Want to See Sexism? Try Calling Your Opponent a Ditz and Joking About Clinton's Death
I know there's a good amount of anger at the sexism in the media, and it's pretty raw. But do you want to see sexism, overt sexism, used by the GOP? Check out this ad Congressman Dave Reichert ran against progressive Democrat Darcy Burner in 2006.
Darcy Burner is a Harvard educated former Microsoft group program manager who oversaw a staff of about 40 people with a budget of $17 million, and this year, she authored a Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq. She is brilliant, accomplished, and a hell of a candidate, but Reichert in 2006 successfully portrayed her as a dumb ditzy blond who would do whatever Democrats told her, in contrast to the wise older experienced man.
A few days ago, Reichert joked about Hillary Clinton dying in a plane crash, a joke he's been telling since last February. He used a grossly sexist and nasty campaign in 2006 to keep his seat in Congress and vote against women's rights. And just watch him interrupt Darcy Burner during a debate, in order to argue in favor of denying birth control to women.
These videos are really quite stunning. Dave Reichert's jokes about Hillary Clinton dying are just the latest in a career of using sexist slurs and innuendo to deny women full equality.
If I ran a feminist organization or ran a feminist blog or had a basic sense of fairness or equity, I might demand that Reichert apologize. Or I could keep complaining about Obama or Clinton while ignoring the rampant sexism that keeps female leadership from emerging.
Follow Matt Stoller on Twitter: www.twitter.com/matthewstoller
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
MATT: DID YOU NOTICE? And it has NOTHING at all to do with YOU! I commend YOU GREATLY for writing this piece! BUT notice there are only two pages comments - only TWO PAGES of INTEREST on this very serious and critical issue.
Imagine if this was an article of the same nature about RACE!
GENDER and the fact that SEXISM AND MISOGENY contributes GREATLY to the fact that 1 out of 3 women in this country are subject to violence and sexual assault - This ought to be of GREAT concern if you have a "girl" child IN THIS COUNTRY!
RACE is of course - a critical issue in this country as well! BUT when will the people in this country CARE about these issues of GENDER? Hillary Rodham Clinton's candidacy AND your example of Darcy Burner are only the tip of the iceberg!
Thank you for bringing this to the nation's attention. It's horrible.
The joke in question was really distasteful, mostly because it wasn't funny.
The ad was also crap layered with crap. Ditzy blonde? In the subtext, overall it was horrible, subtle, and probably did little to sway the undecideds.
However, the debate was atrocious. Interrupting. Forgetting the question. One word answer. What, Sheriff GreenRiver? You don't think you owe us an explanation? Or did you forget the question so quickly again?
His entire first run at congress was built on him 'catching' the Green River killer. The fact he hadn't touched the case in nearly two decades and it took a ridiculous amount of time to catch the serial killer doesn't seem to matter to voters east of the lake, so why should sexism?
As a Washingtonian I thank you for drawing attention to Reichert's blatant misogyny.
Thank you for drawing ATTENTION to the rampant sexism and hateful misogyny that surfaced and ALLOWED in the MEDIA during this primary and for other women running for office. Why didn't we read more of this WHILE HILLARY was campaigning? And early on so she would have had a FAIR chance, as Barack Obama certainly had - that BOTH candidates deserved during this historic election? And what is going to be done about this serious problem with the MEDIA who is clearly now running the elections in this country? And influencing whether or not we go to war! It's an outrage! Who is going to stop it?
AS for Feminist Organizations and women who make money in this field!!
Where were YOU "MS Magazine?"
Where were YOU "Feminist Majority?"
AND where were YOU Eve Ensler?
Where were YOU Jane Fonda?
Where were YOU Arianna Huffington? ad nauseum
Did you ALL somehow think that our first woman candidate DESERVED this kind of treatment?? Why did YOU ALL remain SILENT and turn your heads to the intense psychological violence, the rampant sexism and misogyny that not only Hillary Rodham Clinton, OUR VERY FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE had to endure but that SO many other WOMEN had to watch and endure and watch set back after set back for all that's been accomplished in the past on violence against women!!!
WHERE WERE YOU? This was an extraordinary chance for you to SPEAK UP about the ongoing violence against women??!
I was working in Renton Washington around the time of this race. I believe Ms. Burner lost because she was badly outspent in the last weeks of the campaign. Mr. Reichert was able to define Ms. Burner as a tax raiser. No effective counter-attack ads were aired. At least none based on what I saw or heard. My point is that sexism wasn't as important in her defeat as campaign spending. Too bad.
I happen to live in Dave Reichert's district. I didn't vote for him in '06, but this column is REALLY thin. I don't happen to believe in PC 24/7. I don't know what the joke is that is referred to here, but I can guess as I've probably heard similar jokes many times over the years. The Clintons ethics seem to attract these kind of jokes.
