Former Edwards blogger Amanda Marcotte ditches Edwards for Obama, citing sexism

[geek tragedy]

http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/01/07/6531/

Completely unacceptable amounts of sexism. It’s bad enough that the media plays the game with Clinton where if she shows any emotion, she’s too feminine or too scary, but if she’s more stoic, she’s a scary ballbuster, but to have her own party members (if political rivals) play that cheap sexist card is too much. I’ve been reconsidering moving my Edwards support to Obama, and unless someone can show me evidence that Obama is just as likely to take cheap, sexist shots like this, I think that’s what I’ll be doing in light of this. We need someone at the top of the ticket who can know when to hold ‘em. And Obama does on this issue—when baited with the opportunity to be sexist to Clinton, he declined. Edwards appears to have taken it back, so it’s hard to say that it wasn’t just base opportunism on his part. Still, it should be immediately evident to any candidate that playing the “Hillarygirlieweak” game with the media is a bad idea.

[no name no slogan]

1. What's wrong with being sexy?

[Vanje]

2. THE Amanda Marcotte??!!??

Who is that?

[Teaser]

4. She's Pandagon

http://pandagon.blogsome.com/

[ursi]

45. jeez, I was just reading her blog this weekend

[Divine Discontent]

7. the ObamaGirl for all we know...

A lot of Hill supporters and other candidate supporters felt Obama was dissing her gender when he flippantly said Clinton was "likable enough" in the debate, eluding that she's too much of a B8888 to likable. I didn't really see it that way, but people can always take a comment out of context and elude to it being sexist. Unless she has direct evidence of him saying anti-female comments, I treat this like a do any other internet slam without evidence - without merit.

[geek tragedy]

8. Big name blogger who has hired by the Edwards

campaign but was forced to resign because the Wingnuts didn't like her.

[Yael]

15. Looked it up. She went on an anti-Catholic rant on his site

Honestly, I don't fault him for letting her go. That kind of thing is great for a personal blog, but not for your employer's blog -- especially when he is running for political office.

[cally]

3. I may soon follow

I'm very angry about Edwards comments.

[Teaser]

6. I missed what he said

summary?

[Divine Discontent]

9. see the link in the OP

I read it, and I shook my head and said, whatever. He did not say anything sexist. Good grief. The AP article I read said Edwards said he had "not going to comment on that", because we all get emotional. His follow up comments about it being a tough job are not out of line imo, if anyone sees them as being directly sexist, OK, but I really don't.

[SharonAnn]

5. Obama is definitely sexist. Listen carefully to him. "You're likeable enough" example

"You're likeable enough" in the ABC debate was really insulting. It was sexist, overt, deliberate and was intended to be very dismissive. Not the way you speak of an equal, but the way you speak of an inferior.

Really turned me off, big-time.

I'm Hillary's age and have fought many of the same battles. I've learned to recognize this kind of "subtle" sexism because it indicates how that person will deal with me in a business environment. So far I've found it to be infallible. Peaople who say things like that will always try to get and maintain "power" in the relationship, will refuse to take direction from a woman (even if she's their boss), and generally PITAs.

[femrap]

19. Obama is also an ageist. nt

[K Gardner]

20. Yeah, I'd much rather have a Prez who is a fearmonger instead. People are definitely

picking and parsing comments entirely out of context, but knock yourselves out.

[FrenchieCat]

33. You are likeable enough to be President, Hillary...

since that is not all that should be required...cause "likeable" ain't all one has to be.....is what I got out of Obama's comment.

Hillary was playing coquette because she was handed a dumb question about not being "likeable" enough and was trying to make the best of it, and trying for charm while she was at it...while questionner was stating that Obama was most likeable.

Obama in essence was stating that Hillary didn't have to start kissing ass and working to be able to say, like Sallie Fields, "they like me, they really like me!" in order to be competent as President.

I think he handled himself well enough.

[Cha]

40. OH NO, Obama is definetly not

sexist. hillary is a pathetic whiner who goes for his jugular and Obama was being actually ..kind.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

41. I assume thats why she smiled and said she appriciated it?

Seems she caught something you might have missed

Hillary: "He's very likeable. I agree with that. I don't think I'm that bad."

Obama: "You're likeable enough, Hillary. No doubt about it."

Hillary (still smiling): "I appreciate that."

[Harper_is_Bush]

10. What's an "Edwards blogger"? Did she work for Edwards?

Explain yourself lad.

[Divine Discontent]

12. see post two positions before you n/t

[Yael]

11. Didn't she get fired by the campaign last spring for slander or something?

Can someone refresh me? The name rings a bell, but not the incident.

[geek tragedy]

13. She had written some stuff that pissed rightwing Xtians off.

Before she took the Edwards job.

When it came out, she 'voluntarily' resigned.

[Yael]

17. Yeah -- just looked it up. Some anti-Catholic rant or something

Posted above. I can't fault him. That isn't exactly appropriate for a work/professional blog. Personal? Sure, but not when your boss is running for office as it can be construed as his opinion of Catholics and not an OPeD on the issues.

