Saturday, February 16, 2008
Is Obama Using Sexist Language toward Hillary?
Is Obama Using Sexist Language?
Jake Tapper is ABC News' Senior National Correspondent
February 16, 2008 11:30 AM
Earlier this month, speaking at Tulane University, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, said this about the attacks coming his way from Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY:
"You challenge the status quo and suddenly the claws come out," Obama said.
The CLAWS come out? Really?
Then yesterday Obama told reporters who had asked about Clinton's latest attack ad, "I understand that Senator Clinton, periodically when she's feeling down, launches attacks as a way of trying to boost her appeal."
That prompted some female TV reporters to question the language he was using.
According to this unofficial transcript, over at MSNBC, Andrea Mitchell and Norah O'Donnell seemed to suggest Obama may have been -- if not playing the gender card, then using language women voters might find offensive.
Language such as "when she's feeling down" "periodically" she "launches attacks."
Nora O'Donnell: "He said, 'I understand when she's down, that she makes these kinds of attacks.' It's getting a little personal."
Andrea Mitchell: "It's getting a little personal and, very frankly, you know how deeply we interpreted every comment to look for some sort of racial motivation before South Carolina. A lot of people said it was there. But, you know, when you start describing a female candidate as being 'down' and 'striking back,' I don't know, that's a little edgy, don't you think?"
Nora O'Donnell: "Yeah. And I think there's gonna be a lot more comments about that."*
Pro-Clinton blogger Taylor Marsh writes that words like this, in her view, indicate "a way of thinking about women. A way of demeaning women in power; even saying we're not up to the job. Seriously, Senator Hillary Clinton is a woman running for president. Not some emotional menopausal diva popping pills because she's depressed she broke a nail."
"Claws"…"feeling down"...I find it hard to envision Obama using the same language if he were facing, say, former Sen. John Edwards, D-NC.
But what do you think?
-- jpt
*(Note: that is not an official MSNBC transcript)
Jake Tapper is ABC News' Senior National Correspondent
February 16, 2008 11:30 AM
Earlier this month, speaking at Tulane University, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, said this about the attacks coming his way from Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY:
"You challenge the status quo and suddenly the claws come out," Obama said.
The CLAWS come out? Really?
Then yesterday Obama told reporters who had asked about Clinton's latest attack ad, "I understand that Senator Clinton, periodically when she's feeling down, launches attacks as a way of trying to boost her appeal."
That prompted some female TV reporters to question the language he was using.
According to this unofficial transcript, over at MSNBC, Andrea Mitchell and Norah O'Donnell seemed to suggest Obama may have been -- if not playing the gender card, then using language women voters might find offensive.
Language such as "when she's feeling down" "periodically" she "launches attacks."
Nora O'Donnell: "He said, 'I understand when she's down, that she makes these kinds of attacks.' It's getting a little personal."
Andrea Mitchell: "It's getting a little personal and, very frankly, you know how deeply we interpreted every comment to look for some sort of racial motivation before South Carolina. A lot of people said it was there. But, you know, when you start describing a female candidate as being 'down' and 'striking back,' I don't know, that's a little edgy, don't you think?"
Nora O'Donnell: "Yeah. And I think there's gonna be a lot more comments about that."*
Pro-Clinton blogger Taylor Marsh writes that words like this, in her view, indicate "a way of thinking about women. A way of demeaning women in power; even saying we're not up to the job. Seriously, Senator Hillary Clinton is a woman running for president. Not some emotional menopausal diva popping pills because she's depressed she broke a nail."
"Claws"…"feeling down"...I find it hard to envision Obama using the same language if he were facing, say, former Sen. John Edwards, D-NC.
But what do you think?
-- jpt
*(Note: that is not an official MSNBC transcript)
comment to KABOBfest blog
sharon raphael has left a new comment on the post "Oldest Woman Alive: A Palestinian":
For those of you who said you would rather be dead than the age of Mariam Amash, you are being terribly ageist. You did read she was healthy didn't you and I suspect happy too. You just don't want to look that old and so you are lookist too. Get over it.
Sharon Raphael
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Posted by sharon raphael to KABOBfest at February 16, 2008 6:12:00 PM PST
For those of you who said you would rather be dead than the age of Mariam Amash, you are being terribly ageist. You did read she was healthy didn't you and I suspect happy too. You just don't want to look that old and so you are lookist too. Get over it.
Sharon Raphael
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Posted by sharon raphael to KABOBfest at February 16, 2008 6:12:00 PM PST
Mariam Amash May be Oldest Woman: Introduces Herself to Israeli Authorities
World's 'oldest' person in Israel
By Martin Patience
BBC News, Jisr az-Zarqa
Mariam Amash,(a Bedoouin living in Jerusalen) 15 February 2008
Mariam Amash views the world's 'oldest' woman as a youngster
With an arm wrapped round her great- great-granddaughter, Mariam Amash bathes the latest addition to her family.
She offers Islamic blessings for the week-old baby - a traditional Arabic custom.
It is a ritual that Mrs Amash has performed many times in her life.
According to Mrs Amash, she was born 120 years ago - a claim, if confirmed, that would make her the oldest person in the world.
