# The hypocrisy of Fox News vis-a-vis whining about sexism. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 22, 2008, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643 "2008-09-22T05:17:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/21 "2008-09-22T17:57:40Z")
> [@Sinaijon](#): > > Right. Calling Hillary ugly is sexist, calling Palin a bimbo isn’t. What ever happened to calling a spade a spade? That’s not sexist, that’s racist. ---
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/22 "2008-09-22T17:57:49Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I don’t want to tell you your business, but your cite pretty much refutes your point. Maybe you should actually read it. Diogenes (in the cite) was making the case that it’s _not_ sexist to call a spade a spade. Ie, it’s OK to call Palin a bimbo. Then he starts this thread, complaining that some show called Hillary ugly, and is therefore sexist. ---
**Author:** ![Sinaijon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Sinaijon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinaijon)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/23 "2008-09-22T17:59:05Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > It wouldn’t be done to a male candidate. Exactly. So you are admitting calling Palin a bimbo is sexist? Wow. I wasn’t expecting that. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/24 "2008-09-22T18:02:58Z")
> [@Sinaijon](#): > > Maybe you should actually read it. Diogenes (in the cite) was making the case that it’s _not_ sexist to call a spade a spade. Ie, it’s OK to call Palin a bimbo. > > Then he starts this thread, complaining that some show called Hillary ugly, and is therefore sexist. No he was making the point that calling Palin inexperienced isn’t sexst. He was using the Hillary/bitch - Palin/bimbo thing as an example … not one of sterling civility, I grant you. ---
**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:** [September 22, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/25 "2008-09-22T18:04:15Z")
> [@ArizonaTeach](#): > > Zing! Next time, go ahead and go with the rubber and glue thing. > Let me help you out - if you’ve ever called Sarah Palin a “dingbat housewife,” you might not be a feminist! Bzzzz. Incorrect. I know you guys are new at this, but let me help YOU out. Some women ARE dingbats, juts like some men are. It’s not anti-feminist to say so. > [@](#): > > If you’ve intimated that she should stay home with her children, you might not be a feminist! If you’re a stunning mysgonist, you’re probably not a feminist. Whi the hell has suggested that? I certainly haven’t. I understand that Dr. Laura has been exoriating Palin over that, but she’s not exactly a liberal. That liberals in any significant numbers have said anything like this is sheer right wing echo chamber mythology > [@](#): > > Disrespecting a woman who **is** qualified simply because she has different viewpoints of what certain people claim feminism is, you mean? 'Cause that’s what’s happening. Let me break some news for you here, partner. She is not even CLOSE to fucking qualified. > [@](#): > > Yes! There you go! Let’s compare Biden raising his children with the comments about Palin raising hers. Thank you for proving my point. Glad to have you on the Right side. There’s that right wing mythology again. You really do believe everything you hear on the radio, don’t you? ---
**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:** [September 22, 2008, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/26 "2008-09-22T18:06:14Z")
> [@Sinaijon](#): > > Exactly. So you are admitting calling Palin a bimbo is sexist? Wow. I wasn’t expecting that. I called Quayle a bimbo too, moron. Quayle was an unqualified dimbulb chosen for his looks just like Palin. ---
**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:** [September 22, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/27 "2008-09-22T18:08:39Z")
> [@Sinaijon](#): > > Maybe you should actually read it. Diogenes (in the cite) was making the case that it’s _not_ sexist to call a spade a spade. Ie, it’s OK to call Palin a bimbo. > > Then he starts this thread, complaining that some show called Hillary ugly, and is therefore sexist. Actually, my complaint was about hypocrisy, not sexism _per se_. Fox News wants to scream sexism at the drop of a hat when it comes to Palin, but still reserve the right to make sexually degrading comments about Hillary. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/28 "2008-09-22T18:13:24Z")
> [@ArizonaTeach](#): > > Disrespecting a woman who **is** qualified simply because she has different viewpoints of what certain people claim feminism is, you mean? 'Cause that’s what’s happening. Thank you ever so much for telling me what I think! I guess sometimes us girls need a hand articulating our opinons. :rolleyes: I don’t care what her views are, she’s a fucking \*joke \*as a candidate for the vice presidency. I’d never say that about any number of other women with whom I happen to disagree about “feminist” issues. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/29 "2008-09-22T18:21:39Z")
