Rachel Maddow's PERFECT Answer

[TahitiNut]

As the MSNBC "Road to the White House" tonight yet again regurgitated the specious entrail-reading of an Obama Veep selection and the question of a female pick, they dredged up the sewage of Geraldine Ferraro's stance that ANY selection of a female that's NOT Hillary Clinton is not only an insult to Clinton but an insult to women.

Pat Buchanan, in his role of expert in Democratic Party politics and women's issues, expressed agreement with Ferraro (which should be a clue to anyone not permanently residing at Bellevue) and asked, rhetorically, "Why shouldn't it be seen as an insult to women if Obama deliberately bypasses Hillary to choose another female for the ticket??"

Rachel's perfect response was "Because all women aren't the same."


Bravo yet again, Rachel! The proof of the pudding is probably in the fact that Pat Buchanan didn't even get it. Too many just don't. At the very heart and core of sexism, racism, and other dehumanizing bigotries is the objectification of human beings ... treating human beings (or our labor) as mere commodities. What so many, even self-proclaimed 'liberals,' totally fail to comprehend is that the mere objectification of human beings is the fundamental ethical evil. It's the treatment of people as a means to an end (even an election) rather than an end in themselves that's fundamentally wrong.

[Frustratedlady]

1. I nearly jumped out of my chair when she laid that on Pat.

I wish he'd retire. I see Bob Novack finally did, due to cancer.

[TahitiNut]

10. She's really "got it together" ... calm, cool, and right on the head so often.

She's almost unflappable ... but without coming off like a cold fish. She's so damned bright and has the issues so COMPLETELY assembled in her mind that she's like a PhD candidate playing "gotcha" with some inept high school debaters. It's almost like she's toying with them ... except she doesn't even come off as condescending. I'm really quite amazed at how "together" she seems to be. It's like she's part of the 1% sane in the land of the insane.

She timed and delivered that retort PERFECTLY. I loved it.

[nolabels]

30. Pheeewwwwwwwwwwwww, got that retort on the dime, and like duh already

Taken from this male's perspective, women are much more different from each other than men ever thought about being. Not that's it's like a good or bad thing, but more kind of like that's just the way it is :shrug:

[Skidmore]

2. That was so well done. Buchanan looked like a beached fish

gasping for air! Rachel has a way of getting under Buchanan and Scarborough's skin that is just delightful to watch and she never breaks into a sweat or loses her smile.

[PA Democrat]

3. I love how Buchanan's voice rises about 2 entire octaves

in response to a particularly good comeback by Rachel.

[blondeatlast]

9. You've noticed that too, eh? At the rate he's going, the Met Opera's gonna call

for him in the chorus and it isn't just Maddow that makes him sing; he's been auditioning even on Lou Dobb's spew--er, I mean show.

He's becoming a parody of himself--and personally I LOVE watching him. I wanna be there when he breaks a galss or pops a vein and I know it's coming.

[zbdent]

17. make sure you stay far back from your TV screen ...

in case she nails him really, really well ...

Is it live, or is it Memorex?

[Auggie]

4. Pat Buchanan should be in a museum with the other dinosaurs

[Uben]

5. I'm not really too worried about it.........

...if he picks another woman other than Clinton, I do believe he will lose, however. His best bet is too just pick a man if Clinton is not to be considered, but it's totally his call either way. This is a very close race, if polls are any measure, and I don't know if his campaign could stand the blow-back from a non-Clinton female pick. Looking at the popular vote in the primaries gives some indication of how much of an impact it could have. If 10% of Clinton's supporters failed to vote for Obama, it would have monumental implications in the general election this fall. I would hope he does have enough to overcome such a blow, but unless he starts pulling farther ahead, I think his choices are limited when it comes to female picks!

[Cha]

7. We'll you're wrong..whomever Obama chooses

will take them both to Victory.

[Cha]

6. That is brilliant on so many levels!

I mean how do you succintly rebutt something so idiotic?

And gerrydine and pat, of course, are merchants of smear so they're left holding their a$$. :silly: :silly:

[TahitiNut]

13. There's some REALLY insane and contorted 'logic' in their stance.

It's acquired a meme-like stature ... short-circuiting reason and logic. The notion that someone - anyone - has some gender-based entitlement is merely a flavor of sexism of a more insidious kind, imho. Obama must choose a human being and NOT some 'type.' Thinking in terms of 'type' is itself commoditization. It seems to betray a kind of thinking that disables reasoning - and even beginning to see the point.

[Cha]

18. They talk down to their audience at

their own peril.

[AllentownJake]

8. Gotta give it to Pat

He at least stays on set after she kicks his ass and doesn't go sulking away like a 7 year old.

[blondeatlast]

11. Yes, I predict a full-fledged public anxiety attack from Pattie any day now, for all the world

to witness.

