Amy,
Your the greatest.
I don’t think that Barak the woman hater will win the election but if God forbid he does, we must hold those in the media and the DNC who “made him” accountable. To CNN. MSNBC ABC. CBS, MSM, The New York Obama Times, and The LA Times plus all the others; if Obama wins, you own him! Don’t try to back peddle or commit blasphemy against the messiah you created. You are guilty of the damage this country will suffer at the hand of Barak Obama. You are complicit in the culture of misogyny he has augmented and will defend. Just as you were his during the primary and general election he shall be yours if he becomes our president.
I will remain a loyal fan of Fox News, what ever may become the popular trend at these other poor excuses for news outlets. They are a joke and a liability to freedom and democracy.
October 31, 2008 at 3:12 am
Briar said:
You do realise that outside the US, Fox is a laughing stock, widely recognised as a totally biased right wing mouthpiece of the neocons, serving the interests of the Murdoch family, not the people? I think Amy’s interview was brilliant, but she needed to be making those points to people on channels most responsible for the idolising of Obama and the demonising of women. I hope this site doesn’t start to be seen as partisan for the right, rather than dedicated to the cause of advancing women’s equality everywhere.
October 31, 2008 at 5:15 am
Amy Siskind said:
No fear of that Briar. We are non-partisan. This commercial crossed the line and this needed to be said.
October 31, 2008 at 8:05 am
Maura Orla said:
You do realize that inside the US, the NYT and CNN, LAT, and MSNBC are recognized as totally biased by many people? I think Fox is less biased than those outlets, and I think they get a bad rap, but that’s ok. I’m sure their ratings keep them from getting too offended.
I hardly think people will think Amy and this organization are partisan simply by spreading their message on Fox, any more than Obama was viewed as rightwing as his appearance with O’Reilly.
October 31, 2008 at 12:04 pm
Alice Paul said:
Well Briar, since the Soroscrats have bought off the left media, Amy would have a difficult time getting ANY fair coverage on those networks anymore. I am an American living outside the U.S. and I can tell you that everyone has seen how MSNBO is one long free commercial for Obama, their owners G.E. have been pulling the strings to destroy anyone who was running against THEIR candidate from day one of this process. C.N.N. is in the same situation. NOTHING Is getting covered that doesn’t favor Obama and MSNBO was so misogynist in their coverage for the last eighteen months that it’s a national disgrace.
Ironically there is only one place left to voice any opposition to Obama and that is F.O.X. You use what you have to speak out.
Great job Amy!!
October 31, 2008 at 12:08 pm
goesh said:
I think the medium of the message is irrelvant, be it FOX or CNN, since the target audience was/is primarily American and the message was delivered very well, very professionally. Amy Siskind was speaking to the American people, not the planet. The goals and principles of the New Agenda are clearly stated and their focus centers not on perception and nuance and doesn’t second guess the reader(s).
October 31, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Cynthia Ruccia said:
Amy—-you’re my hero. I know very well what it’s like being under the TV lights having to define what sexism is to the world. It’s a difficult sound bite. Many have tried it and NO ONE did it as well as you did it on Fox last night. You have my total admiration!!!
Briar—-I’m doubtful that everyone abroad sees Fox as a laughing stock. I’m in Europe all the time (my husband;s family lives in Italy and I worked all over Europe for awhile), and Europeans at least need little prompting from Fox to see Americans as both admirable and ridiculous at the same time.
It is one of the ironies to have emerged in 2008 that only Fox, for whatever reasons (and those reasons are strictly commercial I’m sure), has been the only network willing to air the vicious sexism in America that was exposed. It’s not that simple getting on other news outlets when they see sexism and misogyny as trifling concerns.
Lastly this site is nonpartisan. We represent all sides of the spectrum. Our goal is to be as inclusive as possible as we believe that there is far more that unites us than what divides us. Thanks for expressing your concerns.
October 31, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Trish said:
Thank you, thank you , thank you. I’ve been telling my friends for the past month that there have got to be intellengent women out there who are part of the feminist movement who would and will admire and edify someone like Sarah Palin – despite having differing personal beliefs and ideologies. I was starting to fear that feminism really was just an ‘abortion rights’ platform. Thank you for being a unifier. I think there will be a ground swell of open minded, clear thinking women who can identify with what you are doing.
I agree that you need to try and get on other news stations (as well as Fox), because I don’t think most women realize how they are subtlety (and sometimes not so subtlety) being manipulated by “news” on many of the other networks that I always assumed were neutral. Just the fact that there is concern and fear that this site might be seen as partison to the right because you are trying to get your message out to everyone shows how afraid people are of anything that doesns’t fit in their personal world view. The left bias of the news is being considered “mainstream” when it is not. We are women should be reaching out to all women. Not just women who want the right to have an abortion. We’ve been shaking our heads about Obama’s complains about Fox news. In my opionion, all the candidates should be complaining about how challenging all the news organizations are. If all we can tolerate is one set of ideas than what is left that makes America unique and great? We get stronger by listening to each other and sharing ideas. Agreeing to disagree on some things, but realizing that we probably have more in common than we have differences. It seems that a women’s personal beliefs about abortion often become the mark that defines her value to other women – end of story. I’d like to believe that strong, intellengent, secure women are beyond that. I’m now tremenduosly encouraged by your efforts. Thank you!
October 31, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Karen Hirsch said:
I saw Amy’s interview on Fox News and thought Thank God there is a woman speaking out, in a clear and articulate manner, against the sexist and hateful coverage of Sarah Palin. What happened to the feminist movement ? How can any woman tolerate, participate or contribute to the demeaning of this woman or any other. Is this the way to encourage other women to enter into the political process?Can we only support one type of woman with one agenda in politics?The coverage of Sarah Palin is offensive and would never be tolerated towards any other candidate. Thank you Amy – you made a great start.
October 31, 2008 at 4:49 pm
terry said:
Ms. Siskind misspeaks when she says during the interview that Gov. Palin doesn’t believe in creationism. It has been widely reported that she desires evolutionary theory and creationism both be taught in public schools.
Secondly, I don’t personally believe the Obama ad wink thing was sexist. I do think it was subtle, but in the context to which the Fox News interviewer assessed it, i.e., that Gov. Palin is not a serious professional and thus not qualified to be a vice presidential candidate.
By the by, can someone please tell me who Gov. Palin was winking to the half dozen or so times she did it during the vice presidential debate.
October 31, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Juliette said:
Briar,
I spend plenty of time in Europe. Fox is no joke there but socialism is becoming one. How is it that Italy, France, Germany, and Greece have elected central right pro-American Governments? This idea that we have to improve our standing, at least in Europe is a joke.
