# Senator Carole Migden: a testament to political hypocrisy **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 23, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253 "2007-05-23T18:00:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![anamnesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@anamnesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anamnesis)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/1 "2007-05-23T18:00:25Z")
A blog entry from the American Thinker entitled [The arrogance of (Democrat) power](http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/05/the_arrogance_of_democrat_powe.html), on the topic of California Senator Carole Migden’s recent encounter with the rear end of a passenger sedan in her Toyota Highlander hybrid SUV on Interstate 80. Just wait 'til you hear how it all happened. Of course, you could read all about this on any number of news sites by simply googling her name, but this blog sums it up in a nice editorial manner. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/2 "2007-05-23T18:02:05Z")
In before pile-on and trainwreck. Woo-hoo! ---
**Author:** ![Denis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5e9695/32.png) [@Denis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Denis)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/3 "2007-05-23T18:03:59Z")
Shoot for the stars, **Liberal**. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/4 "2007-05-23T18:08:20Z")
I’m just wondering what the OP is about. I read the linked article and everything. Still lost. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/5 "2007-05-23T18:09:17Z")
Never attribute to political hypocrisy what can be explained by human stupidity. (But yeah, I’ll admit she’s a hypocrite.) ---
**Author:** ![anamnesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@anamnesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anamnesis)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/6 "2007-05-23T18:09:57Z")
silenus: Migden’s a senator who was in favor of a ban on cellular phone usage while driving. She is also responsible for veering all over the highway like a maniac and then rear-ending another car. Guess why? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/7 "2007-05-23T18:11:13Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] I’m just wondering what the OP is about. I read the linked article and everything. Still lost. [/QUOTE] She voted for a bill banning cell-phone use while driving. She got in one ([or perhaps two](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/05/22/BAGNKPVK0C3.DTL)) accidents while using her cell-phone while driving. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/8 "2007-05-23T18:11:42Z")
Ah. Got it. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/9 "2007-05-23T18:12:32Z")
Clearly, she’s a Democrat. No _Republican_ would ever drive irresponsibly. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/10 "2007-05-23T18:14:49Z")
Hypocrite, jerk, you name it. However, I’m not sure why the blogger thinks that’s connected to her party affiliation, sexual orientation or lesbian “faux” “marriage.” And while the drug jokes are amusing, there’s not much grounds for that either. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/11 "2007-05-23T18:16:15Z")
What’s the hypocrisy here? Is it just the cellphone thing? Because if that’s it… meh. She got in a car accident. There’s no evidence of substance abuse. There’s no evidence of abuse of power to get out of responsibility for the accident. As near as I can tell, we’re supposed to be pissed because she’s a Democrat, and a lesbian. And that’s pretty much the entire reason I voted for her in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/12 "2007-05-23T18:16:42Z")
[QUOTE=Frank] Never attribute to political hypocrisy what can be explained by human stupidity. (But yeah, I’ll admit she’s a hypocrite.) [/QUOTE] Hey!! Where’s the righteous indignation over phrases like “chair of the majority Democrat caucus” and gratuitious references to sexual orientation? I paid good money for my subscription. I demand that a beet-eyed leftist give the OP a thorough thrashing. Or at the very least, a stern glare. I warn you: my arms are akimbo, and I am tapping my toe. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/13 "2007-05-23T18:18:53Z")
Well, you’d think that. But I remember during the whole Bill Janklow mess, his recklessness and arrogance were seen by some as indicative of Republican attitudes in general. Now, I wouldn’t dream of saying the same applies here. But that means of course that Bill Janklow’s sins, and Carole Migden’s, are theirs alone. If we can draw any lessons at all, it is about the arrogance and recklessness of politicians in general, who do seem to disproportionately get caught up in these kinds of things. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/14 "2007-05-23T18:19:31Z")
I’m not beet-eyed, but I am turnip-eared. Is that close enough? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/15 "2007-05-23T18:20:22Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] Hey!! Where’s the righteous indignation over phrases like “chair of the majority Democrat caucus” and gratuitious references to sexual orientation? I paid good money for my subscription. I demand that a beet-eyed leftist give the OP a thorough thrashing. Or at the very least, a stern glare. I warn you: my arms are akimbo, and I am tapping my toe. [/QUOTE] I didn’t read the “blog [that] sum[med] it up in a nice editorial manner.” I googled for news instead. I’m 50 now; I have to watch my blood pressure. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/16 "2007-05-23T18:24:18Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] Now, I wouldn’t dream of saying the same applies here. But that means of course that Bill Janklow’s sins, and Carole Migden’s, are theirs alone. If we can draw any lessons at all, it is about the arrogance and recklessness of politicians in general, who do seem to disproportionately get caught up in these kinds of things. [/QUOTE] That’s probably an overstatement too. Politicians get disproportionately reported on and grouped as a single unit, but while I don’t think we have any scientific cites available to settle the matter, we certainly have more than enough asshole drivers in general running around (and even asshole drivers who make press, but just aren’t all as forcefully grouped in whatever groups they might fall into) to question the reliability of any judgment we might have on whether or not politicians are more arrogant than people in the general public. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/17 "2007-05-23T18:26:19Z")
In fairness, the blogger himself put “Democrat” in parentheses, so maybe even he realized how extraneous it was. Besides, how else is it going to pull Google hits when his would-be readers run searches for “+Democrat +arrogance”? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/18 "2007-05-23T18:28:22Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] Hey!! Where’s the righteous indignation over phrases like “chair of the majority Democrat caucus” and gratuitious references to sexual orientation? I paid good money for my subscription. I demand that a beet-eyed leftist give the OP a thorough thrashing. Or at the very least, a stern glare. I warn you: my arms are akimbo, and I am tapping my toe. [/QUOTE] I’ll make you a deal: send me some footage of Migden’s driving, and I’ll ‘diagnose’ what she’s been drinking and what drugs she’s been doing. You do with that what you like. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/19 "2007-05-23T18:29:34Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto] Well, you’d think that. But I remember during the whole Bill Janklow mess, his recklessness and arrogance were seen by some as indicative of Republican attitudes in general. [/quote] Cite? I never saw the criticism extend any further than Janklow himself. Count me as someone who sees party affiliation to be irrelevant in both these cases. Now the Republican Man/Boy Love coverup, on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![anamnesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@anamnesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anamnesis)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253/20 "2007-05-23T18:30:37Z")
I said she’s a testament to political hypocrisy. I didn’t mention anything about party affiliation or sexual orientation, so clearly my mistake was in linking to a “biased political blog”. I’m coming down on her for being a hypocrite, not for being a Democrat or a lesbian. Fact is that she said (supported) one thing and did another, plain and simple … but this is the Dope, so on with the mixing of issues! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/senator-carole-migden-a-testament-to-political-hypocrisy/405253.md?page=2)