Fiorina Attacks Sen. Boxer for Asking to be Called ‘Senator’
Over at The Frisky, Jessica Wakeman rightly calls out Carly Fiorina on an immature and sexist campaign ad against her opponent in the California Senate race, incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer.
The former Hewlett Packard CEO takes Boxer to task for – gasp! – asking someone to refer to her as ‘Senator’ during a Senate hearing. Bitch, please!
Says the ad: “Barbara Boxer … disrespectfully demanded a Brigadier General refer to her as ‘Senator’ instead of ‘ma’am’ during a recent Senate hearing. I’m sure you’ll agree that Boxer’s arrogance and disrespect for our nation’s military leaders is way out of line.”
This is an especially hypocritical charge coming from Fiorina, who complained during the 2008 presidential election (when she served as a spokesperson for the McCain campaign) that Tina Fey’s depiction of Sarah Palin on “Saturday Night Live” was “disrespectful” and “sexist.” In fact, she said: “sexist in the sense that just because Sarah Palin has different views than Hillary Clinton does not mean that she lacks substance.” Wouldn’t it stand to reason, then, that just because Barbara Boxer has different views, she still is deserving of respect? Especially given that she is currently the senator representing California?
This suggestion that female politicians are somehow stepping out of bounds when asking for treatment equal to those of their male colleagues is one that we’ve seen Republicans make before. They began pointing fingers at another female California Democrat, Nancy Pelosi, saying she was abusing her privileges as House speaker by demanding to be flown around in a military jet. Michelle Malkin started referring to Pelosi as “the Jennifer Lopez of congressional travelers.”
But according to FactCheck.org, “The Democratic House speaker normally flies in a 12-seat Air Force jet, just as her Republican predecessor did. This rumor stems from a request by the House sergeant at arms, not Pelosi, for a jet large enough to reach California without refueling.”
It’s also the same attitude that had Republicans jokingly fretting about what to call Bill Clinton if Hillary Clinton were to be elected President. First Gentleman? Would he have to come up with a cookie recipe, too?
Wakeman is right that this type of sexism is particularly disturbing when it comes from Fiorina, a woman. This contest should be about two strong, skilled women competing for an office that commands a great degree of respect. It should not be about one of those women needing to be “put in her place.”
Post Your Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment
T/S Members
Log in with your True/Slant account.
You need to get some facts straight before you present sanctimony as journalism. Barbara Boxer used that linguistic trick to try to put someone on the defensive and prey on him, when she knows full well that military are required to call female government representatives “ma’am.” In no less than seven other hearings this year, she never had a problem being called “ma’am” and never chastised anyone using that title of respect, and she has not objected since. She did it that time in order to try to create an awkward situation. Fiorina is right to bring up the incident, because it shows what an aggrandizing bitch Boxer is. And that isn’t as in “bitch, please.”
Oh, okay. I’m much more inclined to listen to you now. I mean, referring to a sitting Senator as an “aggrandizing bitch” is definitely the way to refute any charge of sexism.
In response to another comment. See in context »supply nike shoes shox r3 sport shoes——–supply nike shoes shox NZ sport shoes
supply nike shoes shox r5 sport shoes———supply nike shoes shox TUBRO sport shoes
supply nike shoes shox OZ sport shoes——–supply nike shoes shox r3 sport shoes
supply nike shoes shox r3 sport shoes——–supply nike shoes shox NZ sport shoes
supply nike shoes shox r5 sport shoes———supply nike shoes shox TUBRO sport shoes
supply nike shoes shox OZ sport shoes——–supply nike shoes shox r3 sport shoes
http://www.footwearkicks.com
I am the first to call out someone for sexism, having lived through Hillary Clinton’s campaign where some of the worst sexism came from my brethren on the left.
However, Boxer would have only been entitled to object if the General addressed her as Ma’am and the men as Senator. I don’t think that is what happened.
I think he said Sir to the men.
I don’t think its sexist to call a woman an aggrandizing bitch as long as you’re equally inclined to call a man an aggrandizing bastard or dirtbag or whatever. Its just an insult, its not necessarily sexism.
Bitch can be used as a term to demean women, but women themselves ( I know I do ) use it simply to describe a woman who’s not very nice.
I saw that tape of Boxer. She was not being very nice. Unless there is more to the story I think Fiorina is justified in her criticism.