Of course, I take mp pleasure in seeing it happen, none whatsoever. I'm just stocking up on soda and popcorn for the Olympics (that I won't be watching) :evilgrin:

[AllentownJake]

12. Well he had one in the Primaries

After the Edwards endorsement so I'm sure he'll have another one on election night :evilgrin:

[blondeatlast]

16. I won't skimp on the butter this time--see you then! nt

[Coexist]

14. yes - it is not one woman's personal glass ceiling.

[TahitiNut]

24. Exactly. After all, if it were then she's accomplished absolutely nothing.

The self-contradictory nature of the presumption of some kind of entitlement negates the stance.

[TuxedoKat]

15. I loved her answer.

It was the best thing anyone could have said.

[polichick]

19. That was great! As if we're interchangeable - jeez!

[tekisui]

20. Rachel Maddow is the best thing to happen to cable news since

cable news.

BTW, good to see you again TahitiNut. I was wondering if you had been around lately.:hi:

[TahitiNut]

26. I heartily agree. Each time I listen to her I'm even more favorably impressed.

Besides just being impressed, I'm left with a "How the Hell does she do it?" bemusement. It takes a LOT of homework and a really good support team to 'tune' one's mind to the degree that one can compose such focused and articulate statements. It's not easy to respond so well 'under fire.' As a former Internal Auditor with years of experience delivering 'bad news' to conference rooms full of folks with vested interests in looking good, I have a pretty decent understanding of the degree of familiarity needed to respond well and accurately to opposition and disagreement. It AIN'T easy. She does it really, really well.

[Bonobo]

21. I wish we could surgically implant that into the brains of some people on DU. nt

[proud patriot]

22. That was wonderful wasn't it

loved Pat's response to her "that's not an answer"

:rofl: :bounce: :rofl:

[TahitiNut]

23. It was a thing of beauty, luv. Rachel is masterful.

I love pithy, succinct, and accurate retorts ... even (or especially) if the person to whom it's directed just doesn't get it. Particularly in the mindset that objectifies human beings (whether due to race, gender, or other 'type') I doubt that an "educational" response is worth the breath. Rachel responded without rancor, without ire, without animosity, and WITH a perfectly distilled truth. Gotta love it.

[RNdaSilva]

29. TahitiNut,

You speak mountains...in a mole hill.

Agree 99.9% of the time.

[dkf]

28. Is that what he said?

I kind of thought he gave her props. He certainly looked pole-axed. It was classic.

[JerseygirlCT]

25. She's the best. nt

[rhett o rick]

27. I notice that "Killer" Joe isn't on there anymore. I think Rachel was too much for him. nm

I use the term "killer" figuratively and intend no connection to the strange death of his assistant.

[ConsAreLiars]

31. Indeed. Six simple words that go straight to the core of almost every ideological and value

and cognitive difference between the left and the right. Rachel is way smart and good-hearted and all that, and the only reason to watch that show, but this was absolutely brilliant and done in an instant. I can't think of anyone who is that quick, insightful and able to go straight at the very essence of the issue -- and in SIX WORDS!

(edit typo)

[TheKentuckian]

32. She'd dominate any press confrence

If I was President I'd make it a priority to get that woman as my Press Secretary. I'm not saying that's her ceiling but she'd command the other lesser reporters and get my message out with unmistakable clarity that would have the brevity to reframe, if need be.

[ErinBerin84]

33. I appreciated that too.

I'm so sick of Pat making himself the spokesperson for feminism and supposedly embittered Hillary supporters. I have seen her mention this before, saying "Well, from all of the people who I know who supported Hillary in the primaries, I just don't find that to be true. If they are upset with Obama and his vice presidential choice, they would be upset whether a man OR woman was picked over Hillary, if they thought that she was the most qualified person." But she really laid it out beautifully last night, saying that while she respects Ferraro's accomplishments, she has found her political analysis of the race this election cycle to be "inexplicable", and said "What kind of feminism is it that says one woman's success should be to another woman's detriment? Not all women are the same!" Thank you, Rachel.

[TahitiNut]

34. Indeed.

It's one thing to favor the individual and credit that individual for further shattering the "glass ceiling." It's quite another, however, to attempt to EXPLOIT feminism and the principles of gender-free respect for ability and character as some specious rationale for NOT choosing another woman. That's a twist and contortion that just doesn't process against valid logic.

In fact, it's BIZARRE that those calling themselves PROPONENTS of a female on an equal footing would be an OPPONENT of a woman on some 'entitlement' rationale. It seems to me that the motive in such cases may be more about preserving the RULE (misogyny) by only accepting the EXCEPTION (Hillary). Beyond strange.

[BklynChick]

35. I loved how it ended the show on that line, too. She is so fierce!

[livetohike]

36. Rachel Maddow deserves a show of her own

I think she'll get one soon. She's brilliant and personable :-).