> [@Sinaijon](#): > > Maybe you should actually read it. Diogenes (in the cite) was making the case that it’s _not_ sexist to call a spade a spade. Ie, it’s OK to call Palin a bimbo. > > Then he starts this thread, complaining that some show called Hillary ugly, and is therefore sexist. Because ugly has jackshit to do with her qualifications for office, maybe? :dubious: ---
**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:** [September 22, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/30 "2008-09-22T18:27:12Z")
She’s also 60 years old. It’s not like she’s trying out for America’s Next Top Model. It’s also not like that idiot, Gutfeld, is exactly George fucking Clooney. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/31 "2008-09-22T18:41:24Z")
> [@ArizonaTeach](#): > > Yes! There you go! Let’s compare Biden raising his children with the comments about Palin raising hers. Thank you for proving my point. Glad to have you on the Right side. Biden has several children, all of whom I believe are now adults. They seem mostly unscandalous. All are college students or grads. Sarah Palin publicly stated that her minor daughter was pregnant. Why she made this public is what is despicable: she did it to dispel rumors that baby Trig was her grandson, not her son. Why she didn’t come up with her own hospital records to dispel this rumor and spare Bristol the public spotlight shows her own personal selfishness. Palin lets this same pregnant minor daughter drink alcohol in the home, which is now public knowledge thanks to Bristol’s friends publishing the cell phone photos of the activities on the internet. This shows very poor judgment twice on Sarah Palin’s part: first in throwing her daughter to the paparazzi to save her own hide, and second letting a minor drink compounded by the fact that the minor is pregnant and drinking. Bristol’s drinking while pregnant should land Bristol in the care of social services and outside the custody of the Gov and First Dude, along with criminal charges for the Gov and First Dude. Nor am I on the “Right” side. Sarah Palin is woefully under qualified to be governor of Alaska, having barely graduated from her fifth or sixth college and having no life experience other than pursuing vendettas while being mayor of her small town. Her primary achievement as mayor was to redecorate her office with red velvet wallpaper and fail to fire the local librarian for refusing to get on board with her book burning mobile. As governor Palin continued to be vengeful, spending her time trying to get her ex-brother in law fired for indiscretions he had already been punished for and ruining the careers of people who tried to stop her because her personal efforts to re-punish the ex-brother in law were unprofessional. While Biden has been a leader in Congress for 30 years, sponsoring many bills and doing an enormous amount of committee work, etc. all building a world wide reputation, Palin has been a local sportswoman and vindictive small town pol. Biden has a law degree in addition to his undergraduate degree. He has served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, dealing with issues related to drug policy, crime prevention, and civil liberties, and led creation of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act and Violence Against Women Act. Biden is also a long-time member and current chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Palin claimed to have visited Iraq and Ireland, neither of which she has done. She did get to a Kuwaiti border crossing with Iraq, but did not go into Iraq. Her airplane home did stop for refueling in Ireland, but Palin did not frost any lucky charms while she was there, or leave the airport at any time. When comparing Palin and Biden, one has to wonder what McCain thought qualified Palin to be Vice President of the United States. Comparing Palin to any candidate who ran for either of the two parties’ nomination this cycle leaves one wondering. Even the bizarre Alan Keyes who ran in 2000 is more qualified than Palin. Now, I am going to go even further out on a limb: I don’t think that Palin’s not knowing initially what Charlie Gibson was talking about the Bush Doctrine is a big deal. I wouldn’t have known it by that name. But when he prompted her that it was preemptive warfare, she and most Americans who followed the entry into the Iraq war should have been able to discuss the policy of preemptive war and the primary issue: imminent threat. She was clueless and gave the kind of bullshit answer a high school student who wasn’t paying attention and didn’t watch the news would give: blah, blah, blah. And on edit: McCain has shown extraordinarily poor judgment in choosing Palin. He should be rejected as president for that reason alone. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/32 "2008-09-22T22:37:38Z")
