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You are here: Home / Elections / Election 2008 / We Are All Sexists Now

We Are All Sexists Now

by John Cole|  February 16, 200812:27 pm| 195 Comments

This post is in: Election 2008, Democratic Stupidity

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I simply do not get it- how the hell is Big Tent Democrat claiming this is a sexist attack:

He even truncates the remark to remove the second part of the quote, where Obama decries that “sort of gamesmanship.” Look, I believe there has been a good bit of sexism launched at Hillary this campaign, and have said as much. I haven’t seen any of it, however, from Obama and his campaign.

Pretending this is a sexist attack is as stupid as pretending that when Clinton called Obama a “kid” means he was calling him a “boy,” which of course means Clinton was actually calling Obama the n-bomb. That was stupid. This assertion is stupid. Not to mention, we know that the Hillary campaign, as a strategy, has decided to go negative and challenge Obama to debates in order to… boost Hillary’s appeal.

If this is sexist, then we are all sexists now. And the Clinton supporters really are getting pathetic, clutching at straws with a zeal Captain Ed could admire.

*** Update ***

Via the comments, I see that the freak-out is over the use of the word “periodically.” Give me a fucking break.

Here is Obama launching a exist attack on his smoking history: “”I’ve never been a heavy smoker,” Obama said. “I’ve quit periodically over the last several years. I’ve got an ironclad demand from my wife that in the stresses of the campaign I don’t succumb. I’ve been chewing Nicorette strenuously.”

Here is Mandolin, from Alas, A Blog, featured at the Feministblogs collaborative, launching a sexist attack on a homeless woman:

I have a friend who used to live as a homeless heroin addict on the streets of San Francisco when she was a teenager. Periodically, she writes about her experiences. People in workshops tend to respond by telling her that the experiences aren’t “realistic.”

I am sympathetic to many of the causes and concerns of feminists, but this sort of shit is ridiculous.

*** Update #2 ***

From the comments:

Obama wrote “The Audacity of Hope.” Emily Dickenson called hope “The thing with feathers.” Birds are things with feathers, and they have wings. What else has wings? Political parties… and Tampax!

There. I finally came up with a thought process dumber than the one behind BTD’s post.

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Reader Interactions

195Comments

  1. 1.

    Ernest

    February 16, 2008 at 12:33 pm

    First time poster, be kind.

    As far as I remember BHO on his stump speech frequently mention something along the lines of “… our message was the same when we were UP and when we were DOWN”.
    At least to me it is related to up/down in polls/delegates/funds, etc

    am I wrong?

  2. 2.

    myiq2xu

    February 16, 2008 at 12:33 pm

    It’s the “periodically” thing. You do know that women have these things called “periods” don’t you? The are often accompanied by mood swings.

    I’m sure Obama misspoke because was all know he would never lie, cheat or think impure thoughts.

  3. 3.

    dslak

    February 16, 2008 at 12:37 pm

    Can’t we all just agree that any criticism of Obama is racism, and any criticism of Hillary is misogyny?

    I’ve decided that I hate women more than I hate blacks.

  4. 4.

    myiq2xu

    February 16, 2008 at 12:39 pm

    “I understand that Senator Clinton, periodically when she’s feeling down, launches attacks as a way of trying to boost her appeal,” he said. “But I think this kind of gamesmanship is not what the American people are looking for.”

    Shorter Obama: Hillary is on the rag again!

    I’m less concerned about the not-so-subtle sexism as I am about the dishonesty in his statement. When is the press gonna start calling him on it?

  5. 5.

    ThymeZone

    February 16, 2008 at 12:54 pm

    John continues to be amazed that politics is basically dumbass schoolyard bullshit most of the time.

    I continue to marvel at the Obama campaign and the candidate, how they keep their cool and rope-a-dope their big scary powerful opponents into stepping on their own dicks and acting all up in your face Shrillery.

    Sexism? Heh. Personally, I think Obama now knows that he can say almost anything about the HBeast that doesn’t amount to kissing her ample ass, and her side will react like a bunch of damned fools.

    That’s right, myiq, I said “ample ass.” Try not to burst into tears.

  6. 6.

    poppinfresh

    February 16, 2008 at 12:55 pm

    Big Tent Democrat and his co-bloggers have been rabid Clinton supporters who throw up any scrap of pro-Clinton or anti-Obama crap they can lay their hands on for a while now. That whole Taylor Marsh/Talk Left rump of the progressive blog world has really gone off the deep end as Hillary’s campaign hits that 43-47% support ceiling everyone predicted, and flounders as a result.

    I really wish their denial and inability to pick a candidate worth supporting didn’t result in them flinging poo at everyone in striking distance. I’m rather tired of being told that it’s OK for middle-aged women to have been idealistic hippies who TOTALLY CHANGED THE WORLD!!!1! in their day, but have since grown up and gotten serious and are way smarter than their own children who overwhelmingly support Obama. At this point, I don’t think the Baby Boomer model of human being is equipped with a shame sensor for detecting when they’re being a big fat hypocrite. But hey, now that you’re middle aged, idealism is out and health care reform is in, right?

  7. 7.

    Stephen

    February 16, 2008 at 12:57 pm

    BTD is a troll with a blog. He is a relentless Clinton-spinner. Don’t even engage.

  8. 8.

    ThymeZone

    February 16, 2008 at 12:58 pm

    up and gotten serious and are way smarter than their own children who overwhelmingly support Obama. At this point, I don’t think the Baby Boomer model of human being is equipped with a shame sensor for detecting when they’re being a big fat hypocrite. But hey, now that you’re middle aged, idealism is out and health care reform is in, right?

    Watch it, you little punk. I’m 62 but I can still kick your ass.

    Healthcare is essential for all Americans, not just boomers, you idiot.

  9. 9.

    tomjones

    February 16, 2008 at 12:58 pm

    Periodically, the thought of having to pull the lever for HRC in the general makes me want to vomit.

  10. 10.

    poppinfresh

    February 16, 2008 at 1:08 pm

    I’ve been supporting UHC for a loooong time, thanks. I’m just sick of there being a priority shift in electoral concerns every 5-10 years that just magically coincides with whatever age boomers are.

    18: Free sex and no consequences! Getting drafted sucks!
    24: Let’s party and do coke!
    32: I need money now, let’s deregulate everything and make a buck! Savings and Loan for the win!
    42: Now that I have money, I want to move to the suburbs and be safe! Mandatory minimums for those darkies who sell drugs to my babies! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!
    50: I am old and want people to take care of me now!

    I predict that in ten years the hot-button issue will be funeral-industry reform.

    Ok, but all joking aside, what Stephen said is a much more succinct version of the advice I’d give. BTD is the left wing version of Hugh Hewitt- all Mitt Romney Hillary Clinton, all the time.

  11. 11.

    poppinfresh

    February 16, 2008 at 1:11 pm

    Hrm, it ate my Mitt Romney strikethrough. The lack of edit buttons makes me wanna cry sometimes.

    Oh well, I’m off to fund-raise for my hope-peddling cult leader and his message of misogyny. Serenity Now!

  12. 12.

    Horselover Fat

    February 16, 2008 at 1:11 pm

    “when she’s feeling down”

    She is being accused of being emotional. Of course, the opposite of emotional is “cold bitch.” The essence of this sort of dogwhistling is deniabilty, oh no, not sexist, you are just overreactive. Totally no win.

    Maybe you guys don’t think you are all sexists now, I disagree – and I’m a guy BTW.

  13. 13.

    charles

    February 16, 2008 at 1:13 pm

    From the context of the quote, it’s pretty obvious he’s talking about “periodically” as in “occasionally” and “down” as in “behind in the race.” And no, just because your mind (strangely) puts sexist meaning into those words doesn’t make them sexist, it just means you have a good imagination.

  14. 14.

    Mike

    February 16, 2008 at 1:16 pm

    Hillary is, what, 62? Either she’s a medical miracle or Obama couldn’t have meant that.

  15. 15.

    amylew

    February 16, 2008 at 1:21 pm

    If Obama truly meant it the way that BTD is inferring, he shouldn’t be president. I mean, come ON. Hillary is way past having periods. ;)

  16. 16.

    grandpa john

    February 16, 2008 at 1:21 pm

    My main observation after reading part of the comment section is that big tent is try to shit us about how big his tent is, cause his comments show that his tent is showing signs of shrinkage

  17. 17.

    cleek

    February 16, 2008 at 1:26 pm

    wow. the comments over there are insane.

    hey, i’m all for eliminating discrimination against women wherever it occurs, but those people are just fucking ridiculous. everything’s a dog-whistle, everything is a coded message. and if you can talk them into admitting that maybe a remark wasn’t intentionally demeaning, then it must be yet another example of the in-grained misogynistic patriarchy asserting itself … yadayadayada. absolutely nothing exists outside the women-are-oppressed framework.

    buncha lunatics

  18. 18.

    ThymeZone

    February 16, 2008 at 1:26 pm

    You do know that women have these things called “periods” don’t you?

    I am not sure the 60-year-old ones do.

    Of course, you have them, so …. there you go.

  19. 19.

    Horselover Fat

    February 16, 2008 at 1:27 pm

    I guess you guys have not heard of Hormone Replacement Therapy. My wife would get snappish for a few days every month when she was well into her 60’s, pushing 70. So yes, “periodically” is relevent even for old ladies.

  20. 20.

    Dennis - SGMM

    February 16, 2008 at 1:28 pm

    poppinfresh, I’m a sixty-year-old Obama supporter, went to Berkeley in the Sixties, Vietnam in the Seventies, so I say this with love and understanding; think before you post.

    Your argument that our children are way smarter than we are is quintessential Sixties (Been there, done that). Either your grip on history is tenuous or your “shame sensor for detecting when they’re being a big fat hypocrite” needs a firmware upgrade.

    There are plenty of people who support Hillary because they see the Clintons as besieged and they see Bill Clinton’s presidency as a Golden Age. So be it. Denigrating them with your puissant invective will not transform them into Obama supporters. Hopefully, Obama will be the nominee and they will vote for him – despite people like you.

  21. 21.

    charles

    February 16, 2008 at 1:31 pm

    “She’s being accused of being emotional”

    To my ears it sounds like he’s saying when Hillary perceives she’s down (in the race), she goes negative. The substitution in your own mind of “feeling” with “emotional like a girl, unlike a rational man” is just that–in your own mind. There’s nothing wrong with feeling or emotion outside of the imaginary baggage you are giving them.

  22. 22.

    myiq2xu

    February 16, 2008 at 1:34 pm

    I’m a sixty-year-old Obama supporter, went to Berkeley in the Sixties, Vietnam in the Seventies, so I say this with love and understanding; think before you post.

    If you can remember the sixties you weren’t there.

    BTW – Although he is younger than Bill and Hillary, Obama was born in 1961 which makes him a “Boomer,” not an “Xer”

  23. 23.

    Grand Wazoo

    February 16, 2008 at 1:35 pm

    I’m sorry, that’s really fishing. I watched that segment on Countdown last night and it never remotely occurred to me that it was some sort of veiled sexist comment. That’s just dumb.

