"Today, John McCain put the  former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency. Governor Palin shares John McCain's commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade [...]" (Bill Burton, Obama Campaign Spokesman.)

I wouldn't be dismissive of the mayoral record regardless of the size of the town. It outshines Obama's "community organizing", she didn't quit cause she was bored and -- just assuming here -- I'll bet she turned up at the meetings.

Besides, bringing that up before referring to her current honorific (Governor) is disdainful, with the intent to demean as clear as referring to her as a "hockey mom" (as some of the Fauxgressives are spinning hard).

Obama and the Oboiz can't seem to help indulging this deep misogynistic streak. It spills over hot and with enthusiasm and the only coolant is the complaint that women are being pandered to -- as if a clear pitch to women while Obama's chasing, um, other misogynists is the greatest cardinal sin in politics.

Obama or his campaign wore out the outrage over the outrage on Roe vs. Wade long ago so I won't even bother. They can ask Casey Jr or the RW pals they've been making for a clue on that one.

The problem in this country, no matter the ism (racism, sexism) is that we have allowed the people who don't want progress (mainly white and Jewish conservative men) to label themselves experts in these areas and dictate the definition of these things.

In addition, they tell us what is ok to discuss and what is not. I was proud of the old WASP women who questioned the mettle of the younger WASP women when they wouldn't even give Hillary a look. I'm not advocating voting for someone because of gender, but most of these younger women were not open minded.

Let's say in the workplace, you're being harassed or otherwise discriminated against.  Now, you can be a good soldier and suck it up, and maybe you'll get ahead.  Or you can complain, and maybe ruin your career because no one likes complainers.

So if I'm giving you advice, maybe I say "Look, the best thing for your personal advancement is to suck it up, no question.  But you have a responsibility to all the other women in your position too, and if you say nothing, then nothing ever changes and more people than just you will suffer from discrimination.  So you should consider doing the right thing and speaking out, even though it poses a risk to you."

Now, let's talk politics.  In politics, what matters is not whether you have a legitimate complaint of racism or sexism or whatever, but whether people in general will think you have a legitimate complaint.  So if you're Hillary, and you're trying to decide whether you should say something about sexism, the question is not whether the sexism is there but whether it's politically wise to say so.

We know that in some contexts, with some types of discrimination, complaining - or what others might call "playing the victim card" - can work to your advantage.  With sexism, not so much.  Heck, I'm not sure Hillary could have even complained about something as blatant as the Hillary nutcracker without being seen as just another humorless feminist.

So it's probably the right decision not to say much.  The question I have is, is this just like the workplace situation, where you should say something anyway because it may help avoid sexism against others, while if you say nothing then nothing ever changes?  Maybe.  One problem is, if no one is going to see your complaints as legitimate even if you take the risk of speaking out, then nothing will ever change anyway.

Sometimes, that is doing what Hillary did do, which is just keep going; keep walking into the lion dens (as someone else said this thread), keep your head high, and show them your strength.

Sometimes it may be giving a speech, or donating money to women's causes, or making d*mn sure you teach your kids differently, or 1000 other ways.