Video- Awkward! Fox & Friends Confronts Wallace Over His "Hope" That Palin Would "Sit On [His] Lap"

Via Media Matters. Love to see people like him squirm. Backstory and original video of what he said here.

VIDEO: Fox's Chris Wallace hopes Palin will sit on his lap

By GottaLaff

Will Barbie McLipSchmutz complain about being a "mere sexed-up object"? The answer is no. No, she won't:



Looks like Rich Lowry had some competition now. Remember this?

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Newsweek Defends Palin Cover Photo

By GottaLaff

Earlier I had way too much fun with Sarah Palin's little Facebook rant over this Newsweek cover:

Notice how Sarah and her athletic runner's elbow is leaning on the American flag that is draped rather inappropriately over a bar stool.

Now Newsweek responds:

"We chose the most interesting image available to us to illustrate the theme of the cover, which is what we always try to do," Meacham said, in a statement provided to Huffington Post. "We apply the same test to photographs of any public figure, male or female: does the image convey what we are saying? That is a gender-neutral standard."

Meacham's remarks comes as a rash of conservative commentators and Palin defenders have attacked Newsweek for running its cover picture of a pig-tailed former Alaska Governor, legs glistening, wearing short running shorts and holding two Blackberries. The image previously appeared on the cover of Runners World, which means that Palin had, at one point, been fine with its publication.

That was the point of my previous post, along with a few others. She willingly posed in running shorts (and inexplicably, pantyhose), but complained when the wrong magazine published the same photo. No hypocrisy there.

And what was Newsweek trying to convey?

The cover was meant to convey a larger point -- expanded upon within the magazine -- that the problems the former vice presidential candidate poses for the GOP are, at once, institutional (see the special election in New York's 23rd District), substantive (see the death panels smear) and image-based (the tea party protests that Palin flames).

As Meacham writes in his editor's note: "[Palin's] political celebrity is so powerful that it has reduced a large part of the Republican Party to irrationality and civic incoherence."

Oh sure, fine, swell, that's simply stating the obvious. But let's get down to the nitty gritty.

You can just bet that the male chauvinists who slapped Ms. Piggy Tails' shiny legs on to the equally shiny Newsweek cover are lounging around in manly leather chairs at their manly Men's Club laughing into their manly brandy snifters and through their manly cigar smoke.

Finally, as for the issue of whether the image is sexist, a source at Newsweek relays that the art and photo directors responsible for the cover (which was decided upon last Thursday) are both women.

Palin slams 'sexist' Newsweek cover... but why exactly?

By GottaLaff

The one thing I've always admired about Sarah Palin is that she never so much as once gave the appearance of sexism during the 2008 election campaign.

Not once. Not when she slighted Hillary Clinton by calling her a whiner (see video below). Not when she referred to her lipstickitude to gain political advantage. Not when she winked into the camera. Not when she made rape victims pay for their own rape kits. Oh, and there's this:

And seriously, it's not like she didn't play the sexy girl in those bright red Naughty Monkey shoes during the campaign.

I love a "gal" who practices what she preaches.

From her Facebook blog, because as we all know, she's a real live blogger now... until she quits:

The choice of photo for the cover of this week's Newsweek is unfortunate. When it comes to Sarah Palin, this "news" magazine has relished focusing on the irrelevant rather than the relevant. The Runner's World magazine one-page profile for which this photo was taken was all about health and fitness - a subject to which I am devoted and which is critically important to this nation. The out-of-context Newsweek approach is sexist and oh-so-expected by now. If anyone can learn anything from it: it shows why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, gender, or color of skin. The media will do anything to draw attention - even if out of context.

- Sarah Palin

Who was it that willingly posed for that "look at me posing like a fancy pageant walker" photo again? And who is it that is spotlighting that very photo by posting about it, knowing very well the play it would get in the Palin-fan-girl media?

Psst! Barbie! About doing anything to draw attention....

Sidebar: One of her fans posted this comment...

I want you and Michelle backman in the white house

Note the spelling prowess.

For dessert, let's take a step back in time and see what Jon Stewart had to say during the 2008 elections:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Sarah Palin Gender Card
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

H/t: CNN

Video- Brown: Clinton's comments on 2000 election indicative that she's "feeling fat" and "wants to get back to the gym"

If not the stupidest thing I've ever heard, damn close.

Howie Kurtz asks panel whether the media would ask temperament questions "about a male judge"

Simple answer to simple question- No.