  24. 24.

    poppinfresh

    February 16, 2008 at 1:37 pm

    Dennis – SGMM Says:
    Your argument that our children are way smarter than we are is quintessential Sixties (Been there, done that). Either your grip on history is tenuous or your “shame sensor for detecting when they’re being a big fat hypocrite” needs a firmware upgrade.

    Uh, no, my “argument” (which was a tongue-in-cheek use of the same kind of rhetoric I see on the blogs I listed above) is that making vague generalities about the voting habits or intelligence of ANYONE based on their age is STUPID, as stupid when you were college-aged as it is now.

    I actually can’t think of a single person I know who voted the way my timeline had it, though if you know such a person please feel free to kill them and dump their body in a lake somewhere.

    Anyway, back to the thread in progress!

  25. 25.

    Randy Paul

    February 16, 2008 at 1:39 pm

    Sorry, but I don’t see the sexism. I’m originally an Edwards supporter and am very marginally for Obama, mainly on the electability issue (I’m also a NYS resident who has never voted for a Clinton in a primary, but have voted for numerous women, including Geraldine Ferraro, Carolyn Maloney. Nita Lowey and a number of others, so please don’t use the sexism card on me), but there is absolutely nothing to this.

    BTD, while I agree with him on some issues, has no credibility for me with regard to HRC. This is a manufactured controversy.

  26. 26.

    John Cole

    February 16, 2008 at 1:45 pm

    Sorry, but I don’t see the sexism. I’m originally an Edwards supporter and am very marginally for Obama, mainly on the electability issue (I’m also a NYS resident who has never voted for a Clinton in a primary, but have voted for numerous women, including Geraldine Ferraro, Carolyn Maloney. Nita Lowey and a number of others, so please don’t use the sexism card on me), but there is absolutely nothing to this.

    That is just it, Randy- it does not matter if you actually are a sexist or not, only the feminist can really judge if you are for certain. You may have been talking in code your whole life and not even known it, your sexism and misogyny is so ingrained.

    This is absurd. This is the kind of crap that Amanda Marcotte used to pull (and may still, I am not sure- I quit reading Pandagon when Ezra left).

  27. 27.

    The Grand Panjandrum

    February 16, 2008 at 1:47 pm

    Jesus Periodically Ranting Christ! They ban people at a frequency that rivals Red State, and are so fucking thin-skinned it makes THIS old liberal sick to his stomach.

    But, JeraLyn has some street cred. She was the first major liberal blogger to smell a rat in the Duke lacrosse case, and stated so publicly. Armando (BTD) is a sniveling little weasel who should be given the bastinado.

    I’ll be back later to tell you how I really feel.

  28. 28.

    brendancalling

    February 16, 2008 at 1:50 pm

    it’s a desperate campaign grasping at straws.

    I don’t even LIKE Obama: he’s my third choice (fourth if I include Ron Paul, who I may still vote for in protest), and I have spent plenty of time at Booman Tribune and Daily Kos knocking the guy. However, this particular line of attack is bullshit. Actually, it’s worse than bullshit, which serves a purpose as manure: this is DOGSHIT which has no useful purpose.

    It’s honestly sad to see these people, some of who are actually personal friends of mine, go off the deep end like this. It’s in the same vein as “why do you hate America”.

  29. 29.

    Randy Paul

    February 16, 2008 at 1:51 pm

    That is just it, Randy- it does not matter if you actually are a sexist or not, only the feminist can really judge if you are for certain. You may have been talking in code your whole life and not even known it, your sexism and misogyny is so ingrained.

    Oh yeah? I’ll have you know I refer to the opposite sex as wopersons not women!

  30. 30.

    myiq2xu

    February 16, 2008 at 2:18 pm

    I’m sorry, that’s really fishing. I watched that segment on Countdown last night and it never remotely occurred to me that it was some sort of veiled sexist comment. That’s just dumb.

    Nobody had any problem seeing the racism in Cuomo’s “shuck and jive” comment last month.

    From Yahoo News:

    Obama has cultivated an image of being above the fray, and his criticism of Clinton usually comes in the form of a response to her charges. But he’s not above upping the ante, as he did Friday during a stop in Milwaukee.

    During a news conference, he was asked about Clinton’s accusation that he watered down a bill regulating the nuclear industry. He pointed out that Clinton is criticizing him for a bill she voted for and touted on her Web site.

    “I understand that Senator Clinton, periodically when she’s feeling down, launches attacks as a way of trying to boost her appeal,” he told reporters.

    Even if you ignore the sexist connotations of the word “periodically” you still have Obama explaining that Hillary was criticizing him for allegedly watering down a bill because she was “feeling down.” He also says she does it on a regular basis to “boost her appeal.”

    If he’s not referring to “periodic” mood swings, what is he referring to? He could have said “whenever she is behind in the polls” but until recently she wasn’t, so when were these “periods?”

    I also think the phrase “boost her appeal” is a strange one to use in a political campaign, especially when “going negative” isn’t supposed to make you look better, it’s supposed to make the opposition look worse. “Boost her appeal” isn’t a term of art in politics.

    BTW – Obama was being disngenuous even without any sexist attack on Hillary. Obama bragged about how he had introduced a bill to tighten regulations on the nuclear industry using it as evidence that he had a better record on the environment than Hillary.

    But it turns out that he changed the bill to make the radioactivity lobby happy. The final bill was weaker than the one he bragged about introducing because he changed it. Hillary’s criticism wasn’t that the bill was bad, it was directed at the fact that he bragged about a bill that tightened regulations when he is the person that subsequently loosened them before the final vote.

    So in addition to claiming Hillary was just feeling moody he points out that she voted for the bill like that has anything to do with whether he was being dishonest.

  31. 31.

    carol h

    February 16, 2008 at 2:21 pm

    When I saw the clip I did not associate “periodically” with periods, BUT, I found in condescending and insulting. He’s dismissive. Clinton is “feeling down” and goes negative, not “down in the polls.” She isn’t feeling down, she is down, and attributing her campaign strategy to feelings is the put down. If you look at his other comments about her, drinking tea with ambasadors, you’re likeable enough Hillary, the claws come out, you see a pattern. It’s the patronizing, condescending tone that riles me up.

  32. 32.

    cleek

    February 16, 2008 at 2:22 pm

    Even if you ignore the sexist connotations of the word “periodically”

    that’s just bullshit.

    If he’s not referring to “periodic” mood swings, what is he referring to? He could have said “whenever she is behind in the polls” but until recently she wasn’t, so when were these “periods?”

  33. 33.

    Derrick

    February 16, 2008 at 2:22 pm

    TalkLeft has truly become the Fever-Swamp of the unhinged over this primary season. I mean, you can like Hillary all that you want, but just about every diary there is about how Obama is some misogynistic, race-card playing David Koresh-cult leader. You only have to spend a few minutes over there to realize what the left’s version of the FreeRepublic would look like.

  34. 34.

    Conservatively Liberal

    February 16, 2008 at 2:24 pm

    That whole Taylor Marsh/Talk Left rump of the progressive blog world has really gone off the deep end…

    And like any rump, it emits all kinds of foul stuff. Pull their finger and see smell for yourself. Foul.

    I heard Obama say this yesterday but the first thing that came to mind was that Hillary did this when down in the polls/rankings, I did not assign the nefarious word ‘periodically’ the weight it obviously deserves (according to the feminists). If this is as bad as it gets and they are filtering every single word Obama utters to come up with stupid shit like this, then all that tells me is that Hillary and her supporters are grasping at straws.

    I think that the Schuster deal warped their senses a bit. They bit back at MSNBC, and now every word MSNBC utters is filtered and ranked on their outrageOmeter. MSNBC is a hated word at Hillaryis44.com, and members there are saying that they need to support ‘fair and balanced reporting’, and to watch Fox News instead. Now that is off the deep end.

    I wonder what the Outrage du’jour will be tomorrow? “OMFG! Bambi breathed! Stop the presses!!!”

    Give me a break. Please!!!

  35. 35.

    cleek

    February 16, 2008 at 2:25 pm

    (oops. don’t press Tab, then Space)

  36. 36.

    Mark

    February 16, 2008 at 2:28 pm

    This sort of thing could be avoided entirely if candidates were not allowed to talk when running for a nomination or the presidency.

  37. 37.

    cleek

    February 16, 2008 at 2:29 pm

    If he’s not referring to “periodic” mood swings, what is he referring to? He could have said “whenever she is behind in the polls” but until recently she wasn’t, so when were these “periods?”

    you’re reading way too much into “periodically”.

    she was clearly “feeling down” after Iowa. and then again in CT a couple weeks later. and she has, from time to time, attacked him, but not consistently. just, you know, whenever she’s feeling down in the polls.

  38. 38.

    Svensker

    February 16, 2008 at 2:31 pm

    As a woman, my reaction is that if Hillary and/or her supporters are so thin-skinned that they cannot take being described as being “down” “periodically,” then she has no business being president.

    There are people being tortured in your name as we speak, there are bombs being dropped on people in your name, as we speak, there are all kinds of horrors being perpetuated IN YOUR NAME as we speak, and y’all are worried because Obama said “Hillary” “down” and “periodically” in the same sentence?

    Jeez louise, get over yourselves, awready.

  39. 39.

    chopper

    February 16, 2008 at 2:32 pm

    people will find a dog whistle anywhere i guess. jesus, talk about desperate.

  40. 40.

    The Dog Whistlerer

    February 16, 2008 at 2:34 pm

    This is dumber than the “niggardly” incident by a factor of five, and that was pretty fucking dumb. Luckily, Team Obama will pull something equally annoying before the sympathy I’m feeling right now has a chance to set in.

    I realy wish there were some way to elect one of these two without making their hardcore supporters happy. Disenfranchisement’s too good for ’em.

  41. 41.

    ThymeZone

    February 16, 2008 at 2:37 pm

    if Hillary and/or her supporters are so thin-skinned that they cannot take being described as being “down” “periodically,” then she has no business being president.

    Winner.

  42. 42.

    TheFountainHead

    February 16, 2008 at 2:39 pm

    Oh boo fucking hoo. If that’s a sexist remark then we are so far gone as a society that it won’t matter who the fuck we elect. Really people?

    First of all, reading anything sexist into “Periodically” is about as big a stretch as I can think of. It’s projection to a disgusting degree.

    Second, who let these Feelings Nazis into the progressive party? Let’s fight the REAL racism in a America and the REAL sexism in America, as opposed to tearing down the first African American and the first woman who have a shot at the Presidency, neither of whom are either sexist or racist.

    Good God I have a headache.

  43. 43.

    The Dog Whistlerer

    February 16, 2008 at 2:44 pm

    A stretch, Fountainhead? As in MARKS?

  44. 44.

    KC

    February 16, 2008 at 2:48 pm

    Periodically, John’s entries make me laugh. This is one of them.

    (Note: I was not trying to say something sexist here. As we all know, the word “periodically” contains the three letters “d” “i” and “c” which, if you add the letter “k” to, is also an obscenity for the male sexual organ. I was in no way calling John a penis or mocking his penis. Occasionally I find his comments funny; that’s the point I was trying to make. For those of you who may have found my initial comment problematic, I sincerely apologize.)

