I find it hilarious that Hilary Clinton played "the sex card" at all. How do you try to argue "I am change because I'm a woman" against a candidate that clearly represents a similar change. At least Obama took the high road on this one and didn't play "the race card" in her face.
I think it's quite obvious that Hilary will do ANYTHING her politcal strategists tell her. It seems rather clear that her interest in becoming president is motivated by self-serving factors.
Did you see her on 60 minutes? She said that she doesn't even see losing as a possibility. Somebody needs to startle her high horse.
Holy. Shit.
I knew it was bad, but I hadn't realized quite how bad.
Hey, RantingRaver: I recommend #48. Kthxbai.
Is RR our new troll or just one of the old ones with a stylish new moniker?
I had no idea there were that many. And even confronted with all of that RantingRaver (who I believe is just randyson in disguise) misses the point and further makes yours for you Melissa. Keep it up. (Melissa, not RR)
Et tu John Stewart? Am I the only one offended by his remarks about Hillary's anus? (2/11/0
. Maybe we will have a similar discussion of Obama or McCain's tonight.
Again, the woman can do no right. If she mentions she's a woman, a mother, whatever (which is what the MSM was doing for HOW LONG?) she's playing the sex card.
IOW, Fuck off, RR. 
Thanks for the roundup, Liss, though I have to say that all of this makes this generally even-tempered pacifist want to cry, scream, and hit someone.
... Actually, RantingRaver, you look like a suitable candidate. Come a little closer, sit by me. *pats nearby cushion*
Hello- I am part of the influx, and thank you for your insight. I've had to change all of my daily blog rounds, with the exception of a few. Need to send a shout out to Pam Spaulding who I read regularly and the guerilla women in TN, for pointing me in your direction.
Hope you don't mind I am going post another link to your website over at my tiny, undeserving (but much loved) blog.
Thanks for this. Harrogate is putting it to good use.
Hope you don't mind
Of course not. I always appreciate linkage!
And welcome. 
Thank you so much for doing this, Liss. I don't think I would be able to without breaking things.
Holy Fucking Shit.
I cannot believe there are that many. Now that I know, however, I'm just a little sadder than I was a minute ago.
I think we just need to lighten up, I mean, the boys are just trying to have a little fun. Make it with their hip lingo, generate some street cred with the new influx of younger politicos....
Why do wimmins insist on bringing 'em down, shrilly and humorlessly, yo?
We're past all that femminist shit, women can run for President now, and be judged on her merits and shit. Merits like what some highschool losers called her 40 years ago... that shit is TOTALLY relevant, and she should be able to laugh about it... oh, wait. Scratch that.
She should NOT laugh about it, unless she is laughing about what an uptight smarty pants bitch she USED to be, so we can see she has a sense of humor. Or something.
Geraaarggh.... The sheer amount of crap is mind boggling. Hillary ignores crap, she's frigid. She acknowleges crap, she's playing the gender card. She calls bullshit on crap, she is playing the victim. And oh yeah, Chelsea was ASKING to be called a whore for showing up to campaign for her mother.
But none of this is sexist. It is all the fervid imagination of the shrill, hysterical, illogical, hairy legged, man-haters that cluster around Hillary because we share the same goal of RUINING the fun of the menz.
I've got a memo for these "adults" in the media...high school called, it said grow the fuck up.
I am going home from work tonight, grabbing a bottle of bourbon and read them all. I thought I was just a paranoid Hillary supporter. Thanks for making me realize I'm not delusional after all....at least about this.
Quick question: as a Canadian, I'm not allowed to contribute to the campaign right? I'm just allowed to stew in righteous anger as a female citizen of the world?
Dammit.
Et tu John Stewart? Am I the only one offended by his remarks about Hillary's anus? (2/11/0. Maybe we will have a similar discussion of Obama or McCain's tonight.
At least they won't have to remove McCains's clothes for the occasion. He's all asshole! 
