(no subject)
I had hardly noticed what a blatantly sexist tool Chris Matthews was until I came across this depressing montage of sound bites from political commentators about Hillary, Michelle Obama, and other women in the spotlight this election season (courtesy of Judith Warner here). I say hardly because a few weeks back I was watching Matthews do whatever crappy morning show he does (on MSNBC?) when he would barely let his lone female co-pundit get a word in edgewise, and when she did, he interrupted, brushed off, and/or diminished every point she attempted to make. She litterally could not say a thing. It was embarrassing, painful, and strange to watch, but sometimes I tend to wonder if I'm just missing something, or if it's all in my head. Apparently, this is sort of Matthews' M.O., and others are pissed off, too.
Anyway, watching this has gotten me really discouraged about the way this campaign season has been going for the Democrats. What I'm saying is really nothing that hasn't been said before, but holy crap, I have a newfound sense of sympathy for the kind of idiocy Clinton's had to put up with and the meaningless scrutiny to which she's been subjected through all of this. It's been similar for Obama, obviously, and it's really a wonder that one of them has not totally lost his or her cool in the face of this dribble that (somehow!) passes as news, controversy, or anything of political worth.
It's a shame. But could we really have expected otherwise? Could we have expected race and gender not to have been an issue in the first presidential election in which it could have been an issue? Hopefully, as all of this crap continues to seep from the airwaves, we can start to clear it away.
But seriously, someone should write Chris Matthews a letter.
Anyway, watching this has gotten me really discouraged about the way this campaign season has been going for the Democrats. What I'm saying is really nothing that hasn't been said before, but holy crap, I have a newfound sense of sympathy for the kind of idiocy Clinton's had to put up with and the meaningless scrutiny to which she's been subjected through all of this. It's been similar for Obama, obviously, and it's really a wonder that one of them has not totally lost his or her cool in the face of this dribble that (somehow!) passes as news, controversy, or anything of political worth.
It's a shame. But could we really have expected otherwise? Could we have expected race and gender not to have been an issue in the first presidential election in which it could have been an issue? Hopefully, as all of this crap continues to seep from the airwaves, we can start to clear it away.
But seriously, someone should write Chris Matthews a letter.