Senator McCain didn't say "How do we beat the bitch?" regarding Senator Clinton, that classy constituent of his did.  However, McCain needed to condemn both the epithet and the incivility, but he didn't.  He called it "an excellent question" and played along.  He also referred to the "Democrat" party, which is sooooo FOX News.

I think McCain's lost it.  He's tired.  He's washed up.  He's done.
::)

I'm no fan of McCain, but if I were Obama, I'd be saying that about Hillary right about now.

The "bitch" is going to force the Democrats into yet another electoral loss for the presidency if she gets the nomination.

I, personally, find it offensive that McCain didn't condemn the term.  It isn't a Hilary thing, it is a man in his position acting as if this term is acceptable in this situation. I have to add that I consider it a matter of pride that people have thought of me as a bitch since it meant that I was doing my job whether they liked it or not.  Being thought of as a bitch, and being called one are two separate things. He will lose points with a lot of women who have had to be assertive, and have been denigrated for it in this manner.

The Republican's are deathly afraid of Hillary.  They can't laugh her off as the usual "left-wing" candidate because she's not.  In a lot of ways she is conservative.  For her to be called a bitch is a sign of fear from the right.

I remember watching a female talk show a long, long time ago-on the Playboy Channel  ;) when it first came on so it was basically the first show that I recall that women could talk freely about "intimate" issues. One of the questions that was asked was, "What do you do when someone calls you a bitch?" The answer? "Look them in the eye and say 'Thank you.'" Their reasoning was that when someone calls you a bitch, it means you really got to them. So, it appears that Hillary really got to that woman.


As for McCain, yeah, he could have condemned the remark. But, I think he was just caught off guard by the comment. I'm sure now looking back, he is thinking, "Oh, I should have said..." I think we have all had moments like that. And yeah, I think the media is making too much of the situation. Now, if McCain, himself were to call Hillary a bitch, that would be a totally different situation.


BTW, for the record, I don't care too much for either McCain or Hillary as candidates.



Cat

I'd still rather have McCain as president than Hillary.

I think think "bitch" is a term of abuse.  Indeed, people use it to refer to women who are strong and assertive, but it's still abusive. 

I don't support Hillary because she is a corporatist republicrat.  Right-wingers are still conviced that she is some kind of pinko because she wants to reform healthcare.  However, this country desperately needs healthcare reform to make our population healthier and our businesses more competitive with other countries.  A sensible Republican would favor what Hillary wants to do.

The Right is also threatened by a woman who favors the advancement of women becoming president.  That is, they would support a woman president only if she favored restricting reproductive rights and making a woman's place once again in the home. 

That is, they would support a woman president only if she favored restricting reproductive rights and making a woman's place once again in the home. 
Wouldn't that last one be completely hypocritical from a woman running for president?  So, no change there, then ;)

TBH, all it really says about McCain that he didn't say anything about the term used is that he doesn't think quickly enough - you can guarantee that were something like that said to a Brit MP, they'd be so indoctrinated with appropriate protocol it would be almost a reflex to comment on the unparliamentary language.  McCain's probably kicking himself for not making some appropriate comment before answering the question.. but the one thing I would say is that it is not possible to get to the point of running for the presidency without the sort of hard streak which opponents will characterize as bitchiness (or the equivalent term for men).  And I agree with those above who said that simply because the term "bitch" was used, it means whoever used it is worried...

Wouldn't that last one be completely hypocritical from a woman running for president?  So, no change there, then ;)

...





Right.  You can look at some of the darlings of the right the most glaring example of what they love is Phyliss Schlafly.  A strong proponent of women staying at home and out of politics, she had a degree in law, ran for congress, was head of a national Republican womens group, and wrote numerous books, amd edited a monthly newsletter.  She wasn't home much, and since she had help to do the cooking cleaning and raise the kids, I would say she didn't know very much about what she was speechifying about.  Just the kind of hypocrisy that goes a long, long way

Right.  You can look at some of the darlings of the right the most glaring example of what they love is Phyliss Schlafly.  A strong proponent of women staying at home and out of politics, she had a degree in law, ran for congress, was head of a national Republican womens group, and wrote numerous books, amd edited a monthly newsletter.  She wasn't home much, and since she had help to do the cooking cleaning and raise the kids, I would say she didn't know very much about what she was speechifying about.  Just the kind of hypocrisy that goes a long, long way

It's all *the other* women who have to stay at home...

My mother's a bit the other way round: she stood for parliament not so much because she wanted to get elected (hell, the constituencies she chose, there wasn't much chance of that), but because she thought there ought to be more women involved in the political process, and if she didn't get out there then how could she advise other women to do so?

The shame is that women such as Hillary and Margaret Thatcher do not really make good role-models for female wannabe high-fliers. IMO.  If that's what you have to become in order to run things, I should think most women would be happier as they are.

It's all *the other* women who have to stay at home...

My mother's a bit the other way round: she stood for parliament not so much because she wanted to get elected (hell, the constituencies she chose, there wasn't much chance of that), but because she thought there ought to be more women involved in the political process, and if she didn't get out there then how could she advise other women to do so?

The shame is that women such as Hillary and Margaret Thatcher do not really make good role-models for female wannabe high-fliers. IMO.  If that's what you have to become in order to run things, I should think most women would be happier as they are.


In order for women to get into a position to change things the more ruthless have to break through first.  That is just the way it is

If McCain is too slow-witted to respond appropriately to abusive remarks, I certainly don't want him running the country. 

You can still see Phyllis Schlafly speaking to groups of fresh-faced right-wing femal law students all of whom agree the feminist movement hurt women and the best thing a woman can be is a mother and a housewife.  Some of them even say they're going to put their careers on hold to bring up their children.  So you're telling me, Ms. Dartmouth Review, that you're going to sink six figures into a law degree, pass the bar, and then just sit on it until you're 42?  Riiiiiight! There's not a career counselor in all the land who wouldn't call that daffy. 
::)


BTW, I notice the canine experts (the breeders, the dog show people, etc.) now refer to "dame" and "sire" instead of "bitch" and "stud."  The latter two are too corrupted to use with a straight face!
:P

The Republican's are deathly afraid of Hillary.  They can't laugh her off as the usual "left-wing" candidate because she's not.  In a lot of ways she is conservative.  For her to be called a bitch is a sign of fear from the right.


To the contrary.  The Repubs go to bed each night and say an extra prayer that Hillary gets the Dem nomination.

As to calling her a biatch, name calling is name calling.  Call her a biatch, a 'ho, a flaming liberal, etc...  Dems resort to name calling as much as the Repubs do. What words is used is merely an issue of vocbulary...

To the contrary.  The Repubs go to bed each night and say an extra prayer that Hillary gets the Dem nomination.

As to calling her a biatch, name calling is name calling.  Call her a biatch, a 'ho, a flaming liberal, etc...  Dems resort to name calling as much as the Repubs do. What words is used is merely an issue of vocbulary...


As my Conservative Republican Father would say A.B.C. (Anyone But Clinton)

Ah yes, but so two wrongs make a right?

I'd almost prefer one of those Republican hawks gets elected and the GOP takes the congress back in '08.  That way they've got to deal with the mess and can't just ditch it and blame the Dems.  Of course, we'd have a full-fledged fascist police state by the end of the guy's first term, so I guess that wouldn't be so good!
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