Thank you for your work in compiling these, Melissa, though I'm only at #17, and already depressed.
RR, that you'd be the first commenter, out of the gate here, says something about the threat you feel, I guess.
The good news is I did get to vote for HRC just about two hours ago, and, even if she loses, that felt pretty darn cool.
I had an Obama supporter say to me the other day,"I haven't seen much sexism coming from the Obama camp, or the media."
I think I will direct him here, no?
Melissa, this is stunning work on your part in chronicling a vomit-inducing subject. It is criminal that you are doing the so called journalists' work without pay. I am deeply grateful.
thank you Melissa. so sorry you had to slog through it but so happy you did.
oh, and Buck Farack supporters who
say they are so clean. see post
five on Clinton hiding behind
gender, tea drinking, and the
recent claws coming out.
i'll take women who work over ladies
who lunch anyday.
Thank you, Melissa. Jesus, I wouldn't have the stomach to do this; I can barely stand to read the stuff that I find here without wanting to vomit. This is just so damned depressing.
For the record? By now I love Hillary, even though I disagree with some of her positions. By now I loathe Barack (I get to call him by his first name, too) even though I agree with ONE of his positions (Iraq). Well, I think I agree with it, I really don't know if he actually stands by it or not given all of the talk vs. action stuff I've read about him.
How this got so polarized is beyond me, then I remember that it's the twenty-somethings who are coming out in droves for Barack, the ones who trash people (particularly women) with glee at the slightest hint of disagreement, the ones who urge young women to commit suicide, the ones who think rape is funny, the ones who dress provocatively and point video cameras up their (nearly nonexistent) skirts because their boyfriends want them to.... yeah, those kids. Do I sound old? I am. And it's depressing to see that this is the generation that's supposed to bring "change" to the world. What, exactly will change, or has changed? You think it's great that you have the freedom to be dismissive, obnoxious, self-absorbed, nasty a**holes?
But, I'll continue to point people to this blog, like members of my family, and hope that something sinks in. Again, thank you, Melissa, for your diligence.
Thank you so much Melissa. Maybe I can use it to have an impact on my postfeminist 4 daughters, 25 to 35.
God mother fucking damn it.
They are just demanding that I donate more money to Clinton's campaign, aren't they?
Sweet Christ. I don't have a vagina but I'm voting and donating with mine.
oh, and Buck Farack supporters who
say they are so clean. see post
five on Clinton hiding behind
gender, tea drinking, and the
recent claws coming out.
What about Clinton supporters who engage in race-baiting? I'm thinking in particular about Ed Rendell's remarks last week.
No one is "clean." I absolutely agree with the criticism of Obama and his supporters voiced here, but where's the criticism of Clinton and her supporters?
everywhere else?
Sixty-two? SIXTY-TWO? JesusHChristOnAPopsicleStick.
That settles it. I'm voting for her today in Maryland's primary. I'll even try to get DH to do so also.
I agree 100%, Rebecca. And I'm 25. I feel filthy among my peers.
but where's the criticism of Clinton and her supporters?
Well, gee, I only wrote two posts defending Obama yesterday alone.
(Here and here, if you're interested. And there are links to older posts on the same subject embedded in those.)
But every. fucking. post. I write about the sexism being wielded against Hillary nonetheless yields charges that I don't care about racism being used against Obama.
Funny -- there were no comments on my Obama posts asking where the outrage about sexism being used against Hillary was, though.
Charges that I'm ignoring one only seem to be operative in one direction -- and, coincidentally, it's the same direction as any other post I write about any feminist issue: "But what about the men?!"
Given that I routinely do cover incidents of racist attacks on Obama, I'm left to believe that many of his so-called supporters in the Hillary Sexism Watch threads don't give a flying shit about racist attacks, except insomuch as they can use my alleged indifference to them to try to diminish the seriousness of misogyny being used against Hillary.
Gee, what a shocker.
