Fineman: ‘A Lot Of Voters’ Find ‘Hierarchical’ ‘Male’ Qualities In Politicians ‘Reassuring’

[babylonsister]

Oye! What A Doofus!

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/03/hierarchical-male-fineman/

Fineman: ‘A Lot Of Voters’ Find ‘Hierarchical’ ‘Male’ Qualities In Politicians ‘Reassuring’

Tonight, prior to the first Republican presidential debate, MSNBC showed footage of all 10 participating candidates holding a “regal,” coronation-esque walk-through of the Reagan Library, where the debate is being held.

Commenting on the candidates, Fineman said, “There is a hierarchical, there is, dare I say it, male, there’s an old-line quality to them that some voters, indeed a lot of voters, find reassuring.” Watch it at link~

Maybe Fineman is projecting. A CBS News/New York Times poll last year found that 92 percent of Americans would vote for a qualified woman for president.

Transcript:

OLBERMANN: Let’s just sit here a moment more as we watch this. And this touches on the idea of regal qualities that were not seen in South Carolina. This is the prosession, this is the parade, these are tonight’s debaters. The ten candidates, filing out, just in fact to our right. We can see them from where we are seated. There is a coronation quality that just was not present in South Carolina.

FINEMAN: Keith, if you look at that picture and took away all of the writing and all of the words, and just had the image, could the American people tell that those were Republicans? I think the answer is yes. There is a hierarchical, there is, dare I say it, male, there is an old-line quality to them that some voters, indeed a lot of voters, find reassuring. And this is something that the Democrats need to understand. The Democrats are the “we are family” party, which is great, but this is the other side of the conversation and this is their home here. We really are in Reagan country.

[MikeNearMcChord]

1. I guess the thought of working under a woman or minority

is just too much for some to wrap their neanderthal(Maybe like you Mr. Fineman?) minds around. My God a woman president? A African-American? Perish the thought!:eyes:

[JerseygirlCT]

2. Speak for yourself, Howie. Me, I often find it frightening. nt

[SharonAnn]

15. I find it frightening. These are cold, cruel, selfish, greedy, mean people.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

3. I couldn't believe it when I heard it.

What unmitigated crap. I thought he used the word "nobility" somewhere in his nauseating, obsequious commentary.

Do they get reward points on their RNC credit cards for every time they use the name Reagan? Or is it a secret Republican drinking game?

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Right after he said that, he was seen reaching for a tissue and a cigarette

[IndianaGreen]

5. "Hierarchical Males" sniff each other's asses and lick their own balls

I've had it up to here with all of this male insecurity crap. :puke:

[annabanana]

9. Men are only sexy when they're, you know... secure.

Bullies are NEVER secure.

[indepat]

6. Fineman: what a fine jerk-off

[illinoisprogressive]

7. the same guy whio wrote the Obama hit job for newsweek this week...

[Colobo]

14. Yep. He's a piece of shit.

[Gloria]

8. I adore patriarchy, don't you???

[AX10]

10. Do abusive men turn on Howard Fineman?

That is the real question here DUers!

[Honeycombe8]

11. Well, Republicans do, anyway. Some others do, too. The Dems...

Actually, that has historically been one of the Dems' weak points...the Democratic politicians can sometimes seem a little like girly-men (to steal a Schwarzenegger term). The Repubs go overboard the opposite way, however.

Most of the world lives in a patriarchal society. Father figures. I guess it's true that we would be more comfortable with a firmer, slightly more macho father figure in charge of a war than one who is getting in touch with his feminine side.

But I noticed right off the bat at how over the top they were all trying to seem macho. Tells you a lot about the Republican psyche.

[CitizenLeft]

12. I love KO...

...and I watch him every night. But it was disturbing to hear him say "And this touches on the idea of regal qualities that were not seen in South Carolina." You gotta be kiddin' me, Keith.

I'll forgive him, LOL, because obviously, most of the people watching would agree with that. But... it was over the top, no matter who would've said it. Ugh. John McCain and Giuliani - REGAL? CORONATION? I was kinda stunned by that whole exchange - as I would've been had that been said about Democrats, too.

:wow:

Oh yeah... and let me also add that Arnold Schwarzenegger IS NOT POLITICAL ROYALTY EITHER. For cryin' out loud.

[TwilightGardener]

13. It was a mistake for Dems to go first--of course they would be compared unfavorably.

There was nothing "regal" about ANY of those men.

[liberalla]

17. I'm with you... I was shocked to hear Keith go on like that

Randi Rhodes played the clip of Keith saying that crap to start her show today.

While I would not expect him to be overtly critical or bash them (in this format), I wouldn't expect him to be so deferential, either. As Randi said, it was embarrassing.

ALSO! I don't even agree with the description. You could say the candidates were "mindful" of the location of the debate and their presence in the Reagan cathedral, and that they were behaving in a very respectful and serious manner... but bestowing the the 'regal' adjective and using other royal terms (coronation, etc.) was WAY too much!

:puke:

[polichick]

16. The part about some people being reassured...

...may refer to the idea that there are lots of Reps who want a strong male authority figure ~ the same group who are drawn to the strong male God/religious figure. They want to believe that someone is up there somewhere looking out for them, someone who knows better than they do. Lets them off the hook.

[angstlessk]

18. I don't know, a bunch of bald white men pictured from above resembles

a gaggle of flamingos (or would that be a flock?)...I visited the RNC right after Dean said the repulic party was the party of white men..and I will be damned..they had a overhad pic of the 'gathering'..and it resembled a gaggle of flamingos (or is that flock?)

[hatrack]

19. Especially overpaid Beltway buttheads, right Howard?

Fucking ridiculous.

[TwilightGardener]

20. It's a shame WE don't have any males among the Dem candidates--

at least not any who are "alpha"--is that what you're insinuating, Howard, you stupid fuck?