Monday, September 8, 2008

LA Times covers Palin like a First Lady


The newspaper asks readers: Miss Wasilla 1984 or VP material? Cast your vote.

You are then shown a series of photos of Sarah Palin and asked to vote on each outfit:

Sarah Palin
Misses the target
VP bull’s-eye
Too beauty queen
Too backwoods

These people are OBSESSED. It occurs to me: They're covering her like Jackie O. They're covering her like a First Lady, not a vice presidential candidate. I admit that people are interested in some of this stuff. I'm sort of interested in some of this stuff, and I don't even know why.

Sure, enough, they have a poll about Cindy McCain, too, that asks after each outfit:

Too matronly
Too sexy
Flawless first lady
Lost “Stepford Wife”

And Michelle Obama:

Too frumpy
Too matronly
Flawless first lady
Too sexy

Wait a minute! How come only Cindy is compared to a Stepford Wife? That's really unfair if you read about her humanitarian work alone.

Where's the poll about the clothes of Joe Biden and John McCain? Yeah, I know. Every outfit would be a blue suit. Some of this is practical.

Sidenote: I don't remember this obsessive fixation with appearance when Hillary was in the presidential race, although her pants suits got a lot of commentary. I know some people feel she was treated in a sexist fashion, and there are some examples of that, but I really do think she was treated more seriously by the media than Palin has been. The Clintons faced more unfair allegations about race (Bill is a racist!) than about gender.


8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Michele Obama: "Grievance monger"?

gak said...

My wife heard her joke about the difference between a pit bull and soccer mom. My wife was livid because if a man was to say that, it would have been deemed sexist. I personally don't care if the GOP ran Miss America as a VP candidate, the Dems have my vote. I can't take another 4 years of fiscal irresponsibility


gak

Anonymous said...

I think you're point here is clear, the media is covering her like a first lady. Same article with the potential first ladies.

I want to see the First Dude in an article with Obama and McCain.

Anonymous said...

gak ... I thought I recognized you from Duke Hoax blogs.

You do realize the gang of 88 are Obama's people, right? He's one of them (i.e. liberal elites).

femB4dem said...

Nice site. I think it is very important to document media sexism whomever it is aimed at, whether a Dem or a Repub. That, I think, should be the message we as women of all political persuassions take away from this entire election cycle -- women (and the many men who are also aghast at what has been happening) need to stand together against sexism and misogyny.

On that note, let me offer a piece of constructive criticism as a very liberal (former) Democrat visiting your site for the first time. I was somewhat put off by this part of your comment:

"I don't remember this obsessive fixation with appearance when Hillary was in the presidential race, although her pants suits got a lot of commentary. I know some people feel she was treated in a sexist fashion, and there are some examples of that, but I really do think she was treated more seriously by the media than Palin has been."

There were many conservatives who documented the sexism against Hillary Clinton, and stood up for her. (Laura Ingraham jumps to my mind). There are now many liberals who are documenting the sexism against Sarah Palin, and standing up for her. I suggest you check out some of the excellent posts on such sites as Riverdaughter's Confluence -- e.g., this one:
http://riverdaughter.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/feminism-is-about-babies-too/

Check out these sites as well:

http://annabellep.wordpress.com/

and

http://www.reclusiveleftist.com/

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised to see how much we can all agree upon, even though, of course, differences plainly remain.

The good folks at Shakesville have nicely documented in a long series of on-going posts the media sexism against Clinton and Palin:

http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2008/09/clinton-sexism-watch-110-palin-sexism.html

This is not a contest. Yes, I agree the media is failing miserably in taking Palin seriously. Clinton faced some of that, and faced even uglier things which are likely coming Palin's way as well. Just check out some the many examples chronicled in the Shakesville post, above, and I think you'll realize you probably weren't paying enough attention to comment now on the breadth of the misogny shovelled at Senator Clinton during the Democratic Party's primary season.

We're all paying attention now. If women of all political persuassions can stand together at this critical moment in time and together say "Enough!" then maybe something positive for all can emerge from this cesspool of an election year.

Think about this, please, and check out this site too:

http://thenewagenda.net/

Thank you for your attention, and again, kudos on your site.

Anonymous said...

femb4dem

I read the first two of your sites. Am off to read yours.

Both sites seem to be former Hillary supporters. What that portends I don't know.

Thanks for the links! Very interesting stuff.

JerryT

Anonymous said...

femb4dem

Oops your blog is "empty."

Jerry T

femB4dem said...

Jerry T -- yep, no blog for me. I admire those of you who can find the time to keep the rest of us so well informed.

Thanks for taking on Bill Mahrer. He's a ridiculous sexist. In case you missed it, here is a link to one of his worst moments during the Democratic primaries:

http://guerillawomentn.blogspot.com/2008/03/hillary-sexism-watch-bill-maher-and-his.html