Thursday, January 15, 2004
How Exactly is a Democrat's Wife Supposed to Behave?
On the heels of this week's "revelation" that Howard Dean's wife, Dr. Judith Steinberg Dean, is *gasp* not actively involved in her husband's political career, I decided to figure out what is deemed acceptable behavior for the spouse of a Democratic politician. Before I do, I have to tip my cap to the always prescient and wholly unbiased Matt Drudge for bringing this shocking bit of news to America's consciousness. Way to dig deep, Matt...
The standard is pretty much set by Sen. Hillary Clinton. The former First Lady has been called many things. Hypocritical right-wingers love to refer to her as "Hitlery", all the while screaming at those who dare compare the actions of George Bush to those of Adolf Hitler. She's been called a lesbian, a murderer, an unfit mother, and probably even worse things that I haven't yet had the displeasure to hear.
Why has she been such a lightning rod for Republican aggression? Because she speaks her mind? She has ambition outside of being a Stepford wife to the Big Dog? She dared run for the Senate after her husband left politics?
It seems like it could be any of a number of these reasons, but are Republicans that scared of a woman with a passion for what she does and a vision of what's good for this nation? And the last time I checked, Elizabeth Dole was one of my Senators and nary a peep is heard about her being an evil anti-American lesbian.
John Kerry's wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry is a very outspoken individual. Not surprisingly, she too has snagged a few labels from the conservatives among us.
Tipper Gore was ridiculed and insulted for daring to have opinions of her own (some of which I strongly oppose) and working for what she believed in...
Why is it then that Republicans are now going after Governor Dean's wife for shying away from the shitstorm that they would inevitably unleash on her? Why would she want to be a part of this???
What is acceptable behavior for a Democratic politician's wife? More to the point, does it even remotely resemble what is acceptable behavior for a Republican politician's wife?
When the first lady of Maryland (her hubby has an "R" by his name) said she wanted to shoot Britney Spears, it was seen some sort of call for morality by the right wing powers that be. I'd like see what would happen if Governor Mike Easley's wife tried that.
My advice to any man or woman married to a Democratic politician would be simply this: Don't listen to what they say...They don't matter...Live your life and be happy, because those who seek to tear you down are making themselves miserable by reviling you...
I would, however, like to see some of these Democratic politicians take a more forceful tone against these kind of BS ad hominem attacks against their spouses.
If I ever choose to enter the political arena, my advice to the naysayers would be simply this:
My wife is the most precious thing in my world, and if you ever dare to say a crass word about her, you've got something unpleasant coming your way, and it rhymes with GRASS-PICKING...
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