Althouse: "So, the woman perhaps most responsible for putting the phrase 'war on women' into the political bloodstream is also now responsible for taking the rhetoric too far."

September 18, 2014

"So, the woman perhaps most responsible for putting the phrase 'war on women' into the political bloodstream is also now responsible for taking the rhetoric too far."

Writes Nia-Malika Henderson in a WaPo piece titled "How gender mattered in the rise and fall of Debbie Wasserman Schultz."

The "too far" incident is the one we discussed here on September 3rd: "Debbie Wasserman Schultz says: 'Scott Walker has given women the back of his hand' and 'What Republican tea party extremists like Scott Walker are doing is they are grabbing us by the hair and pulling us back.'" And, the next day: "The violent imagery deployed against Scott Walker by Debbie Wasserman Shultz is gendered — it's domestic violence." ("Wasserman Schultz can be accused of subtly purveying a rape metaphor.")

We've also been discussing Wasserman Schultz's problems in this post from last night: "Democrats tire of Debbie Wasserman Schultz — especially her efforts to get them to pay for her clothes," in which I say: "She served their gender-based interests in 2012, and that's not the thing this year, so they launch a gender-based attack on her?"

53 comments:

Anonymous said...: live by the sword, die by the sword...; 9/18/14, 12:04 PM
cubanbob said...: She is my congresswoman. I wish the Republicans would offer a credible candidate to oppose her. She is the result of gerrymandering, otherwise someone like her would never have been elected in the first place. But to be fair the Republicans also have some winners like her in safe, gerrymandered districts.; 9/18/14, 12:05 PM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: Ann Althouse said..."She served their gender-based interests in 2012, and that's not the thing this year, so they launch a gender-based attack on her?"

Fen's Law. But they're so damn full of empathy!; 9/18/14, 12:07 PM
Brando said...: In a way, she's in an unenviable position--the Dems were going to have a rough year this year no matter what the DNC chair does. But DWS is a particularly gaffe-prone, empty-headed ball of nothing, and has done nothing to improve their situation.

If you're going to push a "war on women" style theme, the key is to go for subtlety--so that people will associate the GOP with indifference or hostility towards women without feeling like they're being played by the Dems. DWS didn't have enough artfulness to pull that off, and it's turning off a lot of women that might otherwise have gone Democratic this year.

I didn't realize she was also on the outs with the Clintons--makes me sort of feel sorry for her, as they play dirty and will certainly make sure her career goes nowhere (if that weren't already the case).; 9/18/14, 12:11 PM
traditionalguy said...: She needs a makeover starting with the name Debbie. That name is associated with Little Debbie Snack Cakes. So try out Mrs. Deborah W. Schultz.

Then she could hire Joni Ernst's ad maker, but instead of castrating hogs she could brag she emasculates squealing extremists with a brit milah knife.; 9/18/14, 12:16 PM
Brennan said...: Won't she deserve the Sarah Palin treatment now?

Where are her kids? What are they doing? What else has she tried to get campaign funds to finance?

We can negotiate on this. She doesn't have to have any of this happen if she concedes to changing her name to "Predictable Taking Head Robot".; 9/18/14, 12:17 PM
MayBee said...: It's weird because it's always about the clothes for the women.

It's also weird because the National Committees or other donors actually *will* pay for these things. That's why Hillary's hair and wardrobe were so much better as a FLOTUS and candidate than they were as SoS. That's why Michelle Obama could get a wardrobe at Ikram. That's why the Bush daugthers could get custom dresses for the Inaugurals.; 9/18/14, 12:18 PM
Anonymous said...: I am sure that this comments section will soon be filled by Leftists standing on principle decrying this deeply real war on a woman. DWS has been a stalwart representative of today's Democrat Party...a strong (in a non-gendered sense) emblem reflecting her party's ideals and aspirations. To gain a clear picture of what the Democrats are about, one need only cast their gaze to her visage.
I would, however, recommend viewing her via a reflection off your shield.; 9/18/14, 12:20 PM
Brennan said...: Speaking of politics and clothing, remember when Ms. Wasserman-Schultz had a makeover that lasted only one day?

http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2012/04/wasserman-schultz-gets-new-hair-do-and.html

Was her choice of hair style change a political decision? Did the DNC not approve of her hair style?