The Guinness Book of Records currently lists 114-year-old Edna Parker of Shelbyville, Indiana, as holding the title.
But Mrs Amash - who lives in the predominantly Arab town of Jisr az-Zarqa in northern Israel - views her rival as a relative youngster.
Huge family
"Yes, I am the oldest person in the world," she says, her family crowding around her.
"I eat, I drink, and I take showers. I hope to keep going for another 10 years."
Mrs Amash has 10 children, 120 grandchildren, 250 great-grandchildren, and 30 great-great-grandchildren, according to relatives.
The discovery that she may be the oldest person in the world came by chance when she applied for a new Israeli identity card.
They (younger generations) drink too much Arak
Mariam Amash
The Israeli authorities say they issued the identity card based on a birth document issued by the Turkish authorities who ruled the region at the time.
Mrs Amash, of Bedouin descent, says that the secret to her longevity is a healthy diet - she eats lots of vegetables.
For all her years, she is remarkably sprightly.
A devout Muslim, Mrs Amash has made five pilgrimages to Mecca, the last trip in 1990, relatives say.
Long-term memory
"She rises every morning around five for prayers," says one of her grandsons, Majid Amash, 46, an engineer.
"She then goes for a walk and then spends most of her day with the family. She recognises all of us."
But, he adds, her grandmother's long-term memory is fuzzy.
For her part, Mrs Amash has one piece of cautionary advice for younger generations.
"They drink too much Arak (an Arabic alcoholic drink)," she says.
In order for Mrs Amash to be officially declared the oldest person in the World she must submit documentation to the Guinness Book of Records.
A spokesman in London for the publication says the family has yet to do that.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Tucker Carlson and Lanny Davis on Hillary Clinton: Sexism Galore
I was watching Tucker Carlson this afternoon Feb 11 interviewing Lanny Davis, a Hillary Clinton supporter. Tucker showed a clip of Hillary saying that Barack Obama had not yet been tested by the right wing of the Republican Party as she has already been tested by the "maniacs" (my wording) on the far right. Tucker than launched into a diatribe about how Hillary likes to portray herself as a woman "victim" and by blaming the media for these kinds of sexist attacks which Tucker appears to find totally invalid. The shock to me was that Lonnie Davis did not appear to know what Tucker was talking about and just stuck to his stock lines stating that Hillary does not veer off course and sticks to her main script which is about economics, health care, education, and other bread and butter issues that are her mainstay. If Lonnie Davis, an overt Hillary supporter, doesn't understand that MSNBC media mouthpieces i.e. Chris Matthews and Tim Russert and even Olberman at times have been overtly sexist toward Hillary than something is very wrong.
Lonnie Davis is supposed to be protecting Hillary and being ahead of the game people like Tucker and others are playing. Why didn't Lonnie even bring up David Schuster's base remark about Chelsea Clinton "being pimped by Hillary" as an example of what is going on. There is a general hysteria by men in the media who are unevenly promoting Obama or Republicans over Hillary on the air. I feel like a lone voice in the wilderness here. Even the Democratic men haven't a clue.
After Super Tuesday, women, especially older women, fought back and claimed a victory out of the frying pan (the surge for Obama) for Hillary. If Hillary and/or her supporters, don't acknowledge that part of the struggle she represents has to do with getting rid of sexism, will these same women be around to tap when she needs us again? And she need us now. Perhaps, Davis and others are afraid if Hillary yells sexism, some men will be turned off. Hillary is smart enough and self possessed enough to pull it all together and keep these male jackasses i.e Tucker from mouthing off without any kind of reaction or response from her. I sure hope it all happens very soon.
I did like it when Terry McAuliffe, Democratic strategist for Hillary, former Head of the Dems, turned tables on Chris Matthews when he said about a week ago something like "You (Matthews) threw the whole house at her and she is still standing and more". Matthews seemed thunder struck and was unable to utter anything sensible for quite a while. That was after Super Tuesday.
Sharon Raphael
Lonnie Davis is supposed to be protecting Hillary and being ahead of the game people like Tucker and others are playing. Why didn't Lonnie even bring up David Schuster's base remark about Chelsea Clinton "being pimped by Hillary" as an example of what is going on. There is a general hysteria by men in the media who are unevenly promoting Obama or Republicans over Hillary on the air. I feel like a lone voice in the wilderness here. Even the Democratic men haven't a clue.
After Super Tuesday, women, especially older women, fought back and claimed a victory out of the frying pan (the surge for Obama) for Hillary. If Hillary and/or her supporters, don't acknowledge that part of the struggle she represents has to do with getting rid of sexism, will these same women be around to tap when she needs us again? And she need us now. Perhaps, Davis and others are afraid if Hillary yells sexism, some men will be turned off. Hillary is smart enough and self possessed enough to pull it all together and keep these male jackasses i.e Tucker from mouthing off without any kind of reaction or response from her. I sure hope it all happens very soon.
I did like it when Terry McAuliffe, Democratic strategist for Hillary, former Head of the Dems, turned tables on Chris Matthews when he said about a week ago something like "You (Matthews) threw the whole house at her and she is still standing and more". Matthews seemed thunder struck and was unable to utter anything sensible for quite a while. That was after Super Tuesday.
Sharon Raphael
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