I could easily claim each mock and criticism of McCain is sexism on your part.
Your well documented prejudice against white men who have succeeded is very obvious.
Given that I routinely do cover incidents of racist attacks on Obama, I'm left to believe that many of his so-called supporters in the Hillary Sexism Watch threads don't give a flying shit about racist attacks, except insomuch as they can use my alleged indifference to them to try to diminish the seriousness of misogyny being used against Hillary.
I appreciated this post, and wasn't criticizing your coverage.
I was reacting to the comments on this thread that, from my reading, imply that some of the commenters are supporting Clinton, not Obama, at least in part because Obama and his supporters have made sexist attacks on Clinton.
I could easily claim each mock and criticism of McCain is sexism on your part.
Yes, you can claim it, that's true. But can you prove it?
Your well documented prejudice against white men who have succeeded is very obvious.
OH NOES TEH POOR WHITE MEN!
Your well documented prejudice against white men who have succeeded is very obvious.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...hee hee hee oh man, that's hahahahahahaha - Flying Spaghetti Monster, that's fucking HILARIOUS! and from a masked comic named "anonymous" no less. Ho ho ho, I really needed a good laugh.
Thanks. That's just...thanks.
"Your well documented prejudice against white men who have succeeded is very obvious."
That is the funniest thing I have ever read on this site. Anon- you should write for the Colbert Report.
My fiance just sent me a link to this article with the exclamation, "Here's what makes me mad. There are 4 pictures in the article. Two of Obama with donuts [for his volunteers]. One of McCain in front of a fighter jet. One of Hillary getting her HAIR ADJUSTED. Argh!"
Yet another example to add to the pile. *sigh*
cmc, i'm supporting Clinton because she is better than Obama on issues
including the economy, healthcare (she
has a universal plan), the environment
(he loves Exelon and nuclear),
education, national security (yes,
despite her Iraq vote) and, yes,
because she will be miles better
on women's issues.
some of us are just pointing out
that Barack and his basketball playing
boys bunch are occasionally sexist.
and we don't like that nor will
we overlook that. for anyone.
I think that we have to recognize that in a very close race between two historic candidates, that everyone realizes that they may only have one chance to put their mark next to the candidate of their heart. One or the other will win the nomination, but if you vote your heart for Hillary then you are accused of playing or responding to the gender card and if you vote for Barack you are participating in an historic movement.
I am tired of carrying water that I'm not allowed to drink.
The crap out there against Hillary is gross beyond belief.
I do wish she had shown up to vote against giving immunity to telecom companies who spy on Americans for a fascist government.
Spectrum Blue, the picture is already changed! The caption says she's getting her makeup touched up but she's clearly not.
Or I'm missing A LOT!~
Heh...
Your well documented prejudice against white men who have succeeded is very obvious.
Yes, that's exactly why Melissa initially supported Edwards. And that totally explains why she's a huge fan of Gore. Riiiiight.
As if the men don't wear makeup for television appearances. Of course the media wouldn't post pictures of McCain or Obama getting makeup touched up, lest they look girly or something...
cece, thanks.
I know there's no point in reiterating our support for candidates' policies on each and every thread. And I know that most people were posting to give voice to their outrage--which I share--over sexist attacks on Clinton.
Still, I couldn't help asking.
Anon,
I am a white man, who by many standards is successful. Melissa has made more sense in her political coverage than all of the clowns in the media combined. The fact that a number of women on this site are incensed by the overt sexism in this campaign and in the media does not make Melissa or them "obvious in their prejudice" against you. You would be well served to consider why what Melissa is saying is a threat to you.
Your well documented prejudice against white men who have succeeded is very obvious.
Spot-on. That's why I keep my husband in a cage and only let him out to fuck me.
because she is better than Obama on issues
including ... national security (yes,
despite her Iraq vote)
What if, because of her Iraq vote, she's too worried about looking like she's weak on security and on Iraq to actually withdraw?