  45. 45.

    wasabi gasp

    February 16, 2008 at 2:49 pm

    Looks like its startin’ to get bloody.

  46. 46.

    --Blue Girl

    February 16, 2008 at 2:51 pm

    Okay Dog Whistlerer – that was pretty damned funny.

    Now, can we all just get the hell over ourselves? Holy chocolate covered Christ, I’m exhausted by the endless search for minutiae to take offense at.

    Maybe I should just take a fuckitall and go balls-to-the-wall in an all-out effort to become an equal opportunity offender.

  47. 47.

    dslak

    February 16, 2008 at 2:56 pm

    Looks like its startin’ to get bloody.

    You mean like menses, you sexist pig?!

  48. 48.

    RH Potfry

    February 16, 2008 at 2:56 pm

    The claim that Obama’s remark is sexist is easily the most laughable exaggeration I’ve seen from that segment of the left that prides itself on identifying improper speech. Context is critical, folks, and you all act as if Archie Bunker uttered the comment, which might have raised an eyebrow, but nothing more.

    She’s “down” in the polls. She lashes out. Enough said.

    I swear, some of you need new hobbies.

  49. 49.

    jake

    February 16, 2008 at 2:57 pm

    So this current rush for the fainting couch would have been avoided if he’d said “When Clinton is feeling down, she goes negative.”

    No wait, that would imply she’s too emotional. Maybe if he said “From time to time, Clinton goes negative.”

    No wait, a reference to “time” could be code for “That time of the month.”

    Fuck it. Fuck them.

    I just want to know where these OutrageJunkies have been hiding all of this time. If a comment like that sends them into a frenzy, why haven’t they pulled Mike pHuckabee to shreds for saying women must be subservient to their husbands?

    What about the allegations that this Administration yawns and looks at its watch when it hears US contractors in Iraq commit rape?

    Hello? Any sexism spotters want to storm the White House?

    [Crickets chirp]

    Oh well, time to place your bets. How long until the dumb fucks of the left team up with the dumb fucks of the right to claim Obama’s blatant sexism is proof positive that he’s a stealth Mooslem?

  50. 50.

    Jon H

    February 16, 2008 at 3:00 pm

    I personally offended by any reference to Clinton trying to be the first female president. It’s sexist to draw attention to her gender that way.

    She should only be described as “trying to be the best president.

  51. 51.

    Willem van Oranje

    February 16, 2008 at 3:01 pm

    Nobody here who thinks that it could be satire by Big Tent Democrat? The Obama-supporters cry foul everytime the Clintons are critically of Obama, even going so far as to accuse them of being racist over equally ‘fabricated controversies’.

  52. 52.

    Jon H

    February 16, 2008 at 3:02 pm

    “Nobody here who thinks that it could be satire by Big Tent Democrat?”

    No. He’s always posting crap like this.

  53. 53.

    dslak

    February 16, 2008 at 3:02 pm

    How long until the dumb fucks of the left team up with the dumb fucks of the righ

    The commenters at Hillaryis44.com are trying to reach out. We’ll see if their love letters to the right are reciprocated.

  54. 54.

    Davebo

    February 16, 2008 at 3:02 pm

    Even if you ignore the sexist connotations of the word “periodically”

    That may be the funniest line I’ve read all month!

    I also ignore the sexist connotations of the word “apple” as well as “ball peen hammer”.

  55. 55.

    Ron Chusid

    February 16, 2008 at 3:03 pm

    Other pro-Clinton sites are complaining that the reference to being down has something to do with premenstrual tension or perhaps menopause. As Big Tent Democrat doesn’t specify what is sexist about this, I responded at Liberal Values under the assumption that he had the same objection. My response:

    http://liberalvaluesblog.com/?p=2916

  56. 56.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 3:05 pm

    Obama has cultivated an image of being above the fray, and his criticism of Clinton usually comes in the form of a response to her charges.

    Yep, and it’s a brilliant campaign strategy that is beating HRC like a red-headed stepchild.

    IMHO, all this sturm und drang from the Clintonistas whenever Obama (or anyone else) makes a comment that can in ANY WAY be construed as sexist is not only counterproductive but politically stupid.
    If you’re an Obamabot, then chances are you already believe your guy can do no wrong–if you’re a guy who supports HRC, then your reaction is probably WTF??–and if you’re a politically savvy woman, then you’ve already seen the victim card cynically played one too many times by the Mark Penn jerkoffs.

    Net result–another win for Obama.

    The fact of the matter is Obama and his team are running a stellar campaign up to this point and, again imho, this says a lot about his ability to lead.

    Finally, I would be more than happy to see Hillary win the nomination and think she might very well be an extremely effective president–but come November, I’ll pull that Obama lever quicker than a cat covers shit.

  57. 57.

    jake

    February 16, 2008 at 3:08 pm

    That may be the funniest line I’ve read all month!

    Get out of here you sexist pig! Your reference to the time period known as a month is a clear jab at women’s menstrual cycles!

  58. 58.

    srv

    February 16, 2008 at 3:10 pm

    Obviously, everyone here needs to take a gender studies class.

  59. 59.

    zzyzx

    February 16, 2008 at 3:12 pm

    The dumbest thing that Clinton is doing right now is demanding over and over again through her surrogates that MI and FL should be seated. It’s never going to happen, so demanding it is just wasting everyone’s time and preventing an obvious solution (that I’ll post in a week or two when it’s too late to help her ;) )that would give her a huge boost AND come across as a compromise.

  60. 60.

    --Blue Girl

    February 16, 2008 at 3:14 pm

    Yep, and it’s a brilliant campaign strategy that is beating HRC like a red-headed stepchild.

    This offends me! I am a redheaded stepchild, you ginger-gene-ist! [/eyeroling]

  61. 61.

    Conservatively Liberal

    February 16, 2008 at 3:15 pm

    Well, I am a big fan of bicycles, and ‘menstrual cycles’ is obviously a derogatory reference to red bikes. I will not stand for this! I am outraged!

    I also avoid the use of ‘microprocessor’ as it is clearly a reference to having a small penis.

  62. 62.

    The Dog Whistlerer

    February 16, 2008 at 3:22 pm

    Thanks, Blue Girl, but as a warrior in the battle against linguomisogyny, I must insist you change your handle to Blue Woman. No, wait–that still leaves “blue,” which could be miscontrued as a reference to a less-than-optimal mood. Oh, shoot, I just said “which” without even considering its sexist homonym, therefore… (Jacob’s Ladder head shake)

    God DAMN these people make it hard to resist the occasional indulgence of one’s South Parkesque reactionary side.

    Y’all might want to check out how that thread over at Talk Left wound up–the twits we’re making fun of ended up turning on each other. Shocking, right? That’s not even “Dog Bites Man” at this point, more like “Dog Bites Food.”

  63. 63.

    Conservatively Liberal

    February 16, 2008 at 3:23 pm

    Oh, and the Hillaryis44.com crowd are outraged, OUTRAGED!, that Obama said this:

    “You challenge the status quo and suddenly the claws come out.”

    Which when translated by a Hillbot means that he said this and Hillary ‘seemed’ to be in his sights.

    That web site is Hillaryous!

  64. 64.

    wasabi gasp

    February 16, 2008 at 3:24 pm

    The fact of the matter is Obama and his team are running a stellar campaign

    Obamamania is cramping her style.

  65. 65.

    myiq2xu

    February 16, 2008 at 3:24 pm

    TalkLeft has truly become the Fever-Swamp of the unhinged over this primary season. I mean, you can like Hillary all that you want, but just about every diary there is about how Obama is some misogynistic, race-card playing David Koresh-cult leader. You only have to spend a few minutes over there to realize what the left’s version of the FreeRepublic would look like.

    The irony is thick in here. The sites you complain of have become refuges for people who were driven away from other lefty sites by the hostility of Obama supporters. Several of them were just recently created or have seen a sudden increase in the number of visitors. These people are refugees, and a disproportionate number of them are women who perceive that there is rampant misogyny at the sites they left.

    I seen numerous comments by people who had been regulars at lefty blogs but stopped going or posting at those sites because the pervasive hostility to anyone who criticizes Obama or who supports and/or defends Hillary.

    I have felt the love myself and it’s really disgusting. I’m not talking about someone disagreeing with me, I have often been the only liberal in a group of conservatives and if anything I bothered them more than they bothered me. I enjoy a lively discussion, especially if there is alcohol involved.

    This is different and ugly. Recently I noticed that I would post a negative comment about Obama or I would say something in Hillary’s defense and I would get personal insults from total strangers in response. I would talk about Obama, but the response talked about me, and it was usually somewhere between “rude” and “slanderous.”

    What is also disturbing it that the things I keep hearing from Obama supporters don’t sound like the kind of things liberals and progressives say, it sounds like wingnut hate speech. Many of them don’t hadly even mention Obama, they just rant about Hillary.

    No you can disagree with me and call me names but it’s happening. The biggest problem Obama is facing right now is his supporters. They are driving away part of the Democratic base. Some people need to read that book “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”

    To put it another way, Obama fans need to knock off the hating and the insults, regardless if they think “Hillary does it too” because they are hurting Obama. These people (me included) are part of his base. Drive us away and he’ll really need to get those independents and conservatives next November.

    If I’m wrong, being nice won’t hurt.

  66. 66.

    chopper

    February 16, 2008 at 3:27 pm

    I will not stand for this! I am outraged!

    “rage”? what, like the “rage” all women feel when they’re on their period? you, sir, are worse than hitler.

  67. 67.

    jake

    February 16, 2008 at 3:32 pm

    the twits we’re making fun of ended up turning on each other. Shocking, right? That’s not even “Dog Bites Man” at this point, more like “Dog Bites Food.”

    “Dog returns to vomit.”

    People like that have been the death of many a group. (See the GOP for an extreme example.)

    When they’ve succeeded in killing the original group they form their own group and then they proceed to tear each other to shreds until: “Waah! We fought so hard for peace an’ equality an’ kittens an’ nuthin’ happened!”

    That’s why if you want to get anything done you have to make fun of them until they fuck off.

  68. 68.

    The Other Steve

    February 16, 2008 at 3:36 pm

    I’m just not seeing it.

    Big Tent Democrat jumped the shark sometime ago. I believe he was even banned from DailyKos.

  69. 69.

    Randy Paul

    February 16, 2008 at 3:37 pm

    Funny how this same crowd didn’t jump on Clinton and accuse him of homophobia when he made this comment about Obama:

    “This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I’ve ever seen.”

    /snark>

  70. 70.

    The Other Steve

    February 16, 2008 at 3:39 pm

    I seen numerous comments by people who had been regulars at lefty blogs but stopped going or posting at those sites because the pervasive hostility to anyone who criticizes Obama or who supports and/or defends Hillary.

    Now some would call this a strawman argument.

    Fortunately, I know better. I know that Clinton supporters wouldn’t possibly use a “some say” style argument without substantiation. I mean that’s something that GW Bush would do, and we’re better than him.

    Right?

  71. 71.

    Jon H

    February 16, 2008 at 3:44 pm

    ” These people are refugees, and a disproportionate number of them are women who perceive that there is rampant misogyny at the sites they left.”

