NYT: Media and Critics Split Over Sexism in Clinton Coverage

[chimpymustgo]

Well of course the corp media will never ADMIT it... Can you imagine is some of the sexist stereotypes and coded language had had the same RACIAL undertones - aimed at Obama? Democrats - and the media - would have cried foul. But FOUL it was, whether you, or they admit it, or not. Howard Dean FINALLY chimes in... Democrats, we should really be ashamed.

By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE and JULIE BOSMAN
Published: June 13, 2008
Angered by what they consider sexist news coverage of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, many women and erstwhile Clinton supporters are proposing boycotts of the cable networks, putting up videos on a “Media Hall of Shame,” starting a national conversation about sexism and pushing Mrs. Clinton’s rival, Senator Barack Obama, to address the matter.

But many in the news media — with a few exceptions, including Katie Couric, the anchor of the “CBS Evening News” — see little need for reconsidering their coverage or changing their approach going forward. Rather, they say, as the Clinton campaign fell behind, it exploited a few glaring examples of sexist coverage to whip up a backlash and to try to create momentum for Mrs. Clinton.

Phil Griffin, senior vice president of NBC News and the executive in charge of MSNBC, a particular target of criticism, said that although a few mistakes had been made, that they had been corrected quickly and that the network’s overall coverage was fair.

- snip -

Taking aim from the inside, though, was Ms. Couric, who herself has faced harsh criticism as the first woman to be the solo anchor of an evening news broadcast. Ms. Couric posted a video on the CBS Web site on Wednesday about the coverage of Mrs. Clinton.

“Like her or not, one of the great lessons of that campaign is the continued — and accepted — role of sexism in American life, particularly in the media,” Ms. Couric said.

She went on to lament the silence of those who did not speak up against it.

- snip -

Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic Party, who says he was slow to pick up on charges of sexism because he is not a regular viewer of cable television, is taking up the cause after hearing an outcry from what he described as a cross-section of women, from individual voters to powerful politicians and chief executives.

“The media took a very sexist approach to Senator Clinton’s campaign,” Mr. Dean said in a recent interview.

“It’s pretty appalling,” he said, adding that the issue resonates because Mrs. Clinton “got treated the way a lot of women got treated their whole lives.”

Mr. Dean and others are now calling for a “national discussion” of sexism.

- snip -

Cable television has come under the most criticism. Chris Matthews, a host on MSNBC, called Mrs. Clinton a “she-devil” and said she had gotten as far as she had only because her husband had “messed around.”

Mike Barnicle, a panelist on MSNBC, said that Mrs. Clinton was “looking like everyone’s first wife standing outside a probate court.” Tucker Carlson, also on MSNBC, said, “When she comes on television, I involuntarily cross my legs.”

The establishment news media were faulted too. The New York Times wrote about Mrs. Clinton’s “cackle” and The Washington Post wrote about her cleavage.

Ken Rudin, an editor at National Public Radio, appeared on CNN, where he equated Mrs. Clinton with the actress Glenn Close in “Fatal Attraction.” “She’s going to keep coming back, and they’re not going to stop her," Mr. Rudin said. He later apologized.

- snip -

For many of Mrs. Clinton’s supporters, the anger over her treatment has not subsided and they are trying to take steps to minimize sexism in the future. “It’s volcanic,” said Allida M. Black, the director of the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers at George Washington University and a founder of WomenCount PAC, a group that ran full-page newspaper advertisements last month urging Mrs. Clinton to stay in the race.

“How do we deal with the media who many, many people feel compounded the missteps by the campaign and robbed her of any shot she might have had at the nomination?” Ms. Black said.

Some are calling for boycotts against MSNBC and CNN, and many are urging Mr. Obama, who addressed racism in a major speech, to address sexism, too.

-snip -

More at...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/us/politics/13women.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5087&em&en=e42a33392b8377cc&ex=1213502400

[Beacool]

1. Thanks Howard, nice to know that you care............now that she's out of the race.

I know of several women, all erstwhile staunch Democrats, who changed their registration to Independent.

The cable media outlets were appalling in their undisguised sexism and comments that were openly personal attacks. MSNBC was far the worst culprit with their cadre of pundits who acted like a bunch on Jr. high school kids attacking the popular girl who they knew would never deign to look their way.

What's even more disappointing to me were the women who jumped on the bandwagon and joined their male colleagues in the personal disparagement.

