Womenomics
ABC News' Claire Shipman and the BBC's Katty Kay on women, work and what it really means to "have it all."
Claire Shipman is Good Morning America's Senior National Correspondent. She covers everything from politics to international affairs to family issues.
Katty Kay covers American politics and society for the BBC. She can be seen in the US on BBC America.
Claire and Katty have a new book called Womenomics. For more information visit the web site www.womenomics.com
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Palin potshots
July 02, 2009 11:54 PM
From trouble at home (with Alaska voters, that is), to the David Letterman insult and imbroglio, to the new and fascinating VF expose that reveals an underbelly to her Vice-Presidential bid even seamier and more desperate housewifey than we ever could have imagined---it has not been an easy few months for Sarah Palin.
There does seem to be something about Sarah.......something that leaves her ripe for and vulnerable to any and all fun-making. That seems to give license to all forms of below-the-belt humor and leaks and innuendo. Right? She's fair game because she's so...so...well...Sarah. At least that's what we all tell ourselves.
I think we've got to come to our collective senses. Should a governor be our public punching bag? (Obvious exception--if said Governor has abandoned state, for a foreign country, in the name of love, ridicule not only justified, but mandatory.) Do we assume, simply because Palin seems tough enough to nail us from 40 feet with either one of those tight-lipped Alaskan zingers, or the back end of her high-heel, and keep on moving, that she is a woman without feelings?
Todd Purdam managed to unleash a Republican holy war with his compelling account, and it now feels sort of like we're having a really pointed and insulting conversation in our living room with our nutty relatives about our crazy aunt. One of those awkward conversations where nobody realizes the subject is actually in the room. SHE'S SITTING RIGHT THERE PEOPLE!
I was still in the "big deal, it's just Sarah" camp, until I read the bit about her detractors suggesting she may have been operating with postpartum depression last fall. What I particularly like is that her supporters seem think it helps her out to trumpet this accusation far and wide. Hmm. Which side likes her again?
In any event. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Postpartum depression is a serious illness, and hardly one you can put on the back burner while you give a killer convention speech, and then knock the socks off of enthusiastic crowds for weeks on end with your own, um, enthusiasm and exuberance. So....maybe....just maybe....wild guess here....the depression stuff was male code for ....irrational and difficult female?
She may have had her moments, behind the scenes, but I'm willing to bet our male prima donna politicians could match Sarah move for move. Is there any chance we could forget the clothes (I really could care less what suits she or anybody else bought), the rumored hysteria, the family craziness, and just focus on what Sarah Palin has done in her state, what she's trying to do, and what sort of candidate she might really be? I mean--that's why--we're told--the republicans are in such a lather about Palin and the leaks and innuendo right now. Many still see her as a serious contender down the road. Let's focus on whether that makes sense. And on treating her with a bit of respect? I think we'll all feel better about ourselves in the morning.
July 2, 2009 | Permalink | User Comments (16)
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I was listening to a local radio talk show yesterday talking about this very thing. There was a guest host on and I thought the Very Same Thing about the words coming out of his mouth!!
Posted by: Maggie | Jul 3, 2009 1:53:53 PM
I'm so tired of all of the criticism of Sarah Palin. She's far more qualified than most of those who are doing the criticizing. I think this sets a bad example for our daughters to run for office. Why would they want to be treated like this?? And I'm tired of the biased "Nightline", 'Letterman' and ALL the other intimidated and biased Liberal media that rip very honest and intelligent 'women' to shreds. And I'm not a conservative but I can 'see' what's going on and it's just sick to listen to. When are we going to grow up?
Posted by: Dee | Jul 4, 2009 2:58:56 AM
If she was a Democrate and pro abortion she wouldn't be getting attacked like she is. Same on the media for not doing their job and just reporting the facts not interjecting their own views on her.
Posted by: Ramson | Jul 4, 2009 8:39:30 AM
All women should be outraged out the treatment Govenor Palin has rec'd. If she was a Democrate and pro choice the NOW group would be all over this. Shame on NOW for not sticking up for ALL women.
Posted by: Ramson | Jul 4, 2009 8:41:24 AM
Sarah Palin drew criticism not because she is a woman but because she is unqualified, has views that many people find extreme, and often behaves in a clueless and unstable manner. Her incoherent abandonment of the office she was elected to is simply the latest evidence of the latter.
If it's wrong to judge women more harshly than men simply because of their sex it also is wrong to play the woman-as-victim card when the going gets tough. Politics is a rough game; if you want to compete against men and be treated equally, you have to stop expecting the world to treat you with kid gloves because you are female.
The truth is that McCain chose Palin as a running mate in large part *because* she was a woman. No man with Palin's poor qualifications would have made it on the ticket. McCain's idiotic choice of Palin was a major reason he lost the election.
If Palin were a pro-choice Democrat, the reaction to her brainlessness and lack of qualifications would have been the same -- only it would be the conservatives attacking her and chortling over her troubles and not the liberals.
Oh, by the way, I'm a woman and a Republican.
Posted by: Melinda | Jul 4, 2009 1:32:09 PM
It's downright madness the way the media and the democratic machine has tried to take her down. Honestly, history will show us just how a mob attacked this woman. And it comes straight from the TOP...yes, friends OBAMA is petrified of her as he should be...
