Yes, Ann, It Works (As It Should).

Ann Romney missed her chance. Talking Points Memo on Wednesday reported

Democratic accusations that Republicans are engaged in a "War on Women" are "offensive" and "not gonna work," Ann Romney said in a Fox News interview that aired Tuesday.

"It's ridiculous," Romney said. "Honestly. I mean, I don't think they're getting very far with that by the way. It's not gonna work. I think women are a lot smarter than that. And that's kind of offensive to me to tell you the truth."

Romney's comment came after she was asked about previous remarks by Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz who said Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) had "given women the back of his hand."

Queen Ann might have wrapped herself in the flag, a time-honored and effective tradition, and called Democrats out for trivializing war.  Democrats could have responded that there has been a "war on" drugs, coal, the middle class, and virtually everything but war itself (a "war on war"- that one might be refreshing).  But with a little preparation by Minister of Propaganda Frank Luntz, Romney's response might have carried the day.

Democrats, for their part, might have reacted to Ann Romney by agreeing that women are quite smart, as demonstrated by Mr. Romney capturing among women a mere 44% of the two-party vote in 2012, the largest gender gap found in Gallup's presidential polling (chart, below).

The "war on" jargon is grotesquely overused. Still, in another of the Repub assaults on women's rights, Laura Clawson of Daily Kos in March noted

North Carolina's Republican candidates for U.S. Senate believe that the state has the right to ban contraceptives. Candidates Ted Alexander, Greg Bannon, and Heather Grant think states should be able to ban contraceptives, but claim they don't think North Carolina should actually do so. Mark Harris thinks states should be able to do so, but doesn't think any ever would. And state House Speaker Thom Tillis, the likely frontrunner in the primary, thinks states should have the right to ban contraceptives and won't say whether he thinks North Carolina should...

Obviously, Republican candidates who are willing to talk about the right to ban contraceptives are uniformly in favor of a fetal personhood amendment, which—oh, look at that—might lead to a ban on certain forms of birth control. Funny how that circles back, isn't it?

So there is serious antipathy in the Repub Party to the rights of, oh, roughly 50% of the population, aside from minorities, the poor, the working class, and students.  But, fortunately, Mrs. Romney is wrong in her other assertion.

"Honestly," she says, and leading off with "honestly" (are we to think she usually is not speaking honestly?), you question her sincerity.   "I don't think they're getting very far with that by the way. It's not gonna work," the would-be First Lady maintained.

Guess again, wife of he who holds contempt for nearly half of Americans.  We take you to the case of Martha McSally, Repub opponent of Arizona Representative Ron Barber, the latter representing the district of former Representative Gabby Giffords, noted gunshot victim.When McSally ran for the seat unsuccessfully in 2012, her ads included one (below) comparing herself to Democrat Giffords. 

Gabby and her husband were not amused and recently the organization, Americans for Responsible Solutions, headed by Giffords ran an two ads criticizing McSally for opposition to closing the gun show loophole. One (below) features a woman named Carol who says her daughter was killed by a criminal who bought a firearm at a gun show and didn’t receive a background check — a check, she states, that McSally would oppose.

“To McSally, it’s just politics,” Carol says as she clutches a picture of her deceased daughter. “To me, it’s personal.”

McSally and The Arizona Republic vehemently complained about the ads (nothing more "vile," as the newspaper called it, than criticism based on issues). Two days  ago, Politico observed

Former Rep. Gabby Giffords’ pro-gun-control group has taken down a harsh ad against Arizona House candidate Martha McSally after the Republican explained her position on allowing stalkers to buy guns.

The ad features a woman named Vicki who recounts how her 19-year-old daughter was hunted down and murdered by an enraged ex-boyfriend, while a narrator says McSally, who is running for Giffords’ old seat in Congress, “opposes making it harder for stalkers to get a gun.”

But the ad wasn't taken down because of pressure. Rather, Politico continues,

The decision to take down the ad 24 hours before it was scheduled to go off the air was made based what Pia Carusone, executive director for Americans for Responsible Solutions, described as a change in McSally’s position.

