Racism, sexism, and all that good stuff
We’ve documented the ways in which the Monroe County GOP uses racism, homophobia, and xenophobia as political tools. The Politico is reporting that the national GOP fears it will be charged with racism and sexism when it begins (actually it’s already begun) to smear the Democratic presidential nominee:
The Republican National Committee has commissioned polling and focus groups to determine the boundaries of attacking a minority or female candidate, according to people involved. The secretive effort underscores the enormous risk senior GOP operatives see for a party often criticized for its insensitivity to minorities in campaigns dating back to the 1960s.
Right now, we can watch the sliming begin in real time. What’s remarkable is the complicity of the so-called respectable media in all of this. Yesterday, Republican hacks at CNN, the AP, and the New York Times wrote articles and conducted push polls questioning Obama’s patriotism. The AP article was the most absurd: the only source the reporter — Nedra Pickler — used was disgraced Republican operative Roger Stone (yes, that Roger Stone).
Over the next few days we can expect to see these charges repeated in the D&C blogs. If we’re (un)lucky, we will see some Speaking Out essays on the importance of wearing a flag pin in your lapel.
You mean stuff like this?
http://www.drudgereport.com/flashoa.htm
I can’t imagine what her staff is hoping for by pushing this. He’s in Kenya, not Alabama, so what’s your point exactly? Sure looks like disarray and desperation to me.
That’s from the Drudge Report, so I wouldn’t put too much stock in it.
Okay, TPM picked it up too. Bad, bad stuff.
There are reasons why Republicans need to see what their limits are, at least with dealing with females:
Tim Russert:
MR. RUSSERT: “We had the event in New Hampshire, the so-called emotional event. When I did the debate with Rick Lazio, with you in Buffalo in 2000, Mr. Lazio walked over to your podium and asked you to sign a document that banned soft money, and people said that he had violated your space. One of your campaign advisers said he was menacing.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22634967/page/2/
Don’t want to be accused of menacing - Hillary (or her staff) turned a small issue into a sexual one when Lazio simply walked near her
I watched that debate live and I think Lazio just came off as an a** and that is why it backfired, not because Hillary was a female. She didn’t cower when he did it and she can’t help that Mandy Grunwald or whoever it was that said that “menacing” comment said it. Hillary is no shrinking wallflower but she does have to watch the gender games she allows to go on within her staff.
One thing Exile: have you thought that maybe the Clinton camp’s insistence that Barack has gotten a media lovefest treatment is behind some of this negative press for him?
I should also add that I think that women watching the debate had a reaction to it without input from Hillary’s staff. I watched the debate with my parents and my mom flipped as soon as she saw this.
I flipped when I saw it. He was in her bubble. I’m surprised her SS agents didn’t wig out.
That’s a classic example of how certain kinds of attacks can backfire.
Here’s an interesting angle on that: Lazio hadn’t told the secret service he was going to do this. When someone unexpectedly approaches a member of the first family that way, the secret service pulls their guns. There were guns trained on Lazio for a few seconds there.
All of that said, Lazio was going to lose this race anyway.
Just read this after my previous comment…
Elmer - Why are shopping aisles so wide? To give people space so they can linger and purchase.
Try an experiment at a store near you. Find a women browsing and go near her. As she senses your presence she will move. This is well documented in Paco Underwood’s book Why we buy.
People like their space and they don’t want it invaded. For what ever reason.
Lazio practiced the politics of Ambush on the stage that night and it didn’t’ work.
I understand what you are saying, but I don’t think the reaction would have been the same if it were a male candidate that Lazio got near
So, if we knowingly invade someone’s space to get a reaction - what does that make the person who is invading someone’s space? I call it rude, calculating, and probably other things that I can’t think of at the moment.
Oh - I would imagine the reaction depends on the person rather than the gender.
(the invader of space all you arcade fans - is not called space invader
)
So which employers is she protecting?
Anyone want to look up Rochester’s top ten employers and see where they are on this issue?
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