That Dan Riehl is a fucking retard for choosing of all things to compare Amanda (who is quite easy on the eyes in my opinion) to the looks of someone like Shannon Elizabeth? He lost the battle right there to mere centredists in my opinon. First off, why some b-rated actress who's profession partly entails looking good for the camera (of which she is far from the hottest in her profession). If politics had anything to do with looks, there are quite a few male politicians or politcally-minded males working on campaigns who would never be considered for their job. I don't care what supposed vitrol Ms.Marcotte spews on her blog but a misogynistic turn like that from the incredulously deplorable Riehl not only makes this article seem like a lightning rod of truth but also makes any agenda Marcotte had as civil and decent in comparison to the shit the right-wing blogosphere came up with to launch their smear campaign. This at least warrants some serious wrist-slapping from his side of the fence (of which I have yet to hear of). Amanda, I know this was a true beating and i commend your resilience in standing up for yourself. If it irks them this much that you're so passionate and opinionated i'd use it more as fuel to stand up for what you believe in. Good luck.

John Edwards' opponents have the saddest story here. If Amanda and Melissa had been left alone, the story would have been broken by one of his opponents, Democrat or Republican, when he had no time to rehabilitate himself. Since I don't support him that would have been my preference.

As for the whining: This isn't about sexism, free speech or overly sensitive Christians -- Christian bashing is the new national pastime. It's about civility, responsibility and politics. Why would any candidate knowingly risk being identified with the kind of trash talk at issue here directed at any voting bloc of any size?

By the way, what do we think the reaction would be if Amanda's target had been gays or some ethnic group favored by the left? Sometimes the hypocricy is stifling.

... that the political Left has been sucked into a black hole of insufferably whiny, self-pitying, self-righteous navel-gazing that will turn off all those "purple" voters out there who are looking for centrist leadership. (And no, Obama's not it, either.)

No matter what you typical Salon-ites might think in your blissful solipsism, you are far from centrist or mainstream. You are so far out into the nether reaches of moonbat-dom that you've been irretrievably lost to NORAD's tracking radar. Anyone you're for is guaranteed to lose.

But then, come to think of it, that's not a sad thing at all.

As a liberal feminist and a member of the progressive Christian clergy that is trying so hard to change the us-v.-them mentality of the Religious Right, I am very disheartened to see a liberal feminist confirming perceived stereotypes and reinforcing the gulf.

I can deal just fine with the "hot, white, sticky" business. I have sex — frequent good sex that involves hot, white, sticky fluids — and I happen to believe that Mary did too. I am not nearly so comfortable with the accusation of misogyny — *my* misogyny, yet — and I think it's harmful both to John Edwards' campaign and to the efforts of those many thousands of liberal, feminist Christians who share Edwards' hopes for this country.

Yes, Amanda Marcotte, you've got a constitutional right to say it, and I thank God for that. But was that really the best way to use the pulpit you had?

I'm so sorry to see a page of the left wing torn from the play book and used against one of their own. Screeching, hyperbole, & baseless emotion being used against a person in the public arena? My goodness, what have we come to? Maybe it's time for the media and those in politics to step back, take a breather, and stop the riduculous attacks. Nah, it's not going to happen because people like Amanda Marcotte benefit too much from mudslinging and baseless attacks. I guess what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Maybe she'd have a cushy radio job, like Michael Savage or Rush? Be a well paid media bloviator like Michelle Malkin and Ann Coulter?

Again, mocking religion is more like mocking someone's political party than their gender, race, or sexual orientation. It's not hyporcrisy, it's giving back what you're getting from a bunch of wimps who can't take what they dish out.

When I was young and my parents asked what I was going to be when I grew up I said, "centrist and mainstream."

Woo-hoo!

Cry me a fucking river.

When you have to waste precious time and resources to keep the federal government from enshrining hatred of you into the Constitution, then you can talk to me about how bad you have it, you fucking hypocrite.

Ms. Marcotte (and I can only assume Ms. McEwan, as I've never spent that much time reading through her blog) is an emotional, strident, clever, and intelligent writer. That's what she was hired to be. That's what she's always been. That's what I hope she continues to be for as long as her fingers allow. What she is not, however, is strong.

Don't read this as an indictment, mind you. In the current political/media environment, strength comes from money. Strength comes from working within the constraints of the television and print world. Strength comes from being well-connected to the powers that be. The joy of reading blogs is watching the weak speak truth to power. It is patently unfair to condemn Ms. Marcotte for "giving the rightwing a victory". Only a blind idealist could possibly expect a regular citizen, with nothing more than a website, to effectively counter a coordinated media assault.

It is John Edwards who bears responsibility for this rightwing victory. He had the strength to stand up to Bill Donohue and his digusting ilk. He could have held a press conference and vociferously stood up for his bloggers' right to speak. He could have refused to accept their resignations. He could have counterattacked Mr. Donohue and sparked a real conversation about those who hide their bigotry behind false piety. That Mr. Edwards did not is his own failing, not Ms. Marcotte's. He had the strength to make a difference and chose instead to sit back and wait for the storm to blow over. I have nothing but the utmost respect (and apologies, for the embarassing actions of the worst elements of my gender) for Amanda Marcotte and Melissa McEwan. I am sorry most of all, however, for the respect I lost for John Edwards.