Hill to Pitbull: Bite Me
Reading the newspaper the last few days I couldn't help being reminded of that Seinfeld episode with Raquel Welch, the one where the men on the show take every opportunity to shout "catfight." The joke of course is that men are so titillated by the prospect of a catfight between women that if two females so much as sneeze near each other it's likely to elicit mock hissing noises and clichéd "claws are out" references. So when there actually is a real battle between women -- whether in the form of mud wrestling, pillow fighting or campaigning -- it's enough to make men -- and the media -- go ga-ga. I was of course reminded of this while reading the recent news coverage of Sarah Palin versus Hillary Clinton.
For a split second I almost thought I'd missed something, like the fact that maybe unbeknownst to me the two women were actually running against each other, but nope they're not (at least not yet.) But that hasn't stopped the media from going bananas over the fact that one day they might. While one New York Times headline simply asked "The Real '08 Fight: Clinton v. Palin?"
The New York Post went with the more understated cover, "LADY KILLER: Hill to Check Hockey Mom."
(The Post simply couldn't resist and also slipped in a "Dem-Fatale" reference for good measure.)
While the coverage makes clear that part of the fascination with the Clinton v. Palin narrative comes from the contest for female voters -- specifically so-called "Hillary voters," the reality is that no true Hillary voter is even a McCain/Palin prospect, something on which Republican strategist Leslie Sanchez and I found a rare moment of agreement during our recent appearance on CNN. And in fact since the selection of Palin, Obama has actually widened his lead among female voters, according to polls.
But this need to pit Palin against Clinton is in many ways to be expected. Any minority candidate (yes I know women are now technically the majority but as far as candidates go they are not) finds themselves being compared to other minorities a lot more than they are compared to candidates they actually have more politically in common with, but happen not to look like. (Consider this: How many articles have you read about the true head to head matchup between Palin and Biden compared to Palin versus Clinton)? And just think about the endless stream of articles about how Barack Obama is not like other black candidates. But why would he be like Jesse Jackson when he has practically nothing in common with the man except skin color and living in the same state?
While I admit to participating in some of this analysis, if you really think about it the idea that we still compare candidates along racial and gender lines is fundamentally stupid, particularly in instances where there is absolutely no comparison.
Besides sharing the same anatomical equipment Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have little in common. Aside from their policy differences, on practically every conceivable issue (abortion, gun control -- you name it and they probably don't agree on it) their resumes are laughably incomparable: Mom and mayor of Wasilla, Alaska versus mom, lawyer and United States Senator. I know very little about sports but I do know this much: Trying to compare Sarah Palin to Hillary Clinton is like comparing a captain of a high school softball team to Derek Jeter.
So let the media craft their imaginary catfight -- that's all it is, a figment of the imagination.
And for the record: I'm just waiting for Saturday Night Live (which finally made itself politically relevant again with its parodies of the recent Democratic primaries), to set up a sketch depicting Clinton and Palin battling it out as catfighting captains of opposing roller derby teams. Palin (portrayed by Maya Rudolph perhaps?), will be the captain of the Lady Pitbulls and will warn Clinton in a charming Alaskan accent that she is "a pitbull in lipstick." Just then Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton rolls up on Palin and says "Oh yeah pitbull -- well bite me" knocking Palin to the ground. Hill then skates off. Everyone has a good laugh.
Follow Keli Goff on Twitter: www.twitter.com/keligoff
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All voters are urged to check their ballots before leaving the polls on November 4th. Apparently in 2004, a Texas woman had voted a straight Democrat ticket but saw that her vote had been changed to Bush/Cheney for Pres./VP. This is just the tip of the iceberg I believe of how the Bush/Cheney White House have continued to steal American votes. Pass it on.
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I am tired of hearing about Pain. She is not running for president so lets consentrate on McCain an Obama and this country. I am also tired of hearing the same old speeches from McCain and Palin. I have not heard anything from McCain on how is he going to provide America with affordable healthcare and what does he consider affordable? To a million and billion anything could be considered affordable to them but what is affordable to the average miminum wage worker or unemployed worker? How is McCain going to protect this environment? Where is the money going to come from to pay for all the things McCain promises he is going to do yet have not told America how he plans to do it. People should wake up a hockey mom, walmart mom or what ever has nothing to do with the issues. America think about your future. Do you want more home forclosures? Do you want more lost jobs? Do you want more unemployment? Do you want more high gas prices or higher gas prices? McCain needs to tell America what thiings he plans to do, how he plans to do these things and where the money is going to come from.
Hillary came to Tampa last night, and the room was packed. She did an outstanding job of getting the message out. The room was full of women of all ages-- many brought their young daughters along. She was on point on Obama's message, and strongly urged her followers to back him. I was once again so impressed with this woman of courage.
All the continued Hillary bashing from the conservatives is not surprising considering that 71.9% of McCain's donors are male-- and we can guess what kind of males those are. They are the type of men that want a Palin as VP, understanding (wink, wink) that she will quickly report back to the kitchen to bake cookies if the country suffers-- especially women-- a McCain election. Obama donors, on the other hand, are more evenly reprentative of the population-- 58% male and 41% female.