October 31, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Juliette said:
Terry,
Amy did not misspeak. Many lies about Sarah Palin have been widely reported. You should refer to FactCheck.org ;Sliming Palin Sept. 8 2008. “Palin has not pushed for teaching creationism in Alaska’s schools. She said that students should be able to debate both sides of the issue but she also said creationism doesn’t have to be part of the curriculum.” The article by fact check also exposes many other lies reported about Sarah Palin.
By now we should be skeptical of any and everything reported on CNN and or MSKGB. They have as much of a chance of convincing me that Gov. Palin is stupid as they had of convincing me that Bill Clinton is a racist.
“They have as much of a chance of convincing me that Gov. Palin is stupid as they had of convincing me that Bill Clinton is a racist.”
Terry, that is exactly right!
Amy, great job on Fox!
Valerie
October 31, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Cheryl said:
Here are the MOST important facts about Sarah Palin which the dumb media completely misses:
Question: What is America’s first line of missile interceptor defense that protects the entire United States?
Answer: 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard.
Question: What is the ONLY National Guard unit on permanent active duty?
Answer: 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard
Question: Who is the Commander in Chief of the 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard?
Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska
Question: What U.S. governor is routinely briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counter terrorism?
Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska
Question: What U.S. governor HAS A HIGHER CLASSIFIED SECURITY RATING than either candidate of the Democrat Party?
Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska
According to the Washington Post, she first met with McCain in
February, but it was not widely reported. This is a woman used to keeping secrets. She can be entrusted with our national security. SHE ALREADY IS.
October 31, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Pleasegos said:
terry, how does Palon’s position on Creationism differ from Obama’s? I’m sure it ust be VERY different, because if it were the same, how silly all the Obama supporters who are attacking palin over this while giving their candidate a free pass would look.
“in the context to which the Fox News interviewer assessed it, i.e., that Gov. Palin is not a serious professional and thus not qualified”
What indicates that she’s not a serious professional and not qualified, the winking? How about when Biden refers to his wife as drop dead gorgeous and encourages audience members to tell him he’s good looking? That doesn’t seem like serious or professional behavior to me, so it that an indication he’s not qualified? How about doing a little dance to a song called “Dirt ff the Shoulder,” and actually making brushing off your shoulder motions directed at your opponent? That seems a little buffoonlike to me, so can we take that as an idication that buffoonery is more or less the farthest thing a serious professional and Obama is therefore unqualified? Or is there something about winking that’s worse than all other manifestations of unserious, unprofessional behavior? Do explain it to us!
November 1, 2008 at 12:57 am
Brad said:
Responding to Cheryl:
Let’s make sure this is a correct dialogue. Cheryl, I believe you have cut and paste an email that is circulating that includes some information I know is not true, so I suspect all of it is untrue.
For example, Palin has NO ROLE in guarding U.S. airspace. This is from NORAD itself (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....30722.html is the summary. The full article is linked to from here). When F15 and F22 scramble due to Russian activity, she is not called. And all Natl Guard activites done under the military mission are directed by the military. The only time she would be involved is if it involved state disasters, but never national security.
I have seen this exact text circulating and based on the one fact being incorrect, I suspect most of it is fundamentally untrue.
Also, what indicates she is not serious? Let me count the ways:
- her inability to even state a single newspaper or magazine that she reads, even when pushed
- her confusion on the role of the VP
- her dogmatic and jingoistic appeals to nationalism
- her refusal to conduct any interviews with serious news professionals who might push her to explain her positions and beliefs
If you have anyone to blame, it should be McCain, not the media and not Obama. McCain is the one who has put her under wraps, not allowing her to speak to media. I wonder why???
Lastly, in the last Couric interview…doesn’t it bother you the condescending way McCain treats her? Doesn’t it bother you that, when Couric would ask her a question, McCain would jump in, like the guy who doesn’t trust his VP to answer the question? Isn’t it odd that so many hard-core Republicans feel she is so underqualified? Doesn’t it bother you that her responses to the tough issues of the day have not sense of any kind of policy making understanding…that they tend to be oversimplistic speaking points?
Don’t get me wrong….I find McCain to have the same intellect (or lack thereof). Look at his instant knee-jerk reaction to issues. Of course, he already knows the answers to all the questions without any deep thought. I find George Bush to be the same.
My biggest gripe with Bush/McCain/Palin is they seem to have no intellectual curiousity, no sense for nuance or the grays of the situation. IMO, the world is a whole lot more complicated then falling back on us versus them tag lines of the Cold War. IMO, this kind of thinking is exactly the worst kind of thinking you can have in a world where you are no longer the leading economic power in the world.
What really scares me is that Palin, if she got into the Pres office, would be worse than Bush.
Brad, I believe you have cut and pasted a routine Palin-bashing post, so how about you knock it off?
“- her inability to even state a single newspaper or magazine that she reads, even when pushed”
Her “inability”? You mean her refusal to play along with the incredibly insulting condescension from Katie Couric?
“- her confusion on the role of the VP”
You mean her rhetorical question about what the VP does? What’s the problem, Brad — don’t you know what a rhetorical question is?
“- her dogmatic and jingoistic appeals to nationalism”
Simple patriotism is hardly jingoistic. And considering that Barack Obama’s friends are Jeremiah “God damn America” Wright and William “I dedicate this book to Sirhan Sirhan” Ayers, I think her remarks have been fairly restrained.
“- her refusal to conduct any interviews with serious news professionals who might push her to explain her positions and beliefs”
You mean her refusal to participate in any more interviews with a yellow-journalism media where the end result is edited to deliberately make her appear foolish and her substantive answers are not even included?
November 1, 2008 at 2:55 am
Brad said:
Responding to Violet:
So the way it works is…whenever something doesn’t even logically go your way, you just spin it up with some far fetched rationalization that justifies your beliefs. Do you really believe when she was asked the questions from the interviewers that she was thinking to herself…”hmmm, I won’t answer this one because Katie Couric is part of the yellow journalism crowd?” Do you really believe she would have even accepted an interview from Katie if she felt that? That Katie Couric is mysoginistic, right? So all the Repubs who have been dismissive of her capabilities…who have been hard core supporters of McCain care more about mysogyny than they do about winning the Presidency and power?
This is all post-interview recovery for a poor performance.
She does not provide any depth to any of her answers. It happens over and over again…just like McCain, she just says whatever comes into her mind. And this has nothing to do with her being a woman..as I say above, McCain and Bush fall into the same camp. No intellectual depth. No understanding of nuance.
