SURPRISE - Karen Hughes is not a likeable person

[burythehatchet]

That's as nice as I could say it.

[bluestateguy]

1. She's a buttkisser

If George W. Bush strangled a kitten to death she'd find something nice to say about him.

[RobertSeattle]

7. The way he strangled the kitten showed real compassion

I always enjoy (I believe) Dowd's analogy that Bush could ride down Pennsylvania avenue naked on a tricycle and his sycophants would call it a bold new transportation initiative.

[Skittles]

2. SHE IS BUSH WHORE #1

WAS I NICER ???

[burythehatchet]

5. There are some things that a woman can say which I would feel bad saying

rhymes with itch

Thanks Skittles

:)

[GordonOKC]

3. She has never been nice

ever since that house landed on her sister.

[madrchsod]

4. she`s a real bitch?

i couldn`t stand to watch tonight. i`ll watch the first part tomorrow,i guess. how did john do against the bitch.

[burythehatchet]

6. Jon's genius is his ability to stick it to someone with a smile on his

face.

He is a comedy genius

[Shoedogg]

22. Best Stewart Barb from last night...

(After Hughes goes on about how they made fun of Kerry's "flipflopping":)

"I hate to break it to you, but we were being ironic."

[burythehatchet]

34. That's right - if I were in Jon's chair I would have said something like

"well Karen, did you like the Old Saying in Texas bit?"

But of course, that would have been a little less subtle than Jon's approach. Its why he's so damn good.

[WitchWay]

9. Your langugage is sexist.

Please find a way to critisize her without resorting to sexist and patriarchical language.

I am sure that you can be creative enough to express your opinion without resorting to sexist language that many find offensive.

[Exultant Democracy]

17. Offensive language tends to be applicable to offensive people.

To call her anything else would be a lie, and a disservice to the English language.

[WitchWay]

20. Offensive Language is Offensive. Period.

Please don't be an apologist for the use of sexist language.

There are other ways to critisize someone we find offensive, other than to use sexist language to do so. With more creative use of language, we can express our viewpoints in a non-sexist manner, making our discussions more progressive in spirit and effect.

The disservice to the English language is to think that it isn't capable of expressing our opinions without resorting to sexist words that are, indeed, offensive to most women (or, by extension of your comment -- do you find most women offensive)?

I would urge anyone to try to keep their language non-sexist, and to try to use more imagination to avoid sexist language. No, it's not entirely as easy as using the sexist language we are (unfortunately) so used to, but it's important. I hope that we can be active in our use of language, instead of passively accepting oppresive language. This is not for the sake of any ONE person, this is for the sake of creating a community that is not sexist and that is progressive.

I see you have an avatar of MLK. Well, do you think MLK would want us to accept a langauge that is based in white, male privelege and historical sexism and racism? I think MLK would want us to be activists in our use of language, so that our language might become uplifiting and not oppressing.

[slinkerwink]

21. exactly----good post!

bad news though....there's plenty of sexism here that is encouraged by many others.

[WitchWay]

25. Unfortunately sexism is deeply rooted in our culture

Yes. I know that there is a great deal of sexism on this board. Fortunately, I think that there are enough people who are using sexist language and engaging in sexism who do not want to be sexist --alot of them just feel upset that they are being blamed for things that seem out of their control. Sexism and sexist language is so normalized that people feel angry when their "normal" behavior is brought into question as being not normal.

Making changes in our attitude and behavior is not easy. We are all brought up in a patriarchical culture with deeply entrenched sexism, so an individual who is questioned for their use of language is being questioned for historical/social patterns that they feel are outside their control. So, I would only expect people to be reluctant, defensive, upset, apologistic or angry when they feel accused for things that seem so vast and out of their control. The fact is, that we are all participants in our history and culture, and we can make postive changes that are meaningful and productive. Language is one of these.

It's very heavy and sad the moment a person begins to REALLY understand how deeply patriarchy effects us and society. To understand historical patriarchy and how it twists our humanity is very overwhelming. This is true for all of us, regardless of gender.

Deeply understanding patriarchy requires an open mind, intense emotional effort, and the possibility that your own world view goes through drastic and complete changes. So, alot of people avoid ever going there in the first place. I think this partially explains why others encourage sexism in others.

I believe, though, that people can and will take positive steps to changing our language, which is a change in our mindset. It just takes a lot of work and patience.

[Exultant Democracy]

28. "changing our language, which is a change in our mindset"

You realize that line could have come right out of a GOP play book, look at what they did to the word liberal.

Here is a little rule of thumb that I have found works for me. Take any situation and think about what Rush and ChimpCo do, if what you are thinking resembles something they would do, then it is probably evil.

Mind control= Evil

[Elidor]

24. You choose to be offended

I choose to call a bitch a bitch. And that's the nicest thing I'll call her.

