Thursday, December 27, 2007


Sexism?

Fans and supporters of Hillary! were pissed that this picture appeared in the newspaper. Pissed because it showed Hillary! as she is--an older woman.

Immediately, her advocates screamed, "Foul!" They claimed sexism, agism, and the natural prejudice against people who look like they went twelve rounds with Floyd Mayweather.

The fact remains, however, that Hillary! has been spending a lot of time on defence. Defence of her record (or lack thereof), her life choices, and her campaign strategy.

The saddest part, however, is that this picture forces Hillary! to deal with the 900 pound elephant in the room. Wait, bad analogy, since elephants are fat, wrinkled and grey.

The saddest part is that Hillary! is now forced to confront the one thing that she wanted to avoid. That she is a woman. This is difficult for the candidate for whom her sex was irrelevant (except for when it wasn't).

When one enters the race for President (or attains the office), and allows access to the media, a person must certainly expect that at least one unflattering picture will make the front page (or The Drudge Report). It happened to Governor Michael S. Dukakis (tank shot), to Senator John Forbes Kerry (D-MA, in the clean suit), to former President George H.W. Bush (at the supermarket checkout), or to President George W. Bush (after choking on a pretzel, crashing his mountain bike, or reading to kids as Islamic terrorists flew airplanes into the World Trade Center).

So, while Hillary! would like us to believe that she is judged by different standards than every other man in the race, she is not. The photographers are feeding the hungry maw of the 24 hour media beast. Any chance to show our heroes (and politicians) in an unfavourable light will be leapt at, like a Siberian Tiger attacking a taunt-hurling patron of the San Francisco Zoo.

And, while some might see it as sexist, realise that the old adage about staying out of the kitchen if you can not stand the heat is more true today than at any other time.


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