At what point do you agree that she is not even remotely ready. And whenever a Repub gives there honest assessment, they are forced to feebly walk it back like Eagleburger.
She has no substantive answers. She has a hammer and everything looks like a nail to her.
Back to the ad – it was just politics. Haven’t you seen ads that make McCain look odd? And Obama? It has absolutely nothing to do with her gender. It has everything to do with taking what someone says or does and spinning it to your advantage.
So now, what, the things she does are off limit? Whereas whatever any other politician does is fair game?
No, Brad, the way it works is whenever you post something untrue, you get called on it.
This is a site for grown-ups. It’s not a site for you to exercise your personal animosities. The intertubes are full of blogs where you can do that.
November 1, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Dawn C said:
All that Palin’s answer to the “what newspapers and magazines do you read” question told me was that she hadn’t yet mastered the art of sophistry. She deflected, but she did it clumsily. She’s a quick study, though. I expect soon she’ll be able to bounce a question like that without leaving the interviewer an opening, just like any good politician.
November 1, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Brad said:
Dawn
Let’s see – she needs sophistry to answer a question as simple as “What newspapers do you read” Are you kidding me? So when she is asked what her policy is on taxes, should we not believe her? Or maybe we should because she hasn’t learned how to lie yet?
Violet, you confuse facts for opinion. There is not one thing you stated that is anything but an opinion. For example, have you actually listened to the Wright Speech where he says GD America? You can find it on Youtube. Perhaps you should before you talk. It is clear that he is actually quoting what someone else might have said. But, why let facts get in the way of a good story. You do exactly what you accuse Obama and the MSM of doing. Twisting the facts.
But it seems on this site you just want to breathe your own fumes. Fine. I shall leave.
November 1, 2008 at 4:06 pm
terry said:
corrected submission…..
Juliette,
Sorry, but you are incorrect. Amy did misspeak. Palin did say, during her debate with her opponent in the Alaska governor’s race when asked about the subject by the debate’s moderator, “I am a proponent of teaching both.”
What about that statement makes you conclude that she isn’t for teaching creationism in public schools? Please explain your logic to me if you would.
I also agree with Brad’s comments. I find Gov. Palin to be intellectually uncurious just like President George W. Bush is, and consider this a serious flaw for someone contending for the second highest office in our government.
Perhaps the result of her intellectual incuriosity, Gov. Palin has shown repeatedly during the campaign how uninformed she is:
1. The CBS Interviews with Katie Couric — When asked to name what newspapers she reads, Gov. Palin fails to name a single one. Here’s the transcript of that segment:
2. The CBS Interviews with Katie Couric — When asked if there were any other U.S. Supreme Court cases that she disagreed with besides Roe v. Wade, Gov. Palin could not name a single case, including the Exxon et al v. Baker case decision that she had spoken out publicly against just a few months earlier. Here’s the transcript of that segment:
There are other examples to list as well, but let’s summarize those posed already….
1. What newspaper do you read?
2. What SCOTUS case besides Roe v. Wade do you disagree with?
3. What is the role of the Vice President?
Hmmmm……It seems to me that the bar is pretty low here already. Gender and sexism have nothing to do with criticizing any candidate for this high office who can’t answer such softball questions.
Palin did say, during her debate with her opponent in the Alaska governor’s race when asked about the subject by the debate’s moderator, “I am a proponent of teaching both.”
That was two years ago, and immediately following that she qualified to the ADN that she meant not that creationism should be taught as part of the curriculum, but that the subject should be addressed as a controversy or if it came up.
More recently, as in a couple of weeks ago, she explicitly stated that evolution is scientific fact and should be taught as such, and that creationism should never be taught.
Now, here’s the thing, kiddies: this website is not going to play host to the slander emanating from the Obama campaign. GO AWAY.
November 2, 2008 at 1:32 am
Trish said:
I appreciate you including and posting your responses to this last Palin bashing series of comments. It seems like there is a real double-standard in our country. Many people complain about “politicians” as I think they should. Then when we finally are presented with someone who is and has lived a regular life in America they are not nearly ‘good enough’ and we fall back into the thing we hate but are more comfortable with because of the familiarity.
November 2, 2008 at 4:51 am
Delta said:
I’m confused right now.
I agree the ad was sexist in that it didn’t provide any factual reasons for her inexperience- the image was enough. However, Palin is the one who has been winking her way through this race, and as a young woman, I have found it offensive. I want a woman who commands the stage and the facts without flirtatious, condescending behavior. I supported Hillary Clinton, but I can’t get behind Palin. If we DO look at her economic record, we will see that Palin:Alaska is like Bush:USA. The same can be said for her intellectual curiosity. Palin doesn’t get my vote just because she’s a woman.
Someone said it was the same as showing Obama dancing. This isn’t true because Palin has winked through everything. We all saw the debates. Obama didn’t break out into dance while discussing foreign relations with McCain. It is truly not the same.
Again, I am a woman, and I LOVE women leaders. But I want to be represented by the best of us. That’s not Palin. Joe Biden has been better for women in his career, and will be better in the white house.
I want a woman who commands the stage and the facts without flirtatious, condescending behavior.
Why is winking automatically construed as flirtatious or condescending? That’s what I don’t understand. This seems to me a cultural thing. Where I live, people wink. My grandmother winks. All my aunts wink. When I see Sarah Palin wink at her father in the audience, or even wink at the audience, I don’t see that as flirtatious or condescending. It’s a folksy gesture, very common where I come from.
I think that the gross sexualization of Palin in our culture is responsible for this assumption that her winking is sexual.
The dominant culture of the media and the Obama supporters — which is urban and very different from the kind of small town Palin is from — has chosen to ridicule Palin as either a fluff bunny or a redneck or a moron. That’s what’s offensive to me. What is being ridiculed are basic folkways, mannerisms, and speech patterns of people from small towns and rural areas.
November 2, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Juliette said:
Brad,
It was Joe Biden who was wrong about the role of vice president, not Sarah Palin. The vise president is in the legislative branch of government. The V.P. is the president of the Senate. John ADAMS: “The constitution has instituted, and the nation at large has created two offices, one who is the first of the two is placed at the head of the executive and the other at the head of the legislative.” “The office of vice president is totally detached from the executive branch and confined to the legislative.” I used to love Joe Biden but now think he is a fool. His annual donations to charity is an embarassment, same goes for the Obamas.
As for Katie Couric’s interview, I only lost respect for Couric not Palin. Such an insulting question that would never be asked of a man. Palin was sand bagged by Couric’s lack of respect. Sarah Palin is a self made women who has been extremely sucessful in her every endeavor. Unless your father was president of the US, you don’t become a Governor by being stupid. If you would like to be manipulated by the Obama-media, fine, but they have as much of a chance of convincing me that Palin is stupid as they had in convincing me that Bill Clinton is a racist.
