04 March 2008

Equal Bashing Time


The TMI Tuesday questions were a little lame this week, so I decided to post about every one's favorite topic - politics - instead!

Last week I spewed regarding Louis Farrakhan's endorsement of Barack Obama. How appropriate that Gloria Steinem is endorsing Hillary Clinton - now I can give Obama and Clinton equal time!

First, let me say that I do not like Gloria Steinem. I believe she has done more to hurt the women's movement that she has to help it. Like any other quality, feminism, when taken to the extreme, is radical and damaging. Steinem is no exception.

If Hillary was hoping Gloria's appearance at the Women for Hillary event in Texas was going to help her, she should have looked at Gloria's speech notes beforehand. If you haven't heard, Steinem decided to "call out" McCain and his experience as a POW.

Referring to his time in captivity, Steinem said with bewilderment, “I mean, hello? This is supposed to be a qualification to be president? I don’t think so.” You are kidding me, right? I would think that spending over five years "jailed" in a bamboo cage should show, at the very least, commitment and dedication to one's country. It also might just make him better qualified to be the Commander in Chief of the world's greatest military, not that it matters …

Steinem went on to say, “Suppose John McCain had been Joan McCain and Joan McCain had got captured, shot down and been a POW for eight years. [The media would ask], ‘What did you do wrong to get captured? What terrible things did you do while you were there as a captive for eight years?’” The audience laughed - LAUGHED!

My response to Steinem would have been, "How does being married to a former president serve as any qualification for being the next president?"

Of course, the Clinton campaign immediately disavowed Steinem's words and said they have the utmost respect for John McCain's military status.

24 comments:

buffalodick said...

Celebrity endorsements are worthless as far as edcucated opinions go... Just because someone is famous in one field, does not qualify them as an expert in all fields..

Karen said...

I hate Steinem. Because of her and those like her feminism has always been a bad word for me. And I wish I could agree with buffalodickdy's comment. I hate celeb. endorsements - mostly becuase some people are actually dumb enough to follow them. As Oprah goes, so does the country, right?

Schmoop said...

While I wouldn't have put it as bluntly as GS, I don't think his time as a POW makes him more qualified than someone who has not been a POW.

Maybe other things might make make McCain better in that regards but this isn't one of them. IMO. Cheers!!

Real Live Lesbian said...

That checked hood and the pointing finger doesn't help either. And yeah, you'd think they'd want to see her speech.

Leighann said...

I agree with Matt. (don't tell him)

Schmoop said...

Too late Leighann...But it dies with me. Cheers!!

captain corky said...

Yikes! Gloria Steinem looks like the Crypt Keeper!!!

Dana said...

Buff, although I wholeheartedly agree with you, I'm afraid many people actually emulate celebrities.

Karen, I'm all for equality for women, but Gloria Steinem has forgotten that a woman who stays at home to raise her children is quite successful indeed!

Matt-Man, you and your silly opinions! Although his POW time may not make him more qualified, I would have to argue that his military experience does! But I love you anyway ('cause I know you were worried about that).

Dana said...

RLL, that, of course, was the most flattering pic I could find of her *giggle*

Leighann, I'm sooooo disapointed in you! And here I thought you had some sense *wink*

Corky, modern medicine can only do so much.

Jeff B said...

While looking at the picture I'll I hear is, "I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too!"

Today should be an interesting one at the polls.

Christo Gonzales said...

hey if screech says its ok to vote for someone then I do it and if it gets backed up by any of the baldwins then for sure I do it...

Jay said...

Unlike the Farrakhan garbage Hillary should have to answer for her embrace of Gloria Steinem's comments. Where Obama has denounced and rejected and certainly never asked for any endorsement by Farrakhan, this was at a "Women for Hillary" event. This was an official event. And does anything think that Hillary didn't want that line of thinking about McCain brought out in the open?

This should end an question of how low the Hillary campaign is capable of going. Don't get me wrong, McCain can go pretty low too and this is what we're in for this summer. It's gonna suck so bad.

Dana said...

Jeff, do you suppose McCain is the little dog??

DB, that's what these candidates need! Screech's endorsement!

