Ferraro: Black Journalists Are The New Sexism

Geraldine Ferraro continued her campaign to get someone, anyone, to do something about all the sexism in the campaign today in an appearance on Fox News, where she once again had difficulty citing an example of sexist behavior from the Obama campaign. She eventually got around to the Annie Oakley remark, the treatment of Clinton at the Philadelphia debate, and her confusion over Jay-Z songs, but she had picked a new target of chauvinist infamy: black journalists. Ferraro held out the New York Times' Bob Herbert as a particularly egregious example of one such sexist misogynist terrorist of media, saying that in his past six months of writing, "There wasn't one column that had anything decent to say about Hillary." (By contrast, she applauded Fox's Sean Hannity for his honesty, saying that he hates Clinton too completely and too perfectly for it to be sexist.)

Host Shephard Smith rightly pointed out that this was more of a media critique than a charge that could be plausibly laid at the feet of the Obama campaign, but Ferraro, who seems not to understand what a campaign conference call is, insisted on labeling these "black journalists" as "surrogates": "Well, well...yeah...if you have conference calls with these people every week and you give them your message and they put your message in the paper, that to me is campaign."

"These all seem like little things," Ferraro said, believing that she had apparently elucidated a number of sexist "things," "but put them all together and realize what the impact has been on this campaign." Indeed. If only someone - anyone! - would, say, write a story about misogyny and the 2008 race and the media's response to it. Someone who could state, forthrightly, that "If there was ever a story that deserved more coverage by the news media, it's the dark persistence of misogyny in America."

Well, as Moe Tkacik from Jezebel points out, someone did:

Well, Geraldine, your charge that the media ignores sexism brought me back to a column I read about five months ago. "If there was ever a story that deserved more coverage by the news media," it opined, "it's the dark persistence of misogyny in America." Well, if it wasn't written by BOB HERBERT himself!

Today, by the way, is the one year anniversary of Jezebel, and if you'd like to be well-armed against misogyny, I'd suggest joining the 'Belles for their second year, and foregoing any further incoherence from Ferraro.

SMITH: You say the campaign is sexist. Can you cite examples?

FERRARO: Well yeah...I think...you know all the surrogates that they had out there from the black journalists...have you read Bob Herbert recently in the past six months? There wasn't one column that had anything decent to say about Hillary.

SMITH: Well, that's more media though. Is that the campaign?

FERRARO: Well, well...yeah...if you have conference calls with these people every week and you give them your message and they put your message in the paper, that to me is campaign. But I'll go further than that. When he...and, by the way, this is not an issue any longer in this campaign. I've been speaking about sexist behavior in this campaign since December.

SMITH: From the beginning.

FERRARO: It's not brand new. It started in the first debate when she was beaten up, not only by all the candidates onstage, but also by the moderator, Tim Russert. I was like a lunatic, I've known these people for a long time.

SMITH: Do you think that the media are in the tank for Barack Obama?

FERRARO: I think they've been there for about six months!

SMITH: All the media? Why?

FERRARO: Fox. I have to tell you, I beat up on Sean Hannity because every week...during the week...for a month...on that Sunday, Hannity's America, beating up on Hillary. And I said, "Will you cut it out." And he kept on saying, "Well you know how I feel about it." At least he's honest. It was not sexist. He just does not like Hillary under any circumstances.

Comments

[Aleka4]

I don't see sexism, honestly. I am a woman, and from my perspective all Clinton criticism is wholly due to her own conduct, actions and words, and i feel she would get just as *much* criticism for the same conduct, actions and words if she were male. It is not a gender thing, it is a character issue.

IF anything, I feel she's EXPLOITED her gender, which honestly -should- outrage actual feminists.

Ever notice every time she screws up - like this RK assassination thing - she almost always gets off really light? These same guys she calls evil sexists *won't* call her out the way they would a male counterpart for fear of being seen as bashing the woman - so they "act like a gentleman".

And she is totally exploiting that in order to effectively neuter the whole party. On the day Leahy asked her to concede, she *shamed* women by crying that the boys were picking on her, and noone has had the balls to push her ever since.

And IMO any woman who applauds THAT behavior - the figurative neutering of men by exploiting gender - is no feminist OR women's libber - they are a man hater, because what they are really cheering is "power OVER men" - not "equality TO men".

And now we know WHY Clinton, Ferraro and all the freaks at Taylor Marsh act the way they do.

[PennLawyer]

Ferraro is chaneling a malign Sicilian peasant, casting the Evil Eye (mal occhio) - typically a reflection of envy, jealousy and covetousness. The villagers snatch up their children and all dash inside and slam their doors shut as she walks down the road. She reduce herself to a caricature.

[Georgiadude]

More divisiveness by a Clinton surrogate, they still don't get it. They keep throwing mud hoping that something sticks.
Americans have had enough of Mrs. Clinton's tactics, at this point she just inflicting more damage on herself.

[kiga]

Geraldine Ferraro says it as it is; Obama started this sexist campaign and we will "reward" him in the fall with a vote for McCain, or just write in Hillary Clinton ( in the states that we can). Obama can't even unite his own party, how is he going to unite the country? fat chance!