> [@ArizonaTeach](#): > > That’s ok. The past few weeks have made it painfully obvious that liberals don’t understand what feminism is. No what else isn’t feminist? Thinking that supporters of Clinton would switch to Palin because she is a woman. As expected, women are a lot smarter than Pubbies give them credit for. “Protecting” her from the big bad media who might disrespect her by asking questions isn’t feminist either. In fact it sounds like how fundamentalist Moslems “protect” their women. If she was so darn qualified, why not let her out on her own? Snow Job Square Glasses is already a joke, and getting worse. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/33 "2008-09-23T00:14:28Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > … > Let me break some news for you here, partner. She is not even CLOSE to fucking qualified. Even if she has EXECUTIVE experience that neither Obama nor Biden have? What more experience/qualifications (as opposed to personal qualities) does Obama have? **DtC** , I know that you have seen the light of “The One” and cannot imagine that anyone can be unitentionally against him (sorry, Him), only through hatred.Also that, as a result of this experience, you cannot be wrong in things Obama (and other miscellaneous election stuff). Yes, there is hypocrisy in Fox, but isn’t it your job (personally and collectively as part of those-who-have-communed-with-the-Annointed) to show us the True Path? Isn’t it therefore hypocritical to attack Sarah Palin with basically the same type of insults? Not being privvy (as you are) to what the definition of sexism is in the "He-who-shall-bring-Change " Bible, sexism -in my book- is treating a person badly because of their sex. Bimbo means “air-head woman”, it is the sexist version of stupid. “Ugly” isn’t remotely as sexist. Claiming to be an agent of change while your VP possibly has streets named after him in D.C. is hypocrisy. And please -before I go to the “brimtonest” place in Obama hell- don’t try to fool us by pretending it is about qualifications. You have a dogmatic version of what a woman must think. All outside it are wrong in an unforgivable way. If she’d been mildly pro-Choice (and, of course, aborting the clump of cells that turned out to be her extra-chromosomed kid) adn at least neutral on the gay marriage issue, noting else would matter. P.S. I wonder if it is even possible to be qualified to be a VP candidate while being at the same time pro-life and not in favor of gy marrige…nah, impossible. On edit: Will it be a disdainful answer? or will I feel the wrath? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/34 "2008-09-23T00:26:01Z")
Careful, **Ají de Gallina**. Using that logic, Palin has more experience than John McCain. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/35 "2008-09-23T00:27:49Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > Even if she has EXECUTIVE experience that neither Obama nor Biden have? > What more experience/qualifications (as opposed to personal qualities) does Obama have? If executive experience is so ass-fucking delightful to you Pubbies, why the bloody hell isn’t she at the top of the ticket then? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/36 "2008-09-23T00:34:44Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > What’s sexist about calling Palin a bimbo? It’s a female stereotype falsely applied. Even admitting she’s a remarkably poor VP candidate, Sarah Palin is not a “bimbo” by any definition in common use in English. It’s sexist. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2008, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/37 "2008-09-23T00:35:53Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Careful, **Ají de Gallina**. Using that logic, Palin has more experience than John McCain. Piffle. McCain spent some two years as the XO and CO of the largest Naval Air squadron. He’s got her beat by six months. (He did so well at it that he never made Admiral.) ---
**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:** [September 23, 2008, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/38 "2008-09-23T00:51:26Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > Even if she has EXECUTIVE experience that neither Obama nor Biden have? She has irrelevant and inapplicable “executive experence,” and not very much of that. This whole game of trying to frame her brief Governorship of a tiny state as some kind of valuable “executive experience” which outweighs the real and legitimate experience of the other three principles in this election is a joke. It’s bullshit. It’s a diversionary tactic designed to draw attention away from how green and unqualified this woman really is. Truth be told, she isn’t even qualified to be Governor of Alska, much less Vice President. > [@](#): > > What more experience/qualifications (as opposed to personal qualities) does Obama have? Let’s start with academics. Miss Wasilla squeaked out a bachelor’s degree after bouncing around enough community clleges