I saw some prune-faced repug bimbo on CNN tonight

[Infomaniac]

I was channel-surfing tonight around 11:00 p.m. and happened to catch some republicanette on CNN. I don't have any idea of who she is, but she was nice enough to clue me into some strategy. The bimbolina used words to describe Kerry like "whiney" and "simpering." My husband was watching too and he said, "Who talks about a presidential candidate like that?" Who? The kind of people who want to emasculate the opposition. Call 'em girlie men, call 'em whiney and call 'em simpering. Of course the the-weaned-on-a-pickle-look-on-my-face-cause-I-only-bang-repukes babe also mentioned other talking points like the "260 swift boat" (liars) who blah, blah, blah. So there you have it. In my view, this year's repuke strategy is to emasculate Kerry and make Bush look like the man's man by comparision. How best to counter-act this. I don't expect the mainstream media to catch on to the language. What can we do?

[Eric J in MN]

1. Frank Rich: "How Kerry Became a Girlie Man "

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/05/arts/05RICH.html?pagewanted=all&position=

NY TIMES,September 5, 2004

Only in an election year ruled by fiction could a sissy who used Daddy's connections to escape Vietnam turn an actual war hero into a girlie-man.

As we leave the scripted conventions behind us, that is the uber-scenario that has locked into place, brilliantly engineered by the president of the United States, with more than a little unwitting assistance from his opponent. It's a marvel, really. Even a $10,000 reward offered this year by Garry Trudeau couldn't smoke out a credible eyewitness to support George W. Bush's contention that he showed up to defend Alabama against the Viet Cong in 1972. Yet John F. Kerry, who without doubt shed his own blood and others' in the vicinity of the Mekong, not the Mississippi, is now the deserter and the wimp.

Don't believe anyone who says that this will soon fade, and that the election will henceforth turn on health-care policy or other wonkish debate. Any voter who's undecided by now in this polarized election isn't sitting around studying the fine points. In a time of fear, the only battle that matters is the broad-stroked cultural mano a mano over who's most macho. And so both parties built their weeklong infotainments on militarism and masculinity, from Mr. Kerry's toy-soldier "reporting for duty" salute in Boston to the special Madison Square Garden runway for Mr. Bush's acceptance speech, a giant phallus thrusting him into the nation's lap, or whatever. ("To me that says strength" is how his media adviser, Mark McKinnon, forecast the set's metaphorical impact to The Times.) Though pundits said that Republicans pushed moderates center stage last week to placate suburban swing voters, the real point was less to soften the president's Draconian image on abortion than to harden his manly bona fides. Hence Mr. Bush was fronted by a testosterone-heavy lineup led by a former mayor who did not dally to read a children's book on 9/11, a senator who served in the Hanoi Hilton rather than the "champagne unit" of the Texas Air National Guard, and a governor who can play the role of a warrior on screen more convincingly than can a former Andover cheerleader gallivanting on an aircraft carrier.

Not that Mr. Bush is ignorant of the ways of Hollywood. Unlike Mr. Kerry, whose show business pals he constantly derides, the president actually worked in the film business. In the 1980's he lined his pockets as a board member of Silver Screen, which financed Disney movies. Maybe he even picked up a few tricks of the trade along the way. The elevation of Mr. Bush to Rambo, as The New York Daily News dubbed him last weekend, and the concurrent demotion of Mr. Kerry to Corporal Klinger, is a major production, requiring meticulous preparation. It did not begin with the Swift Boat ads.

[K. F. Gibbons]

2. inoculation,

We have to immediately inoculate Kerry by repeating the meme against Bush.
Call him.

Mama's boy.

When he complaines about our negative ads whe should tell him to "stop crying like a little girl".

WE should talk about how his dad cant bail him out of his failed term as his father did with all of his oil business's

[calimary]

3. Or maybe invoke the credit he gave his mommie on Thursday night.

Need your MOMMIE to come teach you more blunt talk, george?

OR - we could simply quote Frank Rich - "...a SISSY (who used Daddy's connections to escape Vietnam)..."

Lather, REPEAT. Then REPEAT SOME MORE.

[Eloriel]

6. Oh yes, that will work -- return their sexism and homophobia with

sexism and homophobia of our own. I like it. Sounds like a plan.

/sarcasm

[wtmusic]

8. bingo

and no more defending. No more fighting on their terms. Attack.