[Aleka4]

Isn't your spite attractive!

Listen, give your mom back the keyboard and let the grownups who take voting seriously talk. I cannot beleive an actual adult who cares about the country, lives lost, war, or women's rights would post something as asinine and childish as what you just did.

[KrishnaCore]

Isn't there anyone out there that can silence this beastly, bitter woman. Her argument that Hillary's lack of success in her campaign is due to "sexism" is total bullshit. Her argument that Obama and his campaign are sexist, is totally and completely baseless. She bases this on his Annie Oakley comment. Come on now, what a joke.
Hillary Clinton (and Bill) is the one that has been constantly referencing race in the election, but BO hasn't said anything regarding Clinton being a woman.

[WasteNJ]

Analysis: Underhanded Clinton-esqe race baiting for a feminist audience. Play the victim while invoking imagery of a bullying, black male saying all kinds of sexist things (while failing to cite any real examples). Stoke the racial tension within her supporters as a motivator. Play up women's racial fears or black men for supposed political gain.
At least she shows her true colors. The fact that Clinton still has her out there stumping (on Fox news no less) says a LOT. Obama's staffer who called Clinton a "monster" hasn't been seen or heard from since he fired her.

And she was right!

[condew]

Why do we keep wasting time on Ferraro and the rest of the Clinton campaign?

Mentally, she is older than McCain and set in her ways,. She is blind to her own racism and sexism, yet has the audacity to criticise everybody else. She cannot be convinced of anything, so we should ignore her and move on.

There's got to be an issue or two that needs some attention. These personalities are just more distraction from the real work that needs to be done.

[debrouillard]

According to this woman.
If you are white ,you say something that isnt critical of Obama,your are a sexist.
If you are Black ,you are racist.
I dont know what she will call White women you ever dare to not say only things Critical of Obama.
I know her colleagues in the Clinton camps have called them,Traitors to feminism,but what will she call them?

[Oeht]

Hillary and her surrogates are so much like BushCo. Nothing is ever their fault. They ran the perfect campaign, and sexism is the reason she lost. Forget the crazy campaign she ran, no mistakes there. Mark Penn is a genius. Those 11 straight losses Super Tuesday is the reason that she's behind. And don't forget Bosnia, or the fact that no major news network has brought up anything regarding the Clinton's past. Yeah thats because of sexism too. Get over it, she lost. She ran a horrific campaign. Am I sexist for calling her she?

[SethBLiNK]

So if Hannity says negative things about Hillary, it's cause he doesn't like Hillary. But if other people don't have anything good to say about her, that's sexism.

Would Obama call an opponent who suddenly claims love of guns "John Wayne" sure. Why not? Republicans were saying stuff like that about Romney.

And why is it Black Journalists.

This woman is a sexist and a racist.

[MalloMel]

This woman is definitely a racist... big time.

[Scarllatti]

I do not know how long this "IRRITANT" called Geraldine Ferraro has to live on this earth. Someone should please tell me her age. Until people who have the same mind set like her about race, especially in her generation ALL EXPIRE, America will be caught in this silly season as embodied by Ferraro. It is all a misplaced aggression for her not being elected a Vice President with Walter Mondale. Like Ferraro had "NOTHING" to offer that ticket then, she has absolutely NOTHING to offer in this political process. She is just an IRRITANT seeking for attention.

[EspritDeVoltaire]

Sexism against Clinton? No.

Ageism? More likely... McCain, Ferraro and Clinton are the ring leaders of the Over The Hill gang.

[Bummer]

I found this on another blog today.
Hilary you are wrong about the media being sexist towards you, are wrong about Barack using the gender issue. The truth is there are allot of honest, trustworthy,intelligent,strong and tuff women in politics" today that myself or any other man would support as a possible president, just not you. You have lied about so many thing's like the Whitewater scandal, Monica, Bosnia,Ireland,the woman and her baby that died, the assassination thing that you have said several time's in the past.(most of us believe you are to smart to make a mistake like that and you did it intently), The truth is that you have lied so much that you don't know what the truth looks like. If you really love this country, if you really care about the Democratic party, if you really care about the veteran's, if you really care about the blue collar worker's and the poor people. You will do the right thing and step down now, apologize to Barack and Michelle for the statement you made Saturday and throw your full support to Barack. If you don't do this, well I guess it will just add more lies to your long list.
Sincerely
A former supporter of you

[jriegel]

This poor old thing. She's rattled. In my opinion, as a woman, I think Obama sustained far more doubt and innuendo than did Mrs. Clinton. Let's face it ... there's nothing about the victim in Hillary Clinton. Her problem was that she ran a really awful campaign filled with insiders who haven't had a new thought since they put the husband in office. They missed every big and little thing. Out of touch with the cultural tenor of the country, out of control at 'on the ground' organizing, irrelevant messaging, nothing innovative. Geraldine Ferraro is a fine person who isn't looking at this with an unaided perspective. Open your eyes and you'll find the answer. This has nada to do with black journalists. Nada.