to finally patch together enough credits to graduate from something. Barack Obama has a degrees from Columbia and from Harvard Law School. Not only does that mean there is no comparison between him and Princess Snowflake in terms of education, it also means he’s a _lawyer_. That’s a qualification that Barbie doesn’t have right there. His professional experience before he went into politics includes not only the Community Organizing that Republicans like to mock so much, but also12 years teaching Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago – a school that Sarah Palin would not even qualify to be a _student_, much less faculty. There’s also his work as a civil rights attorney and some other private sector work. I believe Palin’s major, non-political career was as a pagent contestant and a tv weather girl. As far as political careers, Obama spent 7 years as a major mover in one of the largest state legislatures in the US, then moved into the US Senate, while Sarah Palin was the mayor of a sparsely populated meth lab community just up north of Bumfuck, Alaska. After that she somehow weaseled her way into the Governorship, where she distinguished herself with her avarice for earmarks and her abuse of office to pursue personal vendettas. Aside from that, she’s also stupid while Obama is smart. > [@](#): > > **DtC** , I know that you have seen the light of “The One” and cannot imagine that anyone can be unitentionally against him (sorry, Him), only through hatred.Also that, as a result of this experience, you cannot be wrong in things Obama (and other miscellaneous election stuff). No idea what any of this means. Want to try it again in English. > [@](#): > > Yes, there is hypocrisy in Fox, but isn’t it your job (personally and collectively as part of those-who-have-communed-with-the-Annointed) to show us the True Path? Isn’t it therefore hypocritical to attack Sarah Palin with basically the same type of insults? Your references are going over my head. My “job?” What are you talking about? “The anointed?” I’m an atheist. Do you think I’m some kind of Christian or something. You’ll have to be more clear. I don’t understand what you’re asking. Have you mistaken me for somebody else? > [@](#): > > Bimbo means “air-head woman”, it is the sexist version of stupid. “Ugly” isn’t remotely as sexist. I don’t call Palin a bimbo because she’;s a woman, but because she is, as you acknowledge, an airhead. It’s not sexist. Calling Hillary “ugky,”: is sheer, mindless, stupid, witless misogyny. > [@](#): > > And please -before I go to the “brimtonest” place in Obama hell- don’t try to fool us by pretending it is about qualifications. You have a dogmatic version of what a woman must think. All outside it are wrong in an unforgivable way. This is complete bullshit, unsupported by anything I’ve ever fucking said in my life. > [@](#): > > If she’d been mildly pro-Choice (and, of course, aborting the clump of cells that turned out to be her extra-chromosomed kid) adn at least neutral on the gay marriage issue, noting else would matter. I don’t know who you think you’re talking to, but I don’t give a shit one way or the other about her fucking baby. Her personal choice doesn’t mean shit to me. The problem is she wants to use the powers ofr the state to remove the choice from others. > [@](#): > > P.S. I wonder if it is even possible to be qualified to be a VP candidate while being at the same time pro-life and not in favor of gy marrige…nah, impossible. Sure it is. Palin is not being called unqualifiued because of her ideological positions (as mean and as stupid as they are), but because she actually is UNQUALIFIED. ---
**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:** [September 23, 2008, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/39 "2008-09-23T00:53:35Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > It’s a female stereotype falsely applied. Even admitting she’s a remarkably poor VP candidate, Sarah Palin is not a “bimbo” by any definition in common use in English. It’s sexist. She’s an unqualified airhead chosen for a job because of her looks and her gender. She’s a bimbo. It’s not sexist, because it’s not a word that can be used to apply to all women. And I called Quayle a bimbo too. ---
**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:** [September 23, 2008, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643/40 "2008-09-23T00:56:46Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > If executive experience is so ass-fucking delightful to you Pubbies, why the bloody hell isn’t she at the top of the ticket then? Oh, plenty of them want her to be. In some corners of the internet and privately IRL, a lot of them are saying they want McCain to get elected then die in office. They think it’s “God plan.” Some of them are even praying for it. Palin fanatics are some sick motherfuckers, man. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hypocrisy-of-fox-news-vis-a-vis-whining-about-sexism/464643.md?page=3)