that GF is saying it's more important that HRC become the nominee on her gender than on whether she ran a stellar campaign and from where I sit that's just as sexist as anything that the MSM said or did.
@Archetype: No. The way several people seem to think that sexism was overpowered racism in the Dem primary. And I'm saying that competence bested both isms in the primary.
I was making a joke about Mark Penn. Of course he's not a woman.
@IamnotStarJones: i live in a caucus state (washington). When the caucuses went overwhelmingly for Barack she made lots of statements about how caucuses were populated by radicals or some shit like that. That was annoying. It was like she just wrote off all the people in the caucus states. For the record, most of the people at my caucus were caucusing for the very first time. This isn't the most eloquent comment...I'm trying to make the point that yes, her people did not understand the caucuses and she was silly to undermine the people who turned out in record numbers to participate. i did not like being portrayed as less than.
@jennyjen: i understand everything you said. And it highlights my belief that her campaign being mismanaged was a bigger hurdle than sexism by the media.
I think what some people like to conveniently forget is that Summer 2007, HRC was the undisputable front runner for the nomination.
@IamnotStarJones: Yes, I understood that it was a joke, thank you.
However, I feel that jokes like that really belittle those who believe sexism was pervasive during the campaign.
I think it's fairly evident that you and I have our biases, and that's fine. I am not going to get into an argument around which was more prevalent during the primaries (sexism/racism). Because that's moot. Sexism AND racism impacted the campaign.
@IamnotStarJones: the MEDIA called her a front runner. SHE never claimed the mantle. the MEDIA was insistent that she was going to be the nominee, not HER or her campaign. Mark Penn is a fucktard. He ran her campaign poorly. But sexism has a whole hell of a lot to do with some of the reasons she lost. Because the same media that told us she was the nominee enjoyed tearing into her with knives. And in the end, Obama ran a better campaign and had a more liked message. So he is the winner and that is fabulous. But let's NOT rehash that she was the "undisputed" frontrunner when in fact it was the MEDIA that claimed that. NO one else did.
@IamnotStarJones: I think what some people like to conveniently forget is that Summer 2007, HRC was the undisputable front runner for the nomination.
I didn't even bother formulating an opinion about who I wanted to win the nomination until January because I thought it was a given that Hillary would get it.
@Archetype: I think it's fairly evident that you and I have our biases, and that's fine. I am not going to get into an argument around which was more prevalent during the primaries (sexism/racism). Because that's moot. Sexism AND racism impacted the campaign.
I agree 100% with this, but I think the issue isn't sexism vs. racism; i think it's sexism/racism vs. strategy. And I think Hillary had a big head start and a better campaign strategist would've known how to maintain the momentum she had going in and would've developed a strategy for combating the sexism in the media as soon as it became apparent just how open and nasty people were with it. I'm not sure anyone was prepared for the amount of sexism we saw because we all expected to see racism. That's not a statement about which is worse; they're both equally terrible. But I think it could've been different if the campaign was not only managed better in terms of not taking the nomination for granted, but also found a way to counteract the sexism. And I think we still aren't sure what exactly could've been done differently; we all agreed a sexism speech wouldn've have been received as well as Obama's race speech for various reasons.
Racial resentment? Is this like when I heard the woman interviewed on NPR who said she was worried about Obama becoming president because it would mean Blacks were "getting back" at Whites?
Also, I wish people would stop shitting on the Democratic party, insisting it's sexist. From what I recall, it was the media and GOP who were acting sexist during the primaries.
@ceejeemcbeegee: Did you hear that NPR piece where they interviewed people in York, Pennsylvania? When that woman said that....I was expecting the others to just dig into her. It was such a sad, ignorant comment. I couldn't believe I was hearing it....
When I go Rogue, I utilize the super human strength I attained by absorbing the life essence of Ms. Marvel to save groups of likewise gifted youngsters.
11/02/08
11/01/08
11/01/08
11/01/08
Although her obit will still read, "made history as first woman VP nominee" it also will read, "tainted with scandal over her husband's business dealings and later raised ire by suggesting Obama was unqualified." Folks, look to Mondale and Gore as your role models.
11/01/08
11/01/08
11/01/08
11/01/08
See conservatives' initial response to the Charlie Gibson interview. Waaah, waaah, she was edited to look stupid. Waaah, waaah, he was going after her.
11/01/08
What Palin HAS succeeded in (albeit marinated in hotness) was taking away the right wings objections to female leadership. Any liberal woman coming up now that would get epitaphs hurled at her for being a feminazi bonerkiller and that women shouldn't rule can play the Palin trump card. And in that way, their token has blown up in their face in a deliciously unintended way.
11/01/08
11/01/08
11/01/08
And now that this is almost over, I can finally say something else I was always forgetting to say because I was ranting about something else:
I think it remains to be seen whether the Republican Party as a whole is ready to be lead by a woman. Yes, she's on the ticket, but I haven't seen any defense of her that doesn't include some reference to her looks or her "feistyness," even if the person does start out saying "Oh I think she could shake things up in Washington, blah blah" (shut up, read about her record in Alaska. :) I think because she isn't the brightest crayon in the box, they were willing to have her be the figurehead of the party because they assumed that there would be someone behind her pulling the strings, (see Bush/Cheney). The sexist way they've handled her throughout this campaign leaves me unconvinced that they're okay with her leading because she isn't a liberal because if you trust someone to lead, you trust them to do an interview without a chaperone, you let them take questions from the press, etc. Now there's the pinning of the campaign's failures on here "going rogue." I think if she's shown herself to be a true leader, even as a conservative, they'd have still been threatened by her, and I think that's why a more experienced woman wasn't chosen. What they didn't count on is the fact that even though she isn't that smart, she still isn't content to just be a puppet.