November 2, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Juliette said:
Delta
Please explain Barak Obama’s intellectual curiosity. In all his time as chairman of the foreign relations subcommitte on Europe and NATO he has not held a single meeting. This committe is key to affecting our policy in the war in Afghanistan. Obama has shown very little curiosity in Iraq,as he never bothered to visit the nation all during 2005, 06and,07. Its seems that Obama’s curiosity lies in the craft of steeling elections, the teachings of Malcohn X , Bill Ayers, Franklin Marshal, and James Cone. Sarah Palin is at least smart enough to know that the fact that Obama is so beloved by ever person who would like to destroy America, has great significance. These terrorists, dictators and preachers of hate seem to know Barak Obama better than most.
November 2, 2008 at 9:22 pm
lightacandle said:
I have “had” it and am starting a new effort — for now, I am calling it
“Stop Humiliation And Disparagement Of Women”
The short version is “SHADOW”
I don’t care how others may feel about Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin, this campaign season has turned my stomach and saddened my soul. Seemingly “nice” people have mocked both Clinton and Palin in the most disgusting and evidence-free ways — and for reasons unrelated to their effectiveness as public officials.
As Craig Crawford noted earlier in the campaign season, with regard to both President Clinton and Senator Clinton, “I really think the evidence-free bias against the Clintons in the media borders on mental illness.”
Crawford was right then, and his words apply even now to Senator Hillary Clinton and Gov. Sarah Palin.
Both of these women hold high and important political offices, yet they are treated daily to degrading and humiliating slurs and insults related to the fact they are women.
Just very recently, some man in West Hollywood got his jollies from hanging an effigy of Sarah Palin by a noose. Many people (both men and women) thought it was amusing and, so, the effigy remained in place for a week until the West Hollywood mayor persuaded the man to take it down.
On the other hand, an effigy of Barack Obama hung by a noose resulted in the arrest of the two young men who had put it up.
It was correct to arrest the men who put up the Obama effigy, but WHY was the hanging Sarah Palin considered humorous?
As a woman, I will tell you I was NOT amused — I was horrified and enraged.
As the Nazis learned and honed to perfection: first you humiliate some group, then you blame them for society’s woes, and then you can do anything you please to them — even beat or kill them — and no one will come to their aid.
Well, other disparaged groups have fought back and I am bewildered that no women (or very few women) have fought back against the organized and free-lance disparagement of Senator Clinton and Gov. Palin.
Well, every movement starts with a first step, and this will be my first step to
“Stop Humiliation And Disparagement Of Women”
“SHADOW” now . . . and “SHADOW” forever!
November 2, 2008 at 9:59 pm
lightacandle said:
“Joe Biden has been better for women in his career, and will be better in the white house.”
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
I wouldn’t get too carried away with Joe Biden’s concern for women. He is probably the single person most responsible for Clarence Thomas being on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Joe Biden was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee when the senate was considering the appointment of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court.
Biden was nasty to Anita Hill, who was the principal witness against Clarence Thomas. He also refused to allow a whole array of women, who were waiting in an adjacent room at the senate, to testify even though they had all come to tell their own stories of Clarence Thomas’s sexual harassment of them.
But Joe Biden would not allow it.
Clarence Thomas sits on the United States Supreme Court, today, largely because of Joe Biden’s actions.
November 2, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Monarch said:
SHADOW? That’s idea whose time has come.
As far as Barack’s “nuance”, make me laugh. He’s been pretty blatant and very, very one-sided about voter fraud, contempt for women and for those of us who work for a living. The main problem with Governor Palin is that she exposes Barack for the sleazy politician he is. No change there.
November 2, 2008 at 11:12 pm
lightacandle said:
“SHADOW? That’s idea whose time has come.”
——————————————————————————
Thanks. What I am planning to do is end every e-mail with this signature:
“SHADOW” now . . . and “SHADOW” forever!
I hope to be able to start something that will at least cause conversation and, eventually, cause a change in people’s ways of thinking and talking about women.
Men are absolutely encouraged to join in this effort. After all, I am sure they don’t want their mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, aunts, grandmothers and granddaughters to be treated disrespectfully either.
[...] These notions allowed The New Agenda to be the only women’s rights group to speak out on the misogyny faced by Governor [...]
November 6, 2008 at 10:39 am
Amy Roberts said:
I feel sad that women were treated like second-class citizens in this election and it went unnoticed by so many women! It does not even make sense to me. If any other underrepresented group were treated the way women were, there would be riots and chaos, and rightfully so. I hope this group can make a difference.
November 6, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Michelle said:
I, too, feel sad and frustrated that somehow the treatment of Sarah Palin has just been swept under the rug. Where is the outrage? I am at a complete loss. I feel like I’m in a glass room that is surrounded on the outside by men and women. I’m banging on the glass wall, yelling, trying to get their attention about this critical issue, but they don’t notice…they go about their business as though nothing is amiss. Nobody seems to care.
I have attempted to talk with a couple girlfriends about my frustration and have been met with blank stares and comments like, “oh, there isn’t any sexism occurring in the campaign.”…then I later find out they were Obama supporters (and presumably blinded by their more liberal views to see it).
As a last resort, I think “well, surely someone at NOW or another prominent feminist will sound the alarm” but then I am painfully reminded of how many of them have been exposed as frauds. They profess to fight for women’s rights, calling out anyone who dares to incite sexism into issues, or target a woman for her beliefs. Oh, they do…just as long as you are a liberal woman. If you’re not a liberal (pro-choice) woman, forget about it. To me, that makes them frauds. An organization that professes to be about women’s equality should be non-partisan, taking their political party hats off to adequately address the issue.
How many steps back has the feminist movement taken as a result of the incidents in this campaign? It’s been great to find this site and know that I am not alone in my frustration. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to vent.
November 6, 2008 at 11:06 pm
gbl said:
I’m late to the party, but I’d like to point out that in my experience, political candidates and those in office don’t read newspapers. They read copious clippings and summaries prepared by their staff.
I’ve also been a reporter and I know firsthand what Couric was doing. So of course, does Brad, but he’s being paid to spin it and find stuff on Google. What an intellect. Meh.
Long ago, I said no more. It’s a life of poverty and leisure. (Oh no did I wink?). But I don’t have to work with the Brads anymore. Loathsome little turds devoid of ethics.
