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Sexist coverage of Hillary brings women to her corner
Boston Herald ^ | 2-10-2008 | Margery Eagan

Posted on 02/10/2008 8:57:08 AM PST by Cagey

News organizations often publish photos of Hillary Clinton, above, that make her look crazy, while pictures of Barack Obama, left, portray him as cool and reflective.

The Clintons were rightly indignant about MSNBC reporter David Shuster saying they had “pimped out” 27-year-old Chelsea by helping her campaign and calling Democratic superdelegates on behalf of her mother, Hillary.

No word on what they think about MSNBC’s Tucker Carlson saying that whenever Hillary comes on television, “I involuntarily cross my legs.” He first said this last summer when his producer talked about a Clinton doll advertised on the Web site HillaryNutcracker.com. It features “serrated stainless steel thighs that, well, crack nuts,” said producer Willie Geist, who introduced the story this way: “I think the metaphor in this next story, Tucker, is pretty clear.” Then came Carlson’s “cross my legs” response.

Implying an MSNBC pattern, Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson noted that another MSNBC star, Chris Matthews, apologized just last month after saying Hillary Clinton was elected senator because voters felt sorry for her nonstop humiliations by philandering husband Bill. “She didn’t win there on her merits,” Matthews said.

Now I’m no fan of Hillary. But surely it’s not just MSNBC who covers her with more than a smidgeon of negativism and downright sexism.

Complaints are everywhere online: “Sexist Media Lynching of Hillary Clinton!” You hear constant complaints about her being picked on, too - both from regular women voters and political fans, like state Senate President Terry Murray.

Take a look at the pictures news outlets run (shown here). Typically, Hillary looks like a crazy person, her mouth agape, her eyes as bug-eyed as the runaway bride’s. Meanwhile, Barack Obama typically looks cool, calm, collected - or, better yet, pensive and reflective.

Look at the constant references to the struggling, older white women and the struggling, younger single women (as if they’re somehow sawed-off, unfulfilled and slightly pathetic) who are going to vote for her.

Then there’s comparisons between Hillary and the “nagging housewife” or “everybody’s first wife.” There are the constant adjectives: angry, shrill, divisive, polarizing.

They’re really just “code words for bitch,” said Hillary supporter Andrea Cabral, the sheriff of Suffolk County.

And how many times have you heard the infamous Hillary “cackle”?

Not as often as you heard the infamous Howard Dean scream. But here’s the difference: A nation of white men did not identify with and feel mortified by the Dean scream. Lots of women identify with and feel mortified by the Hillary “cackle” replays, or the derisive “first wife” jokes. Many are derided first wives themselves.

Some say Hillary Clinton can’t have it both ways: portraying herself as the history-making woman, then playing the sexism card. But here’s another difference: women voting for Hillary, particularly older women, endured legitimate sexism. When she gets trashed, they feel trashed.

It’s analogous to the reaction among blacks when Bill Clinton was running around South Carolina making racist remarks. Thousands reacted by voting for Obama. Women’s reaction to sexist slurs is just as visceral. And they’re voting in record numbers for Hillary.

Meanwhile, the unspoken rules say you can still publicly trash women in a way you can’t publicly trash African-Americans. “Imagine if somebody said Barack Obama was pimping out his wife,” says Andrea Cabral. “What would never be said about race is the sport of kings when it comes to gender.”

It’s one thing for a bunch of women to sit around lamenting or joking about themselves. It’s something else again when a bunch of men with microphones on TV - no woman in sight - start doing it.

I am no Hillary fan. But I know exactly why so many women get enraged at this. So keep it up Chris, Tucker, David, et al. You’ll elect her yet.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; hillary; mediabias; pimp; womensvote
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Point taken: News organizations often publish photos of Hillary Clinton that make her look crazy ...

1 posted on 02/10/2008 8:57:11 AM PST by Cagey
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This whine is priceless.


2 posted on 02/10/2008 8:57:40 AM PST by Cagey (Somewhere in South America, a village is getting a shipment of "19-0" T-shirts.)
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To: Cagey

That’s because Hillary is a psychopath.


3 posted on 02/10/2008 8:58:18 AM PST by LdSentinal
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To: LdSentinal

And tanking, finally. The eventual ‘meltdown’ should be entertaining.


4 posted on 02/10/2008 8:59:21 AM PST by Rush4U (unnamed source)
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To: Cagey
They’re really just “code words for bitch,” said Hillary supporter Andrea Cabral, the sheriff of Suffolk County.

Imagine this psycho stopping you for speeding...

5 posted on 02/10/2008 9:00:18 AM PST by the invisib1e hand (anyone can be a soldier in peacetime.)
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To: Cagey
Point taken: News organizations often publish photos of Hillary Clinton that make her look crazy ...