    Your use of the word ‘refugee’ offends me.

  72. 72.

    Dennis - SGMM

    February 16, 2008 at 3:44 pm

    In order to cleanse my posts of any trace of misogyny or sexism I will hereby stop ending them with a p______d

  73. 73.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 3:50 pm

    myiq2xu–

    Your point is well-taken, but from my perspective at least, the hating seems to be an equal opportunity phenomena across the progressive blogosphere and the projection and lack of self-awareness on both sides is stunning.

    What’s even more amazing is that many of these same sites, and people, were once crowing about the disarray the goopers were going to experience as their nomination process drug out through the convention–and they now seem to have neither the perspective or foresight to avoid that same result.

    God help us if this ends up ushering in another Rethug administration.

  74. 74.

    brendancalling

    February 16, 2008 at 3:53 pm

    myiq:
    “sexist connotations of the word “periodically”

    from websters:

    periodically

    Main Entry:
    pe·ri·od·i·cal·ly Listen to the pronunciation of periodically
    Pronunciation:
    \ˌpir-ē-ˈä-di-k(ə-)lē\
    Function:
    adverb
    Date:
    1646

    1 : at regular intervals of time 2 : from time to time :

    There is absolutely NO sexual connotation in the adverbial sense. NONE. Zilch. Bupkes.
    That’s like saying the “homo” in “homonym” has a sexual connotation or that the word “denigrate” has racial connotations.

  75. 75.

    brendancalling

    February 16, 2008 at 3:56 pm

    PS; i like that term “feelings nazi”, except of course since I’m half-jewish I’m offended by that. please change it to “feelings fascist” because you’re disrespecting a lot of people.
    /snark for the mouth breathers among us (no disrespect meant to mouth breathers).

  76. 76.

    myiq2xu

    February 16, 2008 at 4:00 pm

    The claim that Obama’s remark is sexist is easily the most laughable exaggeration I’ve seen from that segment of the left that prides itself on identifying improper speech. Context is critical, folks, and you all act as if Archie Bunker uttered the comment, which might have raised an eyebrow, but nothing more.

    She’s “down” in the polls. She lashes out. Enough said.

    Then why didn’t he just say “When Hillary is dropping in the polls she goes negative?” Or “There isn’t much she can do to increase her approval ratings, so her only hope is to try to tear me down by attacking me.”

    Every word that Bill or Hillary utters is parsed into discreet syllables, and even punctuation, case and font are critiqued. There is no such thing as happenstance or coincidence, and their intentions are presumed to be bad unless they prove otherwise beyond a reasonable doubt.

    The Clintons are deemed responsible for anything negative that is said or done by their campaign staff, volunteers, friends, acquaintances, supporters, former classmates and anyone that has ever been within 500 feet of them.

    Obamaniacs respond to the suggestion that some of their fellow Obama supporters are getting carried away by rationalizing that since they themselves are not acting like members of cult that any and all criticims of Obama and/or Obama Nation a vicious lies started by Hillary and her WATB supporters.

    Meanwhile, the incoherent ramblings of some anonymous commenters on a small and relatively unknown pro-Hillary blog are proof that none of Hillary’s supporters ever say anything reasonable or express valid criticisms and the only thing they are capable of is making unhinged diatribes because they are stupid losers.

  77. 77.

    zsa

    February 16, 2008 at 4:01 pm

    I think cbear nails it up above, no doubt with his ball peen hammer. HRC has high negatives, even among Democrats and certainly among independents. Combine that with the fact that voters are fleeing the GOP, and you have a situation where a moderate-Dem-who-is-not-Hillary can win this easily by sitting back, talking about change and how nice the flowers smell, etc.

    The Hillary people are looking for some small bit of rope they can hang Obama with, because otherwise it’s curtains. He’s smart enough not to give it to them.

    You think it’s dog-whistling now. Hell, wait for the general, where we’ll find out that Obama is actually, you know, a black guy.

  78. 78.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 4:06 pm

    some small bit of rope they can hang Obama with

    Ooops, that’s going to leave a mark.

  79. 79.

    Ed Drone

    February 16, 2008 at 4:09 pm

    I personally offended by any reference to Clinton trying to be the first female president. It’s sexist to draw attention to her gender that way.

    She should only be described as “trying to be the best president.

    Well, trying to be the best president would be a real improvement over the current one. He wanted to be president in the worst way, and succeeded.

    Ed

  80. 80.

    jake

    February 16, 2008 at 4:11 pm

    Every word that Bill or Hillary utters is parsed into discreet syllables, and even punctuation, case and font are critiqued. There is no such thing as happenstance or coincidence, and their intentions are presumed to be bad unless they prove otherwise beyond a reasonable doubt.

    The Clintons are deemed responsible for anything negative that is said or done by their campaign staff, volunteers, friends, acquaintances, supporters, former classmates and anyone that has ever been within 500 feet of them.

    ZOMG! Obama controls teh Media! And the fact that he won’t sic them on pResident Bush proves he is a closet Republican!

    There needs to be a third party. It can contain the folks who think Hilary is sending some sort of signal when she wears a brown jacket and the folks who think Obama is sending some sort of signal when he uses a word like periodically. Hell, it would be an ideal home for the fRighties who cower in fear of LibralFascists:

    Ladies & Gentlemen: The WATB Party.

  81. 81.

    Randy Paul

    February 16, 2008 at 4:13 pm

    Obamaniacs respond to the suggestion that some of their fellow Obama supporters are getting carried away by rationalizing that since they themselves are not acting like members of cult that any and all criticims of Obama and/or Obama Nation a vicious lies started by Hillary and her WATB supporters.

    And there are some of us who are neither sexist pigs nor Obamaniacs (e.g. myself) who honestly see this as a manufactured controversy.

    Meanwhile, the incoherent ramblings of some anonymous commenters on a small and relatively unknown pro-Hillary blog are proof that none of Hillary’s supporters ever say anything reasonable or express valid criticisms and the only thing they are capable of is making unhinged diatribes because they are stupid losers.

    I certainly don’t believe that, but TalkLeft is neither small nor relatively unknown. Jeralyn does a great job running that blog and it has a huge audience.

  82. 82.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 4:14 pm

    zsa-

    no disrespect intended…I was merely attempting to point out that its almost impossible to write a comment w/o self-censoring every freaking word or phrase.

  83. 83.

    cleek

    February 16, 2008 at 4:16 pm

    Every word that Bill or Hillary utters is parsed into discreet syllables, and even punctuation, case and font are critiqued. There is no such thing as happenstance or coincidence, and their intentions are presumed to be bad unless they prove otherwise beyond a reasonable doubt.

    thankfully, Clinton supporters would never do that.

    The Clintons are deemed responsible for anything negative that is said or done by their campaign staff, volunteers, friends, acquaintances, supporters, former classmates and anyone that has ever been within 500 feet of them.

    and, that never happens to Obama.

    can you imagine if somebody implied or outright claimed that the behavior of Obama’s supporters would be a valid reason to not support him in the election. can you imagine if someone made up a silly name – “Barackanatics”, maybe – to try to taint both the supporters and the candidate at the same time ?

    horrible. i’d be the end of civil discourse.

  84. 84.

    Randy Paul

    February 16, 2008 at 4:20 pm

    cbear,

    Good point. From now on I’m calling a shovel a shovel ;-)

  85. 85.

    Randy Paul

    February 16, 2008 at 4:23 pm

    And the detective in The Maltese Falcon is Sam Thing-You-Dig-Holes-Wtih.

  86. 86.

    myiq2xu

    February 16, 2008 at 4:23 pm

    There is absolutely NO sexual connotation in the adverbial sense. NONE. Zilch. Bupkes.
    That’s like saying the “homo” in “homonym” has a sexual connotation or that the word “denigrate” has racial connotations.

    I guess that the reason that we refer to that portion of women’s menstrual cycle when they are discharging the unfertilized ovum and the uterine lining as a”period” has nothing to do with the regular intervals at which it takes place?

    BTW – You got it bass ackwards with your “homonym” example too. “Homo” means “same” in greek, so it goes with “same name” (homonym) or “same sex” (homosexual)

    IOW – Two word pairs and both words in each pair share the same root meaning.

  87. 87.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 4:26 pm

    Randy Paul–

    Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar…

    Course, I shore do likes me seeing a hot babe smoking a big fat Corona….Oh Shit, can’t believe I just said that—guess I better cut my dick off and go sit in a corner.

    It’s all Just. Fucking. Stupid.

  88. 88.

    mere mortal

    February 16, 2008 at 4:26 pm

    I agree with John that this kind of stuff is ridiculous. However, he has to understand the difference between:

    The woman periodically writes about her life in a weblog
    and
    The woman periodically gets moody and emotional.

    But even so, it’s still ridiculous. But since negative campaigning has a chance to hurt the attacker, there is an incentive to claim that you’ve been attacked over any statement by your opponent.

    Think soccer, where players often crumple to the ground in pain hoping to draw a kick in the box or a red card on their opponent, only to spring up and sprint after the ball when nothing is called.

  89. 89.

    Rarely Posts

    February 16, 2008 at 4:32 pm

    As a woman that actively posts on political forums I often get told I’m letting my monthly emotional mood swings affect my opinions. Is that sexist? Damn straight. Especially since I get told that on a weekly basis. Only Obama can say what he meant for sure, but IMO he was trying to put Clinton in her place. Subtly, but surely.

  90. 90.

    zsa

    February 16, 2008 at 4:34 pm

    cbear, I was responding to your “red headed stepchild” comment, which I thought was spot-on.

    For no particular reason, I did want to work a ball peen hammer reference into it somewhere.

  91. 91.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 4:35 pm

    As a woman that actively posts on political forums I often get told I’m letting my monthly emotional mood swings affect my opinions.

    Stop going to Red State and Ace of Spades.

  92. 92.

    Jon H

    February 16, 2008 at 4:37 pm

    So is it also off limits to mention Hillary’s cash-flow problems?

  93. 93.

    Davebo

    February 16, 2008 at 4:40 pm

    I guess that the reason that we refer to that portion of women’s menstrual cycle when they are discharging the unfertilized ovum and the uterine lining as a”period” has nothing to do with the regular intervals at which it takes place?

    Exactly! Just like the sun rises and sets in regular intervals.

    Therefore, when Obama got his ethics legislation passed to provide more “sunshine” into the legislative process, it was all really about proving that Hillary is wearing a mini pad.

    But wait! There’s more!

    The NFL starts and ends it’s season on a regular schedule. Therefore every completion Tom Brady makes during a non preseason game is really a claim that Hillary often stains the sheets.

    Geez! And they say Obama’s followers are cult like!

  94. 94.

    crw

    February 16, 2008 at 4:40 pm

    This just in. Barack Obama and Bill Clinton both sometimes word things poorly. Both camps supporters, in turn, are prone to parsing every word for perceived political incorrectness with which to paint the opposition as scum (or worse, winger wannabes). News at 11.

    I hope after the primary season is done, we can all do some soul searching and realize just how retarded this hypersensitivity to *ism has gotten.

    Shorter: I agree with John.

  95. 95.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 4:43 pm

    zsa-

    I know, I thought it was funny.

