Posted on 10/11/2005 8:00:17 AM PDT by Laissez-faire capitalist
First Lady Laura Bush said Tuesday that some of the criticism of her husband's Supreme Court nominee, Harriet Miers, could be driven by sexism.
Asked by NBC "Today Show" host Matt Lauer if sexism was behind the attacks on Miers, Mrs. Bush said: "That's possible. I think that's possible."
"I think people are not looking at her accomplishments. They're not realizing that she was the first elected woman to be the head of the Texas Bar Association, for instance. And all the other things. She was the first woman managing partner of a major law firm. She was the first woman hired by her law firm."
Mrs. Bush said her persoanl interaction with Miers left her very impressed.
"I know Harriet well." she told NBC. "I know how accomplished she is. I know how many times she has broken the glass ceiling. She's a role model for young women around our country. Not only that - she's very deliberate and thoughtful and will bring dignity to wherever she goes - and certainly to the Supreme Court.
take your cheer leading elsewhere .. it is obvious that rational discourse is not to your liking ... end of line.
Amazing isn't it ... so much for the free thinking party .. let's all be lemings like that other party. Pretty rediculous. No one seems to want to talk about this 'rationaly'. I voted for bush the last two elections and I think Laura bush is the best first lady we have had in near a century. However, in this case she put her foot in her mouth and did NOT do her husband's candidate any good by agreeing with a 'sexist' label for those that don't jump in line to support him on her candidacy.
Sad some of the jerks that getting all upset about our complaints.
Don't even try .. they guy is just 'thick' ...
Yes, there are probably forty or so sexists who oppose the nomination. You can find them somewhere in America.
I do PR/media training for a living. Laura Bush was without a doubt prepped for her Today Show appearance with multiple on-camera mock interview sessions. This question (and an on-message answer to it) would have been practiced numerous times -- it would hardly be unexpected.
Depending on the White House message/goal for this interview, her answers could have ranged from what she said, to "I think in most cases it's more likely that her critics are simply unaware of x, y, z about the candidate..." to "No, I believe the vast majority of her critics are sincere, but wrong -- and here's why..." The fact that she didn't even follow the "It's possible, I think it's possible" with a "BUT" is telling.
While it's possible that she merely flubbed/forgot her media training, the fact that her answer was a soft echo of Gillespie's statement at least implies that the "critics are sexist" message may be a White House talking point meant to triangulate (i.e., sell out the base). The fact that the rest of her statement was a litany of statements designed to be similarly appealing to undecideds/moderate liberals supports the hypothesis that this was a deliberate message point.
Considering that all the opposition I've seen so far has been coming from the GOP side of the aisle then does that mean that the Republicans are sexist?
Yes, I'm coming around to that point of view. She did echo the White House party line. Whether it was purposeful or a slip I don't know, although you make a good case for it being purposeful. In any case, it shows Bush and the White House team in a worse light than Laura Bush.
I really dislike all that identity talk coming from Laura.
Sounds very PC...even if sweet about it.
over and over I see how quickly some folks in this White House go PC rhetoric over things
damn.
All Laura would have to do is read Free Republic comments about Miers that are as sexist as it is possible to get. Then tell the truth when asked by Lauer if it is possible that there is some sexism in the opposition to Miers.
It is all over this place. No one has to be PC to say, yes, it is possible. In fact, one would have to refuse to see the truth in order to claim there was no element of sexism involved on anyone's part.
Oh, but I forgot, you don't care for women's opinion because they are too emotional. Whoops, won't make mistake of posting to you again.
If you don't see sexism in calling this woman an 'old maid' your head's in the ground.
Just because Laura said that sexism MAY be part of it, doesn't mean she said sexism is all of it.
I swear, this forum has gone mad.......
This is disgusting, tx.
Just because the charge of sexism has been abused by the left doesn't mean it doesn't still exist, in the same way that leftist's charging racism at every turn doesn't mean that it no longer exists.........and if you don't think sexism is a part of the hysteria on this forum, you haven't been paying attention the past week.
A rational discussion of the opposition to Harriet Miers can include the possibility (which is all Laura said) that some are basing it on her gender.
I'm not much on playing those cards.
It sounds like Hillary...only sweeter.
I would have said the same thing only stronger...........it's more than a possibility because I've seen it in action right here on FR. Old single women can't be good SC justices........in those exact words.
I don't have a PC bone in my conservative body, wardaddy. It is what it is.
As was pointed out, she has been called "some old maid from Texas". She has been called the equivilant to Bush's cleaning lady. She has been called a mere secretary who is good only to get the coffee for others. She was called a Lesbian for not having married, then called a low woman (s__t) when it came out that she and Judge Nathan Hecht of Texas had had "some (ill-defined) kind of longterm friendship that bordered at times on romantic" but they had not chosen to marry each other. She is now being called "the church lady".
All here on Free Republic.
So all Laura had to do was lurk here, then tell the truth when asked, that yes, it is possible there is some sexism involved in this.
Now Laura is being attacked. One poster even eagerly remarked that oh yes, blah blah blah, because of blah blah blah, why, Laura Bush has now made herself imminently "attackable". Then attacked her, with relish.
Utterly disgusting and despicable.
That's why I truly believe that this is all part of the spiritual war we are in for the soul of this country.
Hatred like this is NEVER of God. Never.
She said more than just "yes, it is possible"
she went on to all that lauding her as a woman.....glass ceiling rhetoric ...etc...not as a conservative....her and George went identity on this pick....a woman's seat first
womyn's activism is foreign to me....and holds no allure
one of my aunt's is a fembot activist entrpreneur lady in Dallas...for 40 years
she knows Harriet very well....Dallas women's business and groups...
and she loves her.....they are cut from the same cloth...women's identity issues and struggles will supercede conservatism here...it's so obvious
much like Laura Bush....who is pro-choice and prone to say "moderate" tones on culture...I do not know Meir's view on abortion unfortunately
these folks get so used to being in that charged environment and it just rubs off...Austin or Beltway syndrome
Laura is very poised, pretty...really pretty...and dignified but her politics are to mine and my wife's left...as are her husbands
and I'm fighting that...and I've earned that right after a quarter century out there ...not to mention my dad being a stalwart from 1950 on
this is not unlike 1976 in the GOP
"I think people are not looking at her accomplishments. They're not realizing that she was the first elected woman to be the head of the Texas Bar Association, for instance. And all the other things. She was the first woman managing partner of a major law firm. She was the first woman hired by her law firm."
When did she..
Rule in favor of the 2nd Amendment in a court case?
Rule against Mcain Feingold or any OTHER Federal Power grab in a court case?
Rule against a Land Grab attempt by any federal, state or local government under the eminent domain clause of the constitution, in a court case?
When I see proof positive that this woman is a Conservative. Then I will support her.
But not before.
I totally agree.
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