Via Instapundit, here's Jennifer Rubin in Commentary reviewing some of the sexist comments of Barack Obama and his supporters against Hillary. A snippet:

Meanwhile, Obama had to apologize for his “sweetie” crack. But this was not an isolated incident. Remember, this was the candidate who used phrases like “when the claws come out” and “when she’s feeling down periodically she launches attacks” in reference to his opponent. When language like this is part of the vocabulary of a candidate (one who is so exquisitely articulate), it is worth asking if there is something going on here.

The language and tone of the media have become so condescending and disrespectful toward Clinton that, I think, Obama’s camp has picked it up. When “she-devil,” “everyone’s first wife,” and “Fatal Attraction” become acceptable means of description in the mainstream media, why would the candidate hesitate to use them himself ? In short, Obama’s media fan club — those open-minded and inclusive liberals — have systematically removed inhibitions about the use of startlingly sexist language.

This is a telling story:

The Associated Press interviewed a third of the [DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee] members and several other Democrats involved in the negotiations and found widespread agreement that the states must be punished for stepping out of line. If not, many members say, other states will do the same thing in four years.

(Emphasis supplied.) The blithe lack of concern for November 2008 is revealing. Who cares about winning Florida and Michigan in the Fall? Apparently not the DNC. Let's hope Barack Obama does care.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

The Pew Research Center has released the results of a poll on the media's insistence that the Democratic primary has ended and Obama is the winner:

Barack Obama may be building an insurmountable lead in the Democratic primary race, but the public is sending a strong message to journalists and pundits: It is too early to declare, as some already have, that the race is over.

Fully 72% of the public - including comparable percentages of Democrats, Republicans and independents - say that journalists should not be anointing Obama as the Democratic nominee at this stage in the race. Just 20% say that journalists should be doing this.

In the continuing rationalization of the malign acceptance of sexism, the latest version is the deflection -- the knocking down of a strawman argument - the unmade argument that Hillary Clinton may lose because of sexism. I have seen no one, I mean no one, make such an argument. Indeed, it is absurd to argue it. Hillary Clinton is winning white men in droves now. That is one of the concerns that smart Dem political thinkers are addressing now. But some people do not want to talk about THAT.

People like Scot Lehigh need this strawman to justify their behavior - his malign acceptance of the sexism seen in this campaign. He writes:

Washington Post columnist Libby Copeland exmaines the "Poor Hillary" meme by those who don't care for Hillary Clinton. It's only worth reading for the end:

You see the real Clinton on TV this week after her West Virginia win. Brian Williams tries to lead her into an autopsy of her campaign, and she keeps coming back with that smile. She looks rested. She looks like she knows exactly what she's doing.

"Made of steel," is how John Edwards describes her Wednesday, just before he endorses Barack Obama.

"We'll know a lot more on June 4th," the candidate herself says, placid as a lap cat. "I don't believe in quitting. I don't believe in being pushed out."

As Big Tent wrote earlier ,the California Supreme Court Thursday overturned a law banning gay marriage (opinion here, pdf). Glenn Greenwald has some terrific analysis on what the decision means and doesn't mean. In a nutshell, from the Washington Post,

Marriage is a "basic civil right" guaranteed to all Californians, "whether gay or heterosexual, and to same-sex couples as well as to opposite-sex couples," Chief Justice Ronald M. George wrote in a 121-page ruling. He repeatedly said the ruling was based on the California court's first-in-the-nation decision in 1948 to end the state's prohibition on interracial marriage, nearly 20 years before the U.S. Supreme Court took the same action.

The ruling becomes effective in 30 days unless a stay is granted.

Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama issued similar bland statements on today's decision: [More...]

Twelve Montana prosecutors have endorsed Barack Obama:

These leaders from across Montana cited Senator Obama’s strong record of supporting law enforcement as well as his commitment to protecting individual rights that are important to the lives of all Montanans.

The Mayor of Kalispell, MT endorsed Hillary Clinton yesterday:

"Hillary Clinton has been standing up for women and families throughout her long career in public service," Kennedy said. "She is the candidate who best understands the issues facing Montana families."

