The Battle of the Sex-ist between John McCain and Bill Clinton
I'm not sure who should win this week's award for Biggest Sexist in Politics. John McCain or Bill Clinton.
For that matter, we might also want to consider Pakistan's new president, Asif Ali Zardari, for the greeting he gave Sarah Palin when he first laid eyes on the 44-year-old hockey mom during their brief meeting yesterday at a New York hotel.
As the Los Angeles Times reported, the Pakistani leader swooned that Palin was "even more gorgeous" in person than he had imagined.
"You are so nice," Palin said demurely. "Thank you."
At which point, obviously sensing the gravity of the moment, a Zardari aide requested that the two new friends do a photo-op and shake hands.
"I'm supposed to pose again," Palin said coyly.
"If he's insisting," Zardari said gamely, "I might hug."
Unfortunately that's where the account of the photo-op ends so I can't confirm the hug.
Other than this knee-jerk (jerky?) diplomacy, you're probably wondering if they talked about anything foreign. Like, say, Pakistan's apparent problem with U.S. helicopters straying across its border with Afghanistan. Or the suicide truck bomb that destroyed the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad just the Saturday before, killing more than 40 people and wounding at least 200 more. I guess, as with most things McCain, we'll have to rely on hearsay or, in this case, the word of Palin's foreign policy tutor. The only print reporter permitted to hear her grave discussions with world leaders got nixed at the last second by the campaign.
Still kudos to Columbian President Alvaro Uribe, who didn't seem quite as smitten by the Alaska governor's looks. Maybe that's because he's from a much warmer climate where they don't appreciate the value of field dressing a moose or the idea that because you can see Russia from your state that you have awesome foreign policy credentials!
Which reminds me. As someone who has been to Mexico frequently and used to sneak across the Tijuana border with her high-school friends to drink, I'd like to apply for Ambassador to Mexico or Drug Czar.
But back to chauvinism. I'm not the only female reporter who's irate about the treatment our Republican v.p. nominee has been suffering at the hands of boorish male politicians. (Insert name of John McCain here.) Earlier this week Campbell Brown scolded McCain good for not treating Palin with the same dignity and respect he'd reserve for a male candidate by keeping her from the press. Not even letting her speak! What's he afraid of? Right on, Campbell!
In a week when middle-class people who'd lost their homes were being asked to save millionaire CEOs, this was the sanest thing I heard. As Brown pointed out, Palin is not only a "strong" woman but she's from Alaska, for god's sake! Surely, a gal who doesn't blink when it calls for shooting wolves from helicopters can handle a few city-slicker-reporters? Ya think?
Naturally I couldn't wait to see Katie Couric's interview with Palin.
Unfortunately the governor couldn't answer the one question about her running mate that I hoped (prayed?) she could. And that was to provide specifics on McCain's 26-year record curbing greed on Wall Street. When Katie couldn't get a straight (coherent?) answer from Palin the first time, she kindly gave her another chance. No go.
"I'll try to find ya some and bring 'em to ya!" Palin offered the CBS anchor helpfully, as if she were going to rush back to Wasilla to unearth some of Alaska's famed gigantic produce.
At least now we know the reason McCain won't let Palin roam too far from home.
As for Bill Clinton, did he not see Brown's speech? I guess not. Because on "Larry King Live" last night he gushed about Palin in the worst way. Praising her as if she were Hillary's soul mate. Never mind that the two women don't agree on anything, as "Saturday Night Live" pointed out in a hilarious skit on Clinton and Palin. Or that we have a pretty big election at stake and that Clinton sometimes has trouble saying the guy-who-beat-Hillary's name. (Psst! It's Barack Obama!) When King showed a clip of Palin complimenting Hillary for blazing the trail for her, the still-grieving president looked like he was going to cry.
"They like families that hang together," added Clinton of Palin's appeal to rural voters. "She and her husband and their kids come off as gutsy and real. I find her an appealing person."
And he doesn't think it's a "productive" use of "an ex-President's" time to criticize the inexperienced v.p. candidate.