November 8, 2008 at 8:46 pm
win said:
Perhaps I am late to post on this as well, but I also felt that this election cycle was disheartening to women. We often hear from politicians how women are not treated fairly in the work place or at home by others. Yet this election cycle worse then any work place or many families do. Women lost much of the respectibility they had gained in politics as major female candidates in both parties were ridiculed for nothing much beyond being a women and acting like one. If Palin or Clinton did not act “female” enough they were ridiculed, if they did they were ridiculed. The message came across clear, women do not belong in politics, its a “mans” world.
Amy,
Your the greatest.
I don’t think that Barak the woman hater will win the election but if God forbid he does, we must hold those in the media and the DNC who “made him” accountable. To CNN. MSNBC ABC. CBS, MSM, The New York Obama Times, and The LA Times plus all the others; if Obama wins, you own him! Don’t try to back peddle or commit blasphemy against the messiah you created. You are guilty of the damage this country will suffer at the hand of Barak Obama. You are complicit in the culture of misogyny he has augmented and will defend. Just as you were his during the primary and general election he shall be yours if he becomes our president.
I will remain a loyal fan of Fox News, what ever may become the popular trend at these other poor excuses for news outlets. They are a joke and a liability to freedom and democracy.
You do realise that outside the US, Fox is a laughing stock, widely recognised as a totally biased right wing mouthpiece of the neocons, serving the interests of the Murdoch family, not the people? I think Amy’s interview was brilliant, but she needed to be making those points to people on channels most responsible for the idolising of Obama and the demonising of women. I hope this site doesn’t start to be seen as partisan for the right, rather than dedicated to the cause of advancing women’s equality everywhere.
No fear of that Briar. We are non-partisan. This commercial crossed the line and this needed to be said.
You do realize that inside the US, the NYT and CNN, LAT, and MSNBC are recognized as totally biased by many people? I think Fox is less biased than those outlets, and I think they get a bad rap, but that’s ok. I’m sure their ratings keep them from getting too offended.
I hardly think people will think Amy and this organization are partisan simply by spreading their message on Fox, any more than Obama was viewed as rightwing as his appearance with O’Reilly.
Well Briar, since the Soroscrats have bought off the left media, Amy would have a difficult time getting ANY fair coverage on those networks anymore. I am an American living outside the U.S. and I can tell you that everyone has seen how MSNBO is one long free commercial for Obama, their owners G.E. have been pulling the strings to destroy anyone who was running against THEIR candidate from day one of this process. C.N.N. is in the same situation. NOTHING Is getting covered that doesn’t favor Obama and MSNBO was so misogynist in their coverage for the last eighteen months that it’s a national disgrace.
Ironically there is only one place left to voice any opposition to Obama and that is F.O.X. You use what you have to speak out.
Great job Amy!!
I think the medium of the message is irrelvant, be it FOX or CNN, since the target audience was/is primarily American and the message was delivered very well, very professionally. Amy Siskind was speaking to the American people, not the planet. The goals and principles of the New Agenda are clearly stated and their focus centers not on perception and nuance and doesn’t second guess the reader(s).
Amy—-you’re my hero. I know very well what it’s like being under the TV lights having to define what sexism is to the world. It’s a difficult sound bite. Many have tried it and NO ONE did it as well as you did it on Fox last night. You have my total admiration!!!
Briar—-I’m doubtful that everyone abroad sees Fox as a laughing stock. I’m in Europe all the time (my husband;s family lives in Italy and I worked all over Europe for awhile), and Europeans at least need little prompting from Fox to see Americans as both admirable and ridiculous at the same time.
It is one of the ironies to have emerged in 2008 that only Fox, for whatever reasons (and those reasons are strictly commercial I’m sure), has been the only network willing to air the vicious sexism in America that was exposed. It’s not that simple getting on other news outlets when they see sexism and misogyny as trifling concerns.
Lastly this site is nonpartisan. We represent all sides of the spectrum. Our goal is to be as inclusive as possible as we believe that there is far more that unites us than what divides us. Thanks for expressing your concerns.
Thank you, thank you , thank you. I’ve been telling my friends for the past month that there have got to be intellengent women out there who are part of the feminist movement who would and will admire and edify someone like Sarah Palin – despite having differing personal beliefs and ideologies. I was starting to fear that feminism really was just an ‘abortion rights’ platform. Thank you for being a unifier. I think there will be a ground swell of open minded, clear thinking women who can identify with what you are doing.
I agree that you need to try and get on other news stations (as well as Fox), because I don’t think most women realize how they are subtlety (and sometimes not so subtlety) being manipulated by “news” on many of the other networks that I always assumed were neutral. Just the fact that there is concern and fear that this site might be seen as partison to the right because you are trying to get your message out to everyone shows how afraid people are of anything that doesns’t fit in their personal world view. The left bias of the news is being considered “mainstream” when it is not. We are women should be reaching out to all women. Not just women who want the right to have an abortion. We’ve been shaking our heads about Obama’s complains about Fox news. In my opionion, all the candidates should be complaining about how challenging all the news organizations are. If all we can tolerate is one set of ideas than what is left that makes America unique and great? We get stronger by listening to each other and sharing ideas. Agreeing to disagree on some things, but realizing that we probably have more in common than we have differences. It seems that a women’s personal beliefs about abortion often become the mark that defines her value to other women – end of story. I’d like to believe that strong, intellengent, secure women are beyond that. I’m now tremenduosly encouraged by your efforts. Thank you!
I saw Amy’s interview on Fox News and thought Thank God there is a woman speaking out, in a clear and articulate manner, against the sexist and hateful coverage of Sarah Palin. What happened to the feminist movement ? How can any woman tolerate, participate or contribute to the demeaning of this woman or any other. Is this the way to encourage other women to enter into the political process?Can we only support one type of woman with one agenda in politics?The coverage of Sarah Palin is offensive and would never be tolerated towards any other candidate. Thank you Amy – you made a great start.
Ms. Siskind misspeaks when she says during the interview that Gov. Palin doesn’t believe in creationism. It has been widely reported that she desires evolutionary theory and creationism both be taught in public schools.
http://dwb.adn.com/news/politi.....3554c.html
Secondly, I don’t personally believe the Obama ad wink thing was sexist. I do think it was subtle, but in the context to which the Fox News interviewer assessed it, i.e., that Gov. Palin is not a serious professional and thus not qualified to be a vice presidential candidate.
By the by, can someone please tell me who Gov. Palin was winking to the half dozen or so times she did it during the vice presidential debate.
Briar,
I spend plenty of time in Europe. Fox is no joke there but socialism is becoming one. How is it that Italy, France, Germany, and Greece have elected central right pro-American Governments? This idea that we have to improve our standing, at least in Europe is a joke.
