Rope-A-Dope: Pelosi Falls Through The Trap Door On The Stage of Public Attention -- And Up Pops Sotomayor

How smart is this move? How dumb are the true believers on the Republican Right? We shall see.

After months of trying to gain traction on something, anything, against the Obama administration, they finally had something going. The closing of Guantanamo problem and, even more effective, the possibility that Pelosi knew a little more, and a little sooner, about water boarding than we would like to believe. That has been hurting, don't kid yourself. Cheney's approval ratings are up from about 21% to about 37%. Panicky Democrats, with local polls near 80% against, have been trotting out NIMBY arguments opposed to stashing a couple of dozen terrorists in Supermax prisons anywhere near their constituents.

But now? How perfect is Sonia Sotomayor? She may be a red flag inches from a crazy bull's eyes. Not just because of the couple of things they have on her--the tape where she says stuff about judges making policy and the slightly hairy New Haven firefighter decision. No, not just that. Good old Sonia has a look and style that crypto-racist/sexist elitists hate with a visceral immediacy they may not be able to control. If that happens, they will find themselves attacking an Hispanic woman--probably the dumbest political thing they could do in this political environment.

Why would they do that?

At the deep pre-policy level, where venom is brewed, this is why: no effort by Sonia to look stereotypically "attractive." No gesture in clothing or hair style or manner to signal anything approaching the submission to expectations that is the identifying calling card of women hired by Fox and paraded in right wing political and religious venues. Think Sarah Palin, just for one example.

No. Good old Sonia doesn't do half-conscious cultural submission. She just stands up there in all her slightly dumpy glory and says what she thinks. God bless her, the perfect lightning rod. And maybe a good judge as well.

Comments

[research]

Pelosi gate is just another distraction gate.

Cheney and Bushco committed wars crimes.

[Nancyann]

Its too bad that Pelosi has been taken off the front page. She's a really disingenuous person who should be taken out of her leadership position. She is 3rd in line for the presidency and THAT IS A SCARY AS PALIN BEING VP!!!!!

[Quitcherbichin]

No that is worse than Palin being VP...

[Ppossom]

Pelosi would make an EXCELLENT President.

[SEQUOIABISON]

Nancy Pelosi will easily survive the absurd meaningless accusations against her, whether Sotomayor appeared on the scene or not.

The Speaker of the House still stands tall and unaffected by the slanderous remarks made against her, fortunately a great deal of prominent politicians and others have concurred with Ms Pelosi that the CIA can be very secretive and cryptic when it comes to revealing what they are up to, trying to attach the good name of Nancy Pelosi to the misdeeds of Bush/Cheney apparently failed to get any traction.

Another idiotic attempt by the republicans to embarrass the Democrats by implicating them in the sadistic torture edicts handed down by the top brass in the Bush administration, Nancy would never have signed off on tactics that involved breaking the law and compromising our moral principles, we Liberals are lucky to have such a distinguished fair minded Democrat in charge of the Peoples House.

[Quitcherbichin]

How does that kool aid taste bro....

[lynettema]

Agreed.

[den1953]

Excuse me but where in the constitution is noted that one person's image out ways the law of the land? What the hell does a person's look or dress have to do with interpretation of our laws or ideals!

[toxicbrainpoison]

exactly... the sexist attacks are gonna make that very clear this week. theyve already called her dumb, messed up her name, called her the hispanic chick lady. They cant resist sounding like idiots.

[BluebirdofUnhappiness]

Yeah that Sandra day Oconnor and Ruth Bader Ginsberg are such babes. (or Harriet Myers) How silly. It doesn't have anything to do with "dumpy" vs that whole Democratic-approved issue--which is a bigger deal than the Latina "issue"

[Dugwood]

"Good old Sonia has a look and style that crypto-rac­ist/sexist elitists hate with a visceral immediacy they may not be able to control. If that happens, they will find themselves attacking an Hispanic woman--probably the dumbest political thing they could do in this political environmen­t."