Media figures respond to Pelosi controversy with attacks on her looks

I caught the guy on Hardball last week being a douche, but I didn't hear about the others until just now. Wonder if they would have called Denny Hastert fat publicly?

You have got to be kidding

Washington Whispers poll up right this fracking minute-

If you had a choice of four daycare centers run separately by Michelle Obama, Sarah Palin, Hillary Clinton, and Nancy Pelosi, which would you choose for your kids?

Via Media Matters.

Mr. IWRC* Palin no likey "hot and bothered" comments about his wife

By GottaLaff

When First Dude Todd gets steamed, does that make him a Hot Toddy? Just askin'.

Apparently, the Alaska governor is greatly amused by the funny Web sites (with the exception of the X-rated ones) and loves seeing all the Joe the Plumber-type supporters at rallies sporting various versions of ''Sarah Palin is HOT!'' T-shirts.

While the GOP veepster nominee thinks it's all harmless, a source high up in the McCain campaign tells me that's not the case as far as her husband and father are concerned.

Let's recap: IWRC* and her $150,000 ego are eating it up, despite the fact that her "guy" is seeing red. How supportive and wifey of her. Why, the words "diva" and "out for herself" might even cross one's mind.

''Todd [Palin] is increasingly irritated by it all. He's a very possessive guy and totally old-fashioned and traditional when it comes to his relationship with his wife, whom he adores,'' said my source in John McCain-Palin campaign.

Do I sense a spat coming on?

''At a rally in Pennsylvania the other day, he left the stage right before Sarah's speech -- ostensibly to deal with an issue regarding their baby,'' said the source. ''But actually, he was P.O.'ed about a couple of T-shirts and signs he saw in the crowd.''

What, "I want to do your wife" and "Got MILF?" tees don't appeal to him?

Reportedly, Alaska's ''First Dude'' told a campaign aide, ''She's running for vice president of the United States. ... Even though these guys are in our corner, don't they see this belittles her?''

As for Gov. Palin's father, Chuck Heath, his displeasure about the racy T-shirts was nothing compared to his reaction when someone made the mistake of showing Heath one of the sexy videos (featuring a faux Palin) on YouTube.

I'm fairly confident that "Nailin' Palin" isn't something a father would appreciate, no.

On the other hand, IWRC is clearly not hiding the fact that she's into it, and she doesn't exactly go out of her way to downplay her beauty pageant looks. It looks like poor ol' First Dude's going to have to accept this as a fact of life for awhile.

Either that or spend a lot more time off stage "dealing with baby issues."

H/t: Dependable Renegade

*"In What Respect, Charlie?"

VIDEO-- Tina Fey: IWRC* Palin "kills things...!"

By GottaLaff

Via Think Progress:

This is a short excerpt from tonight's David Letterman Show. Tina Fey discusses IWRC* Palin, who will most likely watch this with the volume turned down.

*"In What Respect, Charlie?"

VIDEO: Fox pundits on Palin picture, diss Hillary Clinton's legs

By GottaLaff


I've had it with this election season's hostility and smears. This video typifies the sleaze that Fox represents.

For a good look at the original graphic, Paddy posted it here.

Last month, McCain campaign adviser Carly Fiorina claimed that conservatives had never “subjected Hillary Clinton to sexism.”

Oy

Watertiger hopes these guys mistake it for the vaseline.

VIDEOS: Sexism, lies, and videotape

By GottaLaff

Keith Olbermann apparently reported on this tonight. I'm sure Paddy or I will come up with the video:

Last month, the McCain campaign accused Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) of being “disrespectful” and sexist for calling Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) “attractive.” Will it similarly slam National Review’s Rich Lowry, who praised Palin’s sex appeal to male viewers?

"I’m sure I’m not the only male in America who, when Palin dropped her first wink, sat up a little straighter on the couch and said, “Hey, I think she just winked at me.” And her smile. By the end, when she clearly knew she was doing well, it was so sparkling it was almost mesmerizing. It sent little starbursts through the screen and ricocheting around the living rooms of America."

Couple those remarks up with the following "conservative" ones. Hypocritical much?


This isn't too sexy, though. IWRC* Palin expounds on the vice presidency... and by "expounds", I mean rambles:


*"In What Respect, Charlie?"

CNN's Campbell Brown's calls Palin out

Sweetness. Via.