Terry,
Amy did not misspeak. Many lies about Sarah Palin have been widely reported. You should refer to FactCheck.org ;Sliming Palin Sept. 8 2008. “Palin has not pushed for teaching creationism in Alaska’s schools. She said that students should be able to debate both sides of the issue but she also said creationism doesn’t have to be part of the curriculum.” The article by fact check also exposes many other lies reported about Sarah Palin.
By now we should be skeptical of any and everything reported on CNN and or MSKGB. They have as much of a chance of convincing me that Gov. Palin is stupid as they had of convincing me that Bill Clinton is a racist.
“They have as much of a chance of convincing me that Gov. Palin is stupid as they had of convincing me that Bill Clinton is a racist.”
Terry, that is exactly right!
Amy, great job on Fox!
Valerie
Here are the MOST important facts about Sarah Palin which the dumb media completely misses:
Question: What is America’s first line of missile interceptor defense that protects the entire United States?
Answer: 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard.
Question: What is the ONLY National Guard unit on permanent active duty?
Answer: 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard
Question: Who is the Commander in Chief of the 49th Missile Defense Battalion of Alaska National Guard?
Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska
Question: What U.S. governor is routinely briefed on highly classified military issues, homeland security, and counter terrorism?
Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska
Question: What U.S. governor HAS A HIGHER CLASSIFIED SECURITY RATING than either candidate of the Democrat Party?
Answer: Governor Sarah Palin, Alaska
According to the Washington Post, she first met with McCain in
February, but it was not widely reported. This is a woman used to keeping secrets. She can be entrusted with our national security. SHE ALREADY IS.
terry, how does Palon’s position on Creationism differ from Obama’s? I’m sure it ust be VERY different, because if it were the same, how silly all the Obama supporters who are attacking palin over this while giving their candidate a free pass would look.
“in the context to which the Fox News interviewer assessed it, i.e., that Gov. Palin is not a serious professional and thus not qualified”
What indicates that she’s not a serious professional and not qualified, the winking? How about when Biden refers to his wife as drop dead gorgeous and encourages audience members to tell him he’s good looking? That doesn’t seem like serious or professional behavior to me, so it that an indication he’s not qualified? How about doing a little dance to a song called “Dirt ff the Shoulder,” and actually making brushing off your shoulder motions directed at your opponent? That seems a little buffoonlike to me, so can we take that as an idication that buffoonery is more or less the farthest thing a serious professional and Obama is therefore unqualified? Or is there something about winking that’s worse than all other manifestations of unserious, unprofessional behavior? Do explain it to us!
Responding to Cheryl:
Let’s make sure this is a correct dialogue. Cheryl, I believe you have cut and paste an email that is circulating that includes some information I know is not true, so I suspect all of it is untrue.
For example, Palin has NO ROLE in guarding U.S. airspace. This is from NORAD itself (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....30722.html is the summary. The full article is linked to from here). When F15 and F22 scramble due to Russian activity, she is not called. And all Natl Guard activites done under the military mission are directed by the military. The only time she would be involved is if it involved state disasters, but never national security.
I have seen this exact text circulating and based on the one fact being incorrect, I suspect most of it is fundamentally untrue.
Also, what indicates she is not serious? Let me count the ways:
- her inability to even state a single newspaper or magazine that she reads, even when pushed
- her confusion on the role of the VP
- her dogmatic and jingoistic appeals to nationalism
- her refusal to conduct any interviews with serious news professionals who might push her to explain her positions and beliefs
If you have anyone to blame, it should be McCain, not the media and not Obama. McCain is the one who has put her under wraps, not allowing her to speak to media. I wonder why???
Lastly, in the last Couric interview…doesn’t it bother you the condescending way McCain treats her? Doesn’t it bother you that, when Couric would ask her a question, McCain would jump in, like the guy who doesn’t trust his VP to answer the question? Isn’t it odd that so many hard-core Republicans feel she is so underqualified? Doesn’t it bother you that her responses to the tough issues of the day have not sense of any kind of policy making understanding…that they tend to be oversimplistic speaking points?
Don’t get me wrong….I find McCain to have the same intellect (or lack thereof). Look at his instant knee-jerk reaction to issues. Of course, he already knows the answers to all the questions without any deep thought. I find George Bush to be the same.
My biggest gripe with Bush/McCain/Palin is they seem to have no intellectual curiousity, no sense for nuance or the grays of the situation. IMO, the world is a whole lot more complicated then falling back on us versus them tag lines of the Cold War. IMO, this kind of thinking is exactly the worst kind of thinking you can have in a world where you are no longer the leading economic power in the world.
What really scares me is that Palin, if she got into the Pres office, would be worse than Bush.
Responding to Brad:
Brad, I believe you have cut and pasted a routine Palin-bashing post, so how about you knock it off?
“- her inability to even state a single newspaper or magazine that she reads, even when pushed”
Her “inability”? You mean her refusal to play along with the incredibly insulting condescension from Katie Couric?
“- her confusion on the role of the VP”
You mean her rhetorical question about what the VP does? What’s the problem, Brad — don’t you know what a rhetorical question is?
“- her dogmatic and jingoistic appeals to nationalism”
Simple patriotism is hardly jingoistic. And considering that Barack Obama’s friends are Jeremiah “God damn America” Wright and William “I dedicate this book to Sirhan Sirhan” Ayers, I think her remarks have been fairly restrained.
“- her refusal to conduct any interviews with serious news professionals who might push her to explain her positions and beliefs”
You mean her refusal to participate in any more interviews with a yellow-journalism media where the end result is edited to deliberately make her appear foolish and her substantive answers are not even included?
Responding to Violet:
So the way it works is…whenever something doesn’t even logically go your way, you just spin it up with some far fetched rationalization that justifies your beliefs. Do you really believe when she was asked the questions from the interviewers that she was thinking to herself…”hmmm, I won’t answer this one because Katie Couric is part of the yellow journalism crowd?” Do you really believe she would have even accepted an interview from Katie if she felt that? That Katie Couric is mysoginistic, right? So all the Repubs who have been dismissive of her capabilities…who have been hard core supporters of McCain care more about mysogyny than they do about winning the Presidency and power?
This is all post-interview recovery for a poor performance.
She does not provide any depth to any of her answers. It happens over and over again…just like McCain, she just says whatever comes into her mind. And this has nothing to do with her being a woman..as I say above, McCain and Bush fall into the same camp. No intellectual depth. No understanding of nuance.
At what point do you agree that she is not even remotely ready. And whenever a Repub gives there honest assessment, they are forced to feebly walk it back like Eagleburger.