Explain to me again who is falling through a trap door here? We know the typical GOP personality type can't resist being racist or sexual bias. Looks to me like the Dems solved two problems - taking out who knows how many potential GOP female and Hispanic voters - in one chess move. Not bad for a simple neighborhood organizer.

[DustyMills]

This article drives me crazy! Why does the author feel the need to remark (and negatively) about Sotomayors appearance? In what way does this have any bearing on the kind of Supreme Court Judge she'll be? According to this author's slant, Sotomayor's education, past and present employment history and general life experience don't have a thing to do with her qualifications. Perhaps our female SCJ should be required to be a size 0, display lots of cleavage and giggle at every lame remark any guy makes. Thank God our president has more brains than this author....­.

[DiogenesOfAlaska]

you know what it usually means when authors use the phrase 'this author', right?

Anyway, this author agrees with that author that all three authors really feel exactly the same, only they might not realize it.

[bulverdespudboy]

Amen to Dusty Mills and everyone else who jumped on this writer for his "dumpy" comment! I guess he would prefer that Democrats act like Republicans when the G.O.P. focused on Palin's appearance and not on her lack of qualifications.

[DiogenesOfAlaska]

I don't think so.

[traveler501]

you are knee-jerk reacting to his essay without comprehending it...he is saying that her appearance inflames Repugs...a­nd it does. he is saying she simply stands still and straight and speaks the truth...wh­ich she does. And they hate that. meanwhile.­..what did you think he was saying? *smile* just in case you still don't follow me (and him)...the "dumpy" expression was meant to be a characterization from the viewpoint of the Repubs who, themselves, have a knee jerk response to her.

[TEPK]

The following comment from the article above ..."...the slightly hairy New Haven firefighter decision..­."... is the Kiss Of Death for me. She did go along with two other judges on a three-judge panel - but the decision, including by at least one Hispanic judge (Sotomayor), CLEARLY favored the interest of, I believe, (the City of New Haven and) seven Hispanic firefighters who failed the test - rather than the interests of, I believe, the five Caucasians and two African-Americans who passed the test!

Personally, all around, I'm sick of all the teeny-tiny tails that get to wag the Big Dog! Seems like "Tyranny By The Minorities" to me!

[kepary]

no more distractio­n... lets investigate pelosi NANCY KNEW

[jazabelz]

Fine with me -- we'll find out the Bush/Cheney were behind this all the way and that they lied to everyone including Nancy Pelosi!!!!!! Will be fun to read your post then!

[AmericanWarrior]

You are the only fool who wants to investigate Pelosi. She never authorized any one to torture or be tortured. And what ever she was told, she was not at liberty to share with the general public. No more distractio­ns.... let's investigate
Cheney and Bush.

[jhm1953]

BS

[DiogenesOfAlaska]

You are too kind.

[marignymitch]

You're off topic. And a distraction.

[JustWondrin]

If Nancy knew, what could she do about the CLASSIFIED briefing? If she knew, then how about all the REPUBLICANS that were on the committee that knew? They need to be investigated, too. Get real, she didn't start the torture program, she didn't write the memos, and she didn't torture anybody, except maybe the Repugnicans that can't stand to see a WOMAN and a Democrat in a position of power. Suck it up and go on.

[research]

Distraction.

The conservatives need any distraction from the torture and Iraq invasion war crimes.

[MacQ]

And so it follows that republicans made a supreme court nomination to serve as a distraction.
Oh wait.

[research]

Huh? Before Obama nominated, the GOP ALREADY were discussing how to block them.

[DragonMama]

I hope I wear my skin half as well when I'm her age as she does. Beauty in youth is luck, beauty in age is earned. She's beautiful.