Spectrum Blue, the picture is already changed! The caption says she's getting her makeup touched up but she's clearly not.
You're right. All four pictures have changed now, but the captions are the same. I wish I'd gotten a screen cap, but the Clinton picture was the same one Wolfrum has below the fold in this post of her getting her makeup retouched.
Your well documented prejudice against white men who have succeeded is very obvious.
Sigh............
What if, because of her Iraq vote, she's too worried about looking like she's weak on security and on Iraq to actually withdraw?
That seems extremely unlikely, given the public support for withdrawal.
Btw: Why is that a fair question for Hillary and not Obama? Is there not an equal chance that he risks looking weak on security, especially when he didn't vote for the war?
Right now, everyone's saying Hils is a hawk and Obama's the dove. Who, then, has the greater reserves of not looking weak on national security in future...?
Melissa McEwan | Homepage | 02.12.08 - 2:31 pm
Why does not voting for a mistake make him look weak on security, especially when supporting the ongoing effort to not have the country collapse into complete anarchy (a la Somalia) is what now damages our security most?
Dear sweet holy Heaven... I've been here just over a month; I had no idea it was THAT horrible.
I mean I knew it was bad but...
I'm going to go weep in the corner (_ _) this is ridiculous.
Why does not voting for a mistake make him look weak on security, especially when supporting the ongoing effort to not have the country collapse into complete anarchy (a la Somalia) is what now damages our security most?
Are you presuming that the people accusing either Clinton or Obama of being weak on security are Democrats? If so, then your comment of course makes perfect sense, as it relies on sound reasoning.
But, and correct me if I'm wrong, the people usually lobbing the "soft on national security" charge are usually Republican. In which case, sound reasoning will not be applicable.
(Nor will the idea that the war was a mistake, btw.)
*sigh* So true...
My dad is one of those Republicans who now claims to be against the war... BUT... refuses to admit it was a bad idea to begin with.
(x.x) People have such a problem owning up to their own damn screwups.
Spot-on. That's why I keep my husband in a cage and only let him out to fuck me.
'Liss ... seriously hon, you owe me a new keyboard.
But yeah, we hate on teh white men here ... Gore, Edwards, Mr. Shakes, Jeff Fecke, George Clooney, Matt Damon ... we's hates them, we's do!! Precioussssss!!!
But back on topic ... fucking hell.
Thanks for putting this into perspective for everyone. It really is been outrageous. I'll be linking to this at Yikes!
BAC
oddjob | 02.12.08 - 2:32 pm |
what if, because she has been in the
Senate looking at the
issues for 8 years and not out
making speeches and on book tours,
she actually has more experience
on foreign policy and will be
better able to decide?
what if, because she has traveled
to 80 some countries, including challenging China
to grant women their rights, that she
really has the guts to stand up
to any world leader, male or female?
This was what prompted me, a penioAmerican to vote against my gender. I STILL wish it was Gore, but.....
cece, you mean she was too busy at Senate work to write books like this one, or go on the attendant book tours like this one?
OT, but related:
Regardless of how one feels about Hillary, I think this is an interesting read.
I am sick to death of both Obama and Clinton supporters who claim that it is so obvious that their candidate is better that the people on the other side must be either stupid or evil. Neither Clinton nor Obama is going to be as progressive as I would like, but then no one able to win the presidency in the current political climate could be as progressive as I'd like. They both have a lot of good qualities.
More on topic, equating those sixty-two posts with sexism coming out of the Obama campaign, as some commentore are doing, is totally dishonest. The vast majority of those posts are about the media, not the Obama campaign.
as some commentore are doing
Who?
I had an Obama supporter say to me the other day,"I haven't seen much sexism coming from the Obama camp, or the media."
I think I will direct him here, no?
