Press bias against Palin because she's a woman or Rep?

[Gromgor]

The funny thing is, nobody is dismissing her ability to function, as far as I can tell, on her looks or her gender. Some think she's unqualified. A valid concern, if you believe that experience is an important part of the job. I haven't seen where it's sexism that's hindering her, but rather the manner in which she was introduced as the running mate. People are questioning "Why that person" more than "Why that female".

I've said it before and I'll say it again. A guy finding a woman attractive physically in no way prevents him from seeing the value in her decisions and beliefs.

If you want to believe that choosing her because she's attractive is bad, that's fine. Just keep in mind that whenever we vote, it's our hope that what we're voting for is the candidate who will present the most pleasant outcome. It's a different form of self-gratification. We choose who we think is going to be the most in line with what we want. Whether it's an issue on health care, government assistance, better gas prices, stances on war or foreign policy. We vote for the person who will do the things we want. How is that any more or less selfish than the sexism you seem to be pointing out? Is it because people making jokes about her physical appearance which, when viewed from afar, are positive statements of acceptance by the societal norms? Or is it because some people like to get offended just because? Is it jealousy? Is it a defensive position to prevent a situation that you feel may be bad?

None of those questions are directed at anyone specific. Just ask yourself if the knee-jerk "He said she's a milf! He must be sexist!" reaction that is common is what people should really be offended about in this.

When sexism hinders your advancement as an individual or as a member of a group, then it is bad.

I wish I could get millions of women to think of me as a ..well, I have no kids, but a Dilf.

[Cais]

Gromgor, people might think of you as a Dilf, if they weren't so busy thinking of you as a Douchebag.

I'm just kidding, but it had to be said.

I have nothing valid to add at this point.

[Dalaena]

Originally posted by Cais
I hope you don't have me in mind, though I'm not really accusing you do. I'm just employing the Bush Doctrine here where you MAY have me in mind, but you MAY not, so I might as well nip it in the bud.

I'm not sure why you would think I was referring to you, but I'll state plainly that I was not. It's been all over the place that people are questioning her lack of experience, and I think the original poster was discussing this as well. I might be missing something.

[Not directed to Cais. Just adding to the discussion now.]

In addition, I'm not sure why she and Obama are being compared so heavily. He is the PRESIDENTIAL candidate. She is the vice-president for McCain. Everyone's acting like McCain is already dead. Is there a published assassination plot that I don't know about? Is he going to die the day he steps into office? WHAT AM I MISSING? As far as I can tell, McCain has enough experience to be president, if that even matters. Why is Palin getting slaughtered for her experience?

It's like people were just sitting in wait for something to hate. Here I was thinking this election might go off with a whole lot less whining and bitching from everyone.

[Dalaena]

Originally posted by Gromgor

I've said it before and I'll say it again. A guy finding a woman attractive physically in no way prevents him from seeing the value in her decisions and beliefs.

I'm not sure why attractiveness is such a horrible asset for women nowadays. Does a woman have to be a nasty hag of a wench before she can be taken seriously? Looking good takes effort. Being presentable takes effort. You can get a gorgeous woman who doesn't take care of her looks or her hygiene, and she'd be less "attractive" than a woman who was born with mediocre looks and takes care of herself.

I swear sometimes I think women try to slaughter each other more than men ever try to do so.

Originally posted by Gromgor

None of those questions are directed at anyone specific. Just ask yourself if the knee-jerk "He said she's a milf! He must be sexist!" reaction that is common is what people should really be offended about in this.

Honestly, I glanced at that and didn't think he was sexist. If someone's going to vote because someone looks like a MILF, I can't be bothered to engage them in discussion. It's too stupid to be acknowledged.

Originally posted by Gromgor

I wish I could get millions of women to think of me as a ..well, I have no kids, but a Dilf.

Good luck with that.

[Aristotle]

Originally posted by kestra
II personally suspect it occurred after the once war cheer leading media suffered a 'mea culpa' after it was obvious WMDs weren't going to be found in Iraq. Seems now they're going in the complete opposite direction in order to save their hides or something.

Shocker! Once again, the media problems began with the *ONE* time they did something moderately leaning right. I'm so surprised you would think this Kestra.

Are you sure it didn't start with them routinely treating Truman like he was a buffoon? Or doing everything they could to paint Ford as a bumbling klutz (he happened to be an All-American in college football). Or paint Reagan as a chump, hack actor with no business being in politics. Or utterly worship Clinton like a god, play along with his dumping of bad news on Fridays that would be ignored by the following week, and brush scandals rapidly under the rug. Or giving Gore a pass on the fact that for an environmentalist he doesn't practice what he preaches. His own house is an enviro-nightmare. Or perpetually label GWBush as a stupid person, which any reasonable person would know is false (being a horrible President is not the same as being stupid).

And those are just personalities. How about the way the media tries to squelch research and statistics that show how damaging it is for kids to grow up with only one parent, or to have both parents working? How about the way the media tries to make home schooling look like the domain of freaks, instead of honestly reporting how it is actually turning out superior students to our broken public school system? How about the media's massive political correctness that is absolutely rotting our country from within, and making it impossible for us to even function?

Sorry, but the problems with the media started WAY before their oh-so-horrible patriotism (god forbid) during the Iraq War.