    I was simply pointing out that your use of the words Obama/hang/rope in the same sentence, however inadvertent, could lead to your being banned in 30 states and on 100 blogs.

    That is the state of our discourse. It’s Stooopid.

  96. 96.

    Rarely Posts

    February 16, 2008 at 4:44 pm

    cbear Says:

    As a woman that actively posts on political forums I often get told I’m letting my monthly emotional mood swings affect my opinions.

    Stop going to Red State and Ace of Spades.

    Neither. The one I spend the most time on is a liberal forum, strangely enough.

  97. 97.

    chopper

    February 16, 2008 at 4:44 pm

    Every word that Bill or Hillary utters is parsed into discreet syllables, and even punctuation, case and font are critiqued.

    which is why everyone got pissed about clinton’s ‘fairy tale’ remark being homophob…oh, wait.

    Stop going to Red State

    “red”??

  98. 98.

    Svensker

    February 16, 2008 at 4:45 pm

    myiq2xu Says:

    The claim that Obama’s remark is sexist is easily the most laughable exaggeration I’ve seen from that segment of the left that prides itself on identifying improper speech. Context is critical, folks, and you all act as if Archie Bunker uttered the comment, which might have raised an eyebrow, but nothing more.

    She’s “down” in the polls. She lashes out. Enough said.

    Then why didn’t he just say “When Hillary is dropping in the polls she goes negative?” Or “There isn’t much she can do to increase her approval ratings, so her only hope is to try to tear me down by attacking me.”

    Stuff like this completely undermines your statement that otherwise reasonable people who are Obama supporters just go all mean and nasty on ya, myiq2xu. If this is what you call all mean and nasty, then get our your fainting couch, cuz you’re going to need it.

  99. 99.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 4:48 pm

    Therefore every completion Tom Brady makes during a non preseason game is really a claim that Hillary often stains the sheets.

    How does that explain him throwing like a girl in the Super Bowl??? Lol

  100. 100.

    Fausto Carmona

    February 16, 2008 at 4:49 pm

    Hilzoy to Armando, Taylor, and Lambert: Dude, no.

  101. 101.

    Kate Stone

    February 16, 2008 at 4:52 pm

    Yeah, sexist. She’s on the rag. Never trust a woman who is emotional. She might blow us all up.

  102. 102.

    jake

    February 16, 2008 at 4:57 pm

    I have to assume the people pitching fits over .ically were not born or are too young to remember when Ferraro ran with Mondale.

    Either that or they miraculously grew another head* when the first one exploded.

    *The word head as used here is not meant and should not be taken as, a reference to male reproductive organs or the fact that women don’t have male reproductive organs.**

    **Don’t you dare make any Ann Coulter jokes, you insensitive bastards.

  103. 103.

    myiq2xu

    February 16, 2008 at 4:58 pm

    Laugh it up and keep it up, and you’ll feel really stupid next November.

    Go read the comment threads at No Quarter, Shakespeares Sister, or Taylor Marsh and you’ll see lots of liberal Democrats that are getting turned off on Obama because of what they perceive as sexist behavior and unprovoked hostility from Obama supporters.

    Many of the commenters like Obama, or they did until recently. I never had any great enthusiasm for Hillary or any dislike for Obama, but his supporters are trying hard to change that. If I wanted to wallow in Right-wing memes and irrational Hillary hate, I would head over to Wingnuttia for the real thing.

    If you really care about helping Obama win you’ll take this seriously.

    Most of you won’t even admit that what Obama said could be interpreted as sexist even if you don’t think he meant it that way. If you do you admit it you say something like

    “Yeah, someone could interpret that as sexist, but only if they were a fag or a whiny bitch.”

    Maybe John should rename this place the “He-man Woman Haters Club.”

    Or has kos already claimed that domain name?

  104. 104.

    jake

    February 16, 2008 at 4:59 pm

    WTF? Why did that bold?

    *WTF?*

    Huh. I didn’t know that.

  105. 105.

    PSoTD

    February 16, 2008 at 5:03 pm

    I can’t even stand reading Big Tent Democrat. Jeralyn’s ruining her blog with that guy.

  106. 106.

    Shalimar

    February 16, 2008 at 5:04 pm

    How the hell did Armando get to be a feminist leader in the first place? Does no one else remember the Pie Wars on Daily Kos 3 years ago? He’s still an overbearing close-minded asshole, only the arguments have changed 180 degrees now that he has a different idol to defend.

  107. 107.

    zzyzx

    February 16, 2008 at 5:07 pm

    This is why I want this done soon, no matter who wins. If Obama becomes the de facto nominee in March, by June, we’ll all be so busy talking about McCain that we will have forgotten about random “sexist” remarks.

  108. 108.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 5:10 pm

    Yeah, sexist. She’s on the rag. Never trust a woman who is emotional. She might blow us all up.

    How bout this…let’s take the worst case scenario and assume that his statement was in sexist code.
    Has it ever crossed your mind that sometimes men say inadvertently stupid things that offend women because, you know, they’re men?
    Just like women sometimes say inadvertently stupid things that offend men because, you know, they’re women.
    Apply the same prinicple to black and white, Muslim and Christian, etc. etc.

    At the end of the day, what exactly does it all fucking mean? Are we to assume that every single word uttered by anyone is indicative of their character or principles or soul?

    Does this mean that we shouldn’t be offended when some stupid dick at MSNBC makes a sexist and demeaning comment? NO.
    Does this mean that we shouldn’t be offended by some stupid twat on The View makes a demeaning comment towards men?
    NO.

    It’s about fucking context, and it’s about fighting over the REAL issues–like 4000 dead Americans and countless dead Iraqis.

  109. 109.

    jake

    February 16, 2008 at 5:13 pm

    If you really care about helping Obama win you’ll take this seriously.

    Outline “take this seriously” for us. What does “taking this seriously” do?

    Most of you won’t even admit that what Obama said could be interpreted as sexist even if you don’t think he meant it that way.

    There is no question that it could be interpreted that way because people have interpreted it that way. Just as there’s no question that Clinton calling Obama a “kid” has been interpreted as rascist. The question is: Does it make any sense to interpret it that way?

    Survey says: No.

    You want to say people are entitled to their opinions? I’m behind you 100%, especially since it’s my opinion those people are dumb fucks.

    Can anything be done about the fact some people chose to interpret benign shit as sexist (or racist)?

    Again. No.

    Fuck it and fuck them. If I thought Clinton were as pathetic as some of her supporters, I’d be worried. We’ve seen what happens when hyper-sensitive paranoids get in the White House and I’d like to avoid 12 straight years of that bullshit.

    Fortunately, I know a woman who survived accusations that she killed Vince Foster with Lesbian Voo-Doo Majik can withstand the word “periodically.”

  110. 110.

    Perry Como

    February 16, 2008 at 5:17 pm

    hai guise

    i hurd u liek mudkipz?

  111. 111.

    cleek

    February 16, 2008 at 5:21 pm

    I never had any great enthusiasm for Hillary or any dislike for Obama

    you’ve been slagging Obama here for weeks.

  112. 112.

    Sojourner

    February 16, 2008 at 5:22 pm

    18: Free sex and no consequences! Getting drafted sucks!
    24: Let’s party and do coke!
    32: I need money now, let’s deregulate everything and make a buck! Savings and Loan for the win!
    42: Now that I have money, I want to move to the suburbs and be safe! Mandatory minimums for those darkies who sell drugs to my babies! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!
    50: I am old and want people to take care of me now!

    Fuck you. The boomers are the generation that brought about civil rights, women’s rights, and gay rights.

    Later generations have done, what?

  113. 113.

    The Dog Whistlerer

    February 16, 2008 at 5:23 pm

    Myiq2xu, you’re here more than I am, and you’ve been here longer than I have, so I guess I should defer to your judgment on this, but is it at least possible that the argument you’re having isn’t the one dictated by this thread?

    You’re the regular, not me, but the Balloon Juice I read is full of people who find both candidates relatively acceptable (relative to Bush, so okay, skewsville) while being aware of their flaws–he’s style-over-substance and tends to attract starry-eyed naifs while she’s got a record marred by high-profile black marks and surrounds herself with cynical apparatchiks–but you’re an HRC partisan at war with Obama partisans, and this isn’t where those cats hang out, hence the mockery (good-natured though it may be) of magic ponies and such. Honestly, does anybody here not view this contest as a least of three evils scenario?

    Plus I’m pretty sure nobody here is using Big Tent Democrat et al. to prove their point about Hillary or her supporters (if anyone is, cut it out, you). We’ll all be Hillary supporters if she gets the nom. We’re making fun of hypersensitive idiots, pure and simple. When Camp Obama slings an egregiously stupid clump of mud–and yes, that’s “when,” not “if”–it’s safe to assume the BJ community will be doling out some highly readable ass-kickings.

    Just my two cents. Can’t say I knew you in less divisive times, but I watched my beloved Bartcop fall down this particular rabbit hole, and that’s the vibe I’m getting here.

    Oh, and the thing about word bases? C’mon. By that logic, calling somebody a scumbag is tacit support of abstinence-only education.

  114. 114.

    4tehlulz

    February 16, 2008 at 5:26 pm

    Adverbs. Serious business.

  115. 115.

    John Cole

    February 16, 2008 at 5:26 pm

    Go read the comment threads at No Quarter, Shakespeares Sister, or Taylor Marsh and you’ll see lots of liberal Democrats that are getting turned off on Obama because of what they perceive as sexist behavior and unprovoked hostility from Obama supporters.

    I can not control what people make up in their head to get offended about, but if this keeps them from voting for Obama in November, then they are just fucking dumber than me.

    And I voted for Bush. Twice.

  116. 116.

    Starscream

    February 16, 2008 at 5:29 pm

    I just want to point out the unmitigated hostility towards TalkLeft here

    Every sentence ends with hostility towards both HRC and women in general I think it should stop, and I’m taking a stand

    End the p****d End it now

    Can you join me

    (Question mark removed for incorporation of the dread scourge)

    I feel sort of like ee cummings

    (Exclamation likewise removed for the same reason)

  117. 117.

    demimondian

    February 16, 2008 at 5:29 pm

    They are just fucking dumber than me.

    And I voted for Bush. Twice.

    Sorry, John. That’s an insuperable achievement.

    Unless you voted for Jay “Selling your rights to the telcos since 1980” Rockefeller, too.

  118. 118.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 5:32 pm

    Go read the comment threads at No Quarter, Shakespeares Sister, or Taylor Marsh and you’ll see lots of liberal Democrats that are getting turned off on Obama because of what they perceive as sexist behavior and unprovoked hostility from Obama supporters.

    You gotta be fucking kidding me. I’m a longtime reader over at No Quarter and those people have gone batshit crazy over the fact that anyone would dare even consider NOT voting for Hillary, and virtually every post is a non-stop screed against Obama, complete with links to gooper sites.

    Yesterday, Larry Johnson posted a story regarding Obama’s “Terrorist Ties” because he found some guy, now a professor, who was once in the Weather Undergound and donated $200 to Obama.
    His co-blogger, Susan, recently posted 500 words or so regarding the fact that the Hillary site responded to the Edwards withdrawal marginally faster than did the Obama folks.

