A Joke About Menopause at a Barack Fundraiser? That'll Go Over Big With The Hillraisers

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.

Comments

[kohoutek]

"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."

********************

Glad to hear she's a Democrat first, and a Clintonista second. I was worried there for a second.

[wizened]

As far as the money goes, it sounds like a chicken and egg problem. I would imagine the Obama people have the advantage here since Hillary can't receive contributions to apply to the debt after the convention. Hillary should get her people in line unless she doesn't care about the money.

[PumaAnn]

This story made huge waves on site for disaffected Democrats. It's time women stop rolling over on sexist jokes.

[Freesia2]

Then rather than writing that here, I'm sure you're now going to be using your time demanding that James Carville apologize for the 3 cajones remarks? And the guy who praised her testicular fortitude should be on pins and needles waiting for your scathing reprimand for his remark.

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.

[Countdown09]

O in my opinion went out of his way to be respectfully to Hill. When many of his supporters were calling him a wimp and felt he should go after her in the same fashion she went after him, I rejected that idea. I knew had he treated her as she treated him it would cause a big problem if he became the nominee among her die hard women supporters. How wrong I was, he's not getting an ounce of respect nor credit from these die hard women Hill supporters. For whatever reason they've decided O should be held accountable and pay for Hill's loss. These women are doing more harm to women then they realize, talk about feeding a stereo type.

[terraprieto]

Where's that competent, disciplined Obama campaign we saw during the primaries?

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.

[nomobull]

and you think these points are valid why

[vallon]

THEN VOTE MCCAIN...jeez.

[JimR]

All 3 are pretty minor matters. Thanks for pointing out that overall, the Obama campaign is in GREAT shape!

[akhinaten]

a Rothschild calling the son of goat-herder elitist that was really Rich------

[realtalk]

I GUESS HILLARY SUPPORTERS ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR JOHN McCAIN WHO CALLED IS OWN WIFE A C*NT , AND DID IT INFRONT OF 3 REPORTERS, AND 2 CAMPAIGN AIDES!

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!!!

[wizened]

Very good comment. You have a great memory.

[ohmercy]

why are you shouting so hysterically?

Where in this article does it say anything of the sort?

[qwr]

Hillary Clinton supporters are older white women and social conservatives. The whole "misogyny" thing is a smokescreen. They would gravitate toward McCain in any case.

[4real]

Enough with all this FAKE outrage. John Mccain can call his wife a C--, make a wife beating joke, cheat on his crippled wife and then leave her for the same women, vote against equal pay for women, vote against choice for women and you want to call Obama a sexist because a comedian, NOT HIM, make a joke about some mythical woman?????

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.

[ProgressiveBum]

Thank you, I couldn't agree more...

[Countdown09]

4real - thank you! Well said and so very true.

[vernonbc]

So true, all of it. It astounds me, well it's one of the things that astounds me, that these supporters are also up in arms at the media for all their supposed sexism and somehow Obama's responsible for everything the media said? Good grief. Obama is being held to unheard of standards already by the media (and bloggers) who want to blame him for everything that comes out of someone else's mouth and now they want him to take responsibility for what the media said or they won't vote for him. Amazing.

[Freesia2]

I made a post earlier that didn't make it through. I'm not sure why. No matter, everyone is echoing the thoughts I had only you're saying it much better. Besides I wouldn't want to be overly sensitive. Someone might mistake me for a Hillary supporter. :-)

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.

[jade7243]

I did not realize we needed to kiss the ring, the feet and the behind of the either of the Clintons. When a comedian cannot do his material -- even Don Imus laid into the Clintons at the White House Correspondents' dinner during Monica-gate -- when a person cannot make a point lightly to someone else, when people must continue to walk on eggshells and tiptoes for fear of wakening the beastly ego of the Clintons, we are in serious trouble.

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.

[ohmercy]

what the hell are you talking about.
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.

[qwr]

I agree. I don't really care what the Clinton supporters do. I'm just sick of them threatening and using ridiculous things as excuses. What gets me most are those Clinton supporters who claim that they are leftists and that Obama has sold out. These are Clinton supporters, mind you! Poor, confused, people. Go to Counterpunch and see what they think of Clinton. (They don't think much of Obama either, but supporting Clinton was never even a question.)

[RationalDem]

For pete's sake...I'm a 46 year old woman who think the Hillraisers should lighten up already. I make jokes about my hot flashes all the time and I think that anyone who will withhold money from Obama with so much at stake isn't a true democrat.

[ohmercy]

it is an inappropriate venue... and jokes about ho's aren't funny in that venue. sorry. it is inappropriate.
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

[qwr]

"And I'm a pretty damn funny person."

Somehow, I doubt that.

[4President]

So Bernie Mac is a comedian who offends people and you care.

Get a hobby!

[lpeggy]

Did McCain's idea of killing Iranian citizens with cigarettes joke go over well with Hillary supporters? Why is Barack Obama responsible for EVERY THING any Black person on earth says? Should we hold McCain responsible for all offensive remarks by White people? Oh, no I forgot, he says them HIMSELF, so we can hold him responsible. Can't we?

[iswideopen]

Obama is not for sale. He is his own man. If he were white, you would never have the gall to go to these extremes. Keep your money, threat, and bribes. Hillary will not be vp. It is her political career you will ruin, not Obama's. Trust me on that one. I am one of the voting public. That is more powerful than any money you have to offer. Can you women alone buy, or vote Hillary into her senate seat in New York next time around. I didn't think so. This is more serious than you people know.

[eshalom]

Each and every Obama supporter, especially those who post at HuffPo, owes it to himself or herself to read Ryan Lizza's article in the New Yorker titled "Making It" that carefully details Obama's rise to the status of the presumptive nominee of the Democratic party. I only wish the article had been published 2 or 3 months ago before all the lemmings rushed over the cliff.

[truegreen]

Bernie Mac made NO reference to Hillary or her supporters. I would strongly suggest that women like Carol Felsenthal quit stoking flames or else they'll get burned.

[harriscrl3]

Give me a break with this nonsense if Hilary supporters isnt aboard the Obama bandwagon they will NEVER be because he is NOT hilary they are not supporters they are fanatics. Actually I cant even believe that because if they were her debt would be paid by them. I just think this HIlary issue is much ado about nothing those that didnt come on board were the same ones that said they were going to vote for McCain no matter who is the nominee ergo operation chaos.

Carol