She has no substantive answers. She has a hammer and everything looks like a nail to her.
Back to the ad – it was just politics. Haven’t you seen ads that make McCain look odd? And Obama? It has absolutely nothing to do with her gender. It has everything to do with taking what someone says or does and spinning it to your advantage.
So now, what, the things she does are off limit? Whereas whatever any other politician does is fair game?
No, Brad, the way it works is whenever you post something untrue, you get called on it.
This is a site for grown-ups. It’s not a site for you to exercise your personal animosities. The intertubes are full of blogs where you can do that.
All that Palin’s answer to the “what newspapers and magazines do you read” question told me was that she hadn’t yet mastered the art of sophistry. She deflected, but she did it clumsily. She’s a quick study, though. I expect soon she’ll be able to bounce a question like that without leaving the interviewer an opening, just like any good politician.
Dawn
Let’s see – she needs sophistry to answer a question as simple as “What newspapers do you read” Are you kidding me? So when she is asked what her policy is on taxes, should we not believe her? Or maybe we should because she hasn’t learned how to lie yet?
Violet, you confuse facts for opinion. There is not one thing you stated that is anything but an opinion. For example, have you actually listened to the Wright Speech where he says GD America? You can find it on Youtube. Perhaps you should before you talk. It is clear that he is actually quoting what someone else might have said. But, why let facts get in the way of a good story. You do exactly what you accuse Obama and the MSM of doing. Twisting the facts.
But it seems on this site you just want to breathe your own fumes. Fine. I shall leave.
corrected submission…..
Juliette,
Sorry, but you are incorrect. Amy did misspeak. Palin did say, during her debate with her opponent in the Alaska governor’s race when asked about the subject by the debate’s moderator, “I am a proponent of teaching both.”
What about that statement makes you conclude that she isn’t for teaching creationism in public schools? Please explain your logic to me if you would.
I also agree with Brad’s comments. I find Gov. Palin to be intellectually uncurious just like President George W. Bush is, and consider this a serious flaw for someone contending for the second highest office in our government.
Perhaps the result of her intellectual incuriosity, Gov. Palin has shown repeatedly during the campaign how uninformed she is:
1. The CBS Interviews with Katie Couric — When asked to name what newspapers she reads, Gov. Palin fails to name a single one. Here’s the transcript of that segment:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories.....0618.shtml
2. The CBS Interviews with Katie Couric — When asked if there were any other U.S. Supreme Court cases that she disagreed with besides Roe v. Wade, Gov. Palin could not name a single case, including the Exxon et al v. Baker case decision that she had spoken out publicly against just a few months earlier. Here’s the transcript of that segment:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories.....0618.shtml
3. Multiple cases of demonstrating that she doesn’t know what the role of the Vice President is according to the U.S. Constitution:
a. CNBC Interview with Kudlow
http://www.cnbc.com/id/26455570/site/14081545
b. VP Debate (National Coverage) – CNN transcript here
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITI.....ranscript/
c. Fox News Interview with Cameron the following day – transcript
http://elections.foxnews.com/2.....iew-palin/
d. Interview with KUSA-TV in Denver, CO when responding to a question supplied by a local third grader
http://www.9news.com/rss/artic.....yid=102353
There are other examples to list as well, but let’s summarize those posed already….
1. What newspaper do you read?
2. What SCOTUS case besides Roe v. Wade do you disagree with?
3. What is the role of the Vice President?
Hmmmm……It seems to me that the bar is pretty low here already. Gender and sexism have nothing to do with criticizing any candidate for this high office who can’t answer such softball questions.
Stop this.
That was two years ago, and immediately following that she qualified to the ADN that she meant not that creationism should be taught as part of the curriculum, but that the subject should be addressed as a controversy or if it came up.
More recently, as in a couple of weeks ago, she explicitly stated that evolution is scientific fact and should be taught as such, and that creationism should never be taught.
Now, here’s the thing, kiddies: this website is not going to play host to the slander emanating from the Obama campaign. GO AWAY.
I appreciate you including and posting your responses to this last Palin bashing series of comments. It seems like there is a real double-standard in our country. Many people complain about “politicians” as I think they should. Then when we finally are presented with someone who is and has lived a regular life in America they are not nearly ‘good enough’ and we fall back into the thing we hate but are more comfortable with because of the familiarity.
I’m confused right now.
I agree the ad was sexist in that it didn’t provide any factual reasons for her inexperience- the image was enough. However, Palin is the one who has been winking her way through this race, and as a young woman, I have found it offensive. I want a woman who commands the stage and the facts without flirtatious, condescending behavior. I supported Hillary Clinton, but I can’t get behind Palin. If we DO look at her economic record, we will see that Palin:Alaska is like Bush:USA. The same can be said for her intellectual curiosity. Palin doesn’t get my vote just because she’s a woman.
Someone said it was the same as showing Obama dancing. This isn’t true because Palin has winked through everything. We all saw the debates. Obama didn’t break out into dance while discussing foreign relations with McCain. It is truly not the same.
Again, I am a woman, and I LOVE women leaders. But I want to be represented by the best of us. That’s not Palin. Joe Biden has been better for women in his career, and will be better in the white house.
Why is winking automatically construed as flirtatious or condescending? That’s what I don’t understand. This seems to me a cultural thing. Where I live, people wink. My grandmother winks. All my aunts wink. When I see Sarah Palin wink at her father in the audience, or even wink at the audience, I don’t see that as flirtatious or condescending. It’s a folksy gesture, very common where I come from.
I think that the gross sexualization of Palin in our culture is responsible for this assumption that her winking is sexual.
The dominant culture of the media and the Obama supporters — which is urban and very different from the kind of small town Palin is from — has chosen to ridicule Palin as either a fluff bunny or a redneck or a moron. That’s what’s offensive to me. What is being ridiculed are basic folkways, mannerisms, and speech patterns of people from small towns and rural areas.
Brad,
It was Joe Biden who was wrong about the role of vice president, not Sarah Palin. The vise president is in the legislative branch of government. The V.P. is the president of the Senate. John ADAMS: “The constitution has instituted, and the nation at large has created two offices, one who is the first of the two is placed at the head of the executive and the other at the head of the legislative.” “The office of vice president is totally detached from the executive branch and confined to the legislative.” I used to love Joe Biden but now think he is a fool. His annual donations to charity is an embarassment, same goes for the Obamas.
As for Katie Couric’s interview, I only lost respect for Couric not Palin. Such an insulting question that would never be asked of a man. Palin was sand bagged by Couric’s lack of respect. Sarah Palin is a self made women who has been extremely sucessful in her every endeavor. Unless your father was president of the US, you don’t become a Governor by being stupid. If you would like to be manipulated by the Obama-media, fine, but they have as much of a chance of convincing me that Palin is stupid as they had in convincing me that Bill Clinton is a racist.
