They went after Hillary, now it is Michelle

[question everything]

Interesting observation by Kinsley:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1821662,00.html

Truth to tell, the radio guys would rather have had Clinton to rail against, out of habit if nothing more. They spent most of their energy during primary season going after her. (Hillary nostalgia is surely one reason they are so obsessed with Michelle Obama.)

[zbdent]

1. they also would like it because they wouldn't have to make up new lies about Hillary

all they would have to do is recycle all the old crap ... Vince Foster (ruled a suicide by ultra-radical-lefty Ken Starr) ... Whitewater ... Monica Lewinsky ... condoms on the Christmas tree ... her "anti-semitism" ...

[Captain Hilts]

2. Right wing talk radio, Air America, sportstalk, they all went after Hillary Clinton...

and I don't wish it on Michelle Obama.

Like Clinton, it seems to be sticking, too. Her approval ratings in the NYT poll are much lower than I anticipated.

Hang tough, Michelle!

[Imagevision]

3. I really think the MSM is that strapped for news items...?!

[Egnever]

4. Not trying to start a flame war but..

Hillary brought a lot of heat on herself with things like saying mcain was ready to be commander in chief but Obama is all talk, and enough with the speeches and the big rallies.... the whole kitchen sink strategy begged heat. And lets not forget that the right wing freaks were shilling for her at the end not against her.

[Captain Hilts]

7. AA radio hated her from the start. Matthews, Olbermann, Russert...

Colbert King and Eugene Robinson of the WashPost, Bob Herbert, Maureen Dowd, and Frank Rich of the NYT hated her from the get-go. It had nothing to do with the campaign or the issues.

If Clinton had wanted to throw the "kitchen sink" at Obama she would have shown clips of Rev. Wright and Michelle's patriotism comment on commercials.

Obama flat-lined and lost male support in the last half of the campaign and really sweated it.

The press is now throwing the unfair crap at Michelle Obama that HRC got in '92, '96, '00, '06, '08.

Hang tough Michelle, the media IS sexist!

[Egnever]

15. ok

[AllentownJake]

10. In 1992 she brought in on herself?

The Hillary hate started long before 2008 primary.

[Beacool]

19. That's when she was running for president.

How about when she was the prospective First Lady? What was the excuse for that?

[Egnever]

26. First its not an excuse its reality

as far as when she was first lady... well #1 its not the 90's anymore and #2 she didnt exactly court the press then either. She has been combative with them since the beginning that doesn't excuse all of their coverage but it certainly doesn't invite good coverage either.

Sure there was a lot of bad press for her and bill in the 80's but can you lay it all at misogyny or perhaps as is happening right now with Obama can you lay it at the feet of her being a dem?

I think there's a lot of people looking for any excuse to play the victim and scream sexism. There are certainly examples of it to be found but overwhelmingly its just the media doing its best to discredit any dem they can.

[leftynyc]

30. Oh please

They've been going after Hillary since 1991. They always go after strong Democratic women - Hillary, Tipper, Teresa Heinz and now Michelle Obama. It's the same old same old. That the left joined forces with and used the exact same language as the right wing is to their shame.

[Captain Hilts]

35. It started in 1932 with you-know-who...

Go get 'em Dems!

[leftynyc]

37. You are so very right

Strong women have always scared the shit out of the pukes. It's just Michelle's turn now. I have faith in her handling this beautifully.

[Captain Hilts]

38. Well, Michelle, it's not important where you are but whom you're with -

You go, girl!

[leftynyc]

40. Much like Hillary, Teresa and Eleanor

Michelle is a very accomplished woman in her own right. That they married men who later either ran or became the most powerful man in the world doesn't take anything away from their own shine.

[Captain Hilts]

44. There you go. Their accomplishments enhance their husbands, not diminish them. nt

[sufrommich]

43. Agreed. nt

[Writer]

5. So an educated, attractive woman near the highest office in the land becomes ridiculed...

and very few women stand up to defend her.



Well, I'll be one.

FUCK this nation for what they do to women in powerful positions.

[Captain Hilts]

8. Women are not an effective interest group for other women...

and never have been.

Hell, most black women supported Thomas over Hill.

You bet I'll back Michelle Obama.

[Writer]

12. Women do not care about other women, generally. Women tend to eat their own. n/t

[LisaM]

22. I have to disagree a little bit. It's very true that there are women who actively work

against feminist causes.

But a lot of this goes back to a fear of OLDER women. I keep thinking back to the Salem Witchcraft trials. While there were many factors that contributed to that situation, one persistent factor (and one which evidences itself throughout the centuries) is the treatment of women, generally over 40, who have achieved some level of power and financial independence.

Society fears these women. Younger women seem to fear them as well. I can point to example after example of younger women who are completely convinced that they owe nothing to the good work their elders have done before them (I can't, unfortunately, remember the young woman's name, but maybe 8 or 9 years ago, on "Politically Incorrect", I saw a young woman, declared feminist, ream out Erica Jong, telling her that she didn't need her, that Jong and her generation had done nothing for her, and turned around and stuck her butt in Jong's face and slapped it, basically saying something like, "I don't need you lady!") Completely shocking, but par for the course.

I am really sick of the divide that society has created between younger and older women. Young women should be THRILLED to see older women achieve their fair share of money and power. It would then become something they could aspire to.

