Remember the Imus furor? A quick search turns up 685 diaries on his assine comments directed toward the members of a female basketball team. So will someone please explain to me why no similar hubub erupted when a U.S. Senator and leading presidental candidate was the subject of blatantly sexist remarks on MSNBC's Tucker Carlson show?
On the October 15 show, Cliff May, said that Senator Clinton should be called a "Vaginal-American." Now isn't that quaint? That sure sounds to me that May is questioning her fitness to serve as president because of her sexual plumbing. So, help me understand why Imus' comments warranted a shitstorm, but May got away with blatant misogyny?
Here is the transcript, courtesy of Media Matters
CARLSON: I'm not saying women shouldn't vote for Hillary at all. I'm merely saying the obvious: that you shouldn't vote for her because she's a woman. Here's what the Clinton campaign says: "Hillary isn't running as a woman. As Hillary says, she's not running as a woman candidate. The only reason to vote for her is that you believe she's the most qualified to be president."
Well, that's actually completely false, considering the Hillary campaign -- and I get their emails -- relentlessly pushes the glass ceiling argument. "You should vote for her because she's a woman." They say that all the time. She just said that on The View. I mean, that's like their rationale.
MAY: At least call her a Vaginal-American, as opposed to --
CARLSON: Is that the new phrase?
MAY: I think that is, yeah.
CARLSON: Boy, that's nasty. I don't think I can say that.
ROBINSON: No, you don't say that.
CARLSON: I shouldn't say that? I'm not going attempt it. No, no.
First, there was the cleavage controversy. Next, came the "cackle" slimestorm. And now, she is being referred to as a "Vaginal-American" on national television by a syndicated conservative mouthpiece. What is next? Menopause jokes?
Perhaps we should stop calling these people conservatives and settle on a more accurate phrase - "Asshole-American." And asshole-American Cliff May owes U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton an apology.
It still raises an unsettling issue for me. If May had referred to Barbara Boxer or Elizabeth Edwards with this gender epitath, would Kossacks have raised the roof and spit with indignation? I am guessing there would have been hundreds of diaries. Despite the frustration many of us have with Speaker Pelosi, I have a feeling there would have been more coming to her defense. So why are the crickets chirping in Clinton's case? Maybe we are not ready for a woman to be president after all. That thought truly depresses the hell out of me.