"Tonight I call on the McCain campaign to stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower that will wilt at any moment," said Brown. "This woman is from Alaska from crying out loud. She is strong. She is tough. She is competent. And you claim she is ready to be one heart beat away form the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now. Allow her to show her stuff. Allow her to face down those pesky reporters... Let her have a real news conference with real questions. By treating Sarah Palin different from the other candidates in this race, you are not showing her the respect she deserves. Free Sarah Palin. Free her from the chauvinistic chain you are binding her with. Sexism in this campaign must come to an end. Sarah Palin has just as much a right to be a real candidate in this race as the men do. So let her act like one."

McCain Voted Against Biden Law Requiring Free Rape Exams

By GottaLaff

Originally posted at The Jed Report.

Like presidential candidate, like vice presidential candidate:

In 1994, John McCain voted against legislation -- pushed through Congress by Joe Biden -- that helped put an end to the practice of charging rape victims for sexual assault exams.

Twisted as it may sound, charging victims for a forensic exam was a real problem. For example, as AMERICAblog has documented (and the media is now reporting), when Sarah Palin was mayor of Wasilla, the town charged rape victims for the exams.

Biden's legislation required that state, local, and Indian governments provide the rape exams to victims free of charge as a condition of receiving federal funds under the Violence Against Women Act. In 2000, Alaska finally passed state legislation in order to qualify for federal funding.

McCain not only opposed Biden's legislation, but also has voted against funding it as recently as October 2007.

About that sexism, J Sid.

McCain voted against final passage of Biden's legislation. He had supported an earlier version, but on the question of actually making the legislation the law of the land, McCain joined 35 conservative Republicans (and 2 Democrats) and said "no" to ensuring that all women had access to rape exams free of charge.

Here's the text of the rape exam provision in Biden's legislation:

H.R.3355: Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994

And here's another link to McCain's vote against the legislation and to his October 2007 vote against funding it.

Compassionate conservatism went into cardiac arrest at least 8 years ago, and McCain/Palin haven't so much as heard of CPR. Somebody please call for help, stat. You'll find it under "O".

Donny Deutsch: ‘I want [Palin] laying next to me in bed.’

By GottaLaff

Sexist much, Donny?

DEUTSCH: There is the new creation that the feminist woman has not figured out in 40 years of the feminist ideal that men can take in a woman in power and women can celebrate a woman in power. Hillary Clinton didn’t figure it out. She didn’t put a skirt on! […]

She [Palin] talked about energy. Didn’t matter! Today everybody’s running in circles — we want to have her over for dinner. I trust her. I want her watching my kids. I want her laying next to me in bed. That’s the way people vote.

And isnt' that what we all look for in someone who is next in line should a 72-year-old president die, who would control our nuclear arsenal, who would have to be taken seriously by friendly and unfriendly world leaders?

I'm relieved the Republicans have their priorities straight. For a split second, I thought they were seeing the vice presidency in only superficial terms, like wolf-hunting and hockey-momming.

Washington Times Admits To "Breezy" Language in Michelle Obama Piece

By Paddy


I'm really surprised this got past me, but good on Citizen Jane for calling the Moonie Times on the carpet. Good article about the event here, Moonie Times version here.

We told you yesterday about the Emily's List petition to the "The Washington Times," about a "Times" story that referred to a Michelle Obama/ Jennifer Granholm event as a "girlie show" and an "estrogenfest." We also reached out to the "Times" to get their take on the story.

We just received a call from David Jones, the managing editor of "The Washington Times," who gave us the following comment:

"We think the story about Michelle Obama's efforts to campaign for women's votes was an important one and was fairly told, but some of the language that slipped through the editing process was too breezy and could be misconstrued as stereotyping.

"We have taken steps to make sure such language does not slip through in the future."

Let's Talk About Sex(y) Female Bloggers!

By Paddy


And we are not on the list? Pikers.

Apparently it's the time of year where everyone chooses their favorite female blogger based on the always venerable quality of sex appeal! First off Playboy.com is asking you to help them choose the web's hottest woman blogger. The lucky winner will get the opportunity to pose for Playboy. Yep. Currently video blogger Brigitte Dale (who apparently is of legal age regardless of what her picture might suggest) is riding high (no pun intended) with 27% of the vote, amongst a group that includes Amanda Congden, Violet Blue and Veronica Belmont.

