Early this morning, an entourage of uppity Republican women held a press conference playing the gender card accusing the Obama campaign of sexism anytime the campaign criticizes Sarah Palin.
Carly Fiorina, who was fired as CEO of Hewlett-Packard (oops, is it sexist to mention she was fired???) led the charge against the Obama campaign: "I am appalled by the Obama campaign’s attempts to belittle Governor Sarah Palin’s experience ... 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."
Tonight, Palin is going to deliver her speech accepting her Republican vice-presidential nomination by attacking Barack Obama on his qualifications and his experience.
Comparing Obama's work as a community organizer to her job as Wasilla mayor, Palin will say tonight "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a `community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities."
She will also say this of Obama tonight: "Here's how I look at the choice Americans face in this election. In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers. And then there are those like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change."
So, if Obama criticizing Palin's experience and qualifications for vice president is sexist, is it fair for me to say that her negative comments about Obama is racist?
Obama should not take the bait and reduce himself to the level of the McCain campaign by calling them racist. But he should be allowed to attack them for their lack of judgement, their qualifications, their temperment and their values. He should be allowed to do all that without the uppity Republican women at this morning's news conference calling him sexist.
Besides, Republicans do not have the moral authority to judge what is sexist. Republicans for years have had a track record of keeping women behind and lowering the glass ceiling on them during the Reagan, Bush Sr. and Duhbya years. That glass ceiling will continue to be lowered in a McCain/Palin administration.
Hillary Clinton did more for women than any of the last three Republican presidents have. I thought it was bloviating for Palin to say she would continue to crack the ceiling Hillary left 18 million cracks on. That was just as disgusting as when Republican Governor Sonny Perdue of Georgia, with no record supporting civil rights, claimed in his victory speech in 2002: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty! We're free at last!"
This reminds me of a Saturday Night Live sketch when then-president Bill Clinton took military action against Serbia in the late 1990s. On that sketch, a bunch of Republican senators, including a Jesse Helms look-alike, all sang "All we are saying/Is give peace a chance!"
I just love it when Republicans masquerade as progressives. They look so stupid.