Previously, Hillary was endorsed by State Sen. Ken Hansen, Harlem; Rep. Norma Bixby, Lame Deer; Rep. Julie French, Scobey; Rep. Veronica Smalls Eastman, Lodge Grass; Julia Doney, Democratic Activist, Fort Belknap; Former Rep. Angela Russell, Lodge Grass; Former Rep. Bob Gervais, Browning; State Senator Vicki Cocchiarella (Missoula) and Rep. Franke Wilmer (Bozeman).

As a defense lawyer, I'm not impressed, and if anything, put off by the prosecutors' endorsement of Obama. It's not the first time Obama has been endorsed by law enforcement groups. When he was running for office in Illinois: [More...]

How about a late night open thread?

We've also got some new diaries up:

• Sensible Justice: Why This Election Matters by Scribe

• Your One-Stop Shop for Downticket Race Info! - Senate Edition by Dalton Hoffine [Note: The Washington Post says the Dems need to pick up 9 seats in November to have a filibuster proof Senate.]

• Obama's OTHER Forgotten Demographic : Older Voters by Paul Lukasiak (my post on that is here.)

And only in Texas, an HIV homeless man gets 35 years for spitting on a police officer. Now 42, he must serve half before being eligible for parole.

Have something else you want to talk about? Go right ahead.

Comments now closed.

Do you suppose we'll ever have the pleasure of watching Karl Rove do the perp walk?

Via Politico's The Crypt:

Just off the House floor today, the Crypt overheard House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers tell two other people: "We're closing in on Rove. Someone's got to kick his ass."

Asked a few minutes later for a more official explanation, Conyers told us that Rove has a week to appear before his committee. If he doesn't, said Conyers, "We'll do what any self-respecting committee would do. We'd hold him in contempt. Either that or go and have him arrested."

The bolded option would be a satisfying outcome.

While the degree of moral fault assignable to Lori Drew as the cause of Megan Meier's death is open to debate, it is unquestionable that Megan's suicide is tragic. That sad reality does not justify stretching federal laws against identity theft and computer-aided fraud in an effort to prosecute as a federal crime (in Los Angeles, no less) Drew's use of a fabricated MySpace account to send mean messages to Megan, her neighbor in O'Fallon, a suburb of St. Louis.

With the help of others, Drew allegedly created a MySpace account under the fictitious name of Josh Evans. "Josh" engaged in an email flirtation with 13-year-old Megan before telling her in a final message that the world would be better off without her. Megan hung herself shortly after reading that message and died the next day. More detailed background is available here and here.

The indictment (pdf) charges Drew with using a computer in O'Fallon to access the MySpace server in California, "without authorization and in excess of authorized access," to obtain information from the MySpace computer to further the tortious act of inflicting emotional distress upon Megan. The "without authorization" allegation is grounded in the claim that Drew violated her "Terms of Service" agreement by lying to MySpace when she created an account in a fictitious name.

Think about that one for a minute. (more...)

Via Politico. Senator Clinton said:

President Bush’s comparison of any Democrat to Nazi appeasers is both offensive and outrageous on the face of it, especially in light of his failures in foreign policy. This is the kind of statement that has no place in any presidential address and certainly to use an important moment like the 60th anniversary celebration of Israel to make a political point seems terribly misplaced. Unfortunately, this is what we’ve come to expect from President Bush.

Indeed.

This Saturday, the Democratic Convention in Denver will be 100 days away. How big an affair will it be? Check this out, from the DNCC's press release today:

• Nearly 200,000 square feet of media space has been allocated. Initial plans are complete for the media pavilions located outside the Pepsi Center that will provide workspace for many of the nearly 15,000 members of the media expected to attend the Convention.

• Space has been allocated for more than 100 production trucks, media workspace trailers and broadcast transmission vehicles.

• 17,000 hotel rooms in the Denver metro area are reserved....Meeting space reserved at 100+ hotels and the Colorado Convention Center