Gov. Palin is sexist?

[Scriptor Ignotus]

McCain's campaign advisor Rick Davis is interview by Rich Lowry and says the following:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OGIwNTU1OWJkOTYyYTVkYmMyNGFkNjZhOTQwM2FkMDI=

On the Couric interview, which Davis says Palin thought would be softer because she was being interviewed by a woman: “She was under the impression the Couric thing was going to be easier than it was. Everyone’s guard was down for the Couric interview.”


Um, was the Couric interview really that tough? Couric asked Palin what newspapers she reads. Was that really such a curveball? Couric asked if Palin was in favor of the bailout. Couric asked what specifically McCain would reform. This was hardly a grilling. I was asked tougher questions at a Staples job interview for a $10 an hour position.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/24/eveningnews/main4476173.shtml

These people are seriously unbelievable.

[secretoftheoldclock]

1. No, she wasn't being sexist. Let's get real here: Katie had that

light-weight rep coming to CBS. After all, she was on the "Today Show" for years. So it was soft news and she got pegged as someone of that ilk. And she was surprisingly tough (for her). What is funny is that it seems like Palin wanted her to be all softballish and that's why she picked her (oh, and CHAR-lee, too).

[ColbertWatcher]

3. And that isn't sexist? n/t

[secretoftheoldclock]

5. Nope. CHARlee is a man, no?

And he was on warm and fuzzy "GMA." She could have picked Morley Safer, after all...

[ColbertWatcher]

8. TahitiNut's post #4 says it better than I ever could. n/t

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Sarah seems to have completely misinterpreted that newspaper

question. She seems to think that Katie was asking her what do ALASKANS read, and Sarah took offense that Katie would think Alaskans have any different reading habits than the rest of the U.S. "What do you think, Katie, Alaskans are a bunch of illiterate HICKS??!!" ... At least that's how she's spinning it now. It's obvious to me that she wants Alaskans to think she's standing up for us. Whether she admits it or not, she knows her reputation is tarnished here. I don't think she's ready to come back and face the music because she knows how pissed we are. That's probably why she's staying out of state so much.

[Wickerman]

10. Like you say, how she is spinning it now

Its all cover. Her responses at the time didn't indicate that she was thinking Alaska-centric at the time, she was thinking, "Oh fuck, what is the name of the newspaper thingys I see in the supermarket?"

[Raschel]

12. Either that or she loves getting away from her kids and husband.

[TahitiNut]

4. The presumption of different standards, due to gender, for interviewer AND interviewee ...

... is clearly sexist. :shrug: That entire scenario, even in background presumptions, was awash in sexism and bias - even in playing the 'card' and the politicization.

Fuck ... when the hell was the last time anyone called for "DEFERENCE" before?? Appalling.

Sexism is NOT something against which one has immunity (or even expertise) due to gender, and the assumption that one does is itself sexist, imho.

[ColbertWatcher]

7. I agree. n/t

[secretoftheoldclock]

9. As I stated, CharLEE Gibson was her first sit-down and he's like a pair of slippers

All warm and fuzzy. Ever watch "GMA?" Sometimes I have to flip the station because I can't handle all that happy talk so early in the morning.

[TahitiNut]

11. And?? Are you aware of the fact that it was HIS interview in which "deference" was expected ...

... but NOT Couric's? Like I say, the entire Palin 'fiasco' was awash in sexism ... Palin herself, her handlers, her interviewers, pundits, pundit-critics, bloggers, blog vigilantes, you-name-it. Indeed, it seemed as though the mere use of the third-person pronoun "her" to refer to Palin was enough to be dodging allegations of sexism. There's almost always some collateral damage in a target-rich environment populated by the trigger-happy.

[Scriptor Ignotus]

13. what do you think about McCain always saying how "proud"

he is of Palin? Does that strike you as sexist, or is that because he's so much older than her, or maybe both? It strikes me as being pretty sexist, not to mention condescending (in a backhand way).

[TahitiNut]

15. If Palin were male, I'd regard it as patronizing/paternalistic. Since I have a hard time ...

... imagining (has it EVER happened?) a Presidential nominee (of either party) using the word "proud" as a reference to the INDIVIDUAL (rather than their performance or stance) -- which would be the parental/paternal -- I have to regard it as sexist.

It could be me, though ... since I have always found that particular word ("proud") to be condescending. I've NEVER used it myself other than to speak of an award or accomplishment (of my own). I regard its use in any other way as portraying OWNERSHIP (of the deed, item, or property) ... which is a personal taboo with regard to human beings, whether they be children, parents, spouse, or anyone else. (Performance of a team of which one's self is a member is the limit.)

So ... yes. I smell sexism.

But I hasten to emphasize that I regard all forms of human objectification as evil -- ethical failings -- and subordinate the various kinds to mere conversational convenience. As I've said before, when I was married I eschewed the phrase "my wife" since it stank of possession/property (like "my car" or "my house") and I was NEVER comfortable with those words. It wasn't due to sexism - it was due to objectification, since "my husband" sounds the same to me.

[ColbertWatcher]

6. "Everyone’s guard was down for the Couric interview"

I'm going to say yes she is. Not only based on that quote, but also because of her involvement in that cult of hers. That she can somehow use her fringe beliefs as an excuse to allow her husband to attend meetings for the public office she was elected to makes me think she doesn't believe that even as an elected official she has dominion over her husband. At all, ever. Under any circumstances.

Also, the question Couric asked regarding what Palin read was a follow-up to a comment made by Palin about how she might not have visited many places, but she had read about them. (I'm too lazy to look for the link, but it's out there).

Furthermore, as a member of that cult, I'm willing to bet no one has ever questioned Palin about a single, damn thing after she "professed her faith." For her, and like-minded morans like her, the act of her saying that reading a book about something being equivalent to experiencing it first hand is good enough for them. After all, she's a woman of faith (because she's said that she is) and "magical thinking" is transformational because it is!!1!

[ismnotwasm]

14. She acquiesces to sexism in a New York second.

She lowered standards for herself, apparently based on gender--when convenient. She complained about the results,-- when convenient. Woman in the public eye are always exposed to sexism, and as stupid as I think she is, I don't think she's THAT stupid. She played up her appearance--when convenient. She complained about the results--when convenient. She reinforced gender stereotypes as a way to fit in with what she called "the good 'ol boys" (Those bad boys)--when convenient.

Her attempts at genuineness came across as contrived and her anti-woman policies said something about what her priorities are in general. Nothing I want near the white house. Or near me for that matter.

She did a little girl act on occasion. She actually did it again in her recent speech at that Republican gathering, with a tongue meets teeth "tsk" between each ridiculous point, about what she's been up to since the last meeting, using what passes for humor for her "Well lets see tsk, I had a baby, tsk, I temporarily increased my wardrobe" etc.