I think that one of the sadder aspects of this campaign was institutional acceptance of how Hillary was treated. One need only go back to the New Yorker cover. If we'd seem similar outrage every time Hillary was depicted as a witch or a dominatrix or some kind of ugly ball-busting shrill, the Internet would have ground to a halt. In a sense, I hold Michelle Obama culpable for not addressing it during the primary, at least in a very general way.

[JuniperLea]

24. "acceptance of how Hillary was treated"

I have to agree with that. No question. Michele would have endeared herself to many had she taken that tact.

Older civilizations are much more intelligent... maiden, mother, crone, and all that.





I must be lucky. Although I've seen a lot of what you said with my own eyes, I was raised to honor the elder women in my family. My great grandmother passed away at 99.75 years, and she was cherished and honored to the very end. I still miss going to her for advice. I've been thinking of her a lot lately... she raised 15 children during the depression... I'm sure I would be able to use her insights in the coming years.

[Captain Hilts]

34. Interesting points, Lisa...

This is sexist crap that women of ALL political stripes should object to and speak out against.

I doubt the Obama campaign would have let Michelle speak out about it even if she wanted to do so. But, yes, it would have been great had she done so.

[dsc]

41. be careful

I got called a racist for saying that. I am just delivering a friendly warning.

[Captain Hilts]

45. Eight years in polling. Facts are facts. The political divide between married and single women...

is huge and prevents them from being an effective group.

Black voters, conversely, do vote as a bloc in a way women, and not even veterans do. It's just the way it is.

[JuniperLea]

16. Hear, hear!

I'm sick of this bullshit! The smartest, most powerful women in our country catch the most flack and it's time a hard, cold light is shone on this fucked up practice!

[Captain Hilts]

17. That's "alleged" flak, according to Kingsley. This morning I read criticism of MO's

posture and how it makes BHO look bad!

No kidding. Michelle has bad posture and she's ruining HIS image.

Give. Me. A. Break.

[JuniperLea]

23. She is stunning! Everything about her is stunning!

Her intelligence, her beauty, her love of country and family.

That is just sick.

I was a dancer for over 20 years... I notice posture, I mean, I REALLY notice posture. I never noticed anything wrong with Ms. Obama's posture! That is just bullshit.

[Captain Hilts]

32. It's insane, and meaningless.

I'm sick of this meaningless crap about appearances of political wives.

Michelle looks fine. Looks great.

[LisaM]

25. What the hell is Kinsley's problem?

I never realized before that he had this buried streak of misogyny.

[Captain Hilts]

33. You never know what can bring it out, do you? Hi LisaM! nt

[LisaM]

39. Tell me about it!

:hi:

[NashVegas]

27. I Noticed Michelle's Posture, But That's So Easily Corrected

All she needs is one week of yoga and that back'll be straighter than a rod.

[Captain Hilts]

18. It's like the "Janeway is a schitzoid bitch" threads on Star Trek boards.

There's a level of hostility and anger that male characters just don't generate.

[Writer]

6. This article is not about Michelle Obama, but an excoriation of Clinton supporters. n/t

[Captain Hilts]

9. True. I haven't seen that survey or numbers even close to those quoted.

LOVE Kingsley's reference to "alleged" sexism in the media coverage of Clinton.

He probably thinks Chris Matthews is a swell guy.

[Writer]

13. And then they question why many Clinton supporters are angry.

Unbelievable.

[DearAbby]

11. Conservatives believe women should be meek

mute, and invisible. Michelle scares the bejesus out of them. Just like Teresa Kerry how they went after her. They hate strong opinionated women.

[Captain Hilts]

14. Next - lesbian rumors!! If a woman isn't a total doormat for the man in her life...

she MUST be a lesbian!

Anyone else notice how many wives of Republican presidents had drinking problems?

I'll take Eleanor, Bess, Jackie, LadyBird, Rosslyn, and Hillary over Mamie, Pat , Betty , Nancy , Barbara or Laura ANY day.

[Beacool]

20. I like Betty Ford.

It's the one Republican First Lady who I really like.

[Captain Hilts]

36. I actually liked Pat Nixon. I would have taken her in...

My mother had to deal with Mamie Eisenhower while my mother worked in the Sec. of War/Sec.of Army's office. What a beast!

[Beacool]

42. Pat Nixon was a little before my time.

I was a child and don't remember much about her. What did Mamie do your mother.

[karynnj]

21. They hate strong opinionated women if they are with the Democrats

While Teresa Heinz Kerry was with John Heinz she was very respected and well liked by the media. She was labeled brilliant and beautiful. It was not because she was silent then, she wasn't. She was involved on the environment and she led the group of Senate wifes who protested the oppression of Soviet Jewry. She once even stood in for her husband in a Senate debate because his plane was grounded for bad weather - and got excellent reviews.

In 2004, the problem was she had become Teresa Heinz Kerry. They needed to turn this gracious, accomplished woman into something she wasn't because if America saw her for who she was, it would improve their opinion of Kerry because she married him.

That's why they are going after Michelle Obama - it really has almost nothing about her as a person.

[Straight Shooter]

28. A very astute observation.

:thumbsup:

[leftynyc]

29. Also Teresa Heinz in '04

They continue to use the same playbook over and over. I'm sure Sen Obama was expecting this.

[Enrique]

31. we can't say "they" anymore

thanks to the behavior of many here at DU, it is now "we". :-(