The group, which includes a super PAC and nonprofit arm, is supporting Democratic Rep. Ron Barber, a former aide to Giffords, against McSally.

Carusone said the group received a letter from McSally’s campaign laying out the Republican’s position on access to guns for stalkers convicted of felonies and misdemeanors.

McSally “supports the full enforcement of federal laws that are in place to keep guns out of the hands of prohibited persons, including convicted felons (including stalkers), domestic abusers, the mentally ill, and people in the country illegally,” the letter states. It goes on to stress that McSally also “supports adding misdemeanor stalking to the list of criminal offenses that would keep dangerous individuals from obtaining guns in other states where stalking can also be a misdemeanor.”

McSally has said nothing of her evidently continuing opposition to closing the gun-show loophole, apparently because- unlike stalking- that does not disproportionately affect women. A word to the wise to stalkers in Arizona: buy your firearms on line or at gun shows. 

That brings us around to Ann Romney, who "honestly" believes the liberal Democratic charge that the GOP is waging a war on women will be unsuccessful. She says "I don't think they're getting very far with that by the way. It's not gonna work. "  Welcome to Arizona, Ann, where the gun subculture is prevalent and a pro-gun candidate slides by when her only concession is that stalkers shouldn't buy firearms. At gun shops.

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Two Peas In An Elitist Pod


The United States of America may not survive. Campaigning in June against the (unsuccessful) effort to recall Governor Scott Walker, Representative Paul Ryan exclaimed "On Tuesday, we save Wisconsin.   On November 6th, Wisconsin saves America."

But Ann Romney, who believes "no one will move heaven and earth" (to help the country) more than her husband, knows that salvation lies not in party, but in man.    In a radio interview in March, she remarked of her husband "he's the only one who can save America."

This proved to be no gaffe, no slip of the tongue when in August she explained to Natalie Morales of Rock Center with Brian Williams

We have a reason why we're running and it's because I believe in my heart that Mitt is going to save America. That economically we are in such difficult times and that he is the person that's gonna pull us through this. And it's propelled me through the negative criticism. And I am stalwart and steadfast and positive and confident that still to this day Mitt is the person who's going to save America and he's gonna get us back on track.

August would have been reported as a bad month for Mrs. Romney, if the media had cared to pay attention.     Ann, ever the compassionate and caring soul, first told a Latino Coalition luncheon on August 29 “I spoke to women last night and I wanted women to understand how important this election is for their children."   Then it got a little ugly as she warned

You’d better really look at your future and figure out who’s going to be the guy that’s going to make it better for you and your children, and there is only one answer... It really is a message that would resonate well if they could just get past some of their biases that have been there from the Democratic machines that have made us look like we don’t care about this community.

You better do it, if you know what's good for you, the would-be Queen First Lady told a group of people she fears just cannot get past its prejudice.

It shouldn't be any surprise that her husband would express a similar disdain for Americans when he commented at the home of a fund-raiser in May

There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that's an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what…These are people who pay no income tax.

No compassionate conservatism, there.  The candidate does not pretend that students, the elderly, or people down on their luck ought to vote for Republicans (though sadly, many do). Notwithstanding the candor expressed in a room of fellow multi-millionaires to fellow multi-millionaires, Mitt Romney has a lot in common with his wife.   They are people who really, really are not fond of people who are unlike them.   As then- New Jersey Republican Governor Tom Kean would have put it, "Mitt and Ann- Perfect Together."



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Of M. Obama and Fox News


Let's help out Fox News hosts Chris Wallace and Britt Hume.   First, we'll give them the benefit of the doubt by attributing to ignorance, rather than dishonesty, their comments following the speech (transcript here) last night of Michelle Obama.   Then, we'll disabuse them of their misguided notion, then suggest where they legitimately could have criticized the First Lady.

Wallace, (poorly) playing the part of the objective reporter on the convention floor, remarked

I thought it was an OK speech but as you heard her delivery, it was just masterful. And she was reading from a Teleprompter. But you couldn’t tell. It seemed to come totally from her heart and very much seemed to affect the crowd... I’ve got to say, listening closely to the speech, one of the things that struck me was it was all about government. When she talked at the beginning about the people who exemplified the best of the American spirit, she talked about teachers and first responders and the military. All very admirable professions. But all government.When she talked about ways to build the middle class, it was all about the auto bailout and student loans and health care reform. Once again, all government programs. And that was a subtle subtext to the entire speech.

