McCain female supporters racist for ripping Obama's experience

This blog post has nothing to do with Sen. Barack Obama and whether he has the experience needed to be president.

And no, I don’t think Sen. John McCain’s female supporters are racists.

The focus is really on the pathetic attempts by them to use their gender as a whipping stick to decry any criticism of his vice presidential pick, Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin.

Carly Fiorina, former Hewlett-Packard CEO and RNC Victory 2008 chair, released a statement today assailing anyone - namely men - who doesn't have nice things to say about Palin.

“I am appalled by the Obama campaign’s attempts to belittle Governor Sarah Palin’s experience. The facts are that Sarah Palin has made more executive decisions as a Mayor and Governor than Barack Obama has made in his life," she said. "Because of Hillary Clinton’s historic run for the Presidency and the treatment she received, American women are more highly tuned than ever to recognize and decry sexism in all its forms. They will not tolerate sexist treatment of Governor Palin.”

So let go ahead say it: Fiorina is a virulent bigot. Why? Because she just launched an unwarranted attack on the credibility, integrity and experience of Obama.

Now how stupid do I sound by saying that her criticism of Obama is due to the fact that he's a black man?

Well, Carly, you sound dumb trying to do it as well.

This is nothing more than a brushback attempt by the McCain campaign to prevent anyone from challenging Palin, and it's a pathetic and gross attempt to play the woman card.

For the idiots out there who choose to write about her looks, put up photoshop-altered images emphasizing her looks, or remarking about her physical appearance, they are fools.

But it is perfectly legitimate for Democrats to questions Palin's resume, just as it is for Republicans to go after Obama's resume.

Yet this is clearly the GOP's plan.

Last night on CNN's Larry King Live, Democrat James Carville was assailing Palin's record at every turn, Minnesota Republican Congresswoman Michelle Bachman responded: "You know, Larry, I find those comments from James Carville actually offensive -- and especially offensive to American women. There are a lot of very competent American women. Sarah Palin easily is a competent woman. She's proved herself in business. She's proved herself in politics. She has come up from nowhere to be somebody. And she's someone we can all be very proud of. She is one competent tough cookie and I think the American people are going to love her."

How about this, Michelle, who earlier in the show ripped Obama for his lack of executive experience.

"You know, Larry, I find those comments about Barack Obama actually offensive - and especially offensive to African American. Barack Obama easily is a competent black man. He's proved himself in law. He's proved himself in politics. He has come up from nowhere to be somebody. And he's someone we can all be very proud of. He is one competent tough cooke and I think the American people are going to love him."

Of course, Carville didn't tolerate her attack.

"Congresswoman, I don't know how to tell you this, but I supported a woman for president of the United States and spent many hours on this very set supporting a woman of the United States."

Ouch.

Later in the show, Carville returned to his criticism of Palin.

CARVILLE: I can relate. I kind of agree with the Congresswoman and the lady from Townhall here. This doesn't go -- my problem with this woman is not what kind of mother she is and not what her values are, is that she's uniquely and supremely unqualified for the office of which she's selected to run for and it's unfair to her.

BACHMAN: It's demeaning to women, those comments.

CARVILLE: How is it demeaning to women? Please?

BACHMAN: It's demeaning to women because Sarah Palin didn't climb to where she is on anyone else's coat tails. She put on her own coat. This woman has made her way and she knows how to be a smart executive who can get things done. She's done it as governor. She can do it as vice president. After all, let's not forget, the Democrat nominee was a United States senator for all of 143 days when he decided America couldn't live without him being president of the United States. She has more experience than Barack Obama. She's a heart beat away, but he is the heart beat. There's no comparison."

CARVILLE: Let me try to explain the difference to you and the Democrat, as you refer to it.

BACHMAN: Thank you, James. Thank you, James, for trying to explain to me. Do you think that I'm less than --

KING: Let him speak, Congresswoman.

CARVILLE: It this is Democratic party. Senator Obama got over 18 million votes. He showed up for 25 different debates. He spent three years on the Foreign Relations Committee. He was selected. The governor of Alaska, who has not even served two years, was selected by Senator McCain after a 15 minute interview. There is all the difference in the world.

To say that somebody is not qualified for the position they're running for is a legitimate observation to make in American politics. It has though to do with gender. I supported a woman for president of the United States."

Then radio talk show host Stephanie Miller got in on the act.

