Hillary Clinton, Sotomayor, Scalia, Rahm Emanuel, and a sexist double standard

[Becky72]

Today, as you may have noticed, the media has faked outraged over Hillary Clinton's reaction to a question, saying that "Bill is not the Secretary of State. I am" or something to that effect.

But where was the outrage when this other official barked the following words earlier this year about Paul Krugman in an interview with The New Yorker?:

"Emanuel went on, “but has he figured out how to seat the Minnesota senator?” (Franken’s victory is the subject of an ongoing court challenge by his opponent, Norm Coleman, which the national Republican Party has been happy to help finance.) “Write a fucking column on how to seat the son of a bitch. I would be fascinated with that column. O.K.?” Emanuel stood up theatrically and gestured toward his seat with open palms. “Anytime they want, they can have it,” he said of those who are critical of his legislative strategies. “I give them my chair.”

It somehow reminds me of the Sotomayor/Scalia double standard. Sotomayor is portrayed as an angry menopausic woman while the explosive anger of Antonin Scalia is disappeared.

[ProSense]

1. "the media has faked outraged over Hillary Clinton's "? There was an article or two

Hillary's response was tacky. Why is everything she does that is criticized have to be deemed a sexist double standard? There are women who don't think it was a professional response.

[karynnj]

27. I agree, had Madeline Albright responded that way, there would have been

far more articles - and they would have been more critical. Had President Obama shown as much anger over a relatively inoffensive question - even in the US, he would have been criticized more.

We don't know the pressures, but look at it from the point of view of the young man. As it is his question was mistranslated. However, even if he did ask what is President Clinton's opinion on something - the question is not rude or offensive. He might simply have great respect for her husband. She could have engaged him in a friendly way and made the point that she was representing President Obama. He is likely the one who kind of lost here - being seen to have offended an honored guest.

[DURHAM D]

2. its their god dang scarey lady parts... nt

[SemiCharmedQuark]

3. It was a ridiculous question to ask, and it wasn't just that question.

There were several pundits going around suggesting that she couldn't handle the problem and that's why Bill had to step in. It's sickening.

[ProSense]

4. Wait, you're saying she snapped at a student in Africa because

the media was suggesting she was slighted over the North Korea incident?

[indimuse]

22. is there a

clip of Hillary *Snapping*? If so, I'd like to see it. Haven't seen one here, not on The Huff, nor Media matters..

[Orsino]

25. My first thought was that the "snap" was exaggerated.

I have a sneaking suspicion that an audio clip wouldn't justify the term.

[Becky72]

5. How many articles did Rahm's insult to the Nobel Prize Economics winner elicit?

By the way, google shows that many more than "one or two" articles were dedicated to Hillary's answer.

Yes, an insult to the top laureate is news whether it was in an interview or not.

[karynnj]

28. There was plenty of discussion with the entire Emanuel article

The fact is that Rahn was NOT in a foreign country as the representative for President Obama reacting to perceived slights against himself and I doubt there is a single person inside of or outside of Obama's administration who has ever seriously considered or recommended Rahm as Secretary of State.

[deep1]

6. Don't play the sexism card again

As a woman myself, I find that tiresome. Far too many people like to play that card on this site and really, I'm sick of it.

She responded rudely. You can be assertive as a steel magnolia without being crass. Bill is fair game to ask about since he did go to Korea to help free those journalists and he is a very prominent man (ex president).


The only people that portray Sotomayor negatively are stupid, small minded racist conservatives--for obvious reasons, they just don't like Democrats/progressives. Besides that's party blamed on her race, not her sex!

If Sotomayor was a man, they would still tear him up just because he is not appointed by a REPUBLICAN.

Sotomayor in general has a high respect and approval from most people.

Rahm is a quite a character, but just because he is crass doesn't mean it's ok for Hilary to act like a jerk with that college student! Then again is Rahm a former first lady or ex president? Hilary should know better.


Look at Obama, look how cool, yet tough he is. He also got jumped on for saying some police officers acted "stupidily", "bittergate", etc. I can go on. Nothing to do with being a woman! Stop the sexism card! It's pretty old.

[cleverusername]

9. Unaffected by sexism? I want to sign up.

deep1, it must be nice for you to live where you are unaffected by sexism. Pray tell me about this patriarchy-free place so that I may reside there!

[deep1]

11. When did I say I was unaffected by sexism?

Please show me where I said that? All I said was that in this case, that sexism card doesn't apply.

Sotomayor is attacked because of her race and her appointment by a DEMOCRAT.

Yes, the sexism card is overused here.

[saltpoint]

15. I agree.

The OP fails to match circumstances, for one thing.

Sec. of State Clinton was responding to a student's question. Rahm Emanuel was commenting on Krugman's role as an influential voice in domestic politics.

[saltpoint]

13. It does in fact exist. It's Demeter's glen.

You ought to check it out sometime.

[Uzybone]

7. because Rahm is not a Clinton and it wasnt on video tape

the M$M loves video of the Clintons. Its like catnip to them. Its that simple.

[deep1]

8. Exactly, Uzybone....

They love digging up dirt on the Clintons. They are drama filled and garner ratings.

[karynnj]

29. This is not "dirt on the Clintons"

It is, at worse, an uncalled for display of anger that the question should not have elicited. I've seen many politicians asked incredibly rude, insulting question and seen them keep their cool. This question was NOT inherently rude or insulting.