I wonder if the Catalist database suggested her hair style would not relate to the voters she was trying to turn out to vote for O.; 9/18/14, 12:21 PM
Hagar said...: She has gotten to be an embarrassment in an election year, so under the bus she goes!; 9/18/14, 12:21 PM
Michael K said...: She is the low tech version of the DNC. The high tech version is so successful that she is no longer useful.

Beyond winning elections, Catalist also allows the Democrats to turn the policy narrative upside down and suffer no political consequence for implementing radical policies which appeal to their base. The Obama administration’s lurch to the far left without consequence can be understood by understanding Catalist. Obama thrives politically by satisfying his base. Simply, Catalist is a game changer not just for politics, but for policy. It is the left’s machinery for fundamentally transforming America.

Using psychologists to plan campaigns sounds like a real winner for lefties as psychologists are all lefties.; 9/18/14, 12:24 PM
Big Mike said...: Maybe she could keep her job if she learned how to do her hair properly.; 9/18/14, 12:25 PM
Mountain Maven said...: She's fallen into disfavor because she said terrible things, particularly about Walker.

Who keeps bringing up the gender angle on her downfall? Not men, that would be suicidal. No, it's a bunch of hyphenated named hacks and jounolists.

Love the "Sword" quote by Drill SGT!; 9/18/14, 12:33 PM
Brando said...: The focus on her clothes seems to detract from the real issue, which is her awfulness as a spokeswoman for the DNC (I doubt DNC chair, or RNC chair for that matter, really get into the nitty gritty of campaign strategy so much as serve as a figurehead and manage those who do handle the real work). If she was doing the job well, no one would be talking about the clothes budget.

Women do have a point that they have a tougher standard in that business when it comes to clothing, hairstyle, etc.--a female pol really can't wear the same looking suits the way men can (I mean, they CAN, but it gets noticed and commented on) so their clothes budgets will be bigger and they have to pay more for stylists. I'd feel more sympathetic about these complaints, though, if they were coming from low-paid public servants for whom it is a real hardship to spend on that stuff--I have a lot more sympathy for a local newscaster, who still has to go through the same thing but on a much lower salary.; 9/18/14, 12:35 PM
Nonapod said...: So these means the Dems as have decided to go subtle? DWS of course is about as subtle as a rocket propelled grenade launched into a fireworks factory, but this repositioning and recalibrating makes me wonder what "subtle" for the Democrat Party is. In my experience Dems like to bludgeon their opposition with demagoguery, playing purely on emotionality.; 9/18/14, 12:37 PM
Brando said...: "She's fallen into disfavor because she said terrible things, particularly about Walker."

Talk about an unforced error--all she had to do was go over the usual base-building boilerplate about Walker hurting unions and balancing the budget on the poor so he could protect his rich friends, etc. Instead, she makes light of domestic violence with an over-the-top quote like that, now the Burke campaign doesn't want her back in the state.

Say what you will about Reince Preibus, but I don't recall him (or any recent party chair) going full Biden all over the place.; 9/18/14, 12:38 PM
dreams said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/18/14, 12:42 PM
Darrell said...: Before she leaves, maybe she can take out another multi-million Dollar phony loan that the DNC can immediately default on--letting the taxpayers pick up the tab when the business expense is taken.; 9/18/14, 12:44 PM
Anthony said...: Odd that when they're dropping bombs and shooting missiles at people and trying to kill them the Demos seem dead set against calling that a "war", but whenever someone says they don't want to pay for abortions it becomes surprisingly easy.; 9/18/14, 12:45 PM
wendybar said...: She is an embarrassment. Can't wait to see her go.; 9/18/14, 12:56 PM
kcom said...: live by the sword, die by the sword...

As ye sow, so shall ye reap.; 9/18/14, 12:56 PM
TosaGuy said...: Somehow militant feminist liberals will blame this gender-smearing takedown of DWS on men in general and Republicans in particular.; 9/18/14, 12:57 PM
Todd said...: I wish Debbie Wasserman Schultz all that she deserves...; 9/18/14, 12:57 PM
Wilbur said...: As I understand it, my beloved congressional representative hasn't lost her DNC chair gig.

Don't count her out yet.

Somebody had the juice to get her poleaxed in Politico, probably someone at the White House.