I've noticed this with online news sources. They've always got photos of Clinton that looks like she's screaming -- mouth open, eyes wide, etc. Obama, on the other hand, always has his mouth closed, his chin slightly raised, and he's got that dreamy idealist look in his eyes. Sickening.

Oh well, the Clintons lived by the sword and now they're dying by it. I'd be totally happy except for one thing: Obama is actually to the left of Hillary and would, I think, be a total disaster in the war on Muslim extremism. He scares the stuffings out of me.

6 posted on 02/10/2008 9:05:20 AM PST by Glenmerle
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To: the invisib1e hand

Andrea Cabral, the sheriff of Suffolk County.

Tom Brady could have used her help last Sunday.

7 posted on 02/10/2008 9:05:28 AM PST by Cagey (Somewhere in South America, a village is getting a shipment of "19-0" T-shirts.)
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To: Cagey

Republicans and conservatives are discussing their candidates ideology, ethics, policy, attitudes about enforcement of the law, spending, social issues, etc.

Democrats and lefists [!-redundancy alert-!] are discussing their candidates sex, skin color, appeal to various victim groups and the scope and amount of taxpayer funded handouts they promise their supporters.


8 posted on 02/10/2008 9:07:13 AM PST by Iron Munro (Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself.)
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To: Cagey

she’s a walking issue.


9 posted on 02/10/2008 9:08:23 AM PST by the invisib1e hand (anyone can be a soldier in peacetime.)
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To: Glenmerle
"Oh well, the Clintons lived by the sword and now they're dying by it. "

Yes, but when the end comes, will she take Mussolini's lead, cross dress and attempt to escape the country without anybody recognizing her?

10 posted on 02/10/2008 9:08:24 AM PST by Cvengr (Fear sees the problem emotion never solves. Faith sees & accepts the solution, problem solved.)
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To: Cagey

All the personal attacks are actually making Hillary and McCain look victimized and are attracting support.

If there is a big swiftboat attempt on McCain that will likely make him President.


11 posted on 02/10/2008 9:08:45 AM PST by gondramB (Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.)
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To: Iron Munro

Well, there you go. That in a nutshell is the difference between them.


12 posted on 02/10/2008 9:09:52 AM PST by Samwise ("I have a zero tolerance policy for stupidity.")
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To: Cvengr
LOL! The pictures in my head are not pretty . . .
13 posted on 02/10/2008 9:11:12 AM PST by Glenmerle
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To: Iron Munro

Funny, I haven’t heard Obama say anything of substance, just flowery platitudes and catch phrases. The dims eat it up! Disgusting and stupid!


14 posted on 02/10/2008 9:12:02 AM PST by alice_in_bubbaland (Wandering in the wasteland of GOP RINO's.)
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To: unsycophant
Well here it is:
...MSNBC’s Tucker Carlson saying that whenever Hillary comes on television, “I involuntarily cross my legs.” He first said this last summer when his producer talked about a Clinton doll advertised on the Web site HillaryNutcracker.com. It features “serrated stainless steel thighs that, well, crack nuts,” said producer Willie Geist, who introduced the story this way: “I think the metaphor in this next story, Tucker, is pretty clear.” Then came Carlson’s “cross my legs” response.

15 posted on 02/10/2008 9:12:17 AM PST by Syncro
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To: Iron Munro
That's a good observation! Sticking to that sort of criticism is much more effective.
16 posted on 02/10/2008 9:13:15 AM PST by BlueDragon (what a sad song it has become, no?)
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To: Cagey
Typically, Hillary looks like a crazy person, her mouth agape, her eyes as bug-eyed as the runaway bride’s.

It my opinion, these photographs are published in such plenitude because Mrs. Clinton is not a stable individual. It appears to me that she regularly loses more control of her facial features than almost anyone in public life, and that she has little or no control over her emotion of the moment, be it anger or happiness.

The resulting photographs are remarkable enough that even the left-wing mainstream media will run them.

17 posted on 02/10/2008 9:13:39 AM PST by snowsislander
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To: Syncro

LOL! I bought one for a friend of my husband as a Christmas present! He’s a rabid conservative and loved it!


18 posted on 02/10/2008 9:14:27 AM PST by alice_in_bubbaland (Wandering in the wasteland of GOP RINO's.)
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To: Cvengr

I don't care who you are, that right there was funny!

19 posted on 02/10/2008 9:16:39 AM PST by BlueDragon (what a sad song it has become, no?)
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To: Cagey
Photobucket
20 posted on 02/10/2008 9:16:40 AM PST by Graybeard58 ( Remember and pray for SSgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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