Mika to Ron Suskind: "Can I get you a cup of coffee?"

[CTyankee]

Wow, her sarcasm was really acid this morning. She had tried to grill him on Obama's record with women's legislation, number of women he appointed, and women's rights in general. Suskind was a total pig and said he'd written a book 500 pages long and she hadn't (she was questioning some of his mistakes). I'm surprised she didn't aim a swift kick at his delicate parts...or reach across the desk and strangle him...

I think Joe said the itnerview would be continued...

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

1. We should be able to see a pattern here that the Corporate Media/Rethugs tried in 2008...

Suskind's claim that Obama mistreated women in his administration = pit women (read: white women) against Obama.

The loss of NY-9 last week = pit American Jews against Obama.

Carville/Mark Penn coming out of their hole to ridicule Obama = reinvigorate the 2008 primaries.

Polling data showing that blacks and other core Democrats have abandoned Obama even though we're 14 months out, AND politics is an eternity = pit blacks against Obama.

This is all by design.

[CTyankee]

2. I hear what you are saying but I just chalked Suskind up to his being a

sexist pig with an agenda to exploit any and everything he can for a buck and his moment of fame.

[Enrique]

3. who's more "corporate media" than Mika?

I think in this OP at least, the "corporate media" is defending Obama.

[TwilightGardener]

5. Yes, I think so too. They're trying to divide and demoralize the Dem base.

[EffieBlack]

8. I think you may be right

As I noted in an earlier post, Suskind very selectively edited a quote from Anita Dunn to make it sound as if she were saying the President Obama ran a sexist shop. She was quoted as saying This place would be in court for a hostile workplace . . ." when she actually said (by Suskind's own admission) "If it weren't for the President, this place would be in court for a hostile workplace . . ." (my emphasis). A night and day difference. But, of course, the edited quote got several days of attention - the corrected one, not so much.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

10. To be fair, the true quote doesn't seem to do the president much justice.

It's like what Cleaver *supposedly* said, "If Obama wasn't in office, we'd be marching in front of the White House."

He seems to be suggesting that he is quite disappointed in the president but won't "march on the White House" because he doesn't want to demoralize the base.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/182209-cbc-chairman-if-obama-wasnt-in-office-we-would-be-marching-on-white-house

The Dunn quote seems to suggest that the president isn't doing much to address a "hostile workplace." Or, that she wouldn't put him under a microscope by brining charges against his administration.

Neither quote does the president any justice. He's still the boss. If she raised the issue with him, did he address it? Does she expand on/explain what she meant in the book?

[EffieBlack]

11. I see it very differently

I think she was saying that the President was keeping it from being a hostile workplace.

But that's really beside the point. He misquoted her and, in so doing, changed the meaning of what she said - even if it just made her comment less ambiguous and open to interpretation. That's sloppy journalism at best, manipulation at worst.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

12. Yep, I hear you. The saddest part is that the media will hone in on Suskind's

malapropism, and it could have an impact on some women. They did this with Hillary. They're trying to do it with Jews and Hispanic voters. I just hope people catch on.

[Honeycombe8]

26. I didn't view that quote as being necessarily reflective of the W.H. at all.

It's the way someone views things, blaming the W.H. for something (welcome to the party...we all blame the W.H. for something).

I don't think that quote will have much effect, one way or the other.

[love0bama-4ever]

4. Is Mika proObama?

Not long ago someone mentioned that Mika voted for Obama in 2008, sometimes she makes me
think that she likes Obama, can someone enlighten me on this one? thanks

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

7. If Mika is on our side, we're in some big trouble. She often allows Joe to talk over her,

to dominate the discussion. She is rarely up on the facts and is too agreeable with Scarborough and the racist antisemite Pat Buchanan (who continues to be employed by MSNBC/GE).

[CTyankee]

14. She made reference to her work with a White House task force on women in the workplace.

She asked Suskind if he had talked to the head of that group and he looked like he'd never heard of her or the task force. He was totally in his own cage...

