Is that supposed to excuse it? Oh, please. No white man ever gets excoriated for being a white man in the “arena”–they don’t have to prove they can “take it.”

It’s politics. The man I supported for the last eight years has been called a drunk, a murderer, a criminal, a thief…and that’s just by his allies.

None of which is insulting to anyone but himself (and other drunks, murderers, criminals and thieves). Whereas sexism is insulting to all women. Any sexist insult thrown at Hillary implies that women aren’t fit for the job, not that Hillary isn’t fit for the job.

I’ve also been surprised at how thin-skinned some of her supporters have been.

It’s politics. If you’re hit, you hit back, and you also simultaneously claim that your opponents are scum for hitting you like that. If her opponents can’t take that, what are they doing in the arena?

Scott, I’m really surprised by this comment. There’s nothing “unambiguously racist” about noting that Obama makes a lot of speeches that don’t have much policy content. He does. His supporters tell us to look at his website, but websites aren’t even necessarily read, let alone written, by the candidate, and it’s what he says in public that matters.

Obama’s comment most certainly does dismiss Clinton’s insight; he’s dismissing the existing content of her words.

Obama frequently uses divisive language while talking about unity. He talks about “the Social Security Crisis”, he disses Wellstone while wanting to “reach across the aisle” to people who have a deliberate program of hurting blacks, women, and working people in general, and we’re not supposed to notice.

The fact that I don’t like Hillary does not blind me to the fact that Obama doesn’t like me. He knows damn well he was accusing Clinton of being on the rag. And so are any of us who notice he’s doing it.

I found you via Feministing.

I wanted to let you know about a pro-Clinton grassroots network and blog: The Hillary 1000. We’re a group of women in CT and MA who are trying to raise $$ for Clinton through our networks. I’m the blogger in the bunch, and am trying to raise awareness of our efforts as well as provide a positive space for Clinton supporters on-line.

I hope you’ll check us out, consider donating, and spread the word!!!

http://hillary1000.wordpress.com/welcome-to-hillary-1000/

Thanks!

Best,
Leigh
a.k.a., Redstar of The Redstar Persective

You are right on target. I had this experience this morning talking about it with my co-blogger. I was trying to explain that this kind of comment is like nails on a chalkboard, and is the kind of thing that I’ve heard or experienced my whole life. He just didn’t get why something that might be interpreted as a dig at “hormonal women” or what have you would be so irritating. And I got more irritated as I tried to explain it without success. Clearly it is hard to communicate the feeling of being dismissed, underestimated, and reduced to your biochemical processes. And I wasn’t doing the best job of it, but eventually he accepted that although he didn’t really catch the vibe that didn’t mean it wasn’t there. Going through this on the larger scale (”dismissal..otherwise reliable allies”) is really frustrating and discouraging, not to mention that it rubs an already raw nerve.

* Men are the only credible judges of sexism.

* Women who don’t agree are just crazed extremists.

* Campaigns would never dream of using coded language!

* Obama is above ambition and all other human temptation. He’s so much bigger than our petty complaints.

Learn it, love it, live it!

I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS CRAP