Flewellyn | 02.12.08 - 12:41 pm | #
Or this one, which makes it sound like Obama is running girls-gone-wild:
"How this got so polarized is beyond me, then I remember that it's the twenty-somethings who are coming out in droves for Barack, the ones who trash people (particularly women) with glee at the slightest hint of disagreement, the ones who urge young women to commit suicide, the ones who think rape is funny, the ones who dress provocatively and point video cameras up their (nearly nonexistent) skirts because their boyfriends want them to.... yeah, those kids. Do I sound old? I am. And it's depressing to see that this is the generation that's supposed to bring "change" to the world. What, exactly will change, or has changed? You think it's great that you have the freedom to be dismissive, obnoxious, self-absorbed, nasty a**holes?"
There was also this thread the other day
http://www.haloscan.com/comments...40589574084708/
In which people were saying that Obama's campaign is SO sexist that they won't vote for him in the general if he gets the nomination. Now, I'm all for calling Obama out on his sexism - but not voting for him in the general because of it??? That seems extreme to me.
Well, this collection of incidents (good spade work by the way) is sobering and depressing.
As I said before, I am glad I'm out of the country and don't have to experience this all on a day-to-day basis.
anonymous kate,
don't know. may be too late with too much bitterness. each day BO gets closer to the nomination without addressing sexism the further I get from voting for him in the general.
I would love it if Obama would call the media out on its sexism. However, he has a lot of other great qualities, including an excellent pro-choice voting record. Now,considereing that the only vialbe alternative is going to be McCain, who exactly do you plan on voting for?
no one
Please tell me that you don't live in a swing state.
I'll give Cynthia McKinney my vote before I support a Democrat who remained silent in the face of so much sexism.
This is unacceptable. All it would take is one small condemnation of the media and Barack would win me over.
Or even a simple acknowledgment that women have just made history by coming farther in a presidential primary then ever before.
Anything but the headline I read today, "Obama cocky over wins."
We just did 7 years of cocky, smirks and all. Enough already.
oh, hey, yttik! thanks for the McKinney reminder!
"Anything but the headline I read today, "Obama cocky over wins."
We just did 7 years of cocky, smirks and all. Enough already."
Because if the press says he's "cocky" it must be true! Obama is no where near Bush in the cocky smirks department, as if that's what's really important. Just today Obama stood up and voted against FISA while Clinton stayed away. Our civil liberties are in serious danger right now. A vote for McKinney in a very blue state might nudge the democrats further left, but staying home or voting third party as an overall progressive stategy will just get us more Roberts and Alitos on the supreme court.
I am just amazed at the sexism against Hillary. Incredible.
I will say that for Number Eleven, I love the picture as a news photo. In terms of its composition, and its focus on Bill Clinton, the photo really does show Bill taking a back seat to Hillary's campaign--of which you see her standing on the podium with her shoes. I don't see the picture as sexist--I see an interesting perspective on the Clinton campaign. However, the NY Times headline above the photo, and the cutline describing the photo is especially sexist. Bill Clinton is "assuming a higher profile" in Hillary's campaign? While showing Bill down below her feet? The way the news photo is described to us is rather sexist and disgusting. Instead of saying "assuming a higher profile," the cutline could have been rewritten to say "Former president Bill Clinton watches as his wife takes center stage at (whatever campaign event), (day), in her own race for the White House." The headline could have been modified "Bill Clinton cedes center stage to Hillary." Get rid of the "higher profile" language, and you change the message away from something that is subtly inferred as sexist, to an interesting campaign photo. In fact, you could say that the photo is showing Hillary Clinton is taking great power in running for president, while her husband, the former president, stays out of the spotlight. It is about how you fashion the message for this photo. The message is wrong.
As for the rest of the examples, from what I have seen it is pretty sickening. And I am more than happy to have either Hillary or Barack Obama in the White House--They both make great candidates.
Or this one, which makes it sound like Obama is running girls-gone-wild
Neither one of those "equat[es] those sixty-two posts with sexism coming out of the Obama campaign."
Which commenters did that?