[jenmito]

15. Yes. And she's a Democrat. But she also likes Joe who is a Repub. and at times it seems like she's

trying to get on his good side.

[flpoljunkie]

6. It is Mika who works in a 'hostile' workplace. At one point, she started counting all the men

surrounding her this morning. They certainly dominate the conversation on Morning Joe--interrupting and talking over her.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

9. ...and she allows them to get away with it. She's useless. Mika, just sit there

looking pretty because that's all you're worth.

Once, just once, I would like her to hit back on her male counterparts with the facts!

*sighing and shaking head*

[CTyankee]

16. When there are more women around the table things are different.

I think it's very hard to be the one woman amidst a bunch of clueless men who would be astounded to learn they were "talking over" her...they just don't see or hear themselves...

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

17. That's a very good point. I am the lone woman who works in an office full of men

Not only are they often obnoxious, they were often very sexist. I finally had enough and took action. I now have no problems with my colleagues. I demanded respect and didn't tolerate chauvinist treatment. Really, Mika should not tolerate the disrespect that she receives on a daily basis.

[TuxedoKat]

21. Yes

It's a shame the way Joe belittles and dismisses her. The tone he sets lets other male guests think they can do the same with Mika. Wish she would start standing up for herself more.

[woolldog]

29. What action did you take...

and how were they sexist towards you?

[EffieBlack]

19. The same thing happens in regard to race

They often sit around the table discussing race and racial dynamics - without anyone of color anywhere near the discussion.

It's quite appalling - but if someone told them so, they'd shout them down with "How DARE you call us RACIST! Stop playing the RACE CARD!"

Being the dominant race/gender has its benefits - an unshakeable sense of entitlement being one of them . . .

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

28. It's amazing! Absolutely amazing, isn't it? n/t

[Pirate Smile]

23. That reminds me of some articles/studies that I read when Kagan joined the

Supreme Court.

It talked about how the dynamic changed when one woman entered a male dominated work situation. The one women was often very restrained in going against the men because she was totally outnumbered and alone.

When two women were there, things were somewhat better because the women had "backup".

However, the REAL CHANGE came when there was Three women or more because then the women's POV would be brought up and discussed, pushed, etc. as completely equal to the male POV. It was no longer treated as a token or isolated POV. The number 3 was important in changing the group dynamics.

It was an interesting study on interpersonal and gender dynamics.

It made me really appreciate that we have three strong women on the Supreme Court right now.

[CTyankee]

27. I think the men who control that show can sense that when they have 3 women at the table

the whole scene gets changed. They must fear it because unless it is a "woman's" topic being discussed, they never have that many women for a sustained period of time. It's good when Mika has Tina Brown and a female guest or another MSNBC woman reporter on. But that is very rare.

[jenmito]

13. She also asked him if he included the fact that Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Act into law...

or the fact of how many women he has appointed to the Supreme Court or to other positions and he said no. She got him.

[EffieBlack]

18. And she asked if he had talked to Tina Tchen, Mrs. Obama's chief of staff and director of the

White House Council on Women and Girls.

Ummm - no.

Mika rolled her eyes at him.

She did a good job with this today, I thought. Of course, the men around the table dominated the discussion with their talk of the supposed disarray in the WH, what a poor leader the president is, etc.

[CTyankee]

20. All the guys sat around looking like wooden sticks...

All but Barnicle, who thinks he looks cool all slouched back in his chair with a dumb smile on his face...

[msanthrope]

22. "sticks?" They looked more like something that rhymes with "sticks."

[Honeycombe8]

24. I noticed that, too. Susskind, when he'd respond, would look to Joe & other men for support...

like "help me."

Joe was amused and said the next time Susskind would be on, they could continue Mika's cross examination. (he was joking)

[Honeycombe8]

25. Give 'em hell, Mika! She did great this morning. Maybe a tad too passionate

on the subject, but it's a subject she's familiar with and apparently feels passionate about.

She got in some great, factual points. Score a big one for Mika!