Taylor Marsh – TaylorMarsh.com – News, Opinion and Weblog on Progressive Politics

I never in a million years thought I’d be posting something like this on this blog. I came up through the modern feminist revolution, and as impassioned as I’ve always been about equality, I’ve never, ever, ever been militant about it. The opposite, actually. Maybe that’s partly because of my big brother, who as a Missouri Republican long ago helped fight for the first pro choice bill in the Missouri State Senate, as well as back the ERA amendment, debating Phyllis Schlafly about its importance. But what I’ve seen happen in this primary season has sickened me, including coming from so called progressive males, which on the whole have been a disgrace, though there are few exceptions, but very few. It’s not that I ever expected Clinton to be embraced. Or that people should automatically vote for her. There are real differences that I appreciate and respect. But the sexism in traditional media has been met by the same in the progressive blogosphere, especially where fairness of coverage is concerned.

After all, can you imagine if the Exelon story had been about Clinton? I did a Google search to find one article written by Josh Marshall covering the New York Times reporting on Obama and Exelon. I could find none. Maybe you can have better luck. I had great respect for Marshall, but his credibility as a fair observer has taken a real beating in this cycle, which gives me no pleasure to say. That he has not one female blog on his “approved site” list, not even Digby or Firedoglake, has not gone unnoticed. (They’ve ignored my request for comment on this issue for months.) It’s the same with Harold Meyerson, whose race baiting anti Hillary post on the Prospect website was a disgrace, as I proved, with Media Matters picking up the story. There are other examples, including DailyKos editors allowing a diarist to defame me without any reaction at all, especially since I was proved correct (more here and here). A major progressive blog, especially one as large as DailyKos, should prohibit the direct defamation by any diarist of someone reporting the truth. Now, I know Markos doesn’t read every post, but someone in charge had to see it and ignored it. Chicks, especially if we’re on Clinton’s side, are fair game, baby. Though I don’t pretend in the least to be in their league, I’m sure Valerie Plame can relate. No doubt, so can Hillary Clinton.

Part of the primary story that has yet to be written is the secret sexism running rampant in progressive quarters and within our Democratic midst. I have never been so shocked as to see some supposed Democratic and progressive males react with such shameful sexist bias that is sometimes obvious, but also evidenced in unfair coverage of Clinton. It makes me even more grateful for those who have stood up against it, including liberated males who found their way here to my blog (and radio show). However, the experience has changed my opinion forever about the Democratic party, especially the online progressive community. On a personal note, the onslaught of “c” word emails and invectives used by Obama supporters has been sobering, as it has been expensive. Without a bartering deal with my tech team, AgoraNet, I wouldn’t have been able to stop it. Not that attacking me personally bothers me at all. I think of Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote: “Every woman in public life needs to develop skin as tough as rhinoceros hide.” But the attacks have come because I have made the case for Clinton, after first starting out as simply a contrarian against a biased press attacking her. These hate emails have come because I dare to challenge the ideology and record of her main opponent. The attacks come from so called progressives, including emails from male bloggers warning me of my tone, my perseverance, even insinuating that by appreciating Clinton’s record I am racist (revealing themselves instead). These Democratic males have shown no respect whatsoever for what I’m fighting for, but instead simply warn that I will regret my position and should adjust to reality, which includes the unquestioning genuflection and worship of her opponent, because they will need my voice once he wins. You guys need to read up.

Segue to Erica Jong’s Hillary and the Patriarchy. It says the rest.

… .. I’m hardly the only woman who sees my life mirrored in hers. She’s always worked twice as hard to get half as far as the men around her. She endured a demanding Republican father she could seldom please and a brilliant, straying husband who played around with bimbos. She was clearly his intellectual soul mate, but the women he chased were dumb and dumber. Nothing she did was ever enough to stop her detractors. Supporting a politician husband by being a successful lawyer, raising a terrific daughter, saving her marriage when the love of her life publicly humiliated her — these are things that would be considered enormously admirable in most politicians and public figures. But because she’s a white woman, she’s been pilloried for them. She’s had to endure nutcrackers made in her image, insults about the shape of her ankles and nasty cracks from mediocrities in the media like Rush Limbaugh, Chris Matthews and Kristol. … .. As a senator she has learned compromise and negotiation. She has gotten to know red America as well as blue. If she could win over the rednecks in upstate New York, she can win over any American. … .. … .. You will also quote left-wing bloggers who love Barack Obama, and MoveOn.org peaceniks (I am one) who see no evil in him (nor do I). But I see little experience either. Obama is smart and attractive. Maybe he’ll be president someday. He was lucky enough not to be in the Senate when the Iraq war resolution was floated after then-Secretary of State Colin Powell lied about WMDs. That was the true tragedy of race: a black man lying for a corrupt white administration that was using him as a token, much as they use Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice now. … .. I understand my hopeful friends who think an Obama button will change America. But I’m sticking with Hillary. I trust her because all her life, her pro bono work has been for mothers and children. And mothers and children — of all colors — are the most oppressed group in our country. I trust her to speak for our children and grandchildren — and for us. She always has.

To add, if you’re still confused, maybe this post will help, though I realize some of you are too far gone to save.