:hi:

[K. F. Gibbons]

12. your being very sensitive

like a girl.




just kidding.
I don't want to offend, I just want to win. This means appealing to the scum bags who would vote for Bush if Kerry is emasculated.

[Pirate Smile]

4. It was Kate O'Briene (sp?) on Capitol Gang. It was played tonight

because they did show it yesterday (Hurricane Frances all the time coverage).

She's a sweetie, huh?

[Eloriel]

5. Yours is one of the most offensive posts

I've seen by a woman on this forum. Absolutely chock full of sexist remarks. You don't like the opposition "emasculating" Kerry, but you'are a-okay with doing almost the same thing (tho with sexism as the tool) against Repug women?

"prune-face"
"bimbo"
"Republicanette"
"bimbolina"
"weaned on a pickle"
"only bang repukes"

Absolutely shameful. Absolutely.

I have to assume that if the Repugs used this kind of language (or any other sexist language) about women in general or women of the Left in particular -- like about, say, Hillary, or perhaps some woman you actually admire (is there one you admire?????) -- you'd think that's okay too?

[makhno]

7. Relax

Your anger is misplaced. Attacking some republican piece of shit using whatever language we choose is the least we can do in the current climate.

[mitchum]

9. Absofuckinglutely!

Do not be dissuaded by the harpies of identity politics

[Eloriel]

10. Sure, no matter how it demeans us or works against our own goals

Or what SHOULD be our goals (equal rights for all, including EVEN women).

Should we also call Alan Keyes, Colin Powell and Condi Rice the N word? Alberto Gonzalez a wetback? Antonin Scalia a wop? Would those too fit in your "whatever language we choose" that is okay to use to denigrate these people?

If not, why is it okay to do it for women?

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[makhno]

16. A wicked wonderful strawman

Whoever mentioned denigrating someone based on their race or gender?

That said, I did find Harry Belafonte's characterization of Uncle Tom Powell as a house slave very much to the point.

[Eloriel]

22. YOU did. YOU approved of denigrating someone based on gender

In response to my objection to the OP, you posted:

Relax
Your anger is misplaced. Attacking some republican piece of shit using whatever language we choose is the least we can do in the current climate.

You defended the sexism in the OP.

No strawman at all.

[Infomaniac]

11. Yes, Eloriel

Yes, Eloriel there are women on both sides of the aisle that I admire, but I do not feel any affinity for this particular person who is a paid political hack and happens to be female. Several of my adjectives to describe this person are gender-neutral. Men can be prune-faced and have a weaned-on-a-pickle look too. For, example take a real good look at Bob Dole. Republicanette is my term for any hack, male or female, that does the party line dance like a marionette. I don't recall using bimbo, perhaps you meant babe? I use the "sexist language" in this forum because I enjoy giving it back to the freepers who troll this site. If you are offended, perhaps you need to stop reading my posts.

[K-W]

15. Bimbo is part of the thread title :p

[Infomaniac]

17. I stand corrected.

Thanks K-W. BTW, one definition for bimbo is also gender-neutral. It can mean a vacuous person.

[Julien Sorel]

19. Funniest subthread of the day.

[Eloriel]

21. Bimbo is in your subject line.

And it doesn't really matter if you don't have any "affinity" for this person or any others. There really aren't ANY Repug women that I can think of for whom I have ANY affinity. But I still would never refer to them in the ways you have. Never.

I use the "sexist language" in this forum because I enjoy giving it back to the freepers who troll this site.

Oh, that's a great plan: give them the moral authority to do as bad and worse. Shame on you. I'm all for fighting, I'm NOT in favor of not only stooping to their level but handing them ammunition to use to further erode women's rights and the gains we've made at such cost in this society. Good grief, woman. You are HELPING them destroy what millions of women have fought real damn hard for. Why on earth would you want to do that to YOURSELF (nevermind me or anyone else or even your loved ones)?

Republicanette is my term for any hack, male or female, that does the party line dance like a marionette.

Well that's clever. Would have been more clever had you bothered to define your term for those of us who aren't mindreaders. In the absence of cluing your readers in on what you (say you) meant, the ONLY way to interpret the "ette" suffix is in its diminuitive (and dismissive and trivializing) meaning -- as in sufragette (instead of suffragist) used to refer to women.