    I love that site because of its illuminative take on intelligence issues and foreign affairs, but it has become almost unreadable of late.

    Better examples please.

  119. 119.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 5:38 pm

    18: Free sex and no consequences! Getting drafted sucks!
    24: Let’s party and do coke!
    32: I need money now, let’s deregulate everything and make a buck! Savings and Loan for the win!
    42: Now that I have money, I want to move to the suburbs and be safe! Mandatory minimums for those darkies who sell drugs to my babies! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!
    50: I am old and want people to take care of me now!

    Fuck you. The boomers are the generation that brought about civil rights, women’s rights, and gay rights.

    Goddamn Right! and anybody who trys to take away my stash of weasel dust is going to have to pry it from my cold DEAD HANDS.

    Fucking kids.

  120. 120.

    myiq2xu

    February 16, 2008 at 5:39 pm

    you’ve been slagging Obama here for weeks.

    Mostly I’ve been defending Hillary by pointing out that Obama’s shit stinks just like hers.

    And mine. And yours.

    I made a concious effort the last couple of weeks to not slag anyone except G-Dub and his minions.

    Unfortunately I’ve used up my patience and self-control so as far as I’m concerned it’s Chicago rules and open season on trolls.

    I won’t have to worry about hurting anyone’s feelings because they obviously don’t have any.

  121. 121.

    Brachiator

    February 16, 2008 at 5:42 pm

    Obamamania is cramping her style.

    Wait a minute. Cramping. That’s sexist

    Obviously, everyone here needs to take a gender studies class to be sent to a re-education camp.

    Fixed.

    This offends me! I am a redheaded stepchild, you ginger-gene-ist! [/eyeroling]

    Apparently, in the UK, ginger-head discrimination is sometimes an issue. But then again, sometimes redheads are the favored children.

    Is gingerism as bad as racism?

    Redhead wins Big Brother

    Ginger folk get garden red carpet

    This is dumber than the “niggardly” incident by a factor of five, and that was pretty fucking dumb. Luckily, Team Obama will pull something equally annoying before the sympathy I’m feeling right now has a chance to set in.

    Amen to that! Wait a minute. Is “amen” racist?

  122. 122.

    jake

    February 16, 2008 at 5:44 pm

    Who gives a damn about the writer’s strike? We have teh internons!

  123. 123.

    demimondian

    February 16, 2008 at 5:45 pm

    Trolls? Trolls? We aren’t smart enough to have any feelings, and any we might have been stupid enough to have have long since been lost to the howling winds under the bridges where we are forced to live.

  124. 124.

    chopper

    February 16, 2008 at 5:50 pm

    Go read the comment threads at No Quarter, Shakespeares Sister, or Taylor Marsh and you’ll see lots of liberal Democrats that are getting turned off on Obama because of what they perceive as sexist behavior and unprovoked hostility from Obama supporters.

    hah! that’s comedy gold. well, i guess having ventured over to hillaryis44.com and seen the rank hostility towards obama there, i’m not going to vote for her either. third party here i come!

  125. 125.

    demimondian

    February 16, 2008 at 5:51 pm

    Wait a minute. Is “amen” racist?

    No, but it’s viciously theocratic, and thus gives away your underlying allegiance to Teh BAPTYSTS!

  126. 126.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 5:57 pm

    Fuck it, I’m done. Apparently you just can’t have a nuanced approach to this shit.

    Ya’ll excuse me now–that goddamn shiftless yardboy is fucking up the lawn again, those lazy Messicans are late for the home repair job, the homos next door are looking at my kids, the white-trash down the street are fighting again, and my stupid girlfriend isn’t back from the fucking 7-11 with my beer–probably cause those goddamn ragheads are cheating her out of my money.

    Did I miss anybody who hasn’t been victimized or offended somehow, somewhere today?

  127. 127.

    4tehlulz

    February 16, 2008 at 6:07 pm

    cbear is an antisemite because he left the Jews out of his rant.

  128. 128.

    Brachiator

    February 16, 2008 at 6:07 pm

    Did I miss anybody who hasn’t been victimized or offended somehow, somewhere today?

    Gypsies, tramps and thieves.

  129. 129.

    Xanthippas

    February 16, 2008 at 6:18 pm

    This just in. Barack Obama and Bill Clinton both sometimes word things poorly. Both camps supporters, in turn, are prone to parsing every word for perceived political incorrectness with which to paint the opposition as scum (or worse, winger wannabes). News at 11.

    I second that.

    Also BTD, who has never met another liberal/progressive blogger he couldn’t insult, is a freaking moron. He cites the fact that the media is picking up on this meme of Obama’s “sexist” attacks (in the form of an ABC news blog post…which BTW, cites Taylor Marsh, who might just have a slight bias issue) then this is evidence that Obama really does have a problem with sexist attacks on Clinton. He of course ignores the fact that the media are quick to jump on completely made-up controversies and have only furthered some of the sexist attacks on Hillary, and so would naturally be quick to pick up on anyone else’s supposed sexist attacks.

    Anyway, I wish people would spend 1/10,000th of the time they do writing/thinking/being outraged about this nonsense thinking instead about the actual policy differences between the two candidates. Some liberals/progressives will bag on bloggers like Kevin Drum or Matt Yglesias for being too “centrist” or “moderate”, but at least they don’t write multiple dishonest posts about this sort of thing like BTD.

  130. 130.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 6:18 pm

    cbear is an antisemite because he left the Jews out of his rant.

    Gypsies, tramps and thieves

    Fuck you both. I’m a half-Jewish, half-Romanian, blind retarded paraplegic car thief who happens to be a hermaphrodite. Plus I’m from Alabama… and I resent your rascist, sexist, @#^ist, &(*)ist remarks.

  131. 131.

    demimondian

    February 16, 2008 at 6:21 pm

    Plus I’m from Alabama

    Look, we’re tolerant around here…but, really, Alabama? That’s pushing it.

    Now, don’t get me wrong. Some of best friends are from the South. Still, Alabama? That’s…a stretch.

  132. 132.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 6:30 pm

    Some of best friends are

    Oh, you rascist bastard….don’t think for a minute we don’t all know exactly what you’re trying to imply there.
    I want you banished, banned, bereft, besotted, bestirred, and all those other baaaad B- things.

    The horror, the horror.

  133. 133.

    Ed Drone

    February 16, 2008 at 6:46 pm

    I want you banished, banned, bereft, besotted, bestirred, and all those other baaaad B- things.

    Like Bewitched, Bothered, and Bemildred? *

    Ed

    * They were bats. Ah, those were the days.

  134. 134.

    brendancalling

    February 16, 2008 at 6:46 pm

    myIQ:
    “I guess that the reason that we refer to that portion of women’s menstrual cycle when they are discharging the unfertilized ovum and the uterine lining as a”period” has nothing to do with the regular intervals at which it takes place?”

    Yes, the NOUN form of period can mean the menstrual cycle. but the adverbial form of the word NEVER does. It is NEVER used in that sense. I challenge you to use “periodically” in the menstrual sense. and “periodically she has her period” doesn’t count. you’d have to say “the flow from her vagina was periodical in nature”, and no one says that. ever. any elementary school english teacher can tell you that.

    and my point about “homo” in “homonym” not having a sexual conotation is the same: it gives the prefix “homo” a meaning it simply doesn’t have. Homo means “same: it only has a sexual sense when the word “sexual” is affixed to it.

    to suggest otherwise is stupid and disingenuous.

  135. 135.

    chopper

    February 16, 2008 at 7:13 pm

    i’m wondering how the MSM will deal with this manufactured controversy. “Sexist Obama Uses Word ‘Periodically’ to Describe Hillary” doesn’t really pop.

  136. 136.

    myiq2xu

    February 16, 2008 at 7:15 pm

    to suggest otherwise is stupid and disingenuous.

    Can’t argue with that. You were the one that brought it up.

  137. 137.

    Conservatively Liberal

    February 16, 2008 at 7:20 pm

    I remember a short time back, myiq said that they were jumping on the Magical Unity Pony. I think myiq was so energized that they jumped right over the MUP and landed in the dirt on the other side.

    That, or the MUP bucked myiq off. If that is the case, then we know that the MUP actually does have standards.

    Oh oh! Is ‘riding the Magical Unity Pony’ a discreet way of talking about ‘riding the cotton pony’, which is a euphemism for a tampon? And this could be a slur against Obama, insinuating that he is a woman?

    I have been so traumatized with these slurs that I will be parsing everything from now on. Hmmm, ‘parsing’ starts with ‘par’, but if you put an ‘e’ in place of the ‘a’, it could mean…

    Damn you Scott Beauchamp!

  138. 138.

    demimondian

    February 16, 2008 at 7:24 pm

    “Sexist Obama Uses Word ‘Periodically’ to Describe Hillary” doesn’t really pop.

    Nah, they’ll keep it more objective, in order to keep anyone’s biases out of it.

    “Is Obama getting even?” ‘Does Obama have a “girl problem”?’ “The end of the dream ticket?”

    You know, stuff like that, which leads the reader to draw his or her or conclusions.

  139. 139.

    Pb

    February 16, 2008 at 7:27 pm

    I simply do not get it- how the hell is Big Tent Democrat claiming

    Because Armando“Big Tent Democrat” is unhinged here. Perhaps if you had seen this bullshit from him earlier, you wouldn’t have had to ask the question.

  140. 140.

    Punchy

    February 16, 2008 at 7:32 pm

    BTD is Armando. Armando, is by definition, an asshole.

    Case closed.

  141. 141.

    Rarely Posts

    February 16, 2008 at 7:34 pm

    Conservatively Liberal Says:

    I remember a short time back, myiq said that they were jumping on the Magical Unity Pony. I think myiq was so energized that they jumped right over the MUP and landed in the dirt on the other side.

    That, or the MUP bucked myiq off. If that is the case, then we know that the MUP actually does have standards.

    Oh oh! Is ‘riding the Magical Unity Pony’ a discreet way of talking about ‘riding the cotton pony’, which is a euphemism for a tampon? And this could be a slur against Obama, insinuating that he is a woman?

    I have been so traumatized with these slurs that I will be parsing everything from now on. Hmmm, ‘parsing’ starts with ‘par’, but if you put an ‘e’ in place of the ‘a’, it could mean…

    Damn you Scott Beauchamp!

    Why not just say she’s a hysterical female and be done with it?

    It’s sad the way the supposedly rational are attacking each other.

  142. 142.

    brendancalling

    February 16, 2008 at 7:34 pm

    myiq:
    “Can’t argue with that. You were the one that brought it up.”

    No sir: I was merely rebutting your statement at 12:49. Which followed your statement at 12:33. Hard to argue when your comments have timestamps.

    it’s one thing to be wrong: but to lie about what I said so you can avoid admitting a stupid linguistic mistake is pathetic.

  143. 143.

    Kathy

    February 16, 2008 at 7:36 pm

    I simply do not get it- how the hell is Big Tent Democrat claiming this is a sexist attack:

    Because BTD is not rational when it comes to Clinton, John. He’s over the moon about her.

    From what I’ve seen of the responses to BTD, almost everyone agrees with your assessment. As do I.