11/01/08
What I don't understand is this. You're a feminist. So, yes, focusing on sexism is important (you can bet your ass I was back during the primaries). But, at some point you must accept the reality and realize that, as a feminist, you have two choices. One, a man who talks about women's health using air quotes. Two, a man who supports a woman's right to choose and healthcare reform that will do wonders for lower income women.
At what point do you gain some perspective? You can still talk about sexism and it's prevalence without sounding like a total ass. HRC has moved on because there are far bigger fish to fry. Why can't these women?
11/01/08
11/01/08
11/01/08
11/01/08
[mediamatters.org]
I think Michelle was more referring to how she had to change up her modus operandi so her husband could run for POTUS. Yes it's easy to read into it a dig about HRC but I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt as I have to so many other politicians and their wives, mothers, etc.
MICHELLE OBAMA: That one of the most important things that we need to know about the next President of the United States is, is he somebody that shares our values? Is he somebody that respects family? Is a good and decent person? So our view was that, if you can't run your own house, you certainly can't run the White House. So, so we've adjusted our schedules to make sure that our girls are first, so while he's traveling around, I do day trips. That means I get up in the morning, I get the girls ready, I get them off, I go and do trips, I'm home before bedtime. So the girls know that I was gone somewhere, but they don't care. They just know that I was at home to tuck them in at night, and it keeps them grounded, and, and children, the children in our country have to know that they come first. And our girls do and that's why we're doing this. We're in this race for not just our children, but all of our children.
11/01/08
That said, unfortunate statements came out of the Clinton campaign as well. Statements that I was not happy with.
It's politics.
11/01/08
I'm disappointed in how she's handled herself.
11/01/08
11/01/08
11/01/08
It seems to me that GF is saying it's more important that HRC become the nominee on her gender than on whether she ran a stellar campaign and from where I sit that's just as sexist as anything that the MSM said or did.
11/01/08
I still harbor a bit of anger about the primaries, because the sexism was palpable. And yes, the campaign was not run perfectly. Nor was Obama's.
PS, love your avatar!!
11/01/08
11/01/08
If that's not poor campaign management, please educate me.
For an additional detailed autopsy on the campaign, you can read the following: The Front-Runner's Fall
[www.theatlantic.com]
Obama's campaign was managed well enough to get the nomination.
Yes the sexism was palpabe but so were the inefficiencies of Hillary's team.
11/01/08
Unless someone knows otherwise....
smile.
11/01/08
I would think one could both feel her campaign was run poorly AND see the sexism that was prevalent, no?
11/01/08
I was making a joke about Mark Penn. Of course he's not a woman.
11/01/08
i haven't finished my coffee yet....
11/01/08
I think what some people like to conveniently forget is that Summer 2007, HRC was the undisputable front runner for the nomination.
Madame President article [www.washingtonpost.com]
Her gender didn't change between the summer and Iowa.
11/01/08
However, I feel that jokes like that really belittle those who believe sexism was pervasive during the campaign.
I think it's fairly evident that you and I have our biases, and that's fine. I am not going to get into an argument around which was more prevalent during the primaries (sexism/racism). Because that's moot. Sexism AND racism impacted the campaign.
11/01/08
11/01/08
I didn't even bother formulating an opinion about who I wanted to win the nomination until January because I thought it was a given that Hillary would get it.
@Archetype: I think it's fairly evident that you and I have our biases, and that's fine. I am not going to get into an argument around which was more prevalent during the primaries (sexism/racism). Because that's moot. Sexism AND racism impacted the campaign.
I agree 100% with this, but I think the issue isn't sexism vs. racism; i think it's sexism/racism vs. strategy. And I think Hillary had a big head start and a better campaign strategist would've known how to maintain the momentum she had going in and would've developed a strategy for combating the sexism in the media as soon as it became apparent just how open and nasty people were with it. I'm not sure anyone was prepared for the amount of sexism we saw because we all expected to see racism. That's not a statement about which is worse; they're both equally terrible. But I think it could've been different if the campaign was not only managed better in terms of not taking the nomination for granted, but also found a way to counteract the sexism. And I think we still aren't sure what exactly could've been done differently; we all agreed a sexism speech wouldn've have been received as well as Obama's race speech for various reasons.
11/01/08
Also, I wish people would stop shitting on the Democratic party, insisting it's sexist. From what I recall, it was the media and GOP who were acting sexist during the primaries.
11/01/08
11/01/08
11/01/08
That said, it was an interesting piece.
10/30/08
"Our relationship and our teamwork couldn't be -- I couldn't be happier." EWW!
10/30/08
10/30/08
10/30/08
(Actual names of actual people, BTW, albeit in a different language. In which it still sounds awful).
Mulch! Fertilizer! Paradigm!
10/30/08
10/30/08
Somehow, I feel this applies.