I don't think she'll go quietly.; 9/18/14, 1:02 PM
TosaGuy said...: Scott Walker forced DWS to say what she did and that is why she got fired. It is his War on Women (TM) and the patriarchy's demands of women spending thousands on fashionable clothes to compete in the workplace that destroyed DWS. No woman is safe from Scott Walker's War on Women (TM).; 9/18/14, 1:03 PM
Wince said...: She never expected to be called out by her party or the press.

And she never really was.

It was just an excuse to get rid of someone who had outlasted her usefulness.; 9/18/14, 1:03 PM
Skeptical Voter said...: She's an unhinged putz. And she was designated as one of two unhinged putzes to be an attack dog for the Democrats. Little Tony Weiner "outed" himself from his job with his sexting photos.

But Debbie careened on like a hydrophobic pit bull snarling and snapping--because that was her job. Ultimately when such a dog is just too darned crazy, you have to put it down. Or throw it under the bus. But the unhinged attacks have become an embarrassment (which is tough to do with an administration that otherwise has demonstrated no sense of shame or embarrassment). That said, it's time to say "Adios Muchacha" to Ms. Wasserman Schultz. Have a good time under the bus.; 9/18/14, 1:04 PM
Dan Hossley said...: They knew she was a lying, self-serving, money-grubbing, power-hungry weasel when they hired her.; 9/18/14, 1:09 PM
richard mcenroe said...: "Say what you will about Reince Preibus, but I don't recall him (or any recent party chair) going full Biden all over the place."

RNC only goes full Biden over GOP candidates it didn't handpick.; 9/18/14, 1:16 PM
alan markus said...: Should have a tag "War On" - the origin is from that 60's peace vibe - "War On Poverty"; "Make Love, Not War"; "What If They Had A War, and Nobody Showed Up".

Seems like the liberals are the war mongers - by giving it a name they have initiated numerous "wars":"War On Women": "War on Minorities" (with subsets for Blacks, Hispanics; "War On Gays"; "War On Science" (book called "Republican War on Science); "War on Worker's Rights (NY Times Editorial "Republican War on Worker's Rights"); "War on Food Stamps" (Rolling Stone article "Republican War on Food Stamps"; "War On Voting" (Daily Kos "Republican War On Voting"); etc.

Got a lot of those by Googling "Republican War On". I'm sure if I looked long enough I would find wars on homeless, immigrants, education, etc.; 9/18/14, 1:21 PM
SteveR said...: @EDH this; 9/18/14, 1:41 PM
Drago said...: AA: " in which I say: "She served their gender-based interests in 2012, and that's not the thing this year, so they launch a gender-based attack on her?"

I see that hoodlumDoodlum has already pointed out the obvious Fen's Law applicable in this case.

I'll just add that at some point, the Bolsheviks had had quite enough of the Trotsky and the Mensheviks.; 9/18/14, 1:53 PM
David said...: She is the replacement for Anthony Weiner, so actually it was an improvement for the Democrats.

Don't gloat. She will still be around, and now she knows a lot. Expect her to rebound quickly.; 9/18/14, 1:58 PM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: Imagine an Althouse post where an article discussing superempathetic Ds gets an "I'm Skeptical" tag. Aaah, refreshing.; 9/18/14, 2:30 PM
David said...: Obama just sent out a tweet favoring Scotland remaining part of Great Britain.

That's what real leadership looks like.; 9/18/14, 2:38 PM
~ Gordon Pasha said...: 2014 is shaping up to be a rout. Sauve qui peut is now the order of the day.; 9/18/14, 2:43 PM
CatherineM said...: This does sound like the stuff they did to Palin. Remember how McCain advisor Nicolle Wallace would leak things in 2008 about Palin being crazy, but it's couched in concern. "Perhaps it's post partum depression. Her baby is only 6 months old." All of the questions about Palin being fit to be VP because she had a special needs baby. I also recall some ridiculous amount of money that Palin spent on clothes that she refused to return (return to whom?).

Oh and Wallace is now on the View as the "conservative". What a joke.