Meanwhile(!), via FishbowlLA comes word that the folks over at URLesque.com have chosen the twenty women bloggers they'd most like to see in a bikini. Amanda Congden also appears on this list, along with HuffPo's Olivia Zaleski and Jezebel's Tracie Egan, but topping it off is LA Times blogger Christie St. Martin. For those of you who would prefer a slightly less naked round-up, NorthxEast has just posted a list of its "Fifty Most Influential 'Female' Bloggers" included here are the likes of Ana Marie Cox, Michelle Malkin, Rachel Sklar and Arianna Huffington, who ranks second.

Note the linkage Clancy- you're set for a while.

Where are Michelle Obama's feminist defenders?

By GottaLaff

I just read two pieces in the Washington Post that got me riled up on behalf of Michelle Obama. My personal opinion of her? From everything I've seen, she is someone to be admired and respected. She's smart, accomplished, eloquent, confident, and an obviously loving wife and mother. She's be a superb First Lady and is already an asset to the public discourse. And boy, is there a lot of public discourse about her. First, from The Gene Pool:

So I started reading other Michelle-bashing on The Web. It's pretty intense, and equally willfully ignorant. [...] Ms. Obama's 1985 undergraduate senior thesis from Princeton [...] presents a well-articulated and completely reasonable argument, certainly for 1985. On the Web, it is treated as though it was a call for global race riots. Part of the explanation is that this sort of thing is what passes for political discourse in a ridiculously polarized society. But I think part of it is deeper and darker.

And this from Mary C. Curtis:

An educated, successful lawyer, devoted wife and caring mother has been labeled "angry" and unpatriotic and snidely referred to as Barack Obama's "baby mama."

Democrats, Republicans, independents, everyone should be offended.

And this black woman is wondering: Where are Obama's feminist defenders?

Where, indeed? She goes on:

But just as you didn't have to be for Clinton to decry the sexism in the coverage of her campaign, you don't have to be an Obama supporter to defend Michelle Obama against similar treatment. [...]

I've long been frustrated, as a black woman and a feminist, with our national conversation. I didn't hear the cause speaking up for women of color or for women who have always worked in blue-collar or service jobs. Choice was not their issue.

The woman who employed my educated mother to clean her house never quite saw her as a sister in the struggle for equality.

Just as the Rutgers women's basketball team was miscast by Don Imus, Obama is being labeled something she clearly is not. Her achievements are being dismissed.

But in America, there's seldom a cost for disrespecting black women.

I'm waiting for feminists who speak of second-class citizenship and being pushed to the back of the bus to remember the civil rights movement that gave birth to those words. After all, it was a black woman, Rosa Parks, who took her seat up front and pulled others there, too.

I'm not holding my breath, though. [...] Yet when an African American made a different kind of history, it seems that feminists can't share in the triumph.

They don't have to vote for the husband to defend the wife.

Here are a few of the comments from both pieces:

• It seems fairly obvious to me. She's well-educated, independent, intelligent, speaks her mind, and won't be a "traditional" First Lady like the Bushes.
• She has thoughts! And ideas! And can express them in an intelligent fashion! Run for the hills (where women stay in the kitchen and make sandwiches)!
• She will be well-received as soon as Barak has an affair, and she's on-stage with him for his apology.
  Then she'll be welcomed as part of the club.
• Like most educated women in the American job market, both Ms Obama and Clinton have encountered the sexism crap we've all experienced, much of it easy to laugh off. But I doubt either of them has ever been seriously blocked in their careers by sexism. Racism, on the other hand.......
• Michelle Obama can be the first lady--or she can decide to be a victim. She really can't be both because the voters are not going to be intimidated into voting for anyone.
• [In response to some very ugly comments] Wow! I'm really amazed at all the hateful comments about Michelle. It really more than illustrates the author's point. Michelle really hasn't done much different than any other first lady so I have to assume it's because of her race. Really sad.

Your turn.

John McCain Campaign Adviser- Sometimes it's "accurate" to call a woman a "bitch"

By Paddy

I guess last night, CNN GOP consultant Alex Castellanos said this-

If I can disagree, I think you’re dead wrong. She’s dead wrong. And I think she thinks her problem is she’s a woman. Her problem is she’s Hillary Clinton. And some women, by the way, are named that and it’s accurate.

He's also an adviser to Senator John McCain on his Ad Council. Not hard to imagine since Senator McCain seems to have no problem with that word.

"I'm John McCain, and I approved this message."



h/t Feministing