Laura Bush: Harriet Miers' Critics Sexist

NewsMax ^ | Tuesday, Oct 11, 2005 | Staff

[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.

[dmc8576]

I don't think the people in the White House understand what is happening. Conservatives are angry with them, and so they decide to attack us as elitist sexists. That's right. We who advocated the appointment of Edith Jones or Janice Rogers Brown are sexist. And those of us in the heartland of America who are disappointed are elitists, not you all who sit in Washington and have turned a blind eye to the conservatives who put you in office. I guess you are right, Mr. President, Mrs. Bush, Mr. Gillespie and all you other Washington Insider (non-elitists), we are sexist elitists. This is a complete joke, except it isn't that funny. When people make comments like these it makes me more angry. President Bush is no conservative. He was our best option in 2000, and he sounded like one in the campaign but he's not a conservative. We have never had a conservative President. Hopefully that will change in 2008 (paging Sam Brownback and Rick Santorum). Comments like these make me more disgusted with the Bush administration, and more determined to see Harriet Miers not get put on the bench.

[Black Tooth]

What a nation of victims we've all become.

Well, if she were a minority and female, instead labeling those that have legitimate questions and concerns as "sexist", they would just use the old standby defense, that also just happens to end in "ist".

[Paradox]

BULLSH*T, she said possible. Sheesh. Was some of the criticism of Clarence Thomas racist? Sure, that was possible (racial stereotype of a black man who just can't help but be a sexual brute). Hey, alot of things are possible, sheesh.. The media again at play..

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Laura Bush was the last person from whom I expected such a stupid comment.

[dmz]

How about if she had responded "I don't know what motivates those who are critical of the Miers nomination". There are ways to respond to leading questions without answering in the way you've been led. Then she can talk about what recommends the nomination.

Does it not seem to you that nearly everything we've heard about Miers relates to her being the first woman to ________? Seems the supporters are raising the gender issue first.

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

Please.

That elitism allegation has been floated before and has been shot down.

Those you have listed supported Janice Rogers Brown's nomination for the Appellate Court, for instance, and she was certainly not from an Ivy League school and they would have supported her for being nominated to the Supreme Court.

I heard Laura Ingraham say on her radio show that she has no problem supporting a woman from a non Ivy League school.

The issue with them is that Miers has no track record as being an originalist/strict constructionist, not that she didn't go to any Ivy League school.

Try again later.

[Paradox]

Oh yeah, and NewsMax can KISS MY @$$. I have never liked their form of "journalism". I even prefer the NYT to them.

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

Are you making a distinction without a difference?

[Between the Lines]

Unbelievable. The woman says it's possible some of the criticism is sexist and the knee-jerk FReepers take it as if she said it was definite and truly believed it

Had she said merely "it's possible", you would have a point, but she rambled on for two more paragraphs about glass ceilings, first woman here, first woman there, role model for young women, etc...

If the first lady spouts feminist rhetoric don't be surprised that FReepers don't give her a free pass as you have.

[ElPatriota]

..My opinion of her is dropping precipitously. Playing the ol' gender card. What a nation victims we've all become.

No, no yet, let's give her a pass on this. She is just being used as a pawn to cover for the WH mistakes. Got knows she never wanted to be in this situation, in the public eye that is.

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

Please look at post #13.

Thanks.

[dc-zoo]

Exactky right. It wasn't Laura Bush's comment. It was Matt Lauer's comment and now Laura gets attacked on FR. I'm ashamed of freepers this week.

[Chunga]

"Are you making a distinction without a difference?"

No. I'm demonstrating an ability to read.

[Between the Lines]

Mrs. Bush didn't say Miers' critics were sexist. She said sexism was a possible explanation for the attacks.

And then went on for two paragraphs about Miers' accomplishments for her sex. Get real, Laura is being as sexist as those she is talking about.

[linkinpunk]

Misleading headline.

She didn't bring up the sexism charge.

Laura Bush simply stated that it was possible.

NEWSMAX is as bad as WND. (Harriet Meirs Gave Money To Hillary's Campign!!!- which was also a lie.)

[Liberty Tree Surgeon]

So if Jesse Jackson was asked if the (supposedly) poor response to Katrina was due to racism in the Bush administration, and he answered, "it's possible", would that be okay? Isn't this a way of accusing someone of something while maintaining deniability?

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

Demonstrating an abilty to read?

Maybe an ability to read into this something that isn't there.

[hoosiermama]

BINGO....Has more to do with attending the "RIGHT" University then gender. Elitists!

[AgThorn]

Exactky right. It wasn't Laura Bush's comment. It was Matt Lauer's comment and now Laura gets attacked on FR. I'm ashamed of freepers this week.

Oh poppy cock ... I love our first lady but she did not just 'comment' .. she agreed and gave examples of how this 'sexist' discrimination may be playing out. These examples are 'sexist' themselves. So our first Lady spoke before thinking and that is validly attackable.

[dc-zoo]

Laura didn't make that comment, Einstein.