  144. 144.

    Kathy

    February 16, 2008 at 7:39 pm

    If Obama truly meant it the way that BTD is inferring, he shouldn’t be president. I mean, come ON. Hillary is way past having periods.

    Maybe it’s BTD who doesn’t understand that.

  145. 145.

    borehole

    February 16, 2008 at 7:45 pm

    C-Lib, I see your point about riding the cotton pony.

    Obama wrote “The Audacity of Hope.” Emily Dickenson called hope “The thing with feathers.” Birds are things with feathers, and they have wings. What else has wings? Political parties… and Tampax!

    There. I finally came up with a thought process dumber than the one behind BTD’s post.

  146. 146.

    pkanalyst

    February 16, 2008 at 7:47 pm

    The reason that the Clintonites think of this as some type of innuendo smear from Obama is because that is how the Clintonites think and often operate. I trust that Obama’s comment was not a reference to anything that has anything to do with gender; if not for any other reason than his whole reason for being a candidate is to make an attempt to move our political discourse away from that very thing.

  147. 147.

    Conservatively Liberal

    February 16, 2008 at 7:48 pm

    breathlessly

    I got it! What Obama was really saying is that it is obvious that Hillary is past having periods, but she is suffering from periodically being down, and that means that she is depressed and will push the Big Red Button when given the chance!

    If you are going to makes something out of nothing, go whole hog.

    Oops! Hog. Pig. Meat. Chicken. Barbecue. Southern. Black.

    Wow! Better not use hog anymore!

    Armando went off into the deep end a long time ago. The pie fights he whipped up were infamous for the shit pies that were thrown back and forth at Kos. BTD does not mean whet you think it does. Do some parsing and you will figure it out real fast! ;)

    Damn, ‘whipped’. Whip. Slavery. Is this ever going to end?! ;)

  148. 148.

    cbear

    February 16, 2008 at 7:51 pm

    borehole

    BOREHOLE????

    Good God, is that some sort of sexist name?
    For shame, for shame.

  149. 149.

    Bentley Stanforth III

    February 16, 2008 at 7:57 pm

    This is utterly absurd. I’ve had critical things to say about Obama: I wonder if he’s partisan enough; I don’t like the absence of mandates in his health policy; I wish he’d embrace the progressive base more… But this is ludicrous. Absolutely ludicrous. It just trivialise the real instance of sexism to which Clinton has been subjected by the likes of Matthews and Dowd.

    Most of the time the plain meaning of something… is its plain meaning. And in this case, there’s no there there.

    Even if you do bend yourself into a pretzel to discern a sexist intent here, what possible good does it do Obama to describe Clinton in sexist terms when he’s already winning the battle on legitimate grounds?

  150. 150.

    SamFromUtah

    February 16, 2008 at 7:59 pm

    It gets so hard to remember what I’m saying unconsciously that means I’m sexist – remember when we found out that all insults that end in ‘bag’ are sexist?

    What a pain in the hoop.

  151. 151.

    perspective_please

    February 16, 2008 at 8:03 pm

    wow, this “controversy” over obama’s remarks by the pro-hillary minions is a clear indication that the hillary campaign is on the ropes, grasping at any straw to tarnish obama’s highly favorable public perception. “quick! let’s knock him off that pedestal, let’s get him down here in the swamp!”

    for those who need to do gymnastics to parse out this “covert” sexist remark from obama, i will post a truly overt sexist and crass comment from another presidential candidate for a little perspective:

    &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp”Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno.”
    &nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp– Sen. John McCain, speaking to a Republican dinner, June 1998.

    there you go, see the difference?

    i will never vote for hrc because she is completely compromised by her corporate big money ties (e.g. wal-mart lawyer against workers’ rights), and embraces the concept that the u.s. should be mired in perpetual war as the world’s police (e.g. iraq support, iran “terrorist” vote). the bush-clinton-bush era is DONE, and just because i don’t want to see another clinton (nor bush surrogate via mccain) tacked on to this chain of america-destroying presidents doesn’t make me a misogynist. it just makes me ready for something different, and ready to play my part in getting this nation back on track.

    a little perspective please people.

  152. 152.

    Brachiator

    February 16, 2008 at 8:03 pm

    If people don’t stop using periods at the end of sentences, then the sexists will have won

  153. 153.

    demimondian

    February 16, 2008 at 8:05 pm

    The reason that the Clintonites think of this as some type of innuendo smear from Obama is because that is how the Clintonites think and often operate.

    Oh, well played.

    Unless, of course, you were…what’s the word we use sometimes…oh, yes “serious”. Unless you were serious. In that case…WTF? Some of the people having the most fun at Clinton’s expense about this bit of idiocy *are* Clintonisi.

  154. 154.

    Dave_Violence

    February 16, 2008 at 8:06 pm

    Man, once the bitches go through menopause, that whole “periodically” thing is gone: they’re OTR 24-7, just like us guys.

  155. 155.

    demimondian

    February 16, 2008 at 8:07 pm

    the sexists will have won

    ANd they’ll imprison all our womenfolk in burqas…

    Oh. wait. They *would*, wouldn’t they? Sometimes it just seems SO HARD to remember that there is such a thing ass sexism…and that it’s really quite evil. And not funny.

  156. 156.

    Bob In Pacifica

    February 16, 2008 at 8:12 pm

    I heard a caller to a talk show say that she was offended because Obama called the Florida non-primary a “beauty contest.” Sister, get thee to a Merriam Webster dictionary.

    This reminds me of Woody Allen in, I think it was, “Annie Hall”: “He said ‘What did JEW think?’!”

    This hyper-sensitive presumption of sexism in anyone standing in the way of Clinton and the White House has outlived its usefulness for her, as has the meme that because Clinton is a woman that this will somehow be a boon to women’s rights. Imagine someone announcing he was voting for the candidate with a dick, but I’ve heard too many women saying precisely the opposite.

    I suspect that Obama’s rise in the polls is in some part due to people getting sick and tired of the divisive atmosphere that Clinton’s people and her allies have been generating.

  157. 157.

    ACK

    February 16, 2008 at 8:48 pm

    Well, I’m surprised that no-one picked up on all the pausing that Barack did while he was speaking. It’s obvious that he was not so subtly referring to Hillary being post menopausal.

  158. 158.

    Jay

    February 16, 2008 at 9:02 pm

    What I think is funny.. Well a lot about this is funny (including TL only hearing one kind of dogwhistle). One of the things I think is funny is that HRC supporters have constantly been saying that Obama’s campaign is all emotion and no substance and now they’re saying that he’s attacking emotion as if it’s an undesirable feminine trait. If he’s all about the warm and fuzzy emotions then he’s not going to think emotion is a bad thing.

  159. 159.

    Conservatively Liberal

    February 16, 2008 at 9:11 pm

    OMG! The ‘pausing’ while speaking! How did I miss it! This adds a whole new dimension to this controversy. Hmmm, ‘pausing’. Pause. Men. Obama. Pause. Men. O. Pause. Menopause!

    Oh that Magical Unity Pony is a sly critter!

    Sometimes it just seems SO HARD to remember that there is such a thing ass sexism…

    Ass. Sexism. Sex. Sexy. Sexy ass! Yes, I think a lot of women have sexy asses, so I must be a male chauvinist pig! Oops, pig. Meat. Chicken. Barbecue. Southern. Black.

    Oh the humanity!

  160. 160.

    4jkb4ia

    February 16, 2008 at 9:11 pm

    I HAVE been spending too much time with the TL commenters. That is a fact. But I thought it was sexist too. You don’t say about a male candidate, “When he is feeling down, he attacks me”. That would be considered effeminatizing him. The less sexist way to have said that would be “Hillary thinks she is behind so she is attacking me”.

  161. 161.

    jake

    February 16, 2008 at 9:13 pm

    I suspect that Obama’s rise in the polls is in some part due to people getting sick and tired of the divisive atmosphere that Clinton’s people and her allies have been generating.

    And it’s a shame if people are turned off by a candidate simply because his/her supporters include asshats.

    After seven years watching the Republican LockStep Squad strut their stuff I understand why it’s natural to think ‘If Supporter of X thinks ABC, Candidate (or Leader) X must have told them ABC.’ But one of the things I like about the LibrulDemoFascist is the lack of message discipline.

    Even if it means listening to the occasional buffoon.

  162. 162.

    John Cole

    February 16, 2008 at 9:30 pm

    The less sexist way to have said that would be “Hillary thinks she is behind so she is attacking me”.

    Yeah, you have been spending too much time there, because there is NOTHING sexist about that statement, nor was there anything sexist about the previous statement from Obama. If you have to spend a half hour arguing that something is a sexist statement, it is not.

  163. 163.

    4jkb4ia

    February 16, 2008 at 9:31 pm

    Hilzoy is right that this is not on the same level as Chris Matthews, however.

  164. 164.

    SmilingPolitely

    February 16, 2008 at 9:41 pm

    “When he is feeling down, he attacks me”

    That sounds like just like my dad, the bastard. And he never bled out of any orifice that I know of.

  165. 165.

    wasabi gasp

    February 16, 2008 at 9:48 pm

    Hilzoy is right that this is not on the same level as Chris Matthews

    Bullshit. Hilzoy had no ‘level’ for this. These are her own words:

    But what Obama said is not sexist. And it demeans every serious complaint about sexism to suggest that it is.

  166. 166.

    jake

    February 16, 2008 at 10:05 pm

    And someone will call Hilzoy a fem-bot in 5 … 4 … 3 …

  167. 167.

    tBone

    February 16, 2008 at 10:08 pm

    If people don’t stop using periods at the end of sentences, then the sexists will have won

    In that case, Darrell was a feminist crusader. Who would have guessed?

    Oh, and myiq2xu: your handle may actually be true now. I certainly feel a lot dumber for having read your posts in this thread.

  168. 168.

    4jkb4ia

    February 16, 2008 at 10:17 pm

    That sounds just like my dad, the bastard

    Thank you for the nonsexist usage

    Hilzoy had no ‘level’ for this

    Well, if one thing is sexist, and one thing is not, then the sexism level of the sexist comment is nonzero.

    If you have to spend a half hour arguing that something is a sexist statement, it is not

    There is of course the phenomenon of things from another time which are outrageously racist and sexist now. And at that time, you would have had to spend a half hour arguing that those things were insulting. We know sexist statements when we see them now because feminists spent at least ten minutes explaining them to people. This was so obvious I had to post it. It is also obvious that this does not imply that what Obama said was even a personal attack in the context of 2008.

  169. 169.

    Chester Moistmuffins

    February 16, 2008 at 10:21 pm

    BTD is Armando. Armando, is by definition, an asshole.

    For those of us who knew him when, I say with pride:

    It’s 10:20PM, and Armando’s still an asshole.

  170. 170.

    wasabi gasp

    February 16, 2008 at 10:31 pm

    Well, if one thing is sexist, and one thing is not, then the sexism level of the sexist comment is nonzero.

    If one thing is a fried egg and one thing is a sexist comment then the sexism level of the fried egg is what?

  171. 171.

    wasabi gasp

    February 16, 2008 at 10:33 pm

    Whoops! Fried egg. My bad.

