It's not often that the Senate chamber talks fashion criticism, but yesterday, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar was sufficiently irritated by Robin Givhan's Washington Post piece to chastise her for her Kagan critique. Meanwhile, Givhan is defending herself.
Klobuchar started out by talking about how Sonia Sotomayor was called brusque and dismissive in her manner, and pointed out that double standard. In this video, excerpted from Mediaite's, she draws particular attention to Givhan's piece, without naming her. After all, in a spectacular feat of close-reading desperation, Givhan compared the way Klobuchar and Kagan crossed their legs. This is also an opportunity for Klobuchar to recount the time that she was sent home from school for wearing pants — flowered bell-bottoms, specifically.
And, of course, talk about the historic underrepresentation of women on the Court.
Meanwhile, in response for a request for comment from Media Matters' Joe Strupp, Givhan said:
I appreciate your asking, but I think the column speaks for itself. I've responded as best I could to readers who e-mailed directly. I have not been studious in following the internet conversation.
As for being sexist...I don't think writing about a woman's appearance in the public sphere is inherently sexist. And yes, I've written about both Alito and Roberts. How quickly people forget.
Givhan Denies Sexism in Scolding Kagan for Not Sitting Like a Lady
Givhan Stands By Kagan Column [Media Matters]
Earlier: Elena Kagan's "Dowdiness" And Fashion's Seriousness Problem
DISCUSSION
I'm confused. Why does the world of media even need a Beltway fashion correspondent? OK, so she works for a fashion mag, she's going to write about fashion. But why did that mag assign her to cover the Washington beat in the first place? It's not like "politicians, not particularly fashionable" wasn't something that could have been predicted in advance.
Also for anyone who really is interested in fashion that must be an incredibly boring job.