Personally, I feel the party failed me for never standing up to sexism the way that they stood up to racism.

I have not changed party affiliation yet, but the thought has crossed my mind more than once.

[papau]

3. Your feeling is shared by a few hundred folks I've talk to on this topic.

[iamjoy]

4. About Hillary...And The "Failure"

I can understand you being upset at the failure to address the sexism in the primary, but I urge you to remain a Democrat. I can't say it any better than Hillary who said the way to keep fighting for her is to help Barack Obama become president. Helping or enabling a McCain win would mean turning back the calendar on womens' rights. It's not worth it to teach Democrats a lesson.

I'm inclined to give Dean the benefit of the doubt on not knowing about the sexism in the media. I remember that in 2004 hearing that he and his wife did not have cable television. Furthermore, if he had been aware of it, to have spoken out against it during the primary may have been seen (whether he intended it or not) as giving favoritism to Hillary.

A part of me thinks Obama should address the sexism and that his silence is condoning it. On the other hand, would a man addressing sexism have the same affect as a woman taking that bull by the horns? It's harder to define the sexism against Hillary. I think people just don't like her and use sexist language because it was an easy way to attack her. Some of them don't even see terms like "bitch" and "whore" as sexist (I've seen references to "Whora" O'Donnell here on DU (oh, ha ha, "Wh" instead of "N" - isn't that clever). OTOH - I think the reasons people dislike Hillary are rooted in subconscious sexism (think of the white person who denies being a racist and supports African American causes, yet crosses the street to avoid a black man). It is not as obvious as thinking women should be demure and subservient, it is accepting a forthright and direct communication style in a man, but having a negative gut reaction to it in a woman.

How do we address that?

[Carnea]

6. I really think another woman wouldn't have had these problems.

I think the attacks on Hillary were just that attacks on Hillary. They took a sexist tone sometimes (and a juvenile tone much to often)

I don't think another woman would have had the same problems. I think the wounds were often self inflicted.

Plus considering the way we often portray Republicans such as Condi Rice as a dominatrix with a pet monkey I not sure our hands are exactly sexist (or racist) free.

[NashVegas]

8. I Don't Think It's A Good Idea

For Obama to give any kind of speech about it. Many women who are pissed about it understand very well how his campaign benefited from it. If he were to give a speech and the press blew kisses at him for it, I think that would just exacerbate the situation.

[Beacool]

9. Changing parties wouldn't make any difference, other than voting in primaries.

Actually, that's the main reason why I didn't switch to Independent.I wanted to vote in the NJ primary that we had last week.

As far as the DNC, they can take a jump off a short pier as far as I'm concerned. Their concerted effort to kneecap Hillary for the last few months turned me off to the party (if I heard Pelosi one more time say a rotund NO to a unity ticket....., plus Teddy, Carter and the rest of the party's LW). I have donated, volunteered and fund raised for many a candidate. Not anymore after last Saturday, I'll watch from the sidelines. Besides, Obama has proven that he can raise enough money from his supporters, he doesn't need mine too.

Thank you for your thoughtful post.

[Carnea]

2. Hillary Clinton had every possible advantage going in. She should have won in a walk.

Instead she runs one of the worst campaigns seen in modern American presidential politics.

So whose fault is it... Oh yeah the media is sexist. :eyes:


Did the media say some sexist things. Sure.

Did it cause Mrs. Clinton to lose um no.

Were Clinton's problems self inflicted um yes.

Can you tell the truth and be sexist at the same time. sure.

Can you give us an example?

Okay.

Sweetie if you want to win the democratic nomination don't vote for going to war in Iraq. Don't play the race card and alienate African American voters. Don't ignore small states and rural America. And don't act like you deserve to be in the White House cause you slept with some guy who lived there.

See sexist and accurate.

[papau]

5. Sweetie - I guess you didn't see the year long hate postings of the Obama fans on DU - your

self serving, sexism justifying answers in your post only show where the DU Obama fan is willing to go - be they male or female - down the road of sexism as long as it advances their candidate.

"sexist and accurate" - No - try sexist and inaccurate - and unwilling to accept proof of the inaccuracy since it would not advance their case for Obama.

[NashVegas]

7. Did You Click the Sidebar Graphic?

It's amazing how many men projected their women problems onto her. Their first wives, their nagging wives ... that's what Hillary Clinton was to them.