September 18, 2011

Obama defended with an argument that was used many years ago — lamely — to defend Ross Perot.

Oh, how I fulminated in 1992, when Ross Perot was challenged for not having women in his inner circle of advisors and he said:
But in terms of being influenced by women and being a minority, there they are right out there, my wife and my 4 beautiful daughters, and I just have 1 son, so he and I are surrounded by women, giving -- telling us what to do all the time.
My son John remembers, because we've watched the great documentary "The War Room" together many times, and when that part comes up, I've always gone into my rant that looks a lot like the rant I did over the new Ron Suskind book about Obama's inner circle when Anita Dunn tried to roll back her attack on Obama for the lack of women in his inner circle by saying "The president is someone who when he goes home at night he goes home to house full of very strong women... He values having strong women around him."

32 comments:

mesquito said...

I doubt there was ever a sexist pig who was not born of a woman.

The feminists will give the President a pass, though. Like they gave Ted Kennedy all those years.

Carol_Herman said...

That "Jarrett" woman does all the "surrounding" Obama needs!

At one time he used Rahm Emanuel. Rahm Emanuel "ejected" ... and landed safely in Chicago. While their old mayor Daley ... came to the White House.

It's an amazing thing when you know those inside the power structure see things differently.

Of course, with obama the real downside is that he smokes a lot. And, he doesn't have to walk outside to do so.

Do most people get to work in smoke-free environments?

As to Ross Perot, back in 1992 ... the truth is that Bill Clinton wasn't all that appealing. But more people hated the elder Bush.

I know, back in 1992, Perot got 19% of the vote. (Don't know what that means in terms of electoral college votes, though.)

And, I still think the standard bearer for an Independent run goes to Teddy Roosevelt. And, his Bull Moose ... because back then Taft not only didn't win his re-election bid. He came in 3rd.

Doesn't seem to matter. Doesn't kill off "political dynasties."

xnar said...

It's the same retort used when people are accused of racism:

A lot of my friends are black.

Weak.

Automatic_Wing said...

Dunn's roll back is lame because her original criticism was lame, there was no substance to it. What is the evidence that Obama's a sexist pig, exactly? Does he call his femsle employees "baby" and purposely drop handkerchiefs on the floor for them to bend over and pick up? Give me something to work with here, other than someone whining "Me and my girlfiends felt underappreciated".

edutcher said...

If I had someone like Michelle waiting for me at home, I wouldn't want any more like her waiting for me at work.

Carol_Herman said...

Anita Dunn! The woman can't keep her tongue in her mouth.

I wonder how everyone else was able to concentrate.

Meade said...

"Surrounded by women, giving -- telling us what to do all the time."

"Did you plug the hole yet, Daddy?"

Ann Althouse said...

I hope nobody here is talking about vaginas.

Carol_Herman said...

Hillary, when she walked into the West Wing ... and people heard the "tap tap" of her heels ... they'd immediately HIDE!

They'd just open an available door, and jump right in!

(And, I used to know executive suites just like that!)

There were stories some people just jumped into the broom closet. Others? Jumped into private offices. And, made believe their was nothing odd in doing that at all.

(And, in some places were I used to work ... I knew men who hid out in toilets. Behind closed stall doors. For as long as they could.)

Of course, "back then" was a world where secretaries took incoming messages. And, made outgoing phone calls. Today's world?

Yesterday, my son told me ... that a phone call to him ... as he was driving here ... was changed into a "text message." (Seems they have ways of translating what you say into text.) His first reaction was the he couldn't believe I was texting him.

Then, he shared with me, when he arrived, here, the technology that's avaiable.

(And, when we were looking for an open restaurant at 10:PM ... he not only located some ... but first read through the reviews people post on line.)

We're just not back in 1992 anymore.

traditionalguy said...

Ross Perot hired sociable beautiful young women out of college because his wealth was a good ticket for them. My son's fiance was one of them once.

But Perot was their owner/employer like Jerry Jones is of his Cowboy players.

Smart men always use the skills and work ethic of intelligent and educated women, and take the credit themselves.

But they do not appoint them to take over any part of the owner's job description.

Until a woman is given real authority, we will never know if the men's opinion that women are unqualified has been a male trick or not.

Carol_Herman said...

No, Ann. Vaginas are over at Silvio Berlesconi's blog. Though he didn't say a word about any of the 8 ladies musical talents.

I wonder if Maria Callas had to "sing" for Aristotle Onassis? (How did he break her heart?)

DADvocate said...

It's easy to believe that Michelle bosses Barack, which is probably one reason Barack doesn't have many women in his inner circle.

Carol_Herman said...

Richard Nixon, back in 1968, was "sold like a pack of cigarettes."

I think I can understand why the democraps actually chose Obama. For skills he has campaigning.

Here? Those skills won't be seen.

But it doesn't matter! Obama just has to influence enough voters so that he can win his re-election with enough electoral college votes ... even if he doesn't carry the popular vote.

It's a very professional game.

Before Obama, I'd say it was Eisenhower who held this "mystique" for the republicans. Eisenhower just played lots of golf!