As one of Fox News' commentators, Hume a moment later contended “There was no mention… about the private sector."

Admittedly, Michelle Obama did speak of public employees:  of teachers; of "heroes" flying across the country to put out a fire … driving for hours to bail out a flooded town;" and of soldiers, "our men and women in uniform and our proud military families … in wounded warriors who tell me they’re not just going to walk again, they’re going to run, and they’re going to run marathons … in the young man blinded by a bomb in Afghanistan."  

That would be one more time than Mitt Romney mentioned Afghanistan... or American soldiers... or rescue workers.   And Obama acknowledged that she and her husband couldn't do it alone, that "nearly all of our tuition came from student loans and grants."    No man or woman an island, but "so many people had a hand in our success."   They needed help, and Americans- collectively- responded, a tendency distasteful to Fox News.

But while it is true that the First Lady cited "government" as often- zero times- as she did the "private sector," she did in fact refer to the private sector, specifically "where a steel plant had shut down."  Of course, GOP TV would not acknowledge that steel workers are private employees, given that it might bring up inconvenient thoughts of GSX Steel, closed after Romney's Bain Capital  "forced the company to take on hundreds of millions in debt to pay themselves and finance acquisitions, ultimately leading it towards bankruptcy."

Nearly to the extent of Ann Romney's speech to the GOP convention, Mrs. Obama's speech was content-free, as virtually required by law when a male candidate's spouse addresses delegates.   She did deviate, however, from her emphasis on family biography when, without sadness, regret, or irony as a Democrat, she stated "I’ve seen it in teachers in a near-bankrupt school district who vowed to keep teaching without pay."   Digby observes

The best of the human spirit is not being forced to work yourself into an early grave, whether it's here or in Greece. There was too much extolling of the American worker's willingness to work more hours for less pay in various speeches last night. As long as 1%ers like Mitt and Ann Romney are spending millions for dressage horses that's just not acceptable.

A "news" network committed to the election of conservative Republicans, however, cannot find anything wrong with the idea of public sector employees working pro bono (or private sector employees for a $7.25 minimum wage).   Not when President Obama is accused by his opponents of running down the private sector while all net job loss during his Administration has taken place in the public sector and corporate profits have risen 58% since mid-2009.   And not when the GOP presidential candidate, during his entire acceptance speech, cold find no room to praise teachers, police, firefighters, armed service personnel, health care workers, or any public employees, save the late Neil Armstrong.   To Fox News, then, as to many of the powers in the Party for which the network advocates, the only good public employee is a _____ public employee.  You fill in the blank.

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Salvation By Faith In Mitt Alone

Controversy seems to follow Michelle Obama.  On April 13, the First Lady had the nerve to proclaim

But this election is also a choice about the health of our families.  Now, the fact is that over the past century -- all right, 100 years -- there have been so many Presidents who have tried and failed to meet the challenge of health care reform.  But fortunately your President was determined.  Fortunately he was driven by the stories of people he'd met.  We all know these stories -- the grandparents who couldn't afford their medications; the families going broke because a child got sick; the woman dying of cancer whose insurance company wouldn't cover her care. And let me tell you something, that's what kept Barack going day after day.  That's why he fought so hard for this historic reform. 

Media Matters caught Fox News contributor Deroy Murdock alleging "We've got President Obama's supporters and even Michelle Obama saying that if you vote for the Republicans, people will get cancer."   Another Fox News contributor, syndicated columnist/author Michelle Malkin, claimed Mrs. Obama was suggesting "that somehow, if Republicans are elected to the White House, that all of these people are going to die, die, die."

Obviously, Mrs. Obama said nothing of the sort.    Murdock and Malkin act as if unaware that the Affordable Care Act closed the infamous prescription drug doughnut hole in Medicare, prohibited denial of coverage of children under 19 based on preexisting conditions, eliminated lifetime limits on insurance coverage, and prohibited insurance companies from rescinding coverage by choosing to deny services to a covered individual when he or she gets sick.   Mrs. Obama simply chose a more graphic means to demonstrate the impact of reforms such as these in the PPACA.

