Many Clinton supporters, including Geraldine Ferraro, are now saying that Obama ran a sexist campaign and that Senator Clinton might have lost because of sexism. In the video below, we have their quotes and their charges, and we also discuss whether that idea has any merit:




What do you think? Did Hillary Clinton lose because of sexism? Did her gender help her or hurt her? And was Obama in any way sexist against Clinton?

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How dare he?!!! Joe Scarborough mentioned a pole! I am aghast. Do people live in the same country I do? Is this the same country where Paris and Britney and Lindsay go around without their underwear on?

We have some sort of bizarre double standard in this country where some people are allowed to do anything and everything, and others aren't allowed to say anything that might be even vaguely offensive.

As you can see from the video above, all Scarborough says is, "You think she works the pole?" Because of this "outrage," conservative and liberal bloggers (his Imus moment?) have skewered him (can I say that?). Given that earlier in the show he was talking about an exercise routine involving a stripper's pole, he is clearly referring to that and not anything more salacious.

A reference to a stripper's pole is so innocuous compared to most things we see in the media today. Has anyone ever gone on the internet? Do these critics have any idea what our real "community standards" are these days?

Also, how is this sexist? Am I not allowed to talk about strippers on the air anymore because it might offend women? They exist whether we talk about them or not. Their very existence is not some sort of sexist plot by a male dominated society. They exist because men and women are attracted to one another.

Some critics seem to be touchy because the comment is about a specific person, a candidate's wife! So what? Yes, Fred Thompson's wife is younger and attractive. Good for her and definitely good for him. The wife of Democratic presidential candidate, Dennis Kucinich is also hot. If you ask me, Mrs. McCain is kind of a looker, too. And Laura is not so bad, either.

One of the issues that has come out of the Don Imus controversy is whether it's sexist to even mention a woman's attractiveness. Imus not only took a shot at the Rutgers players' race and gender, but also at their looks. These are young girls who couldn't defend themselves on-air when Imus made the comment, so it was a cheap shot.

But is it ever appropriate to comment on a woman's looks on-air? What if she isn't in the entertainment business? What if she is in politics? My personal take is that it is completely acceptable, as long as that is not the only characteristic you look at when judging a person.

We all have different sides to our being that makes up the whole. Men and women have a sexual side, but that is not all they have. They also have an intellectual, political, professional and social side as well. So, if you judge a woman (or a man) only by her (his) looks, then you are hopelessly shallow and almost certainly sexist. But if you pretend not to notice if they are attractive or not, then you are almost certainly lying.

I wouldn't be telling the truth if I told you I never considered whether Terri Hatcher was attractive. Same goes for Margaret Thatcher. But my conclusions on that front don't effect what I think of their acting or political skills.

So, is it ever appropriate to discuss whether you find people in the political or professional sphere attractive or not? I admit that I'm too scared to offer up women choices in the current atmosphere for talk show hosts. So, I will go with male politicians as my examples here.































And, finally:













(Photos: Getty Images, AP)


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