I don't get why the thin-skin libs make so much of this. I personally don't see ANY thing wrong with the ad. In fact, it's pretty clever and much the same message that Clinton has been trying to pin on Obama ever since January.
Lighten up people. Humor in political ads tramps most of the slam-bam ads we are used to seeing like Hillary's 3 AM ad.
Too little, too late. The left is just as bad.
Nothing "stunning" about either of the videos. Sorry, Matt--maybe you are trying too hard. To see if it's a case of sexism, try replacing the female in the ad or the debate with a male. It's just politics, as per usual (thought not very effective in either case, in my opinion).
If Reichert "successfully portrayed" Darcy in the ad as "ditzy," it is only because she left his ad unanswered. An inexperience charge could be leveled at either gender!
People interrupt each other in debates all the time. Because the topic was birth control, should Darcy have had special privileges? THAT would be sexism.
As a 48-year-old professional woman, I've experienced sexism. The best way to overcome it is directly without whining. Hillary's campaign is a triumph for women in so many ways; it's a shame she is blaming outside forces for her campaign failure. Ironic, too, that she didn’t say anything about sexism until she was losing. Intelligent women who have been watching her for years now see that, instead of having the grace to admit defeat, she is willing to play "victim" which of course cedes the very power she is seeking. What a sad day for feminism. What example do we have to follow in Hillary Clinton? The next woman to run for the highest office in the land will be more self-aware.
Seriously, what price do you pay for being so intellectually savvy but emotionally cool?
I'll tell you what example - among MANY attributes that we, women and MEN can learn or "follow" as you put it - if you are a follower! From Hillary Rodham Clinton anyone can learn many things but especially in the world we face today - HOW TO NEVER GIVE UP! How to have staying power, strength and endurance through the increasing difficulties that many and at some level we ALL face in this ever evolving and currently chaotic WORLD! And especially IGNORE PEOPLE and bullies who want to flippantly invalidate your experiences!!!
And if you really are really a woman - and you really are in the middle of the corporate world experiencing sexism....
personally, i saw nothing "wrong" with either video. the first one points out the lack of experience of Ms. Burner and the second one, where he "interrupted her", sounded to me like she was finished when he first said "yes".
If you were there, you could tell she wasn't done. If you knew of Reichart, you would know he knew she wasn't done.
Sorry, the guy is a jackass.
Wow, amazing... if only someone hadn't started talking about assassinat
J
You and others are far too consumed with Hillary bashing. Some cannot discuss any issue whithout writing something negative about her. As another commenter pointed out, people like you are so obsessed with Hillary that you can't see straight. Take a deep breath, read the story, and direct your anger to one of the main subjects of the article.
Funny, I would have hoped that all Obama supporters would attack Reichert for joking about Hillary's death. You would have certainly been attacking Reichert, or blaming his words on Clinton's racism if the joke had been about Obama's death.
Matt,
I live next to Darcy's district and have spoken to her on several occasions and heard her speak a number of times. I am disappointed in what I see.
Though Darcy Burner is a cut above Reichert, she is not the person we need to help reverse the damage done by the GOP and the DINOs.
She is a DLC team player and though she will privately agree that populist issues are important she will not endorse them publicly. The problem is that she is all ready showing signs of DINOism and she hasn't even been elected. After exposure to the toxic environment in D.C., game over.
I don't know about you, but I'm tired of being asked to choose between the bad and the not quite as bad.
MATT:
While Congressman Dave Reichert was making his asinine comments McCain was just cheering him on. Yes McCain said and did nothing when someone who he supported and campaigned for behaved like a jackass and the oh so sanctimonious "moral and values," conservative republicans were silent.
So, Matt just remind all of those women who want to vote for McCain to spite Sen. Obama what they will be getting by voting for McCain and the republicans.
We're not voting for mcCain. We're just not voting for Obama.
Why?
I don't think "not voting for Obama" is not what your candidate (Hillary?) would recommend!
She told me last night that she will support Obama and make sure he is elected!
Why? Why are you so strongly against Obama when his policies and Hillary's policies are so similar? Is it just because he beat her? If so, that is a pretty lame excuse.
The sexism shows in that he would not have interrupted a man in the same way. Simple.
XME, you really need to get a life. Your tunnel vision is showing.
LMAO...you think I have tunnel vision? I'm not the one who sees sexism where it isn't. It's an excuse and it's pathetic. If you think "intertuping" someone is sexist, and this he wouldn't have done the same to a man, you clearly don't pay much attention how men treat men, and haven't experience true sexism, which is a lot more offensive than someone interruping a person.
Am I Missing Something? What Is The Problem?
I am an ardent supporter of Obama. I think Hillary Clinton's campaign has been filled with distortions and lies. And while she definitely experienced sexism, I would never say that is why she lost.
However, does that mean we say that sexism doesn't exist as so many commenters assert? The unfortunate reality in this society is that racism and sexism and classism are a part of our unequal society that we need to challenge wherever it raises its head. I am surprised by the comments.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