Malkin tried to draw a parallel between the Obama comment and the controversial ad produced by Priorities USA about the death from cancer of the wife of a worker who had lost his job because of Bain Capital.    No parallel between Michelle Obama's statement and any ad exists- but Malkin could have drawn a straight line between another of Obama's comments and one by the woman anxious to succeed her as First Lady.

During the last presidential campaign four years ago, Michelle Obama remarked "People in this country are ready for change and hungry for a different kind of politics and... for the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback."     Accordingly, she brought down upon herself a torrent of abuse, presumably because she seemed proud of her country only because its people were considering electing to the presidency her husband.

Selective outrage is clearly prevalent in today's Republican Party.   Politicians, pundits, and others were simply aghast at Mrs. Obama's attitude.   There was no such outpouring of disgust, however, when  earlier this summer the heartthrob of the GOP Young Guns exclaimed "On Tuesday we save Wisconsin.   On November 6th we save America."

Nor has there been a backlash against Queen Ann Ann Romney, who in March said her husband "is the only one who can save America" an this week told NBC News' Natalie Morales (segment transcript, here)

We have a reason why we're running and it's because I believe in my heart that Mitt is going to save America. That economically we are in such difficult times and that he is the person that's gonna pull us through this. And it's propelled me through the negative criticism. And I am stalwart and steadfast and positive and confident that still to this day Mitt is the person who's going to save America and he's gonna get us back on track. 

As Bill Maher noted on HBO's Real Time in referring to Mrs. Romney's remarks, America does not need "saving."    The nation is not irretrievable, lost without the redemption that can come only by Willard Mitt Romney.    It need not be salvaged from the trash heap of Mrs. Romney's imagination, but instead will survive any Democratic, or Republican, administration without need of rescue.

Perhaps the increasing reference by conservatives to the need for the country to be "saved" comes from the religious impulse of many individuals in the Gas and Oil Party.   If so, it is an odd perversion of Christianity, seeing man (or woman, as long as she's a conservative Republican), rather than God, as savior.

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Double Standard



ABC News reports that both Michelle Obama and Ann Romney are decidedly more popular than their husbands.    First Lady Michelle

Obama is seen favorably by 69 percent of the public, unfavorably by 24 percent – not her best rating (76-16 percent in March 2009) but a broadly positive one. Her favorability rating is 13 points higher than her husband’s; her unfavorable score, 16 points lower.

Romney’s rating is 40-30 percent favorable-unfavorable in this poll, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates. While much less positive than Obama’s, some of that has to do with Romney’s shorter time in the spotlight: Thirty percent are undecided about her, compared with 7 percent undecided about Obama.

Romney, in any case, does better than her husband’s 35-47 percent rating last week. She’s a scant 5 points higher than Mitt Romney in favorability, but a broader 17 points lower in unfavorable ratings. As noted last week, Mitt Romney’s basic popularity ratings are the weakest for any presumptive presidential nominee in ABC/Post polls during primary seasons since 1984.

Ann Romney apparently has been a big hit on the campaign trail and in the media.      On Monday she appeared at the Connecticut Republican Party’s Prescott Bush Awards Dinner in Stamford and gave a speech which reporter Andrew Kaczynski described as "intense and personal (which) received a rapturous reception.    It was, several members of the crowd told Buzzfeed, 'incredible.;"       Kaczynski also credited the candidate's wife with having "alluded to the fact that not all women can stay at home saying

I love the fact that there are women out there who don’t have a choice and they must go to work and they still have to raise the kids. Thank goodness that we value those people too. And sometimes life isn’t easy for any of us.