Fair enough, no commentors have stated that all of those posts were about Obama.
I supported Edwards, and initially had no preference between the other two, but crap like this has changed my thinking. Thank you, MSM! And thanks to you, Liss, for the having the stomach to wade through it, kick some ass and take names. Time for me to send Clinton some more money!
I got a chance to spin through a lot of those 61 posts and they reflect my experience watching this election. However, the vitriol that a lot of Obama supports have for Hillary and vice versa is interesting.
I'll say that I wish Obama was more outspoken about the sexism being toss to and fro but I haven't really seen one convincing thing to prove that he's a monster misogynist or that Hillary is a racist.
I think the MSM has held each to a stupid standard (read: can't talk about them without saying "blacks" or "women.")
I think some of the analysis here is off.
While I'd like to see every candidate stand up and call down the sexist attacks and innuendo, I'd also like to see Clinton actual not have her surrogates out actively race baiting (South Carolina anyone?).
In the end I think it is a shame that Progressives have let identity politics and misogyny in the media break us down. Rather than call into question the representations too many have bought into an "identity war" that makes this election more media friendly.
While there are major questions to be addressed (bullying in Caucasus, slandering of fellow progressives records on things like pre-choice, and legitimate questions of sex, gender, race, and class) I think we've allowed ourselves to become more polarized then is reasonable and so the status quo is more likely to continue (read: white, Anglo, male, Christian politics).
" I'll give Cynthia McKinney my vote before I support a Democrat who remained silent in the face of so much sexism."
OOoohhhhh, that's a good idea. That's what I'm going to do.
___
" Now, I'm all for calling Obama out on his sexism - but not voting for him in the general because of it??? That seems extreme to me"
My goodness, you just can't allow someone else to have a different opinion can you.
Look, if overlooking sexism is okay with you, do it. It's not okay with me.
The thing with progressives is there's *always* something more important than fighting misogyny or sexism. They've always got excuses to not deal with it or to down play. I've had enough of that.
I won't vote for him, if he remains silent on the issue. Or unless CLinton is his VP - which would do a lot to mitigate what he isn't dealing with now.
If not, oh well. He can do without my vote. McKinney will have it.
an anonymous kate, have you been to Kos, TPM, American Blog and other so-called "progressive" websites?
It's been very disheartening to learn that liberals hate women just as much as conservatives - the race between Obama & Hillary has really brought that fact to the surface.
The only place I don't feel despised for being a woman these days is the feminist community.
"The only place I don't feel despised for being a woman these days is the feminist community"
Ramen to that. The so-called progressive movement is clearly not female-friendly.
The only place I don't feel despised for being a woman these days is the feminist community.
And even then...
"Look, if overlooking sexism is okay with you, do it. It's not okay with me."
Fighting sexism is important to me. Having a supreme court which is not going to take away my right to use birth control is a matter of life and death to me.
"Having a supreme court which is not going to take away my right to use birth control is a matter of life and death to me."
We already don't have this.
I just wanted to say thanks for compiling these all together. It's really astounding.
To those of us looking on at the US elections (at least from countries where women have an active role in political life), Hillary-hating by Republicans is bad enough, but by Democrats it is just plain weird.
What is going on? I just don't get it. It's like some kind of nasty virus in your political discourse.
From my point of view as a non-US observer, Hillary Clinton is a first-rate candidate. Whether Democrats would class themselves as for HRC or BO, surely they must all admit that she:
*is smart (that's a PLUS in my book - though I wonder if that is her major "crime" for some people),
*is hardworking and focussed,
*shows personal courage and is amazingly resilient,
*has a logical and well-thought-out political agenda,
*has a long and admirable history in working in the field of progressive politics from grassroots to legislative level,
*and last, but definitely not least, has been a good mother to a kid who, despite all the contumely her parents have had to take, seems totally level-headed and SANE.