So does Obama.

The trick is not to antagonize the press.

Name a president that hasn't made mistakes?

During our decade of expanding the bubble ... the one thing to notice most ... was how enthusiastic all the suckers were.

edutcher said...

Ann Althouse said...

I hope nobody here is talking about vaginas.

Depends if Mr Perot had a Miss Galore as his corporate pilot.

jacksonjay said...

As bad as all the advice turned out to be, seems to me that all those women would now be glad that they were excluded! "If He had listened to us, well ...."

jimbino said...

Women apparently do not match men in a lot of life's important pursuits and activities, including:

motorcycling, extreme sports, skateboarding, chess, hitchhiking, haute cuisine, haute couture, machining, cabinetmaking, construction, logging, farming, mining, piloting, computer engineering, and so on.

Inviting a woman to join your team to climb Everest could kill you.

On the other hand, Thatcher and Merkel know more math and science than our SCOTUS, POTUS and COTUS put together. Where are the equivalents among American women?

ricpic said...

Eisenhower just played lots of golf!!

Jeez, what a blathering airhead you are, Herman.

ricpic said...

Do feminists give Barry credit for being surrounded by metrosexuals?

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Curious George said...

You should pimp your son's blog more.

John henry said...

Back in the 90s I had a student who was at the time a full Navy captain. She later made Admiral before retiring.

In a class discussion she told me that in the 60's, after her first hitch, she had considered getting out of the Navy and interviewed at Perot's EDS.

She was told that it was company policy that women could not be promoted past a certain level. She could do well there, but she just could not rise past a certain point.

It was one of the things that kept her from leaving the Navy.

John Henry

Cedarford said...

xnar said...
It's the same retort used when people are accused of racism:

A lot of my friends are black.

Weak.

=================
Not really that weak.
Given the charge of racism towards blacks is implying that you hate all blacks, a natural retort is given you have black friends and get along well with many black acquaintences, you are NOT racist.

Liberals, race card plying blacks, and progressive Jews have defended their race, gender, class narrative by essentially mocking that defense - quite successfully - by claiming that the defense "some of my pals are black" is PROOF of racism precisely because you claim friendships across racial lines while holding beliefs contrary to the narrative's specified demands for racial justice.

The Russian and Jewish Bolsheviks began this and also did a masterful job at making that same defense, along class lines, a de facto admission of guilt.
They recognized that the class struggle would not work as an imperative for forced change and legitimacy of punishment if it was accepted that friendships across "class lines" could be an avenue of defense against "oppression" accusations and a defense against the punishments planned for the oppressor classes save certain select well off Jews and Russians with Communist Party "ins" that would not be so targeted.

10,000 Orthodox priests liquidated for the harm they did to the Proletariate and their anti-Semitism could not exculpate themselves by saying they had many workers and Jews they were on great terms with. That defense was scorned.
Same with Kulaks on the lists to be liquidated that had each farmworker supporting them. No deal. They were still part of a class that had to go...and the workers that did defend them soon learned they could also "go" or be sent to the Gulags as counter-revolutionaries and traitors to their class.
And someone of the Bourgeoisie married to a member of the Proletariate offering that and various worker friendships as reason not to be subjected to harm or loss of property? Same deal. Class lines were paramount.

bagoh20 said...

He doesn't respect women in his administration because he chose them. Even he knows he sucks at this.

jamboree said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
AST said...

The President has one very powerful woman in his inner circle. She's just not friendly to any other female influence, and I suspect that she outranks the men in his circle as well.

rhhardin said...

I can't think offhand of any women I've sought advice from.

There's are plenty of guys I've learned from.

With women it's a matter of dealing with them, not learning from them.

The sexual difference is encoded in the euphemism "qualified women," which means not a usual woman, though she turns out to be anyway.

What you want is domestication, not equality.

bobby said...

"Until a woman is given real authority, we will never know if the men's opinion that women are unqualified has been a male trick or not. "

As long as women sit back and wait to be given authority, the men's opinion would seem to be well-founded.

Anonymous said...

Just a personal note:

I had the opportunity in 1994 to have an extended conversation with Anita Dunn.

She is an utterly despicable pig, utterly devoid of a moral compass or civil values.

aberman said...

Details, Steve! It's been 16 years, what's the harm?
Just a personal note:

I had the opportunity in 1994 to have an extended conversation with Anita Dunn.

She is an utterly despicable pig, utterly devoid of a moral compass or civil values.

Victor Erimita said...

Sure, and Bill Clinton gets "one free grope." Being a leftist means never having to live according to your supposed principles and never being called on it.

Rich Rostrom said...

Carol_Herman said... At one time he used Rahm Emanuel. Rahm Emanuel "ejected" ... and landed safely in Chicago. While their old mayor Daley ... came to the White House.

Mayor Daley II (Richard M., son of Richard J.) has retired. The Daley in the White House is his brother Bill.

Methadras said...

It's funny really. Urkel has very few women on the inside he relies on, yet he's the one that is always cunty.