  172. 172.

    borehole

    February 16, 2008 at 10:38 pm

    Ovist.

  173. 173.

    4jkb4ia

    February 16, 2008 at 11:01 pm

    Zero.

  174. 174.

    wasabi gasp

    February 16, 2008 at 11:13 pm

    Zero and…

  175. 175.

    Conservatively Liberal

    February 16, 2008 at 11:55 pm

    More blather on fainting at Obama rallies, from the Hillaryis44.com site:

    yeah! And the fainter is NEVER behind the podium where he can’t see and, what would be even worse, where he’d have to turn his back to the camera! OMG!

    Every day this reminds me more and more of a 21st century rewrite of the Manchurian Candidate but instead of the candidate being scripted to act as assassin, this time he’s assuming the presidency.

    What’s the name of the women who did all the Hitler propaganda? Leni Riefenstahl . . .

    Man, are these some fucking lunatics or what?! Phony fainting, Manchurian candidate, Nazi references, they got it all in one package!

    I nearly fainted once at a ZZ Top/Night Ranger concert, and I was helped outside to get some cool air before returning to the concert. I was tired from a long work day with overtime, a bit stoned and had been standing in the heat and crowd for too long. It happens. You don’t have to be stoned for it too happen. Hell, an old girlfriend of mine used to faint randomly. How about doing it in a crosswalk like she did? You get a shitload of people together and odds are someone is going to faint.

    I am just glad that nobody has passed away from natural causes at an Obama rally. Could you imagine the uproar over that one?

    “OMGZ! Now Obambi is having people die at his events just so he can win!“

  176. 176.

    The Other Steve

    February 17, 2008 at 12:19 am

    I think it’s funny nobody has commented on the use of the word “behind”. It’s obviously a reference to Hillary’s ass.

  177. 177.

    demimondian

    February 17, 2008 at 12:29 am

    Yeah, and we all know that Hellary payed that woman off to make her kid cry at the New Hampshire rally just so that Hitlery could look “sympathetic”, too.

    Wow, the depths to which the Clintons will stoop.

  178. 178.

    Conservatively Liberal

    February 17, 2008 at 12:37 am

    A quote of a quote from Hillaryis44.com, the Clinton HQ for insanity:

    Taylor Marsh:

    Margaret Carlson of Bloomberg News email: “I often say rash things that on reflection I hadn’t said. I covered the Clinton White House for 8 years and don’t think it would be good for the country to go back there. Thanks for the note, Margaret.”

    OH MY GOD – what the hell? Time to forward to Bill O’Reilly, possibly Dan Abrams.

    and a member response:

    I can’t believe I just wrote an email to Bill O’Reilly as the only one with the objectivity to report on this kind of bias from “journalists” like Margaret Carlson –

    So now Hillary supporters are calling on Billo to save the day?

    Bwahahahahahahahahahaha! Oh the inanity!

    Oh, and a follow up to the post about fainting, this response is to an Obama rally that the Hillaryis44.com loonies are commenting on there:

    Wonder if he has his water bottle ready. Did anyone see Hillary’s rag on that fainting act? It was funny as hell. Obviously she was alerted to the act.

    ‘Hillary’s rag‘? Do these people even pay attention to what they are saying?! You can’t make this shit up! I am starting to think that Hillaryis44.com just might be a right wing spoof site to screw with Hillary supporters and hurt Hillary. If these are really Hillary supporters, then they have to be batshit insane. Nothing I read there helps Hillary, nothing.

  179. 179.

    jake

    February 17, 2008 at 12:57 am

    Nothing I read there helps Hillary, nothing.

    Help Hillary you say? What makes you think these fucks really give a steaming shit about Hillary?

    You don’t even need to suppose they’re spoofs, though I have wondered the same thing. They could well be a bunch of lunatics who picked Hillary because supporting a woman’s presidential bid is like, sooo alternative and daring and totally bitchin’ and rad. Plus, defending her from imaginary onslaughts of sexism gives them an excuse to be dickholes.

    Let me know when they exchange hand jobs with the “Obama is a Stealth Tarrist” asswipes. I’ve got $20 riding on it.

  180. 180.

    OriGuy

    February 17, 2008 at 1:46 am

    You know what phrases offend me?

    President McCain
    Vice-President Huckabee
    Attorney General Giuliani
    Two more Supreme Court Justices like Antonin “Torture is just fine with me” Scalia

  181. 181.

    Jess

    February 17, 2008 at 2:01 am

    I am starting to think that Hillaryis44.com just might be a right wing spoof site to screw with Hillary supporters and hurt Hillary.

    I’ve been wondering that for awhile about a lot of the comments at lefty sites. The absurd abuse and accusations directed mostly towards Clinton, but “periodically” towards Obama as well, are “Hitlery and Her Killer Lesbo Lover Sacrifice Vince Foster During Full-Moon Orgy” all over again. I really think it’s the neocons trying to poison the well–it’s what I would do if I were them. I can’t believe people are rising to the bait, but I guess the drama is irresistible.

  182. 182.

    MNPundit

    February 17, 2008 at 2:42 am

    Maybe it’s that last beer but good God, does Armando know what it is to be happy?

  183. 183.

    chopper

    February 17, 2008 at 9:02 am

    Maybe it’s that last beer but good God, does Armando know what it is to be happy?

    no. SA2Soh god, i’m getting tired.

    fuck, stop the fucking planet, i want to get off it right now.

    jumping jesus on a pogo stick, when i saw it was clear that mccain was going to be the gooper nom i was excited to watch the GOP implode over it. then you turn around and hey, the dems are doing it too, even though either of our two candidates are light-years ahead of even the best one the GOP has to choose from. huckabee? mccain? fuck me, i’d be on tranquilizers at this point if i were a republican.

    this is our chance to watch the modern GOP go down in flames, people.

  184. 184.

    Svensker

    February 17, 2008 at 9:31 am

    OriGuy Says:

    You know what phrases offend me?

    President McCain
    Vice-President Huckabee
    Attorney General Giuliani
    Two more Supreme Court Justices like Antonin “Torture is just fine with me” Scalia

    Last word.

  185. 185.

    Neo

    February 17, 2008 at 1:16 pm

    The only solution is to have Hiliary and Obama put “re-cycled” brown bags over their heads, while they are in public, lest somebody get the idea that one of them is a White woman or a Black man.

  186. 186.

    Gus

    February 17, 2008 at 3:34 pm

    Sullivan’s silliness had me rooting for Hillary for a while. Now this kind of silliness has negated that. Reminds me of the guy who took heat for racism because he said niggardly.

  187. 187.

    Krista

    February 17, 2008 at 6:49 pm

    Most of you won’t even admit that what Obama said could be interpreted as sexist even if you don’t think he meant it that way. If you do you admit it you say something like

    “Yeah, someone could interpret that as sexist, but only if they were a fag or a whiny bitch.”

    Yeah, and with some people, winning a fucking football game is interpreted as proof that God exists. ANYTHING that ANYBODY says can be interpreted in ANY way. I think you and others are interpreting it as sexist because you want to. I’m a woman and a feminist, and in my opinion, anybody who thinks that Obama’s statement was sexist has a serious axe to grind. There’s real, actual, heartbreaking sexism out there. But fighting against these extremely dubious slights only makes you and others look like hypersensitive infants who see sexism in every word, every glance, every gesture. It actually hurts feminism — there are people out there who already think that feminism is irrelevant, and you’re just playing right into their hands by worrying about petty crap like this.

    And for crissakes, Tampax don’t have wings. They go up your vagina, why would they have wings? It’s pads that have wings, so that the pad stays on better.

    Oh, and to whoever it was who said that every week she’s asked if she’s on her period — you’re hanging around some weird sites. I’ve been here for years ‘n’ years, and have gotten into arguments with more than one commenter, and not once have any of them pulled that “You’re cranky, are you on your period?” crap. Even Darrell never pulled that with any of the female commenters, from what I recall. So please feel free to stick around — if a guy disagrees with you, he might tell you you’ve got your head up your ass, but he won’t say anything to you that he wouldn’t say to a guy. (One of the many reasons I love it here.)

  188. 188.

    grumpy realist

    February 17, 2008 at 9:46 pm

    Looks like we got a lotta people out there who need to learn some basic biology….periods at Hillary’s age is a medical miracle.

  189. 189.

    borehole

    February 17, 2008 at 10:10 pm

    Krista, I wondered if someone was gonna call me on that, and I wish I could chalk it up to mere thoughtlessness, but there’s a whole long story behind it, one I bet you’d love to hear all about. See, I was gonna go with “Stayfree,” but that seemed to follow too thematically from the Dickenson quote, as though there was more to the joke or something. I couldn’t think of any competitors, so I actually Googled “tampax wings” to see if the brand had branched out into all things vaginal, and when a ton of hits came back I just assumed that meant yes. I couldn’t be bothered to read the individual entries on account of EW GROSS. Also laziness.

    Too late though, thanks to being quoted by BJ I’m already an internet sensation. There are whole sites devoted to posting pictures of me with phonetically-spelled captions.

    Oh, and the stuff you said about important things was cool too, but I just hate it when I botch a line.

  190. 190.

    Randy Paul

    February 17, 2008 at 10:25 pm

    Too late though, thanks to being quoted by BJ I’m already an internet sensation

    BJ is obviously a reference to Monica Lewinsky. You could have easily written Balloon Juice. Why do you hate the Clintons? Why do you torment Hillary with her husband’s misdeeds? /snark>

  191. 191.

    les

    February 18, 2008 at 12:04 pm

    the sexist connotations of the word “periodically”

    Nomination: Stupid Of the Week. Acronym intended.

Comments are closed.

Trackbacks

  1. Flame Warrior Profile: Big Tent Democrat « ChenZhen’s Chamber says:
    February 17, 2008 at 1:21 am

    […] And, naturally, it didn’t take long for Mr. Tent to be deservedly mocked: Pretending this is a sexist attack is as stupid as pretending that when Clinton called Obama a “kid” means he was calling him a “boy,” which of course means Clinton was actually calling Obama the n-bomb. That was stupid. This assertion is stupid. Not to mention, we know that the Hillary campaign, as a strategy, has decided to go negative and challenge Obama to debates in order to… boost Hillary’s appeal. […]

  2. Balloon Juice says:
    February 17, 2008 at 9:47 am

    […] We Are All Sexists Now […]

  3. Feministe » Dogwhistles says:
    February 18, 2008 at 5:58 pm

    […] And that’s exactly what’s happened — all over the place, when anyone has objected to this statement as a sexist dogwhistle, they’ve been accused of overreacting. Of trivializing *real* sexism. Of seeing things that aren’t really there. Of stretching. Of ignoring context. Of simply being in the tank for Clinton (pay no attention to that double standard behind the curtain! The fact that some of the most vehement denials of sexism are coming from Obama supporters is mere coincidence!). […]

  4. Plagiarizing the Speechwriters, and Other Desperate Maneuvers « Liberty Street says:
    February 19, 2008 at 12:17 am

    […] John Cole noticed that, too: I simply do not get it- how the hell is Big Tent Democrat claiming this is a sexist attack[.] … […]

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