As for the Clinton "dynasty" idea...as I remember the Clinton years, the Clintons got up the nose of "the establishment" precisely because they weren't part of the traditional political class. Moreover, these were years when the US economy was in good shape, policies were directed to improving the lot of the poor, and the US was not in bad odour on the world stage.
But then I'm not American, so maybe all these things just aren't as important as what kind of voice she has, how she looks, what the mean kids at school thought of her and so on.
What on earth would the US media make of someone like NZ's Prime Minister Helen Clark...a down-to-earth, call-a-spade-a-spade woman who is an effective politician?
As for the Democrats, they really need to clean out their Augean stables. The level of so-called political discourse involved in bagging HRC is a noxious and nasty pile of ordure that befouls them all.
Why can't a progressive party such as the Democrats raise the level of political debate, and repudiate the outright misogyny that is targeted at Hillary Clinton?
The last time I saw anything so poisonous was in the school playground.
Hillary is no one to be concerned with. She no more represents Sisterhood than Pee Wee Herman represents Manhood. She is a warmongering, triangulating fraud. So what if some of the comments about her are personal? It was her vote that insured that thousands of Iraqi women and young girls would be slaughtered. That's your heroine? No wonder women have started to prefer Obama.
yes craig, we had all forgotten that hillary personally started this war. she faked the intelligence reports. she forced president bush into this, and she was the only democrat ever to vote for the war. she is solely responsible for all the deaths in iraq.
what -- that wasn't how it happened? really?
when you attack hillary as a woman, you are attacking women. you are saying that there is something wrong with being a woman. and don't you dare conflate her with pee wee herman, you disingenuous piece of shit. or i might start to think that your comments about the war are mere window-dressing for your utter disdain for women.
i might start to think that your comments about the war are mere window-dressing for your utter disdain for women.
MMMMhmmm.
It's wrong to "get personal" with Hillary when the "personal" thing you take issue with is the fact that she's female (or has female traits, or does not have sufficiently female traits, etc. etc).
Awesome work. Thanks for compiling this.
I think you would have done better to stick to actual incidents, especially mainstream ones. The list is a bit inflated.
The problem with Hillary is not that she's a woman, it's that she's Hillary. I voted for her in her first run for Senate in New York, but since then I've been very disappointed. She's hawkish and triangulating and fails to stand on principle when it's most important. Her negative and slightly arrogant campaign has not helped. I wish there were more women in politics (and the number is thankfully growing) so that we wouldn't have to put all of our hopes into *any* woman that makes it to the national scene, regardless of her genuine flaws.
At least for my generation, I think the sensitivity is misplaced. We just don't like *this* politician, who happens to be a woman.
Right, Steve. That totally explains why so much of the coverage of Hillary Clinton's campaign takes great pains to point out that she is a woman. They're only barely stopping short of suggesting she has cooties.
If people haven't heard or read Obama supporters saying things like "If Hillary wins I'll vote for McCain" or "If Obama wins I won't vote for that CUNT!" it's because you're in a bubble. Get out of it. Are Hillary supporters perfect? No, of course not (and I'm not actually one of them, I supported Kucinich and then Edwards and I'm not happy about the 2 frontrunners) but I have NOT ONCE seen anyone supporting Hillary say "I will never vote for that N*gg*r!" but I have seen the opposite all up and down the internet.
These two candidates are so similar in their positions that the people who are *SO* opposed to Hillary...whether female or male, you need to look at yourself. You need to look at what you feed your head. Who is in control of the media and what do they seem to want you to think/do/buy/feel, etc? Who have they attacked in the past and who have they benefitted in the past? Who are they attacking and benefitting now? Obama is not a saint and Hillary is not the devil. Both would be better than McCain, but both are opportunists, just like almost every other politician in the history of mankind. When Obama does inspirational tours it makes me want to vomit because his positions are not HOPEFUL they are CYNICAL and I would want to vomit if Hillary was doing it. Her war vote was a mistake. Obama's health care costs twice as much as hers. Pick and choose. But I have this sinking feeling (the same one I had when I knew Bush would win the second time around months before the GE and the same one I had when McCain was touring with Bush after he won that McCain would be the GOP nom) that this isn't going to go the way we want it to no matter how powerful Obama's momentum is. If you can't look at the matchup between McCain and Obama and see that there's trouble up ahead...(my prediction is that it will come down to fear YET AGAIN and Obama's lack of experience will be the main focus).