MILLER: Congresswoman. let me jump in here as a woman. I'll tell you what's demeaning to women is to try to pretend that Sarah Palin is the same as Hillary Clinton, to try to pretend that's all this takes.

MILLER: -- to try to pretend that this woman is anything like Hillary Clinton. She has zero experience. That's what's insulting and demeaning to women.

BACHMAN: I don't think that Sarah Palin would want to be equated with Hillary Clinton. She's completely her own woman and a very qualified woman. I think let's watch what happens in the next few days. People will be very impressed with Sarah Palin."

So, from here on out, if the McCain camp is going to bash folks in the head with the sexist bat when anything negative is said about Palin, then it's only fair for the Obama camp to fire back that any criticism of him from is outright racism.

All is fair in love and war, right?

Folks, we need a true debate on issues and qualifications. Who has more experience and better ideas for America has nothing to do with skin color or gender. It’s about their vision. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Comments

[Avembe]

Come on Roland HAHAHAHAHA
Just win baby, isn't it what you said?
So Democrats have to find ways to counterattack ...Come on Roland, it's the G-O-P!!!!!!!!!
We can't say anything to Mc CAIN because he was a POW(i sometimes have the impression that he is still a POW)...And we can't critcize PALIN because they raise the gender card...HRC also did that!!!!!!!!!
Just win Baby!!!Just win!!!hmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!

[frieda]

Palin has more executive experience than all three men on both ticket. We are in Energy crisis and the only person on the ticket who can talk about energy is Sarah Palin. Deal with it!

1992-1996 — Entered public life, serving two terms on the Wasilla City Council.

1996-2002 — Elected mayor of Wasilla City, Alaska, for two terms until term limits forced her from office.

2002 — Lost her first statewide campaign for the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor.

2002 — Frank Murkowski left the Senate to become governor and named Palin chairwoman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

2003 — Split with the party leaders by battling Randy Ruedrich, the head of Alaska’s Republican Party.

2006 — Upset then-Gov. Murkowski in the Republican primary, then defeated former two-term Gov. Tony Knowles, a Democrat, in the general election.

2007 — Pressured lawmakers to get the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act passed, to build a natural gas pipeline to deliver 35 trillion cubic feet of North Slope natural gas to market.

www.governorpalin.blogspot.com

[Rochelle]

Wasilla City Councilwoman and mayor...you have got to be kidding me. The population in 2004 was less than 8,000 people so I am sure over ten years before it was less than 5,000. Yes, she does have "executive experience," but Superintendants of local school districts govern more people. Please find something else to argue that will make you seem less biased. I know that you have seen a lot more on Obama's resume....and if you don't know what he has done, its as simple as watching the news. You can also do what you did to find out the info about Palin...research it. By the way, most of us care about energy, so why is Palin the only one who can talk about it?

[Angela]

Palin on energy = drilling..... We need leaders with ideas beyond the known. We need leaders who really THINK outside the box... We don't need a puppet sidekick in office.

Roland, the debates are coming... This election is starting to look like the American Idol. What amazes me is how do the Republicans think they can steal "change". What are they proposing to change? Can someone please help me with this one?

[Carolyn]

This debate is similar to with 911 and people were considered unpatriotic if they said anything against the war. People were almost stoned if they did. And what did we find out years later. There were no weapons of mass destruction, and we were fighting the wrong person. It was Palin who mentioned Hillary in her speech on Friday. It must be mentioned that she should have passed on this job. Her kids need her now more. She has a son in Iraq, another with down syndrome, and a pregnant daughter choosing marriage(shootgun) because she thinks it is the right thing to do, the young man does not want any part of it. The other children will have less attention paid to them. It is a coverup, I have seen the christian right march against roe v wade in January passing by the homeless, not bother with the mother who keeps the baby.What would the christian right say if it was obama or biden?

[Jessica]

It really is ridiculous. If I hear the word "belittle" or "demeaning" by the Republicans one more time I think I might puke.

[Jody]

THANK YOU for speaking the truth about this issue. As a woman, I am sick to death of hearing these republican women cry sexism every time Sarah Palin's experience is questioned. I am glad that her experience is being questioned because we are learning more and more about her sketchy past because of it. And the American public deserves what John McCain did not give them.

[Kris]

Absolutely well spoken.