[cali]

14. Go Amanda!!

I'm completely with her. And not simply because I'm supporting Obama. I've never liked Edwards, but I've tried to keep my mind open a little bit regarding him. After today, I hope he gets beaten badly tomorrow. I'd like to see him come in 25 points in back of Obama and 10 points behind Clinton. He was a disgusting today. There's no other way to look at it.

[Divine Discontent]

18. "he was a disgusting today"

which hateful word did you forget to use for him THIS time cali?

Obama never has been accused of being sexist to her, either. Nope. Never.

Your 7th recommendation of this article really is useful. Yep. Useful.

Please remember when writing with anger next time, that you don't forget to type your sentence completely.

[madmunchie]

43. "Yet another" example of a JE supporter making "yet another" personal attack on a fellow

poster. A very common tactic of JE supporters, since it is so hard to argue with supporting facts - like his record! Don't just discuss, using logic and analysis, point out a grammatical error and sarcastically make fun of a poster, while you support a candidate that has nothing short of an embarrassing SHORT stint in the Senate, to which he was spending close to half of that time, not serving the people that elected him, but running for the WH.

JE supporters are in for a shock as their candidate shows that he won't be a contender, even within the Democratic Party. In addition, probably as shown in NH Primary, the Independents won't go for him either.

A major sigh of relief overwhelms me with the knowledge that only a minority amount of Dems were foolish enough to discount cold hard facts (JE short but embarrassing Senate record) in lieu of unsubstantiated promises - buying hook line and sinker, whatever the good looking talented salesman was selling that day.

It also reassures me that just because the MSM has been ramming HRC down our throats as the "Inevitable Democratic Nominee" people didn't swallow and seemingly are making up their own minds.

Yes, these events have been very good signs for me.

[Divine Discontent]

21. "a little bit"

we're talking microscopic, and I'm certain I'm not the only one who notices how little that 'little bit' has been.

He was not whatever you were going to call him, no more than Obama was a sexist jerk for saying "you're likable enough" flippantly to Hillary, like many have said.

[Beaverhausen]

22. .

:rofl:

[robbedvoter]

25. Totally with you! I am in the "none of the above" column but wish the same outcome

tomorrow. It was beyond the pale!

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Beaverhausen]

28. that's not cool

[Inspired]

30. Yeah, you've really tried to keep your mind open, huh?

That is a very disingenuous statement, Cali.

[JDPriestly]

16. Look. Edwards came in second in Iowa and the press ignored him.

But he did not cry or whine about it. He is strong. Strength is not the prerogative of any particular gender. Personally, I think that Bush is terribly weak. He has been close to tears at times too. I do not understand why you think that Edwards' statement about the need for a president to be strong is sexist. I think you are being sexist for making that assumption.

[Divine Discontent]

24. thank you

I am shocked that she is making that assertion. What I saw on the AP report is that he said he had nothing to say directly about her being emotional, as they described to him. It's a tough game this political thing, but he didn't mock her. Obama's joke with her at the debate could be more construed as sexist if anything, and I don't think it was.

[Horse with no Name]

23. Who really cares that he lost a blogger that obviously firing on a few pins short

Good Riddance!

[MalloyLiberal]

27. Yeah, she was a problem child anyway

[Inspired]

29. Yes, a real problem child. Good riddance.

[struggle4progress]

31. As usual, an itsy-bit of a quote and no transcript to provide verification or context

Ten to one it's the now-familiar set-up, starting with a loaded question from a reporter who, too lazy to follow policy issues, just pulled out a sentence from the response and tried to make the sentence into a cash-paying headline

[Luminous Animal]

32. Exactly...

Why why why do people take the corporate media on face value?

Reading that clip (or viewing it) gives us no fucking clue what questions led up to that answer. What we do know, is that Edwards first reaction was that he had no comment as he had no clue what the incident was about.

For all we know, the next bull shit question could have been, "Do you think a president should be strong?"

Please people. Calm the fuck down. Wait before you rush from one outrage to another.

[Anouka]

34. hmmm. journalists depress me

:( we'll see how this turns out.

[FrenchieCat]

35. I remember the "Not fired, yes fired, agreed to quit" net controversy.....

It didn't make Edwards look great or very decisive, but it only lasted a few days or so....

Guess she's got principles and I"m sure that she's not jumping the gun. She doesn't appear to be that kind...considering that the oogly stuff from the last time needed her cooperation to get "cleaned up".

[Inspired]

36. She turned into a nuisance and most Edwards supporters

were happy to see her go. It wasn't just the right wing who couldn't stand her. Edwards gave her the benefit of the doubt which was more than most of us wanted him to do.

That's how much we care about her newest statement. Not much.

[Cha]

42. Right, Edwards gave her the

benefit of the doubt and now she's whinging that he's sexist..what a bunch a crap. hillary puts on a show and then goes for the jugular.

[LTR]

37. Disgraced blogger with an axe to grind

*yawn*

[Colobo]

38. With Obama, we all win.

[GreenArrow]

39. "Edwards appears to have taken it back",

That's his specialty.

[Hieronymus]

44. Sounds like Edwards is lucky to be rid of Amanda.

[Tom Rinaldo]

46. Given that his campaign once chose her to blog for him

This is serious blow back for the tact Edwards has taken toward Clinton. She is one of the highest profile female bloggers.