Anyway, I have to say, as a (just turned) 25 year old woman, I don't feel that America wants all I have to offer the world anymore. I feel hopeless here. It's not okay to be a feminist in my generation but it's perfectly acceptable to consume women as product and throw them away when done. We're still demonized in the public square and hung for being witches, it's just PC now. I don't want to give up but the hate on the left is painfully disillusioning. If you are a man and you see the sexism please speak up, please remind someone like me that you are out there. I'm not asking you to support Hillary (seriously, HC and BO are so similar I don't really "support" either one), I'm just asking that you realize there are little girls inside all of us women whose dreams are being shattered and hearts are getting wounded right now.
I have to say, I am a little disappointed to see that there hasn't been a corresponding account of the racism directed at Obama - including (gasp!) from the Clinton camp.
You obviously didn't look upthread, Anonymouse, where Melissa addresses just the issue you mention.
In fact, you probably haven't even read any other posts on this blog, such as the ones which do address the racism directed at Obama.
If that's true, your disappointment is misplaced, and I have to wonder why you bothered commenting at a blog you haven't read.
However, if you have read any of those posts, or the rest of this comment thread, then your "disappointment" is disingenuous.
Why does not voting for a mistake make him look weak on security, especially when supporting the ongoing effort to not have the country collapse into complete anarchy (a la Somalia) is what now damages our security most?
oddjob | 02.12.08 - 2:41 pm | #
Obama wasn't in office yet when the Iraq resolution was on the floor. He didn't vote because he didn't have a vote.
God I'm tired of having to reiterate this every damn day.
Aren't these "Obama didn't vote for the war" people the same ones who've been saying for months that we need to take a reeeeaaaalllly close look at the candidates' records?
Oh, but they only say it when they're talking to Clinton supporters about how much better Obama is.
Silly me.
Obama gives good speech, that seals it.
My fiance just sent me a link to this article with the exclamation, "Here's what makes me mad. There are 4 pictures in the article. Two of Obama with donuts [for his volunteers]. One of McCain in front of a fighter jet. One of Hillary getting her HAIR ADJUSTED. Argh!"
Yet another example to add to the pile. *sigh*
Spectrum Blue | 02.12.08 - 2:05 pm | #
What fries me about that one is that the article's an update on the election in general and covers all three candidates' campaigns, but it's entitled "Obama Turns To Economy" and focuses on how gloriously charismatic he is. Everything about Clinton was about how her campaign's "stumbling," even though she's only behind by a few points and we're only halfway there.
And, of course, there's an unflattering picture of Clinton eating, while all the pics of the male candidates, even Huckabee (will he please take a hint and go away), are of them speaking at podiums, looking stately.
I have to say, I am a little disappointed to see that there hasn't been a corresponding account of the racism directed at Obama - including (gasp!) from the Clinton camp.
Anonymouse | 02.17.08 - 9:41 pm | #
Well dig it all up and post it on your blog, then.
Actually, I am a regular reader, but I don't catch *every single post*. I know this blog has addressed racism directed at Obama, but so far I haven't seen a post with the list of sixty some-odd racist comments that have been directed at him/his campaign, from both Clinton's campaign and the media at large. This post, and the comments responding to mine, reek of the kind of ignorance that second-wave feminists like Gloria Steinem have been parading around about race and sex and their intersections.
I acknowledge there've been sexist things said about Clinton/her campaign, but I wonder why most feminist blogs find that more important, almost, than the racism against Obama.
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