[Debbie Shoemaker]

Thank you, Roland. This is an obvious attempt by the Republican(the real americans) to catch the Hillary voters. It is pathetic and the many intelligent women out there will see right through this. Let me to you what is demeaning...Palin is being touted as the first legitimate woman on a National ticket since Geraldine. She is not a legitimate woman...she is a puppet for her party and her religion. I am suppose to vote for her because she is a woman who would turn back women's right by about 30 years. No thanks...that's why I vote Democratic. One thing this election has shown me is sadly that I am very prejudice. I cannot bring myself to vote for an old white man.

[Debbie Shoemaker]

Thank you, Roland. This is an obvious attempt by the Republican(the real americans) to catch the Hillary voters. It is pathetic and the many intelligent women out there will see right through this. Let me to you what is demeaning...Palin is being touted as the first legitimate woman on a National ticket since Geraldine. She is not a legitimate woman...she is a puppet for her party and her religion. I am suppose to vote for her because she is a woman who would turn back women's right by about 30 years. No thanks...that's why I vote Democratic. One thing this election has shown me is sadly that I am very prejudice. I cannot bring myself to vote for an old white man.

[Lavonda]

I believe that the Republicans are delusional to think that any thinking individual would see McCains selection of Palin as anything more than a desparate attempt to still the headlines away from the pristine Democratic display of unity and relevance to the issues that matters most. I think his arrogance has blinded him. He cannot on any level deal with the fact that he is in all likelihood going to loose this election, especially to a African American and in a panic selected Palin. I think he is either senile or just plain stupid. We have had less than 5 days to get to know Palin and her life is full of drama. It's scary to think what will come out when people really start investigating. If McCain wins this election it is because America is too racist to elect a black man, plain and simple and would rather have a gun toting, inexperienced, power hungry woman who's family is suffering because she has put her own ambitions ahead of her family's well-being. God please bless America and save us from ourselves!

[ajbeeeee]

Go James Carville!

Initial responses from Democrats were that Joe Biden would eat her alive in the debates. I was excited until I thought the Republicans would just play the gender card and make him look like a sexist pig. Looks like they played that card earlier than I expected. If the Republicans would use the same scrutiny on themselves, they would condemn Rush Limbaugh for referring to Palin as a "babe." Ew. Talk about degrading, belittling, and demeaning. Sexist pig.

Alice Paul is rolling in her grave.

I am proud to be a woman. And I am proud to support Barack Obama.

[maria]

McCain-Palin ticket is going to the bridge of nowhere. The GOP is again avoiding the REAL issues. Economy, Healthcare, Education and Employment. How about the benefits of my Fellow Servicemen and Women. Senator John McCain failed us. Get this, did you know that John McCain OPPOSED the new GI Bill Act? (Luckily the bill passed 75-22 votes Thanks to Senator Jim Webb-VA, May 2008).I respected John McCain service to our country, but what he had done is beyond appalling and disgusting. These are the brave men and women who are currently putting thier lives into PERIL. So, Senator John McCain can you honestly face these young men and women, who were in thier third or fourth deployment that you recently denied to better themselves and thier families.

[Toni]

I just wanted to pop by and say that you are made of awesome! THANK YOU for standing up to the GOP spin machine. I have become so sick of hearing this garbage about "sexism" in regards to serious questions. Hopefully now that they've been called on the bull, they'll at least attempt to offer valid explanations with little (or no) spin. Of course that might be hoping for too much.

[BrendaF]

The best way to fight this nonsense is to get involved. The least we can do is vote - the most we can do is get others to vote and support Obama's campaign with contributions and volunteer time.

If you are on the "least we can do" side of the fence then please, please make sure you are registered to vote at the address you WILL be at on Election Day. Not where you are now, but where you will be living on Tuesday, Nov. 4th. Please go to www.voteforchange.com.

At www.voteforchange.com is a tool you can use to verify your voter registration. I have already used the tool myself. It is quick and simple. While there you can also sign up for info regarding your state's early voting / voter absentee procedures. Be sure to sign up for the early voting info because the "really smart" folks won't be standing in line on Nov. 4th, they will be assisting the non-early voters in getting to the polling places.

Go register today. Sheer numbers of Obama and Democratic supporters will be needed to create change in this country. Until last Thursday, many Republicans were content to sit this one out. Now they are energized and ready to continue the mess George Bush has gotten us in. Let us not waste anymore time vetting Sarah Palin (the media will take care of that) and let us figure out ways to make sure she remains the Governor of Alaska.

