Letters to the Editor
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Not just the American Press
I totally agree with this article, but this is something not just confined to the American press. The Times in the UK came out on the same day as heralding Obama the winner before the counts had finished, using a slant they would never have used for a male candidate. The press or some media people have made an all-out attempt to affect the outcome of the voting in the most brutal, unsubtle display of news manipulation I have ever seen, most of it clearly misogynistic. I do no see how this cannot have materially damaged any credibility they have as quality and impartial sources of current events. It is not only insulting to Hillary (as well as a blatant attempt to demoralise her) and women all over, but also to the voting public who are being treated as brainless chumps who will react to the media as if it were the voice of undisputed truth and will vote for someone because the press say they are winning.
Hillary has a lot of support worldwide because she is a woman and whatever her politics she has to take more flack then any male rival would have had.
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Getting ahead of ourselves
The press certainly did jump rather quickly to denounce Clinton, which could have been their desire to discredit a woman. I would not put it past idiots like the tv pundits.
However, it is more likely that Brokaw was right to say that they were backing a cadidate early by falling in love with Obama. After Obama's speech at the Iowa caucus, journalists were all over him. Andrea Mitchell said it was the best speech by a politician since Bobby Kennedy. Obama certainly can be an inspirational figure, but the difference between a journalist and a columnist or pundit is that a journalist is not supposed to pick sides. This is why Ms. Traister would be wise to describe herself in other terms than a journalist. I believe there are exceptions to aspiring to objectivity, but politics certainly does fit that category. Otherwise, call yourself a blogger, a columnist, but not a journalist.
In the case of this article by Traister, it is not only unfair, but borderline bigoted to say that black people were allowed to vote 50 years before women. Because of Jim Crow laws African Americans were prevented from voting long after the women's suffrage movement. One should not talk about which minorities have suffered the most, but should share in a common history to prevent it from happening again.
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A New Day in American Politics....
A presidential candidate cries on camera... AND WINS THE ELECTION!!!
OMG!! Feminists everywhere must be really proud!!! After years and years of fighting for equality, fighting to be treated equally... and finally, they have a viable woman candidate for POTUS.
Then, in a critical moment, a due or die moment, she has to think fast... hmmmm, what should she do?
Oh wait! I know... START CRYING FOR THE CAMERAS!!!
AND IT WORKS!!!
Man, I can't wait till she's in office and has her first showdown with Congress... or better yet, another country on the verge of war.
I'm so proud to be an American right now!!!
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Trying to Think
war trumps planet
planet trumps nation
nation trumps party
party trumps individual
individual trumps gender/race
gender/race trumps media
media trumps education
education trumps apathy
apathy trumps nothing
Good things don't always trump bad things.
I put war trumping environment because nukes can destroy everything...but maybe that doesn't work.
Anybody else?
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More Bridge
What bothers me about NH is the thought of progressive citizens feeling vindicated because they gave a twirly-eyed reporter his comeuppance. Or ten of them.
I really think Americans confuse television with life itself.
With the fate of the nation in the balance and massive repercussions across the globe, I am far more concerned that we elect a leader who will signal to the rest of the world that something far, far different has finally taken place in America.
Weighing it all, I vote Barack Hussein Obama. America is more reviled internationally for its racism and hypocrisy than even for its sexism. All grievances being legitimate, we have to rank them. And planet trumps both race and gender.
I want Obama in the belief that his election would send a shock of hope around the world similar to the shock of hope he delivered to us in Iowa.
I want to vote for the world.
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Female Candidates: You Say Bitch Like It's a Bad Word
Well behaved women seldom make history...and pundits never do.
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this election has me riveted
The most fascinating thing about the Clinton candidacy is that it has forced the United States to scrutinize it's own entrenched misogyny in a way it's never had to do before. Young women of the "I'm not a feminist, but. . ." ilk will no longer be able to ignore the inescapable sexism of the media and political landscape. Older women will see their own experience reflected in the treatment of Hilary and feel vindicated and emboldened to speak out. Men will realize there really is such a thing as kneejerk sexism, after witnessing various jerks' (Matthews) knees jerk throughout the national media. And they'll be examining their own knees for telltale twitches. Suddenly we can no longer close our eyes to this issue. It's right up in our grill, so to speak. All thanks to Hilary.
I think it's exciting. Whatever the outcome, Clinton is breaking new psychological ground in the US and I think the process will ultimately have a deeply therapeutic effect on the nation as a whole. The whole country is poised to grow up just a little bit in it's attitude toward women.
By the way, why no link to the Steinem piece?
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which old witch?
Gee, Rebecca, you are just as dangerous as Matthews and the other dogs. You, along with many of the same people you trounce in this article, are now believing that Clinton simply got the pity vote. You didn't dare think that when people in New Hampshire walked alone into the voting booth, perhaps they voted for their candidate of choice. And a big P.S.: equating the amazing road that Gloria Steinem and others paved for women to the warm, Stuart Smiley sandbox for children created by That Girl, is an insult to both.