The Political Voices of Women

Here is a guest post from No Blood For Hubris — It’s Not My Party & I’ll Cry If I Want To

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1. My support for Hillary Clinton has zero to do with her gender, and everything to do with her policies. Her policies are significantly more liberal than her primary opponent’s weak centrist positions are, and thus are closer to my own. (She’s still to the right of me, but is well to the left of her opponent).

2. My unhappiness with Senator Obama’s campaign is of relatively recent vintage. In December, I felt pretty much that any Democratic candidate would do. I no longer think that.

3. My unhappiness with the unbelievably sexist attitude of members of my own (or so I thought) party is what is driving me to get away from it just as far and as fast as I can. (There are some other factors in play as well — for example, the Faux-Left Manichaean Naderite demonization of All Things Clinton. Hunh? Peace and prosperity for 8 years was so bad, Mickey Moore?)

Which brings us to our Leftist Sexist Du Jour.

This morning’s insulting, sniggering, disparaging delectation is from Nicholas D. Kristof, writing his most recent version of “Why Don’t You Just Shut Up And Die, Bitch,” as part of the ongoing Hillary DeathWatch.

In this charming NYT column, “The Too-Long Good-bye,” Kristof tries to Swiftboat Senator Clinton by comparing her to Katie Couric.

Yes, yes, you heard it right.

He really says that. No, really, he does.

Hillary = Katie. Katie = Loser = Hillary = Loser.

(Katie/ Hillary want a “man’s job.” Uppity bitches. Why don’t they just shut up and die?)

What, you think I’m making all this up? You think this is just me, getting, oh I dunno, all periodically emotional, as The Man Who Would Be [Prom] King once said?

No, no. Let me find the link. Ah. Here.

“One of the reasons that Mrs. Clinton is resolved to keep fighting is, I think, a resentment that she and many of her followers feel over sexism in the campaign. On that issue, she has a point. One of the political lessons of this year — backed by psychological research and polling data — is that the bar is probably higher for a woman candidate for president than for a black candidate.

It’s interesting that two strong women — Katie Couric as well as Mrs. Clinton — have foundered this year in roles that are stereotypically male. Granted, the presidency is very different from the job of an evening news anchor, but some psychology experiments suggests that one factor in each case may be public resistance to a woman in a position in which we are accustomed to seeing a man. . . . . So Mrs. Clinton’s frustration is understandable.”

So, boys, and girls, let’s deconstruct.

Nicky Kristof imputes an attitude to Senator Clinton that is baseless — that she feels resentment over sexism in the campaign. (He later baselessly asserts that Senator Clinton feels frustration.) (Playing so nicely into the gender stereotype, is he not? It fairly puts my panties in a twist!)

M. Kristof briefly admits to campaign sexism, but then spins it that the real problem is that the “bar” is set “higher” for a woman candidate than a black candidate (wrongly interpreting the data by implying that females inherently aren’t “up” to the task, rather than seeing sexist attitudes as being more pervasive than racist attitudes).

He then spins vapid perkmeister Katie Couric as a “strong woman,” and that Senator Clinton is a strong woman, too. What a nice compliment, Nicky. (Kristof here cleverly refers to Senator Clinton not as Senator Clinton but as “Mrs. Clinton.” You know, Bill’s wife. He then “Mrs. Clinton”s her all the way to the article’s end.)

Nicky asserts that vapid Katie has foundered this year — which is true.

Then he says she foundered because she, Katie, is female, not because she, Katie, is a vapid perkmeister unsuited to the job in which she was placed by network execs looking to make evening news even stupider than it has been.

Kristof asserts that, just as Katie Couric has foundered in a role that is stereotypically male, Senator Clinton has foundered in a role that is stereotypically male.

Hel-lo?

She’s the last woman standing in the contest for the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States, and that’s “foundering”?

Well, of course it is!

That girlie-bar is just set so high!

Then he tells her to get out of the race, and that it will be all her fault if Obama loses to McCain.

Well, no, dear. It’s not really like that.

If Obama loses to McCain, that’s Obama losing.

If people like you are alienating people like me, that’s your bad, Nicky-boy.

And the bad of Faux-Lefties, people like Keith Olbermann, Mickey Moore, Mickey Kaus, Slate, Kos, HuffPo, all those sniggering fratboys and fratgirls who ride wild with the Hillary DeathWatch Posse.

“Who Will Rid Me of This Meddlesome Female Candidate for President …

Is there any difference between their sexism and John McCain’s?

I can’t see any. Can you?

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More Political Voices of Women…

We now have over 400 women political bloggers on our list, here are the P’s…

Pacific Views

Pajamadeen

Pamala Lyn — Pam’s Coffee Conversation

Pam’s House Blend…always steamin’!

Pamela on Politics – BET.com News

Pandagon

Peggy, As She Is — Wife, Mom, Sister, Writer, Thinker, Feminist, and so much more…

Pen-Elayne on the Web

Pied Type

Pinko Feminist Hellcat — Politics, snark, and my Presidency-for-Life.

Pittsburgh Women’s Blogging Society

Poli Pundit — Elections and politics with a conservative bent.

Poligots – Two moms blogging about politics.

Political Artwork – Promoting Progressive/Liberal Ideals and Change in American Politics.

Political Feminist Blog — The Curvature is a feminist blog about politics and culture. It primarily deals with U.S. events, but also discusses international issues when a feminist analysis is pertinent.

Political Teen Tidbits — A liberal blog written by a teen.

Politics ‘n’ Poetry — Social activist who likes to stir the pot.

Politics After 50

Politics for Moms

POLITITS

Politopics — Centrist political commentary from a black perspective.

Politricks and Other Distractions

Pondering Penguin

PopConsumer

Positive Politics –Thoughts on Women’s Role in Creating an Inspirational Politics

Preemptive Karma — An unfiltered view of politics and current events of the day. It`s our job to slaughter the sacred cows of the world…and serve them on toast.

Preserve, Protect, and Defend — Pontificating on: politics–sometimes well thought out; physics and metaphysics; the human condition; the earth`s condition. and it`s my right to be left of center at all times.

Pride of America

Pro-Life Pulse by Jill Stanek

Professor Kim’s News Notes — I am a writer and educator interested in the use of interactive storytelling as a means of encouraging more informed and engaged civic participation.

Progressive Gold

prTini — prTini offers musings on world news and trivial events, plus easy-to-use PR how-to’s.

Public Pondering

Pundit Chick

Pundit Mom — Moms & politics? It`s a natural combination! Musings on politics, motherhood, culture and law by a political mom!

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