I wonder if he would be so forgiving if Hillary and not what's-his-name had been the Democratic nominee?
Follow Mona Gable on Twitter: www.twitter.com/monalg
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Mona, your story, once again, puts the blame on others, not the VP herself. Quit making her into a victim and let the woman who introduced herself to the country as a pit bull with lipstick live in the bed she made. When you treat a campaign like a pageant, expect to be greeted as a contestant. When you should have said "thanks, but no thanks" to the job because I am not ready for it, expect criticism for the terrible answers that you provide. When you refuse to hold your own press conference that is not scripted, expect the press and the people to notice that you are afraid and uninformed. Palin is not qualified to be the VP, not because anyone has treated her unjustly, but rather because she is not qualified. Period.
Well, How can someone be called sexist when "she" doesn't present her experience and rather flirts her way through and opens her mouth to spit the "wrongs" ...I don't think she is pretty but then again...I'
I wonder if Clinton would be "working" if Hillary had won. Would he also have had to wait until the end of the Jewish Holiday? I think that it is simply disgusting to see the former leader of the Democratic Party do everything in his power to undermine the current leader of the Party. His over-enthusiastic praising of McCain is disgusting given that this is the same man who called his daughter - his only child - "ugly."
Was he honorable then Mr. Clinton? Or was he honorable when he left his crippled wife in order to wed (and lie about her age) his young heiress? Or how about his admittedly "many" affairs? Ooops, sorry. You wouldn't know anything about unfaithfulness, do you Mr. Clinton?
This isnt about the clintons. Can we stop blaming someone else for our bad choices in goverment? instead of sitting at work eating yoru emotions, or sitting on front of the tele...GET OUT AND HELP OBAMA get elected ....The clintons have done WAY enough ...we can't someone else for their work.
I do see your point, yet it is noted that many Democrats (especially the "Reagan Democrats"), and many Independents who are undecided, love Bill and when he speaks lovingly of a man who is giving us the Springer Show daily and not standing up for the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, then it becomes relevant. He can stay out of the mix by refraining to answer. If he continues to speak in this manner, he will continue to be criticized. When I do go out and talk to people (every weekend) who aren't decided, the Clinton factor comes into play. They wonder why Bill hasn't followed up his DNC speech with more of the same. They are listening to him and wondering why he is not more supportive. If he isn't endorsing Barack Obama with sincerity, then those very needed undecided votes may go elsewhere.
Your title is kind of misleading. I thought I was going to have to defend my candidate.
But instead your article was dead on, full of facts.
Thank you! On behalf of women everywhere!!
I think Mona is being tongue in cheek here and does see the utter shallowness of Palin. The Couric interview is even worse than the Charlie Gibson interview. Palin's arrogance is beyond my comprehension; maybe in Alaksa someone who is such a poor speaker (grammar, syntax, etc) with so little grasp of the world is thought to be impressive. If McCain weren't so old, and Palion not so near the Presidency, I would think this a very bad joke...ins
As for Bill Clinton he is despicable to risk handing the election to the Republicans and the likes of McCain/Palin. His lavish praise for McCain today made me physically ill.
Great send-up, Mona! Seems to have gone over a lot of heads.
the incredible sexism of john mccain
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Why shouldn't Palin have the same right as any guy to go out and prove that she's an idiot?
Outrageous.
~Wolflady~
My God; Palin looked awful in the Couric interview. With weeks to prepare for questions regarding her supposed Russian foreign policy expertize, she could only sputter and ramble. No wonder McCain is trying to delay the VP debates.
"'They like families that hang together,' added Clinton."
Did I miss something? Aren't the Obamas hanging together as a family? Or is that something that only white rural families do? Obama and his wife are raising two wonderful young women, but of course they don't have family values.
See this is the subtle racism that exists in our society and that the Clintons tapped into for their late primary rally. It is just like that "blue-collar" worker bullshit. It's not that Obama as a person can't connect with blue-collar workers. It's that there are still a lot of racists who would never vote for a black man. And the Clintons actively courted their votes.