Feel free to call me a prick. If the shoe fits, I'll wear it proudly. But your discomfort with the word 'bitch' in no way negates its unique utility. You'd rather replace perceived oppression with a different form of oppression - one that says we must not offend anyone with our language. I find that uniquely offensive.

Did I mention that Karen Hughes is a bitch?

[WitchWay]

30. Oppression is not a choice

You say that the word bitch has a "unique utility." Sadly, the unique utility of that word bitch is the oppression of women.

I encourage and hope people would make decisions about their language usage to try to make positive changes in their own use of language. The language we use and the way we use it determines our own mindsets, and promotes the sort of culture/society we live in.

Being responsible and active for our own use of language is far from "a different form of oppresion". To claim it is so, is simply an attempt to belittle others' experience of oppression and oppresive language.

The experience of oppresive/sexist language is not a "choice" or a "perception." It is very real and has real consequences. It impacts women and men in very real ways.

Again, I ask for a more creative use of language in order to avoid the use of sexist and oppresive language.

[Exultant Democracy]

26. Changing language for thought control is offensive.

If you go after the word bitch then you will never achieve any of your goals for a number of reasons. My advice to you is to choose your battles wisely.

When you fight the good fight you will find you are surrounded by friends and allies. When you choose a fight that is both pointless and hopeless you only weaken your cause, because people that would have otherwise lined up with you will no long wish to be associated with you.

[WitchWay]

31. Is Fighting against Oppression "offensive" to you...

or do you think that oppression is not offensive? Repsonsible choices about our use of language and our choice of priorities mind control? That's a new one.

By the way, you try to define the "good fight" for me, but you wish to exclude me and other women from this "good fight."

Tell me, what is the "good fight" about, anyways? To me, fighting against patriarchy, in all its forms and manifestations, is the heart and soul of the "good fight". I've come to understand that the "good fight" is no fight at all if it doesn't address the historical patriarchical oppression of women. My choice of battles are most wise, and I know who my allies are.

My allies do not belittle the historical patriarchical oppression of women and the experiences of women under patriarchy. I would not want anyone to line up with me who does not understand the seriousness and urgency of the oppresion of women and others under patriarchy. I do not want to ally with those who believe that fighting against sexism and patriarchy is pointless and hopeless.

Again, do you think that MLK would think that it is acceptable to use oppresive and offensive langauge? Was MLK involved in "thought control" when he fought against the tyranny of racism and classism?

[Exultant Democracy]

33. post #28, just about sums me up.

[Cursive_Knives512]

29. I agree with you, WitchWay

"Bitch" gives the sense you're criticizing a woman for being too bossy instead of being in the kitchen. It's a very, very, hurtful term to many people, and unless you use it to describe both women AND men, I think it's entirely inappropriate.

[gristy]

8. I heard about two sentences from her on Fresh Air with Terry Gross

She said something like "The problem I have with Richard Clarke is..." blah blah blah.

[shekina]

10. meh....

She seemed alright on O'Reilly last nite. That's all I've seen of her though, so that's not enough for a formal opinion.

[Chicago Democrat]

11. Karen is a tool, And a Bitch, And she laughs like a witch!

[WitchWay]

14. Please refrain from sexist language

Again, there is no need for the use of sexist language, and the derogatory use of the word "witch". It shows little sensitivity towards the historical patriarchical oppression of women and to the current oppression of women.

Could you please find more creative, less sexist, use of language to express your feelings? It is possible and preferable.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

12. What is it with Republican women and frumpy clothes?

:shrug:

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

13. A mirthless laugh

and a tool who characterizes the pResident as thoughtful and compassionate because he invites her and her family to Camp David.

Oh, and a dowdy frump.

Funny how she claims to know him better than anyone else short of his own family, yet did not offer viewers a single insight that might have shown him in a better light. As if she herself were some sort of credential.

Idiot.

[Skeptical Democrat]

15. She even looks frightful

[Fleshdancer]

16. Surprise! Her clothes on The DS made the Sears catalog look like couture

OK, that was just pure catty bitchiness on my part, but the woman grates on my nerves on so MANY levels. Fashion is definitely in the top 3.

[elperromagico]

18. No, not likable at all.

But then again, I'm a bit biased against GODDAMN LIARS.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

19. did you see her on jon steward yesterday nite?

[burythehatchet]

35. Yeah

I was hoping that in a comedy setting she might let a little humnanity sneak through, but alas, she was "on point" as always. These people have very little sense of humor.

[terrya]

23. Karen Hughes is about as likable as Barbara Bush.

Watched Karen Hughes on Charlie Rose yesterday. I was getting fairly nauseated listening to her deify her President.

I also got the impression that Ms. Hughes is a bit of a ball buster...ala Bush's mother.

Terry

[RetroLounge]

27. She ia a total bitch, Bitch BITCH.

Deal with it...

[slinkerwink]

32. look at Witchway's posts to understand why "bitch" is used to

subordinate women.