[DiogenesOfAlaska]

That's true. And to achieve that without any

...effort by Sonia to look stereotypically "attractiv­e."..

is what the critics can't fathom. They prefer to call her racist instead. Quite bitchy, isn't it? Something tells me we will witness a lot of male bitchyness around this issue.

[hippietilidie]

"slightly dumpy glory"
When will women be rid of this kind of s**t? Look into the brain once in awhile...

[bigkay]

"slightly dumpy glory" you don't say that about men, do you???
Let's nominate an anorexic model for the Supreme Court., how chauvinistic Mr. de Zengotita.

[marignymitch]

Mr de Zengotita congratulates Ms Sotomayor for being who she is, which is most decidedly not an anorexic model. This is a good thing.

Apropos on nothing: I think Sotomayor looks great. Just the way she is.

[lynettema]

Have you ever heard them describe Barney Frank? Or Boehner?

[saami]

As a woman I am insulted. Do you have a beautiful body Mr. de Zengotita; your face sure isn't much to look at. How does it feel to be seen as an object? Women are tired of being treated as objects. More power to Judge Sotomajor.

[goodog]

I recall a significant amount of talk about what the size of Al Gore's waistline said about his intentions to run.

[JustWondrin]

I'm a former cheerleader, who has modelled, done commercials, and print ads when I was in my 50's. As a grandmother, I am so proud to be dumpy and slightly gray because it means I no longer care about those who are so body obsessed that they are scared to be wise and smart, so I think it is a plus on her resume. So sad for those who think 20 and scary thin is the apex of your lives, like the author. Being wise and smart always trumps sexy and young. Now, get in the 21st century, author. Age and weight are not relevant for SCOTUS, wisdom and experience is what counts. Men should have to be scrutinized under the same criteria.

[oregonbird]

Why do i not believe you?

[kepary]

Nancy Knew .... Investigate Pelosi

[markburn]

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0509/ExCIA_guy_Briefers_may_have_dissembled_to_Pelosi.html

[unity08]

Cheney ordered it. Investigate him!

[jazabelz]

Nancy would welcome an investigation and trial -- it will be fun to watch Cheney/Bus­h/Rumsfeld­/Rice squirm and then don their prison garb! Nancy will be laughing all the way too.

Even if Nancy knew (which it's becoming more and more apparent that other say she was misled and lied to too) she didn't order the torture -- so why aren't you more angry with Bush/Cheney who did? Remember Nancy wasn't even the Speaker of the House in 2002!!!!!!

[jhm1953]

Where's your proof?

[ritterbride]

You know, I heard a similar tone on the radio when she was announced. Once I saw pictures of her online I was surprised. I am a female, but I thought she was very pretty. Am I missing something here?

[itolduso]

Old white men in this country learned everything they know about women from Elvis Presley movies. I used to think it was restricted to Republican males, but judging by this column & other remarks in the media, it seems to also affect journalist types that spend too much time around college aged women and no time at all around real working women in their 40's & 50's.

[JustWondrin]

Hallelujah!!!!

[roger3815]

I think this sums up my feelings on the whole Pelosi affair:

http://images.politico.com/global/090521_cartoon_600.jpg

[kepary]

your cartoon blames President Bush for roosevelts failed social security system, U.S. Army (which was re-armed after clinton) and the CIA (which i've read several books about how they we being disessembled under cliton) it is crazy and out of context... Nancy told the American people that the CIA has lied to all of us THAT is a disgrace..­. she MUST prove it

[fredisfred]

No, the CIA must prove what exactly it is they told her.

You can't prove a negative, einstein.

[chameleon59]

The disgrace is that we were ALL lied to - and if you parse the words of the CIA director, you'll see that he said nothing to deny Pelosi's charge that the CIA lied to her. I believe that it is not the policy or practice of the CIA to lie to legislators. I also believe that in this case, some of them did. If you look hard enough at any group, you can find someone who'll play it the way you want them to play it.

[lynettema]

Pretty tough when she wasn't allowed to take notes or take staff with her to take notes.