I've been saying get rid of the electoral college for many years. It serves no purpose in this day and age. As far as the "catfight" BS, c'mon...Se
Yeah-BOTH those Republican candidates are a real LAUGH RIOT! I already laugh at the Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert 'sendups'. I find John McCain to be rather humorless myself. But then again, THAT is another REASON WHY he just isn't cutting the umbilical cord after the convention. He KNOWS he's going to loses some of that bounce-that 'pollster's opinion' . And he KNOWS he won't be able to sustain the crowd levels either, once she goes out on her own. Sooo-JOHN McCAIN has already 'cancelled Sarah's family leave'! SOME ADVOCATE FOR WORKING WOMEN! "What? Your son is going to Iraq in a few days? Gee-I support the troops (NOT) and I support you wanting to be with him for a few days before he leaves. But GEE WHIZ SARAH-there's SUCH A LOT OF WORK here and we JUST CAN'T DO WITHOUT YOU! Tell you what-Just come out on the campaign trail with me and give that real ZINGER of a speech a couple more times (she's repeated the same lines at LEAST 10 times in the last four days-maybe MORE), sign a few autographs on FLAGS THAT WE STOLE, and then go up to ALASKA (with THREE electoral votes) and say bye to Track for maybe a COUPLE of DAYS and well--we'll CUT A DEAL on WHEN you GET THE REST OF YOUR LEAVE--Okay?!" NOW THAT would make a REALLY GREAT SNL sketch! REALLY!
Love the headline, and would like to add:
Hill's Supporters to Pitbull: Bite Me!
I couldn't care less about a catfight, and I don't fault Palin with anything she's doing, she's doing the best she can under the situation. My problem is the stupid people who think Palin is anything but a poitician, and who shouldn't even be compared with Obama who has fought through the toughest primary I've ever seen, and DESERVES to be there, so say 18 million people. Palin comes on the scene for 12 days or whatever, picked by one man, and she's allegedly soooo good and sooooo for the people. She's a POLITICAN, wake up people!
Oh I just want to hear Tina Fey stand up to the comparisons she's been getting to Palin - Fey is far more fetching than Palin - it should be just the thing for her to get riled about!
McCain-Palin - A Bushco extender and a VP pretender!
All Hillary can do by campaining in this election is assure a larger Republican turnout. Hillary is history. Let's focus on the future.
We true Clinton supporters know that Clinton is a BIG GUN. There is no reason to pull out a big gun to take out Pipsqueak Palin, who is no more than an annoying mosquito.
But that is a very apt and relevant point that the articles--
Seriously, Press? Seriously?
They need to pull out Hill now. Not to take on Palin, but to take on John McCain. She needs to start calling him out on his lies. Her future White House prospects may depend on it. I don't think anyone could with a straight face rule her out for 2016. But if, God help us, Obama loses, she will likely get part of the blame. It would be patently unfair to blame Hill in any way, but that is the way some people will go.
Hill to Pitbull: Bite Me
Great article, but you could have stopped with that.
THE BEST I'VE READ YET !!!
I completely agree that Hillary should not get into a verbal catfight with Palin. I do however want to see Hillary stand up strong or her beliefs, which are so close to Obamas. As hard as they fought each other in the primary I can't imagine anyone who was a Hillary supporter to go against Obama in the general. It makes no sense at all. If there is a feeling of degrading treatment of women it certainly doesn't reflect anything Obama ha said. McCain can't bring himself to say empowering things toward or about women. You can see it just grates on his nerves.
The nomination of Governor Sarah Palin is yet another assault to the principle of American meritocracy which was at the core of our nation's founding. Governor Palin is a shining example of how the Republican party errs on the side of partisanship over patriotism at every turn. While she offers great electoral benefits to the Republican party (in the way that she mobilizes the extreme right wing of her party), her record shows her to be intellectually and ethically bankrupt.
How can an American take the Republican party seriously, when the Republican party does not take America seriously?
Before you pull the lever in November, ask yourself: What has the Republican party done for me lately?
Perfectly said.. Palin is irrelevant
Tell yourself: I deserve better..
No Hillary voter will vote for Palin? Keep dreaming. You know, reality will help brace you for November. Are you democrats really goingwake to wake up after election day AGAIN and ask "how can this be?".
Perhaps you are not aware of the large amount of new and young voters that have been recruited by Obama, or the huge online community he has, or the local organizations working within their communities; and that none of these are factored into the 'opinion' polls. It is also possible that Obama may have his own October surprise a'comin'.
So before you republicans sit back, it's possible you may be the ones who wake up and ask 'how can this be?'
Only the ones that voted for Hill because she had a vagina. Sorry, TODD, but you don't know women! We actually have brains and don't think with our, well, you know.
Did you vote for messiah in the primaries? Just checking about that "have brains" part!
GO HILLARY 2012-2020
Do you really think women are that stupid? I think Ms. Goff's comparison of a high school captain vs. Derek Jeter is if anything an understatement of how wide apart these two women really are. Hillary Rodham Clinton is superior to Sarah Palin in every concievable way.
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