Delta
Please explain Barak Obama’s intellectual curiosity. In all his time as chairman of the foreign relations subcommitte on Europe and NATO he has not held a single meeting. This committe is key to affecting our policy in the war in Afghanistan. Obama has shown very little curiosity in Iraq,as he never bothered to visit the nation all during 2005, 06and,07. Its seems that Obama’s curiosity lies in the craft of steeling elections, the teachings of Malcohn X , Bill Ayers, Franklin Marshal, and James Cone. Sarah Palin is at least smart enough to know that the fact that Obama is so beloved by ever person who would like to destroy America, has great significance. These terrorists, dictators and preachers of hate seem to know Barak Obama better than most.
I have “had” it and am starting a new effort — for now, I am calling it
“Stop Humiliation And Disparagement Of Women”
The short version is “SHADOW”
I don’t care how others may feel about Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin, this campaign season has turned my stomach and saddened my soul. Seemingly “nice” people have mocked both Clinton and Palin in the most disgusting and evidence-free ways — and for reasons unrelated to their effectiveness as public officials.
As Craig Crawford noted earlier in the campaign season, with regard to both President Clinton and Senator Clinton, “I really think the evidence-free bias against the Clintons in the media borders on mental illness.”
Crawford was right then, and his words apply even now to Senator Hillary Clinton and Gov. Sarah Palin.
Both of these women hold high and important political offices, yet they are treated daily to degrading and humiliating slurs and insults related to the fact they are women.
Just very recently, some man in West Hollywood got his jollies from hanging an effigy of Sarah Palin by a noose. Many people (both men and women) thought it was amusing and, so, the effigy remained in place for a week until the West Hollywood mayor persuaded the man to take it down.
On the other hand, an effigy of Barack Obama hung by a noose resulted in the arrest of the two young men who had put it up.
It was correct to arrest the men who put up the Obama effigy, but WHY was the hanging Sarah Palin considered humorous?
As a woman, I will tell you I was NOT amused — I was horrified and enraged.
As the Nazis learned and honed to perfection: first you humiliate some group, then you blame them for society’s woes, and then you can do anything you please to them — even beat or kill them — and no one will come to their aid.
Well, other disparaged groups have fought back and I am bewildered that no women (or very few women) have fought back against the organized and free-lance disparagement of Senator Clinton and Gov. Palin.
Well, every movement starts with a first step, and this will be my first step to
“Stop Humiliation And Disparagement Of Women”
“SHADOW” now . . . and “SHADOW” forever!
“Joe Biden has been better for women in his career, and will be better in the white house.”
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
I wouldn’t get too carried away with Joe Biden’s concern for women. He is probably the single person most responsible for Clarence Thomas being on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Joe Biden was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee when the senate was considering the appointment of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court.
Biden was nasty to Anita Hill, who was the principal witness against Clarence Thomas. He also refused to allow a whole array of women, who were waiting in an adjacent room at the senate, to testify even though they had all come to tell their own stories of Clarence Thomas’s sexual harassment of them.
But Joe Biden would not allow it.
Clarence Thomas sits on the United States Supreme Court, today, largely because of Joe Biden’s actions.
SHADOW? That’s idea whose time has come.
As far as Barack’s “nuance”, make me laugh. He’s been pretty blatant and very, very one-sided about voter fraud, contempt for women and for those of us who work for a living. The main problem with Governor Palin is that she exposes Barack for the sleazy politician he is. No change there.
“SHADOW? That’s idea whose time has come.”
——————————————————————————
Thanks. What I am planning to do is end every e-mail with this signature:
“SHADOW” now . . . and “SHADOW” forever!
I hope to be able to start something that will at least cause conversation and, eventually, cause a change in people’s ways of thinking and talking about women.
Men are absolutely encouraged to join in this effort. After all, I am sure they don’t want their mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, aunts, grandmothers and granddaughters to be treated disrespectfully either.
[...] These notions allowed The New Agenda to be the only women’s rights group to speak out on the misogyny faced by Governor [...]
I feel sad that women were treated like second-class citizens in this election and it went unnoticed by so many women! It does not even make sense to me. If any other underrepresented group were treated the way women were, there would be riots and chaos, and rightfully so. I hope this group can make a difference.
I, too, feel sad and frustrated that somehow the treatment of Sarah Palin has just been swept under the rug. Where is the outrage? I am at a complete loss. I feel like I’m in a glass room that is surrounded on the outside by men and women. I’m banging on the glass wall, yelling, trying to get their attention about this critical issue, but they don’t notice…they go about their business as though nothing is amiss. Nobody seems to care.
I have attempted to talk with a couple girlfriends about my frustration and have been met with blank stares and comments like, “oh, there isn’t any sexism occurring in the campaign.”…then I later find out they were Obama supporters (and presumably blinded by their more liberal views to see it).
As a last resort, I think “well, surely someone at NOW or another prominent feminist will sound the alarm” but then I am painfully reminded of how many of them have been exposed as frauds. They profess to fight for women’s rights, calling out anyone who dares to incite sexism into issues, or target a woman for her beliefs. Oh, they do…just as long as you are a liberal woman. If you’re not a liberal (pro-choice) woman, forget about it. To me, that makes them frauds. An organization that professes to be about women’s equality should be non-partisan, taking their political party hats off to adequately address the issue.
How many steps back has the feminist movement taken as a result of the incidents in this campaign? It’s been great to find this site and know that I am not alone in my frustration. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to vent.
I’m late to the party, but I’d like to point out that in my experience, political candidates and those in office don’t read newspapers. They read copious clippings and summaries prepared by their staff.
I’ve also been a reporter and I know firsthand what Couric was doing. So of course, does Brad, but he’s being paid to spin it and find stuff on Google. What an intellect. Meh.
Long ago, I said no more. It’s a life of poverty and leisure.
(Oh no did I wink?). But I don’t have to work with the Brads anymore. Loathsome little turds devoid of ethics.
Perhaps I am late to post on this as well, but I also felt that this election cycle was disheartening to women. We often hear from politicians how women are not treated fairly in the work place or at home by others. Yet this election cycle worse then any work place or many families do. Women lost much of the respectibility they had gained in politics as major female candidates in both parties were ridiculed for nothing much beyond being a women and acting like one. If Palin or Clinton did not act “female” enough they were ridiculed, if they did they were ridiculed. The message came across clear, women do not belong in politics, its a “mans” world.
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