[BrwnSknGurl]

McCain’s National Co-Chair: Media Coverage Of Palin Is “Completely Fair,” Not Sexist

By Greg Sargent - September 3, 2008, 2:28PM

Meg Whitman, McCain’s national campaign co-chair and former CEO of e-Bay, veered off message today in an interview with Fox News, describing the media vetting of Palin as “completely fair” and saying that there hasn’t really been any sexism to speak of in the coverage.

“I actually think it’s completely fair for the media to vet Sarah Palin,” Whitman said, adding that it was “the right thing to do” for the media to dig into the background of someone who is “running for the highest office in the land.”

Asked directly whether there had been any media sexism, she replied: “I wouldn’t say there really has.”

Someone should tell this to McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt, who actually complained today that the press was “on a mission to destroy” Palin.

[Deborah]

Did the McCain campaign intend all along for Palin to be the Anti-Anti-Presidential Candidate? Could the strategy be to distract the American voters, and possibly divide women, the sexes, and the races? Now the McCain campaign is discrediting the media as well. Are they using Palin and her daughter and everyone to make McCain look good by comparison?

Is the strategy what Hermann Goering revealed at the Nuremburg Trials:

"Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on
a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of
it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people
don't want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in
Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the
country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to
drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist
dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no
voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders.
That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked,
and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the
country to danger. It works the same in any country."

I apologize if this quote has already been submitted. I suspect it has.

[Drevelyn Minor]

“Please, Let’s Talk Issues and Stay Focus!” ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Americans focus must be on “SOLUTION” to the problems American Families faces daily. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the next 36 hours, the McCain campaign will be pouring millions of dollars -- if not tens of millions -- into negative attack ads against Barack Obama. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Before John McCain accepts the Republican nomination on Thursday, his campaign has to spend every last dollar of primary funds they've raked in from Washington lobbyists and special interest PACs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just yesterday, they aired a new negative ad in 14 swing states. His campaign manager even admitted that all McCain has to rely on is attacks, saying that for them, "This election is not about issues." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He doesn't want Americans to notice that the Republican platform is the most extreme we've ever seen -- opposing stem cell research, denying a woman's right to choose no matter what the circumstance, and continuing to spend $10 billion a month in Iraq. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With so much at stake, we can't allow another election to be determined by petty and divisive political tactics ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The McCain campaign is trying to distract voters from the real issues. ~~~~~~~~

They've come out against the life-saving possibilities of stem cell research. ~~~~~~~~~~~

They don't even mention protecting equal pay for equal work. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They support huge tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They've almost completely ignored the $10 billion we're spending every month in Iraq. ~~~~~~~~~~~~

And they make zero exceptions for a woman's right to choose -- even in cases of rape, incest, or to protect the life of the mother. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If that all sounds like more of the same, that's because it is. John McCain is offering a third term of the disastrous Bush agenda, so it's no wonder his campaign would choose to focus on attacks instead of issues. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Obama for President and Biden for Vice President! ~~~ 08

[middleindependent]

We keep hearing about how small Wasilla is, but just how big was Obama's senate district?

We keep hearing about Palin and the trooper issue, but we dare not mention any of Obama's controversies.

Obama served on the board of directors of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge with the controversial William Ayers from 1995-2002, as founding president and chairman of the board of directors from 1995–1999.

The Research Consortium that was responsible for assessing the impact of the expenditures of the challenges grant money concluded that, "The $110 million spent in Chicago over six years had little or no impact on school improvement and student outcomes, with no statistically significant differences between Annenberg and non-Annenberg schools in rates of achievement gain, classroom behavior, student self-efficacy, and social competence." Mark A. Smylie and Stacey Wenzle

He invested money in a drug company that is run by political donors and then he supports legislation to advance the drug company's product.

After a failed run for Congress in 2000, he was broke and had neglected his law practice, a supporter came to his rescue in the form of a $8 thousand a month retainer. In return Obama sought a $50 thousand dollar grant for this supporter using his state senate position.

[middleindependent]

Democrats are trying to have their cake and eat it too on the experience issue.

What they are doing is comparing apples and oranges.

McCain and Obama are the Presidential candidates, but Democrats are trying to question Palin's experience to be Vice President. Palin has more experience as an executive than Obama.

The hypothetical situation that McCain might not be able to fulfill his term, Dmeocrats ask whould Palin be ready to be President. But, Obama has less experience and he would become President January, 2009.

McCain is the Presidential nominee, not Palin. If we are going to compare candidates, lets compare McCain and Obama. Apple and apples.