Kirsten Powers is a woman of liberal leanings but impressively independent judgments. That was demonstrated again with her recent column in The Daily Beast, in which she takes to task what she calls “the army of swine on the left” who are engaging in a “war on women.”
In the words of Powers, “Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann, Bill Maher, Matt Taibbi, and Ed Schultz have been waging it for years with their misogynist outbursts.” She provides chapter and verse on all five men, but declares that the “grand pooh-bah of media misogyny is without a doubt Bill Maher.” That would be the same Bill Maher who has given $1 million to President Obama’s super PAC. So I wonder: Do you think Obama, who has placed himself in the middle of the Rush Limbaugh-Sandra Fluke controversy, will be hounded by the press about Maher’s comments in light of his contributions? And why, by the way, are Limbaugh’s comments getting so much media attention while Maher’s comments have been overlooked, accepted, or even bring a knowing smile to the faces of some journalists, many of whom seem eager to appear on his program?
It’s not sufficient to say that Limbaugh is far more prominent than Maher, especially as Maher is now one of the larger financial supporters of President Obama.
We all know what’s going on here. The left, by and large, can say things about their political opponents that are cruel and defamatory and mostly get away with it, while those on the right are called on the carpet. That’s not true in every case, but it’s certainly true often enough to draw a reasonable conclusion.
What we have a right to expect is even-handedness rather than glaring double standards. My guess is that for many journalists and commentators, what’s happening is less a conscious bias than a sub-conscious one. When conservative women are savaged by liberal men, it’s boys will be boys/politics ain’t beanbag/sticks and stones may break my bones. But when liberal women are savaged by conservative men, it’s an assault on reason, decency and civilized standards. This is what Powers seems to be arguing, and for a woman who leans left to make that case in such an ironclad way is a tribute to her even as it’s an indictment of many in her profession.
What comments did Bill Maher about Sarah Palin? We have no idea. n nDetails, man, details!
There is one difference that is so obvious you would miss it. Bill Maher is a comedian. Limbaughs comments are only rebranded as humor and he is only rebranded an infotainer when he steps so far over the line he falls over. Next time give examples of the egregious comments you are refering to the liberals are supposed to have made.
A classic left-wing cop-out from the "free speech for me but not for thee" mentality that tries to whitewash the misdeeds of leftists. Maher is not a "comedian" he is an advocate who uses his outlets to advocate policy positions, and you know that unless you're just a dense idiot. And he also believes he can use power to influence elections by donating a million bucks to a Super Pac. That makes him more than a "comedian" it makes him fair game to be made an outcast from society for his bigotry.
You have obviously been living under a rock for quite some time to utter that remark with a straight face. Maher used the c-word to describe Palin. And last Friday he said he had a right to use the c-word about Palin because he has no sponsors! n nThis incident is the time for conservatives to take the gloves off and demand that Obama return all of the money from Bill Maher not just because of his misogyny but also because Maher is a KKK style bigot when it comes to people of faith, and that Obama actively courts and encourages support from anti-Christian bigots by having Maher as an ally.
It's time for more Republican candidates to agree on one thing while they bash each other in the primaries: publicly, by name, humiliate the most offensive members of the media and attack their legitimacy to be running our politics. Most voters — even Democrats — are wise to the the travesty that the American media has become.