Bill was trying to fool some Reps into voting for Obama, but he fooled some Obamaites too. Reps don't have a monopoly on stupidity after all.
Thats why they call him Slick :)
Your last line is not only redundant, it is wrong.
If you had been listenng more carefully, you would have noticed what Bill didn't say. He didn't say she was qualified to be President. He said she had family values, because her family was hanging together in spite of some problems. Everyone knows what those problems are...
And not every family has "those problems." Yet it seems that they are the only ones who get any respect. How about respect for fidelity, kindness, intelligence, instilling strong work ethics and studying, respect for people and animals, dance recitals and decent fun? I realize the two families have much in common, yet not all of us watch or care for the Springer Show.
k_pr, I completely agree with you. Thank you for the honesty of your post.
Oh by the way whatever happened to Michelle I haven't seen hide nor hair of her in some time. Is she under wraps. I know she started up with some flubs that were finessed later. Subtle racism, tsk tsk whatever could you mean. White rural famailes I guess they cling to their guns and religion. I think Obama has actually done well in some rural states. Maybe the rural white folks or their blue collar people know what the liberal intelligentsia thinks about them. They aren't cool enough. Yes they are rural and white because those are areas that multicultural groups do not immigrate to. Immigrants tend to go to urban centres where the opportunites are and where they can meet kindred folk. There is no such influx to the rural areas. Yes Sarah probably worked in odd jobs, went off to a state university, didn"t "do the pyramids" as monied people would sending their kids off to exotic sites. These folks know snobs when they see them.
Or maybe those white rural blue collar workers share many of the same struggles as African Americans and realize that their lives are far more familiar to the Obama's than the man who married into money, has eight homes and 13 cars. As for Michelle, she is home raising her children or campaigning in small venues. Now that is the family values people in small towns and big cities appreciate. Stop claiming small town people are not intellectual. They can sense a phony a million miles away...
I'm black and he didn't get my vote. Am I a racist too since you can't find anyother excuse for why Obama isn't appealing to some voters. It couldn't be a question of what the hell have you done, that makes you think I should hand the country over to you in it's worst condition.
Women, get it together!! They are not letting Palin speak because she doesn't have the answers to the questions being asked. NOT because she's a woman. Crying sexism at every turn devalues actual sexism.
It was disrespectful the way some of those world leaders interacted with Palin. But then, she gave Kissinger a kiss on the cheek and he loved it. Like a Granddaughter. So cute.
Bill is not being helpful to Barack and if he didn't want to do that, I wish that he would have just let that be known and been through with it. I certainly wouldn't have watched his appearances. It was a waste of my time to the extent that I did watch and I won't bother in the future. The subject of Bill Clinton is closed for me--fan that I once was...
Mona, the way in which Palin presents herself, is the way she will be recieved. Palin has not earned any respect , she is letting herself be "Used, by the "Pig ' Mccain and the republican party. The lack of respect shown her is what she deserves.
Mona Gabin has just let her gender down by pretending that Sarah Barracuda is a worthwhile representative:
(1) How will Sarah do on her own? They have rehearsals to answer this question. She flunked, which is why they are hiding her.
(2) Hillary Clinton was a star student, her class Valedictorian, and was on the cover of Time magazine when she was 22.
(3) John McCain graduated from Annapolis in the bottom 1% of his class.
(4) Bill Clinton was a Rhodes scholar.
I've given up trying to figure out what Bill is doing. On one hand, he does know his stuff. He speaks of Palin as a person and why she appeals to the people "back home". This is real and you will never convince "values voters" that she is not "wonderful", "smart", or as my redneck cousins told my mom, "cool". He then contrasts her views to Hillary's in area's that swing women voters may be concernced about. You cant sell something to people or change their minds by attacking them.
Maybe Asif Ali Zardari will take her back to Pakistan :)
Spare me this with the I feel sorry for Sarah. She's loving every single minute of it. and I agree with the first post- the Clintons are disgraceful- an insult to the democratic party!
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