Shame on every one of you that joined in this hateful practice for NO valid reason..."the clothes"???? are you joking? Obama has lied to us, broken nearly all of his campaign promises, his cabinet is full of tax cheats, he buzzed Air Force One through Manhattan unannounced for donor money, he's buddies with ACORN, shutting down car dealers without authority, shoving legislation through without proper debate, we still don't know where most of his campaign money came from...he can't speak without a teleprompter, he stages his press conference. He's adapted chicago style thuggery in his administration....Are you awake yet???
And you all whine about her CLOTHES???
Get a grip people...
Posted by: mary | Jul 4, 2009 10:28:52 PM
I'd like to see how NOW and other women's groups would be backing Palin if she were a liberal, pro abortion, type. Sad only certain "women" get their protection. I'll take a self made Sarah Palin ANYDAY. How many of you served on the PTA, ran for City Council, then Mayor, and have been a Governor? AT LEAST SHE HAS HELD JOBS.....Obama, not so much. Working as a community organizer with ACORN DOESN'T COUNT. SHE STILL HAS MORE EXPERIENCE THAT B. OBAMA, and I can't wait to see what she does next.
Posted by: dlm | Jul 5, 2009 1:24:07 AM
dlm: excellent point. NOW is a farce. It's become a political group, not a human rights group. NOW has no credibility.
Vapid liberal women HATE Sarah. They so remind her of what's lacking in themselves and their party.
So they lash out like the immature nastys that they are deep down.
Rock on Sarah. Most of America LOVES her and stands with her. She might just surprise us all.
Posted by: mary | Jul 5, 2009 3:08:21 PM
Excuse me but if she were fat and ugly.....she would be toast.
Posted by: talmag | Jul 7, 2009 10:58:14 AM
Enough already about Sarah Palin. She is a quitter and is therefore not qualified to run for the Presidency. So please stop it and give us a rest. Would you really want to take a chance on her quitting the presidency also?
Posted by: Rebecca | Jul 27, 2009 7:07:24 AM
boo hoo. listen,,, she got the job for the same reason that cute girl @ the register gets your husbands order. mccain is old and ugly. he needed someone young and pretty to balance the ticket. the American people saw thru it and voted accordingly. you know that the pretty girls get all the breaks on the job, at the bars and just about everywhere, and they also get all the negative attention from the jealous girls and the guys who will never get them. so.. dress in stripper shoes, mini
skirts and librarian glasses and watch the doors start opening for yourself.
did you really want a over zealous war
hungry elderly man in favor of the draft
sending your family members to war
Posted by: rgr | Jul 28, 2009 10:19:21 AM
rgr: Isn't it OBAMA sending massive troops to a NEW war in Afganastan? Oh, guess that doesn't count cause libs get special rules....
Posted by: marymary | Aug 3, 2009 5:10:40 PM
either way, Obama isn't going to have your support,nor that of any other fox network viewers. and he knows it.
America is going to be just fine..
Fox network is just a network, not the
all seeing , all powerful savior of the American dream.
And everyone who voted for Obama is not a liberal. So get out of the house for a while.... walk a dog. turn the t.v. off. enjoy life before the hate filled airwaves dominated your emotions.
dont let all these millionaire t.v. commentators scramble your brain. Have faith in yourself, your fellow man and in God.
we all need to live our own lives...
find our own ways, make our own mistakes. and no matter how bad this world seems,, the good always out weights it.
united we stand...divided we fall...
i stand with you no matter what views you have because you are an American as am I.
so...God bless you, me, America,and our president Obama.
Posted by: rgrrgr | Aug 7, 2009 2:17:59 AM
I think that ABC is crazy for televising anything that the big rat "Levi Johnston" would say about the Palins. Obviously the jerk is only after his 15 minutes and money. What a first class jerk!
Posted by: Cisum20 | Aug 11, 2009 2:28:03 PM
CABLE NEWS RACE
THURSDAY NITE, SEPT 10
FOXNEWS O'REILLY 3,609,000
FOXNEWS BECK 3,340,000
FOXNEWS HANNITY 2,986,000
FOXNEWS GRETA 2,522,000
FOXNEWS BAIER 2,362,000
FOXNEWS SHEP 2,040,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 1,573,000
MSNBC MADDOW 1,164,000
CNN KING 965,000
MSNBC HARDBALL 882,000
MSNBC SCHULTZ 734,000
CNN COOPER 691,000
Fox news totals 16.858M+ Viewers
All others Total 6.009M+ Viewers
Either these numbers are fudged or the
"legitimate media" is out to lunch. I recommend you stay with your left leaning lemmings to the bitter end. Surely you cannot be enjoying these numbers. And you have no idea why they are so out of whack? Precisely because you have no idea why they are out of whack.
Posted by: GREYFOX | Sep 12, 2009 10:23:10 AM
Fox news totals 16.858M+ Viewers
All others Total 6.009M+ Viewers
Sounds like the lady watching her son marching in a parade, who was out of step, saying, every one is out of step but my son. Stay with it men, it won't be long now and you will be totally irrelevant as far as the public is concerned. Keep knocking, Palin, Rush, Beck, Hannity and all the rest. The one being marginalized is the "main stream media". The internet is not a sewer, it is a forum of true expression, uncensored and unfiltered and unedited by biased editors. The public, for the most part is smart enough to know the truth when they see it or hear it. And the truth is the "media" has failed the public miserably.
Posted by: GREYFOX | Sep 12, 2009 10:34:55 AM
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