[Becky72]

10. As China drowns and Iraq mourns, check out the top two stories in ABC News

This is exactly as I type this post:

[saltpoint]

14. There was praise for Bill Clinton and other very key figures in the

return of two journalists from North Korea.

I wouldn't worry about ABC News, in any case. Get a subscription to THE NATION or THE PROGRESSIVE. They collect some fine writers on their pages and address issues in detail. It's money well spent.

[Becky72]

19. Huh? What does Bill Clinton have to do with this argument?

Aren't we discussing a double standard among four individuals?

[saltpoint]

21. I don't accept that there IS a double standard.

I believe that's your false construction.

ABC News is bad news. I urge you to get a better news source.

[karynnj]

30. True, except there is no double standard

Except for the rabid right, Sotomayor was not called angry and meetings with many Republicans were described as "pleasant". I don't remember Scalia ever being described that way. So, I really don't believe that comparison.

Rahm is considered rude and obnoxious - and that is from his friends! In addition, the cited paragraph was a colorfully expressed, but reasonable point. Krugman had the ability and responsibility to advocate for what he thought was best, whether or not Congress could pass it. Obama (and Rahm) needed to push for the strongest package that could pass. Rahm was expressing his frustration with people like Krugman asking for more - saying they can't get it through the Senate. I seriously doubt Krugman even took this as an insult. He might even agree.

With HRC, this is not a big deal. No one is saying she hurt the US relationship with another country. If there is anyone I feel sorry for it would be the young man of FAR LESS status than HRC, who was pulled into this from a pretty innocuous question. For some reason, HRC was unusually brittle that day.

[saltpoint]

12. Part of Rahm's job is to see that things go smoothly for his boss.

Actually a hell of a big part of Rahm's job is to see that things go smoothly for his boss.

His boss selected Judge Sotomayor for his first nomination to the SCOTUS.

His boss wanted Franken and not Coleman to be Minnesota's junior U.S. Senator.

Rahm is noted far and wide to have a salty vocabulary.

It appears to me that he is doing his job and that both these outcomes favored Rahm's persistence and Rahm's boss' intents and purposes.

Your impulse to bring sexim into it is absurd.

Unrec'd.

[saltpoint]

16. Rahm's comment was not made on the global stage.

Clinton's was.

Quite a few more people will see the videoclip of Clinton in Africa than will read any edition of the NEW YORKER.

[Becky72]

17. Right. Because if Hillary had used the F word in the New Yorker, the media would have been mum

Right?

It's amazing how many excuses can be found to defend the adorable bully boy whose job is to be tough.

[saltpoint]

18. It might do her some good, actually.

She's needed to lighten up for some time.

[saltpoint]

20. Consider that Rahm's job IS to be tough, and consider also that HClinton's

job is to be diplomatic.

Don't punish him for doing what he was hired to do because he's male.

[Dinger]

26. If Hillary Used The F Word,

no way would the media have been mum. No way.

[karynnj]

32. That's not sexist - it has to do with the role she has.

In 2003, there was considerable coverage of the normally diplomatic, polite, well mannered John Kerry referring to GWB F'ing up everything in Iraq. This was in Rolling Stone, where it is likely that the reporter and the Senator had a pretty informal interview - and it did not surprise my that the former sailor used the word in this context. It did though get plenty of coverage because he was running for President.

[ErinBerin84]

23. the media just likes

that they can catch Clinton on SOMETHING (I didn't see the clip, I doubt it's that big of a deal), anything, because her tone as SOS has been very restrained, diplomatic, etc. They try to do this with Obama to a lesser extent to, the media claims that he got "angry" at something, when it doesnt really look like it in the clip. The press is used to Rahm being an asshole, unfair or not, and it's usually not caught in a youtube moment.

[karynnj]

24. Different role, different circumstances - this is no big thing and HRC's reaction was inexplicable

Hillary Clinton is in a diplomatic role in a foreign country. Had the question been the one the man asked, rather than a misinterpretation, it could very easily have been a question that rose out of the man's more sexist culture. It was not a question that would have been intended as rude or demeaning.

HRC could have smiled and said that President Obama, who I represent as Secretary of State, and I think ...... , ignoring the Bill Clinton part completely. The anger is out of proportion to the cause. This is a woman who came close to being President, who was a Senator and is now Secretary of State. I would wonder if maybe her nerves were on edge because of things we don't know (foreign policy issues not in the open yet) or the rigors of the Africa trip itself. Think of the campaign - the gracious Hillary of early 2007 was very brittle in 2008.

Emanuel was simply speaking in his colorful way, acting as Emanuel is often said to act. I have NEVER heard or read anyone suggest that Emanuel become a diplomat - his image is one of rudeness, sharply focused to get results.

As to Sotomayor, her image was anything but an angry menopausic woman - she actually seemed very positive, dynamic, very down to earth and likable.

[Becky72]

31. #1 story in Drudge now n/t

[saltpoint]

33. Becky, you sure pick some mighty rotten news sources.

Re-do your budget and subscribe to THE NATION.

Some fine writers in that one.

[marshall]

34. I do think this shows how sexism can be percieved where none was intended

The questioner asked a legitimate question about President Obama's opinion. That is Clinton's job, to represent the sitting President and our government abroad. The translator botched it and caused Clinton to misunderstand the question. She reacted to what she perceived as sexism (in a country that has different cultural standards about such things).

In many ways this is similar to the Gates incident--it creates a good platform for a dialogue about perception, intent, and reality.