[Manx]

Ferraro should get together with Bill Clinton, Mark Penn, Howard Wolfson, Lanny Davis, James Carville, Paul Krugman and Paul Begala and form the Sour Grapes Party.

[booker52]

Ya know she is as bad as Bill. It's everybody's fault except Hillary's. Please give me a break.

[benman]

Ferraro and Clinton remind every sexist man of why they don't want women running the country.

[Flick08]

Beware the multitude of national black journalists whose numbers are so great that I can tick them off on almost one hand.

[tressie22]

ditto and double back to ditto again. you could pee bullets onto a burning bush comprised of all the world's journalists and R. Kelly would have a better record of black people hit.

puhleeze.

[Flick08]

There's a new Wack-a-Mole in town.

[PixelMarx]

Until a female candidate can run for office without claiming that "typical" barbs traded between candidates are examples of blatant sexism, then there is no chance a woman will make it to this office. I think we are just one generation away from this happening. If there was a woman of Obama's generation running for office It think this would be a non-issue, as the post-feminist era doesn't try to accuse every male of being a misogynist. Misandrynists such as Geraldine are a reflection of a time past, and symbolize the largest slip in the democratic party, one of age.

[Aleka4]

Its not just "typical" shes got LESS.

Ever notice every time she screws up she almost always gets off really light? These same guys she calls evil sexists won't call her out the way they would a male conuterpart for fear of being seen as bashing the woman - so they "act like a gentleman".

I mean look at this RK issue. Shes NEUTERED the whole damn party to where she can get away with saying shit like that and they all stand there stupidly, say nothing, and still want to show her the respect of letting her smash her baseball bat around for another week or so.

Why? Because they now fear the sexism charge. She knows it and that is why Ferarro is out and about - to ensure the neutering sticks, and to further poison women against Obama when they should be trying to unite them.

That is -exploiting- ones gender, the very -opposite- of feminism. They should both be ashamed of themselves.

[DShawn233]

Ahmmmm, does her statement include Black "Female" journalist???? Ferraro is like a boxer that does not see the fact that their time has passed.

[gapanther]

SHHH!! Dont ever point out logic!! Thats against the rules.

[GunnyJ]

Ferraro only has a platform 20 something years later because of who?............. Hillary Clinton! Why, because Ferraro is the vocal dark side of Clinton. Ferraro, like Clinton comes from that mold where they say what they want and when they get called for it they cry foul. We'd be better off to ignore Ferraro, she has been a mess from the day Mondale mistakenly thought she was political gold by putting her on the ticket in 1984. Mondale's gold turned to lead when he lost every state in the election, not mention seedy ties Ferraro's husband brought to the table..............and so it goes!

[jkpcguru]

She's causing alot of damage. I'm beginning to think that she is becoming the democratic party of 2008's biggest liability.

I understand that she is upset with so called sexism in this campaign. But attaching Barack Obama to this and claiming that her intent is to get the media to fund a study on sexism is a bunch of bullshit.

OK Obama might have made a few statements that could be construed as sexist whether it was unintentional or intentional. Barack Obama is our presumptive democratic nominee. You don't attach your party's presumptive democratic nominee to such a thing, whether its true or not.

She is sabotaging the democratic party.

She really taking a knife, digging it in Obama and twisting it around.

Hillary was just caught saying that she's waiting for Obama to be assasinated. It has been said that it was unintentional. Do we see Obama complaining?

Obama has been a victim of racism in this campaign. Does he complain? NO!

The other thing is:

Hillary is running to be the president of the united states. She running to break the glass ceiling.

Wining about sexism is not going to get her either. She's hurting the chances of women running for president in the future each passing day.

[Newman9]

Why does anyone think that this cheap racist has any relevance in todays politics? Why does the press even bother with her?

[debrouillard]

This race of 2008 has uncovered many things that America didnt know about America. Mrs Ferrero has been a politician for over 40 years and she doesnt know the difference between a comference call and campaign and yet she was almost voted in as VP of the USA once upon a time.

What Barack has done in this race is to uncover all this people sitting in positions they dont deserve in the first place. Politics and power in America has always been about who knows who,and who has how much money.

Mrs Ferraro doesnt know the difference between a campaign,a surrogate and an conference call. And we wonder why America is heading in the wrong direction? Here is why,we are being lead by people who dont know what they are doing.

[WasteNJ]

This process sure has shed some light on more than a few people's real beliefs. I know Ferraro knows full well the difference between campaigns, conf. calls and surrogates. What she's doing, and what the HRC camp does, is conflate differing points into one supposed "fact", for easy digestion by Fox news viewers.

[MikeMidCity]

When I was a kid I used to admire Ms. Ferraro, voted for her and was proud that a woman was running for a national office and that she was a Democrat.

What happened to her?

[EllieLA]

Hahaha! This woman is ridiculous! Have to laugh or I would weep. Next she'll say every African American is a surrogate for Obama...they're all the same, right?
She has no place in this race. What happened to Ferraro and Clinton? As a young woman I looked up to both. Now they are reinforcing stereotypes about women...they need to go away before they destroy their legacies.