As for "prune-face," I'll give you that it's for the most part gender-neutral. However, why do you have to comment on Kate O'Bierne's looks at all? It doesn't improve or enhance your argument, it doesn't add to YOUR credibility. It only follows that tired old sexist practice of commenting on women's looks (when men's looks and appearance are almost NEVER commented on) instead of addressing the SUBSTANCE. It's NOT okay. I personally can't stand her, but that's NOT about her looks. So why MAKE it about her looks or even bring the subject up? Why buy into and promote that sexist practice (even if the term you used is not strictly gender-specific) of making women something less than, and less important and credible if they're not also attractive?

Let me leave you with this thought, from DU's posting rules:

Do not post racist, SEXIST, homophobic, ethnic, anti-religious, or anti-atheist bigotry. Unambiguous expressions of bigotry will be deleted, and will often result in the immediate banning of the individual responsible.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules.html

[Redleg]

13. To quote John Stewart: the message from the RNC is that "Kerry is a pussy"

Those chickenhawk fuckheads have the audacity to question Kerry's commitment to this country and his courage. What a bunch of sorry pukes.

[goclark]

18. Kitty Kelly's Book will be OUT on Sept. 14th

so will Georgie.

I think they know exactly what is coming and they are planting the seed that Kerry is all those things that Bush IS.

When KK's book comes out there will be (in their famous word)"compelling" information about GW Bush and his Dad.
Stuff that has been all over the internet for years.

Did you see the Kitty Kelly threads today? If not, take a little look.

[Infomaniac]

20. Personally, I don't care who W stumps

What W does behind closed doors doesn't interest me and I hope I don't ever have a mental image of W doing anything with anybody. I think the important thing to remember is that W is screwing us over. I hear you though that the opposition thinks the best defense is a good offense. I'll have to take a look at the Kitty Kelly threads.

[goclark]

23. We don't want to go negative BUT

They want us to keep all of our remarks about them Politically Correct. While we are busy being PC they are kicking us to the curb!

No way Jose!
NOOO Way JOSE!

These folks have no issues so they go so low that Aarold floated that Girlie Man stuff at the convention. He first talked that stuff about the legislators in Sacramento that were not going along with him on the budget.

I find it interesting that someone that took steroids and flexed their muscles on Venice Beach to attract all the guys has the NERVE to make smears about Anybody!

But, his girlie man stuck like glue in California and he took it on his road show to New York.

Now Rove has decided that it will be the smear to take a REAL MAN down!

Well we are not going to take this one sitting down.

Let the real Girlie Man stand up!
They are such hypocrites to be so insulting.

But, we have a choice, four more years of their killing the worlds children. Four more years of their Nazi policies and tearing up the Constitution .... OR

We call Georgie- Georgie Girl TO HIS FACE!!!

These crooks mistake kindness for weakness.

Pinch your noise and keep your eye on the prize!
We're in for a fast ride to the WH!

[Julien Sorel]

24. You could see this in that

weird little video they had at the RNC, the one where Karl Rove is decked out in his child molester duds.

The Kerry dog is some kind of French (French yet again -- but Rove is a genius, never forget!) poodle thing. The Bush dog is hardly more masculine, though, some kind of Scottish Terrier?

At any rate, it seems this is the theme they are settling on. the problem they are going to run into is in the debates, where the public will get a chance to see the two men side by side. A forceful showing by Kerry, while Bush stumbles like he often does, and the house of cards starts crumbling. And that's really what the Bush/Republican people have going: a very fragile campaign, built on image and style rather than substance. If it starts unraveling, it could implode rather quickly, because there's just not a lot there. In that sense, there's something symbolic about trying to build a Scottish Terrier into some kind of macho dog.

At any rate, it's becoming obvious as to why the Republicans are working hard to duck the debates. If you are trying to paint your guy as macho and tough, and the other guy as a fop, the image will dissolve pretty quickly when the two guys stand up and go toe to toe. The more people see of Kerry and Bush together, the more they are going to realize the whole "Kerry is a wimp" thing -- which is also promulgated here by "well-meaning Democrats," I might add -- is a facade used to cover up a presidency with four years of negative achievement. That would mean Rove has shitted a few more tens of millions of dollars of negative campaigning down the toilet.

[Moderator]

25. Locking

DU's rules prevent sexist language.