Attacks Against Bachmann Are Sexist And May Violate Several Laws

by William Teach | July 20, 2011 8:35 am

The Boston Herald notices the sexism inherent in the treatment of Bachman and Palin[1]

GOP mega-stars U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin – both top Republicans who buck the status quo – have been unfairly mocked and broadsided with loaded, gender-biased questions, prominent women from both parties told the Herald yesterday.

“You have two women who’ve captured the attention of the general public and were climbing in the polls, and they face a higher bar,” said Shannon O’Brien, a Democrat whose campaign was painted as “unbecoming” by Mitt Romney when she ran for governor against him in 2002. “In order to be taken seriously as a candidate . . . a woman must do a better job and go further to credential herself with the public.”

These attacks tend to come from the left, who are supposedly champions of women’s rights and breaking the glass ceiling (as long as they are pro-abortion), as well as centrist (read “squishy”) Republicans, particularly since so many of these Republican women hold real Conservative positions. If people want to attack their positions, great, but, that is not what’s happening: the women are being attacked personally and held to a higher standard then the men. I see many in the Right side blogosphere who are against Bachmann, and when asked why, they give a tepid response about her being “extremist”, and some pap about her not being bright, not ready, yada yada yada, the same attacks they make against Palin, yet, they cannot say what positions, what policies, of Bachmann’s they are against.

Just yesterday, Bachmann had to combat suggestions that migraine headaches could hamper her performance in the Oval Office.

“Let me be abundantly clear – my ability to function effectively has never been impeded by migraines and will not affect my ability to serve as commander in chief,” Bachmann said.

Interestingly, Bachmann has rights covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. Migraines are covered by these Acts, along with other federal and state laws. What if she was a paraplegic? Would she be attacked as unable to do the job of President? But, these attacks transcend normal politics, and go for the personal in a seemingly sexist manner.

The Daily Caller’s anonymously sourced hit job[2] would never have been attempted against a male candidate. What’s next, an attack that she would be really bitchy a couple of days a month, and unable to do the job 1 out of every 28 days?