Whoa.   Let's back that up a bit.    "I love the fact that there are women out there who don't have a choice?"     Not all candidates or their wives come out in favor of denying choice to women.    Oh, sure, they do oppose choice in reproductive decisions- but that's framed as opposition to abortion, considered by half or more of the population as killing.     They don't actually say they're opposed to giving women a choice
.
But that's not all.   Mrs. Romney is glad those women "must go to work and they still have to raise the kids."      Certainly, millions of such women do extremely well at their job and at raising their children.     But it's probably not a happy situation that so many of Ann's gender have to do both.    Something has gone awry in society and being cheered that some women have no choice but to raise children and go out to a job seems a little, well, perverse.

And, ahem, wasn't it a mere few weeks ago, when, defending Ann Romney's life choice, Republicans (and President Obama) were solemnly intoning (accurately) that raising children is real work?    Here is Ann Romney, again:  ".... and they must go to work and they still have to raise the kids."     Go to work and still raise the kids?   Isn't that work?

It's not surprising that the wives of male presidential candidates are more popular than the candidates themselves.    There is the favorable media the spouses generally receive, as in this instance, and probably a lower expectation of the wives, who are not expected to be political professionals.    That in turn leads to application of a lower standard in evaluating their statements.     Consider for a moment if Mitt Romney had explicitly welcomed a denial of choice to women as well as additional, mandatory duties for mothers, and implied a stark distinction between "work" and "raising the kids."
  
If the candidate himself had made such a ridiculous statement, the remainder of the race would be played out just to satisfy the tradition of presidential campaigns.    It would be, in effect, over.    The lack of attention paid to what would by any candidate on any level be considered an unforgivable slap in the face to women (of any station) and a monumental gaffe is remarkable and a reflection of the condescension applied to the wives of male presidential candidates.




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Work


O.K., O.K., everyone has moved on from Hilary Rosen and Ann Romney.      But, tiresome as it may seem to some, not this blog.    Writing on Politico on April 14, Patrick Gavin (prior to last night's episode) wrote

On Friday's "Real Time," Maher double (sic) down on Hilary Rosen's controversial statement that Ann Romney had "never worked a day in her life" by saying that, "what she meant to say, I think, was that Ann Romney has never gotten her ass out of the house to work."

"No one is denying that being a mother is a tough job," said Maher. "I remember that I was a handful. Okay, but there is a big difference in being a mother, and that tough job, and getting your ass out of the door at 7am when it’s cold, having to deal with the boss, being in a workplace, and even if you're unhappy you can’t show it for 8 hours, that is a different kind of tough thing"...

And when Maher announced in March that he would contribute the substantial sum to President Obama's reelection efforts (calling it "the wisest investment I think I could make"), some called on the president to reject the contribution in light of some of Maher's more controversial comments (Maher has, for instance, called Sarah Palin a c-nt and has made sexual references to Rick Santorum's wife). The campaign against Maher heated up in light of the controversy encircling radio host Rush Limbaugh when he called Georgetown Law Student Sandra Fluke a "slut" and "prostitute." Sarah Palin took to her Facebook page to declare, "Pres. Obama says he called Sandra Fluke because of his daughters. For the sake of everyone's daughter, why doesn't his super PAC return the $1 million he got from a rabid misogynist?"...

The decision not to denounce Maher publicly struck some as inconsistent, as Obama was quick to weigh in on the Fluke incident, calling her during the heat of the controversy. And, during a press conference, Obama said of the incident that, "And I wanted Sandra to know that I thought her parents should be proud of her, and that we want to send a message to all our young people that being part of a democracy involves argument and disagreements and debate, and we want you to be engaged, and there's a way to do it that doesn't involve you being demeaned and insulted, particularly when you’re a private citizen."

Maher's comment on Friday's program was not taken lightly by many, especially several in the Romney campaign who have used Rosen's -- and now Maher's -- comments to political advantage.

How many times do mainstream journalists, convinced they're fair because they are "balanced," have to be told there is no moral equivalence between a) a fine comedian with no influence on the Obama campaign and the de facto vice-chairman (with respect paid to Chairman Norquist) of the Republican Party; and b) using intemperate, nasty language periodically and continually railing against "feminazis" and yes, occasionally an entire sex?  Apparently, many times.

