I've just sent an email to Susie Tompkins Buell of San Francisco, the proud and angry "Hillraiser." It's probably a bit early for her to comment as I requested, but I'll post her reply later if I receive one.
She and other Hillary uber-loyalists can't be happy to read this morning's AP story about a riff by comedian Bernie Mac, a Chicago native and FOB (as in Friend of Barack -- NOT as in Friend of Bill.)
At an Obama $2300-a-head fundraiser last night in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Chicago the host of the The Bernie Mac Show let profanity and misogyny creep into his standup routine, including, according to the AP, a joke about menopause (that'll be big among Hillraisers and other FOHs) and the following: "My little nephew came to me and he said, 'Uncle, what's the difference between a hypothetical question and a realistic question? I said, I don't know, but I said, 'Go upstairs and ask your mother if she'd make love to the mailman for $50,000. Hypothetically speaking, we should have $100,000. But realistically speaking we live with two hos."
The famous comedian also called Obama "a man's man." When women hear that phrase they usually don't jump up and down with joy and approval.
Once onstage 15 minutes later, Obama seemed to rebuke the comedian, but not really. "We can't afford to be divided by race. We can't afford to be divided by region or by class and we can't afford to be divided by gender, which by the way, that means, Bernie, you've got to clean up your act next time. This is a family affair. By the way, I'm just messing with you, man."
So did the last line let Bernie off the hook?
I read this AP report just minutes after reading an Los Angeles Times report that Obama had called Hillary backer Jill Iscol last Thursday and during the conversation had assured Iscol, who took the opportunity to lobby for Hillary as VP, that Hillary was on the shortlist, but that the selection was complicated by the fact that she is married to Bill, a former president of the United States. Reporter Peter Nicholas interpreted that to mean not that Bill's post presidential life is a gift-wrapped Pandora's Box for the Republicans -- a point I make Clinton in Exile, my book on Bill's post presidency -- but rather that the Oval Office is too small to contain a sitting president and a former president.
Iscol of Westchester, New York told Nocholas, "... nobody has been vetted the way she has been vetted. We need to pick the most qualified, wisest, smartest, experienced person to serve our country alongside of Barack Obama. And I think it's Hillary Clinton. We need her, and the party needs her, and it will be a ticket that will steamroll its way to the White House."
Like Susie Buell in her conversation with me that same day -- see my post in which Buell, co-founder of the Esprit clothing company and a backer of the Clintons since 1991, goes into detail about the lack of respect show both Hillary and Bill by Obama and his people.
Iscol said she'd wait to see if the Obama campaign helps Hillary pay down her debt--not looking so good now -- and whether Obama selects her as VP before deciding whether to back Obama financially. On the latter condition, Obama cannot possibly be planning to give the nod to Hillary, so he might as well strike her name -- and Susie Buell's -- from his donor list.
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Glad to hear she's a Democrat first, and a Clintonista second. I was worried there for a second.
And you'll also need to state loudly and clearly and publicly to Hillary herself that she must stop rolling over for sexist jokes. Don't waste time here telling us. Tell Hillary.
It was poor judgment to invite Bernie Mac to introduce the senator at a fundraiser. A joke about an 8-year-old and whores is in very poor taste. If I'd been there, I would have walked out and requested my donation be returned.
The decision to hold Obama's acceptance speech at a football stadium appears to be a very expensive move, with a bonus of poor acoustics.
Allowing his daughters to be interviewed was an unwise decision, in my opinion, but his immediate disavowal and disingenuous explanation that he didn't think it would get so much attention, made it worse.
Senator Obama and his advisors need to reduce their schedules to allow them to get 8 hours of sleep per night. The unhealthy hours they are keeping are not good for them or the voters.
AND THEY ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR THE MAN , John McCain who said that Hillary Clinton's daughter is so ugly because her father is Janet Reno.
AND THEY ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR JOHN McCAIN WHO OUT OF HIS OWN MOUTH MDE A WIFE BEATING JOKE.
AND THEY ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR THE MAN JOHN McCAIN WHO LAUGHED WHEN A SUPPORTER CALLED HILLARY CLINTON A B*TCH!
AND THEY ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR THE MAN, JOHN McCAIN WHO SAYS THAT HE WOULD HAVE VOTED AGAINST WOMEN BEING PAID THE SAME AS A MAN, FOR DOING EQUAL WORK, JOHN McCAIN EXPLAINED THAT HE WOULD VOTE AGAINST WOMEN GETTING PAID EQUALLY BECAUSE WHAT THE NEED IS NOT EQAUL PAY, BY MORE EDUACTION, AND TRAINING.
IF HILLARY CLINTON'S SUPPORTERS THINK THAT JOHN McCAIN IS THE TYPE OF MAN HILLARY WOULD SUPPORT, THEY ARE FOOLING THEMSELVES!!!
Where in this article does it say anything of the sort?
All kidding aside, I am starting to find the cult of Clinton a little disturbing. Ironic it was a charge they leveled at Obama supporters repeatedly over the primaries. I've never seen the word Kool-Aid used so many times. But in truth it's starting to appear less and less about Hillary herself, and rather some idealized image they have of her. It makes me think of girls from school who joined fan clubs. What's next? Hillary lunch boxes? Hillary dolls in yellow pantsuits that punch through a miniature glass ceiling? It truly is getting a little over the top.
The misogyny and sexism charges are starting to grate. There are women who truly have problems in this area. It's an insult to them. Besides, if it was truly such a concern, I think Hillary herself might have used some of her "testicular fortitude" to call down the man who praised her for having it. I seem to remember she smiled.
What is wrong with you people? Have you lost all common sense? As a woman I am offended not by the joke but by you believing that women are so simple minded that we cannot distingush between a joke and real sexism.
Where was your outrage when someone from Hillary's side said she had testicular fortitude? Or when James Carville said Obama can borrow one of Hillary's b-- and then he would have two? Is it only a joke when it comes from her side?
You give John Mccain a free pass on all that he has done against women but attack Obama on the slightest whim. If you are looking for a reason to not support Obama find a REAL reason. But don't try to invent something that is not there.
Obama deserves much more respect than you are giving him. And in the long run you are only undermining the cause that you claim to be fighting for if its truly about misogyny and sexism.
Hillary and Bill lost. It is way past "high time" for her supporters to climb down from their very high horses and get over their loss. If they want to vote for McCain, so be it. If they want to sit home, fine with most of us. But if they want to see a Democrat in the White House come next January, it's time to suck it up, walk it off, and line up with the rest of the team.
IIs this comment about this article?
Seriously.
seems like a bit of rather ironic projection going on here.
I have no idea how this comment relates to Ms. Felsenthal's post.
Not a clue?
Enlighten us please.
I make fun of my hot flashes and a lot of other things about the aging process too but there are times that it would be inappropriate to do so.
And I'm a pretty damn funny person.
LOL
Somehow, I doubt that.
Get a hobby!
Carol