Jay, I would like to see - just once in my lifetime - a campaign where candidates spent more time telling me why they deserve my vote than they do telling me why their opponent does NOT deserve my vote. What do you think? Snowball's chance in hell?

Doc said...

Hey Hillary...how much Presidental experience before assuming office did Bill Clinton have?

Thought so... and I am sorry but being a pencil pusher in Arkansas (sorry Jay) doesn't qualify you to be President either. So what does? Being first lady? Doubtful... Yeesh just leave the whole ready to assume office day one argument alone Hillary...oh and if you manage to ruin my political party by pulling some s--- at the convention you will have a lot to answer for...

none said...

Steinem is not my favorite. I think the best feminism role models are Elenor Roosevelt and Margaret Thatcher.

Anonymous said...

Of course they laughed. They should have the whole party is weak and would never have made the sacrifice McCain (who I almost nver agre with as you know) did. They don't know he had the chance to leave the POW camp and didn't. He stayed with his men. Kind of like John Kery did. Fucking loser. Anyway, almost all extremeists hurt their own movement. Almost all movements end up FUBAR because of these extremeists.

Schmoop said...

Serving in the military is a noble profession, but I don't think it makes a person anymore qualified to be Prez. Just ask US Grant or Jimmy Carter. Cheers Dana!!

Anonymous said...

I agree with Matt......... Look at John Kerry, loser damn what a loser.

Militay service in itself doesn't say much but McCains decisions while serving, highly documented and undisputed are stellar.

Dana said...

Doc, ummmm ... how do you really feel about Hil?

Hammer, I agree - far better examples!

SS, I just can't get past LAUGHING at jokes about POW's. There are some things that are un-PC and funny - POW's are NOT one of those things.

Dana said...

Matt-Man, we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one. I STRONGLY believe military experience should be a prerequisite to being president, not only for the understanding of the military, but also for the selfless serving of one's country.

SS, here's where I stand - if I must make a choice between to equally viable candidates, and the only thing that separates them is military service, I will pick the veteran over the civilian every time!

Anonymous said...

What I can't figure is why attack the man on the one thing that is irrefutable? I mean attack him on his idiotic stance on immigration! Attack him on not voting for the tax cuts! Attack him on the evironmental snake oil he swallows, you know the things no fair minded person could be for!
That would be easy, nobody with any sense at all would be against attacking the man for those small minded idiotic stances.
Ok I just did my very best to watch Barack, I gave my undivided. He's a hopeful fellow it seems. If there was an award for the most spoken words without any substance he would surely win it. He did outline some folks he'd like to to take tax money from me and give to them though. Damn he takes class warfare to the deepest depths, no wonder the Dems appear to be jumping ship, they must have actually listened and thought.
ok thats enuf from me.

Anonymous said...

I think all of the candidates are horse shit and I am scared for the future of our country and the human race.

The Obama/Clinton stuff they are doing at the beginning of Saturday Night Live lately is brilliant though.

Anonymous said...

Well...not to be wishy-washy, but Feminism, as GS sees it is the worst thing to happen to the women of this country or any other. Just the ridiculing of Motherhood as a chosen path for your life...women being made to feel as though they've somehow betrayed their fellow women by choosing to be wives and mothers....and don't even get me started on the current trend of attempting to feminize our male children! And for you SS, of course she attacks his military record, she supports Hanoi Jane and her actions...so she's in bed with the women who got into bed with our enemies in Vietnam! Plus she supports all those other things, immigration, enviro-idiocy, etc. I could go on about this, but just let me end with these two things...
In that photo, with the checkered hood and pointy finger...was anyone else thinking Yasser Arafat?

And to quote Rush Limbaugh (not my favorite guy, but he does know his shit politically) "I for one, am very fond of the women's movement...especially when I'm watching it from behind"

Damn Dana, you know how to get my dander up. And you have an EXCELLENT grasp of the issues and a flawless delivery...you should blog for pay!

Take Care

FMD

Dana said...

SS, I'm with you - there is plenty to pick on McCain for, his status as a POW? Not the thing I'd choose!

Birdman, many people are really excited about the candidates in this election - that in itself scares the shit out of me!

FMD, I am all for women being treated equally, but I also believe that should happen in all of our decisions whether that be in corporate America, or at home raising children.