But the lapse into moral equivalence is not the only obstacle to understanding Maher's comment.      As Gavin noted, Maher remarked

Okay, but there is a big difference in being a mother, and that tough job, and getting your ass out of the door at 7am when it's cold, having to deal with the boss, being in a workplace, and even if you're unhappy you can't show it for 8 hours, that is a different kind of tough thing.

Bill Maher refers to being a mother as "a tough job" and a job outside the home as "a different kind of tough thing."     Outrageous!  Insulting!   Sexist!

Well, it is a different kind of tough thing, even though mothers who are not with their children 24 hours a day do have to get out in cold weather at 7:00 a.m. to get children to school or day care.         But few people seemed fully to comprehend Maher's reference to "getting your ass out of the door at 7am when it’s cold, having to deal with the boss, being in a workplace, and even if you're unhappy you can’t show it for 8 hours,"  

It would have been surprising had there been any thought given by the Fourth Estate to that portion of the comedian's statement.      The members of the national media, or local media stars, who would have offered their opinion have little familiarity with a job entailing "getting your ass out of the door at 7 am when it's cold, having to deal with the boss, being in a workplace," and not being able to complain for 8 hours about the job.

They may have to work evenings and/or weekends, have someone to answer to somewhere, and even have an office.    But many telecommute and even those who work a full day (or more) are unlikely to be tied to a 9:00 am.- 5:00 p.m. job.    Or 8:00 am- 5:30 p.m. job     Or 6:00 p.m.- 11:00 p.m. job.    Their work requires flexibility, whether by choice of the employer or the employee (or both),      And they probably enjoy, or suffer, a job in which complaining is almost expected.     Try that if you're a secretary working at a professional office, waitress at the diner on the highway, or working the cash register at the local (probably non-union) grocery store.    If the journalist is unhappy, he or she may even have the opportunity to exercise at least some horizontal mobility.

When a libertine and occasional libertarian has a better grasp of what an individual goes through in the modern American economy than do most members of the media, the latter should exercise a little discretion in their criticism.


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Hilary Gets This One Right



It was inadvertent, unintentional, and even now Hilary Rosen probably doesn't understand what she did.     Following the infamous remarks the Democratic strategist and CNN pundit made about Ann Romney, President Obama maintained

There’s no tougher job than being a mom. When I think about what Michelle had to do, when I think about my own mom, a single mom who raised me and my sister — that’s work.      Anyone who would argue otherwise probably needs to rethink their statement. More broadly, I don’t have a lot of patience for commentary about spouses of political candidates.

On Thursday, however, Rosen was asked by Wolf Blitzer "But why bring Ann Romney into this conversation? Why did you have to bring – you hated it when conservatives, right-wingers, used to go after Michelle Obama, or a spouse or a wife of any of these Democratic candidates. Why bring her into this conversation?"     She responded

Wolf, I should not have chosen words that seemed to attack Ann Romney's choice in life. And I apologize for that. But Ann Romney and Mitt Romney brought themselves into this conversation. When he goes on the campaign trail and says she is his economic surrogate, when she goes out there and makes these points – I'm not bringing them into this. Come on, that's a little – that's a little too much.

Clearly so.     Unlike David Axelrod, who by twitter merely cited Rosen's contention that Ann Romney has "never worked a day in her life" as "inappropriate and offensive," Obama admitted to little "patience for commentary about spouses of political candidates."    Rosen, though, noted when the candidate "goes on the campaign trail and says she is his economic surrogate.... I'm not bringing them into this."  

And she did not, any more than Barack Obama introduced race into the killing in Sanford, Florida.   Newt Gingrich asserted that President Obama's statement "if I had a son, he would look like Trayvon" (Martin) amounted to "trying to turn it into a racial issue."     But Obama did not turn the incident into a racial issue; it already had an obvious racial component.     Though the President was implying (in failing to indicate why a son of his would look like Martin) that "they all look alike," he was not injecting race where it was absent.    Similarly, Rosen did not "bring (Ann Romney) into this conversation."      She was already there, placed there by the candidate, her husband, who now has exposed her and her views to the same analysis that any surrogate of either candidate should face.