And by the way, stop perpetuating the myth that WMDs were not found. They were found, just not in the quantities expected. There are many reasons for that which I won't go into as it will derail the thread. But saying none were found is just false - another thing the media commonly lies about. It is enough of a failure that we were unable to find the quantities we claimed were there. It actually weakens the argument to say "none were found" when some were actually found.

[Aristotle]

Originally posted by Cais

Hmmmmmmmmmm! It seems we've forgotten context once again (not that you repeatedly forget context, Blog, but alot of people sure do.) Obama's interview with Charlie Gibson occured 2 months ago. This was before Obama was even the official Democratic nominee (though presumptive) Whereas Sarah Palin's interview occured a few days ago - as we're less than 2 months away from election day.

Sounds like the same context to me. What the hell difference does it make if one interview took place 2 months ago and one took place now? There's still no reason to give Obama a bunch of softball questions just because he's in the middle of the nomination process. It could be argued it is MORE important then, because an entire party is trying to choose their nominee.

Furthermore, Obama is a Presidential Candidate, and Palin is only a VP candidate. Unless the President dies, the VP barely does squat. Making sure the President has fielded the tough questions is far more important than the VP.

[Aristotle]

Originally posted by Gromgor
People become that way because they don't hold themselves accountable for the state of the country, but rather the officials they elected. It becomes the In-Thing to make politicians into more than they should be. The 24 hour news networks went the way of the 24 hour Music Television (MTV). Commercialization of politics is what's pushing the election process.

I agree 100%. 24 hour news stations have been the absolute ruination of politics (and sports as well, btw). These networks have to fill time, so they sensationalize everything they can.

Originally posted by Malacasta

HOWEVER, that doesn't absolve sexist attacks against Palin, whether they come from the left OR the right.

Oh wah. As a species we are about to devolve into invertebrates. We need to cut it out with getting offended over every damn thing and learn to shrug some things off. We are so incredibly weak and soft it makes me absolutely sick. It absolutely shocks me that such little trivial things send people into such a pointless frenzy. We are so pampered and privileged in western society that we have to invent these fake horrible tragedies and offenses so we have something to complain about.

Women drooled all over John F. Kennedy 40 years ago and nobody gave a damn.

Aliens should start dropping bombs on us so we can wake up and realize what is important - and it ain't someone talking about a candidate being a MILF.

[Cais]

Dal, I didn't want you to think it was an accusation. I think I failed, but it's minor. I just wouldn't want to be perceived that way at all. So, happy days

Moving right along...

I don't watch a great deal of media. Generally, I will find out about something of interest in advance, and do my best to catch it while it's on, or find it on youtube if I missed it (and I'm not referring to those wacky, editted youtube parodies of the actual event.)

Palin may be getting trounced for her experience because she hasn't offered a great deal that would suggest she has half a clue what her party's platform is, and hasn't offered much in the way of her position on many of the issues.

I bullet pointed her entire speech from the RNC: the only platform issue she discussed was energy, and namely drilling for fuels in Alaska. That is compared to 13 slams against Obama that I counted, 1 slam against the Democratic party as a whole, and 1 slam on the media.

Her recent interview was equally as unimpressive to me. It did suggest to me that she's a bright and charismatic person. Sadly, it also suggested to me that she just has no idea what the heck she's talking about. She was heavy on emotional appeals, and slim on anything of real substance. Talking passionately about things can be confused for true knowledge or wisdom - I just wasn't convinced by the display. Essentially, there was little in her interview that would suggest she remembered a great deal from her High School civics class. It's more a matter of perception, and I'm sure there are plenty of dissenting opinions. I am quite alright and comfortable with that fact. Maybe I'm just cynical of politicians. Some people like Escher, some don't. (Sidenote: I like Escher)

If the media has come to a similar conclusion, or is attacking her because they're sexist... I couldn't tell you, I don't watch enough of it to know. I do know that my opinion has nothing to do with her gender, and I generally believe my opinions are valid and as objective as I am capable of being.

[Malacasta]

Oh wah. As a species we are about to devolve into invertebrates. We need to cut it out with getting offended over every damn thing and learn to shrug some things off.

You regularly complain about the way men are portrayed on tv ads to be made to look ridiculous and yet you have absolutely no idea what it's like to be beaten up, or raped because of your gender, because you didn't know your place. Same goes for race and sexuality.

It's so easy to sit back and snort in derision at people who fight back against this shit when you're oblivious to the issues. But not just this. You have argued in the past that you don't give a shit about the massacres in third world countries. So your lack, your serious lack of empathy and understanding makes me wonder about you. But believe me that I don't lose sleep over it.

And re Palin. She's a dominionist who uses creationist talking points when referring to religion in schools. She protests outside of OB/GYN clinics, and she believes that Jesus will watch over the end of the world in her lifetime. I can only assume she can justify her pathological lying because she believes Obama is the anti-christ and must be stopped by any means necessary.

She is either a delusional, vengeful fundy, or a pragmatist of such hubris that she doesn't give a shit that she's lying to the very people who love her and want to vote for her.

She doesn't need sexism to destroy her. But I don't see why women's rights should be set back to the '50s just because some assholes have a thing for milfs.

[Gromgor]

Originally posted by Cais
I'm just kidding, but it had to be said.

I

Is that the Yankee version of "bless his/her heart"?