I do not like DWS. I think she is an automaton, but this seems like the stuff they trot out when it's a woman.; 9/18/14, 3:00 PM
Michelle Dulak Thomson said...: I don't get why this is a gender-based attack. Men also need good-looking clothes if they're going out flacking, and they aren't cheap, either.; 9/18/14, 3:19 PM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 9/18/14, 3:31 PM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: Drago said...I'll just add that at some point, the Bolsheviks had had quite enough of the Trotsky and the Mensheviks.

The Bolsheviks had enough of the Mensheviks from pretty close to the beginning (circa 1906); though Bolshevik = member of the majority they were the minority party for a while and had to get along. They formally had enough around 1912, but they didn't get to kill everyone who disagreed until later. So "had enough," you know, has different meanings--it's one thing to "have enough" and it's another to "have the power to utterly destory one's enemies." That's what's so funny about people who find libertarians scary--if you ask "what would political factions do if they believe their own rhetoric and were given absolute power" the answer for libertarians is difficult for me to find frightening.

Fun fact: according to Reed's Ten Days that Shook the World the Maximalists were in 1917 anarchists in principle but actually more moderate than the Bolsheviks.; 9/18/14, 3:33 PM
sinz52 said...: HoodlumDoodlum:

That's because you're not unsympathetic to libertarian views.

I know quite a few leftists who have said they would be terrified by a libertarian administration that cut social programs.; 9/18/14, 4:24 PM
campy said...: "I know quite a few leftists who have said they would be terrified by a libertarian administration that cut social programs."

One reason why the left will do whatever it takes to assure there's never a libertarian administration.; 9/18/14, 4:31 PM
Cedarford said...: Dan Hossley said...
They knew she was a lying, self-serving, money-grubbing, power-hungry weasel when they hired her.

=================
Look at her origins. She is hardly atypical of her NYC brethren. Sure as you can say Weiner 3X fast.; 9/18/14, 4:51 PM
Drago said...: HD: "Fun fact: according to Reed's Ten Days that Shook the World the Maximalists were in 1917 anarchists in principle but actually more moderate than the Bolsheviks."

That is a fun fact.; 9/18/14, 5:47 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: Ann,

"She served their gender-based interests in 2012, and that's not the thing this year, so they launch a gender-based attack on her?"

Human contradiction:

You can't put it in your plans and you can't take it out.

I've been saying that so much, offline, my friends are starting to repeat it,...; 9/18/14, 5:48 PM
Bob R said...: My father was a Republican. Voted for Nixon for President three times. After it was all over he regretted it. "Pretty much knew he was a sleaze from the start."

Dems haven't had to vote for DWS, but they've followed her lead. (Especially the media.) Will they ever wake up to the fact that she is a particularly shallow, stupid person?; 9/18/14, 7:27 PM
jono39 said...: She is a moron which is why she is a leader in Washington. We have had a one party system which I dub the National Treasury Party for most of the Cold War. Its ending in our so called victory has destabilized the political arrangements which has left a so called free people dependent on a distant and fundamentally disinterested political class. We need an upheaval which will incite political debate that will culminate in a decade or so in a Constitutional Convention which will refound the Republic. I could go on for another 100,000 words...........; 9/18/14, 7:32 PM
chickelit said...: The Drill SGT said...
live by the sword, die by the sword...

In this case: Live by the sheath, die by the sheath.; 9/18/14, 7:33 PM
Hagar said...: @CatherineM,
The campaign spent the money not Palin, and Palin did return the clothes. (Neiman-Marcus, I believe, and "had returned," I think, before< the story was leaked to the media.); 9/18/14, 7:44 PM
Anonymous said...: Wasserman Schultz's 'domestic violence' metaphors are SO the shit some white women say.

They know they won't be held accountable so they keep poking. Sometimes it almost makes me feel sorry for the white men who put up with that crap: almost.; 9/18/14, 8:12 PM
FullMoon said...: betamax3000 said...

Wasserman Schultz's 'domestic violence' metaphors are SO the shit some white women say.

They know they won't be held accountable so they keep poking. Sometimes it almost makes me feel sorry for the white men who put up with that crap: almost.
Note to self: Stay on Betas' good side.; 9/18/14, 8:22 PM
dustbunny said...: Livermoron, nice Medusa reference!; 9/19/14, 1:33 AM
wildswan said...: Bill Clinton likes attractive women in positions around him; 9/19/14, 8:20 AM