Hilary Rosen's ideas about women's work (warning: cliche ahead) ignited a firestorm.     But Rosen, who noted Mrs. Romney "doesn't have to answer to me.   Her husband is the one running for President" nailed it.     Ann Romney's views as a candidate's wife may be irrelevant, but those she expresses as a surrogate are not.      She has entered the political arena by accepting a role as a surrogate, whose advocacy and arguments should be examined in roughly the same manner as any other surrogate.    

When Hillary Clinton ran for president, her spouse aggressively advocated her cause and his remarks were, appropriately, closely scrutinized.     Obviously, there is a difference between Mr. Clinton and Mrs. Romney- their titles.    Taking a hands off attitude by treating Mrs. Romney different than Mr. Clinton is condescending and smacks of a double standard, one prompted in part by gender.    Notwithstanding President Obama's claim, the statements of Ann Romney should not be ignored, nor patronized by holding the speaker to a lower standard than that of male spouses of candidates.     Barack Obama should know better- which, of course, he does.




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Over Their Heads


It seems everything that could be said about the Hilary Rosen/Ann Romney kerfuffle has been said.    But the dustup regarding Rosen's remark that Ann Romney "has never had to work a day in her life" suggests also: Barack Obama will be re-elected.

He will be re-elected because, notwithstanding the furious denials of conservatives such as Rush Limbaugh, Barack Obama is the smartest guy in the room.    And the smartest person of either sex in national politics.

David Axelrod, President Obama's chief political strategist had it exactly right when by twitter he called the remark "offensive and inappropriate," thus demonstrating that it is possible to use twitter to say something which isn't inane.     Campaign manager Jim Messina and First Lady Michelle Obama joined the chorus of protest.

But there is no one as slick as Barack Obama.   No one.      The Christian Science Monitor explains

In an interview with Cedar Rapids, Iowa TV station KCRG, the president said "there's no tougher job than being a mom" and cited the efforts of his wife, Michelle, and his own mother, a single woman with two children.

"That's work," he said. "So, anybody who would argue otherwise probably needs to rethink their statement."

A candidate for re-election, recognizing the controversial nature of comments made by Democratic strategist Rosen, put himself squarely on the side of "being a mom."     No one ever lost a vote defending motherhood, cherry pie, or the flag (a pin of which Obama always wore as a candidate).       And he did so in a characteristically patronizing manner.

It was hard work for Mrs. Romney to raise a family, particularly with five children and a husband who was probably working long hours making millions by laying people off.       But probably there is even more difficult work, such as being a teacher in an inner-city school; being the lone pastor of a large Protestant congregation, composing a sermon weekly amidst numerous other duties; perhaps being an engineer, anywhere.     Or it could be some work in the service sector, depending on the circumstances of the particular job.     You no doubt can offer your own nominations; your mileage will vary.

In some instances, being a stay-at-home mother can be unusually trying, stressful, and tiring work.    One thing it is not, however, is a job which, according to dictionary.com, is

1.  a piece of work, especially a specific task done as part of the routine of one's occupation or for an agreed price: She gave him the job of  mowing the lawn.

2.  a post of employment; full-time or part-time position: She was seeking a job as an editor.

The President, however, knew nobody would call him on the reference to a "job" or even to there being "no tougher" endeavor.          Though Obama has been slammed for at least four years by Rush Limbaugh and other conservatives for allegedly being "elitist," here the President's remarks were little understood.   

Political Editor Guy Benson at the right-wing townhall.com slammed generous Obama supporter Bill Maher for his critical remark about Ann Romney and the President for an "unrelenting campaign of demagoguery and false statements."      Nonetheless, Benson didn't notice the latter's condescension in the trite reference to motherhood being the 'toughest' job of them all.      Quoting Obama arguing "the spouses of elected officials" are "off-limits," Benson apparently failed to comprehend also that, given criticism of the controversial Michelle Obama, the President's thought was less precept than wish.     

So Barack Obama has laid down the marker:   criticism of a candidate's wife is out-of-bounds.    If he could score a few political points with the oldest and safest claim of them all, that "there is no tougher job than being a mom," all the better.   And if he can do both without criticism from Republicans- who criticize him for practically anything- he has, once again, demonstrated that he is the smartest individual in the room.

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