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This week, the political world spent an inordinate amount of time discussing something a CNN pundit said, and the Romney campaign and the Republican Party did their best to exploit it. For the record, here's what former record-industry lobbyist Hilary Rosen remarked about Mitt Romney's wife, Ann:
'Well, you know my wife tells me that what women really care about are economic issues and when I listen to my wife that's what I'm hearing.' Guess what? His wife has actually never worked a day in her life. She's never really dealt with the kinds of economic issues that a majority of the women in this country are facing in terms of how do we feed our kids, how do we send them to school and why do we worry about their future."
Rosen has since apologized and even though she's not affiliated with the Obama administration or campaign, the President and Vice President both weighed in with some forceful comments. But the spin machine was already fully operational, and Rosen had enabled Ann Romney's launch into the national zeitgeist. Just days later, even conservative columnists are writing that this just isn't that deep.
But you know what's surprising? I find that the best thing that happens when the political world is hit with a big, juicy bomb full of false equivalence and phony outrage is that really smart people still find ways to say really smart things that add to the conversation. (And heads-up: we have a really smart person hosting our show.)
Melissa will delve into that topic, and explore the issue of women's work with guests such as Joanne Bamberger, 2012 elections editor at iVillage, and founder and editor of PunditMom; Alice Stewart, the press secretary for the now-suspended Rick Santorum presidential campaign; and Ellen Bravo, the executive director of the Family Values at Work Consortium.
Other topics will include this week's dramatic developments in the Trayvon Martin case, the under-discussed problem of sex trafficking, and sherpas. (Really.) Other guests will include:
- Mira Sorvino, Academy-Award winning actor and UNODC Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to Combat Human Trafficking. (Yes, that's her whole title.)
- Jeff Johnson, MSNBC contributor and executive editor of Politic365.com.
- Rev. Dr. Katharine Rhodes Henderson, president of Auburn Seminary.
- Liz McDougall, General Counsel for Village Voice Media Holdings.
- Jerry Shargel, Manhattan-based criminal defense attorney.
- Seema Iyer, former Bronx prosecutor and current criminal defense attorney.
- Joe Watkins, Republican strategist and former George H.W. Bush White House aide.
- Rachel Lloyd, executive director and founder of Girls Educational Mentoring Services.
And as always, be sure to interact with us during the show on Facebook and on Twitter, using the hashtag #nerdland. See you all at 10am ET!
Leave a Comment:
Thank you, Professor, I appreciate your attention to the important outrages and injustices that go on. I eagerly look forward to waking up on my wekends to @Up with Chris Hayes, and roaring along with you. Of course I enjoy ending my mornings @Alex Witt. Have a nice weekend, and thank you again for your time and consideration to these most important issues.
Sincere,
I.
I don't think the so called "Mommy War" will go away until equality is valued for the role of parents and women in particular. As the scientists that study behavior will tell you, women bare the brunt of the work. For far too many women, they have not a choice but to work and raise their children productively with little ease from public policy. That these families toil when we could re-budget our policy and support women, children and families is the central question. We can't afford not too. The "Mommy War" is best defined by asking the questions and seeking the solutions to Universal Health Care, Education and Quality Childcare for their families. Women need to ask for more and so do the men who care for them. It's a values proposition and a principles absolute. Women need to get their political will together not unlike the effort to rise up over Susan G Komen policy position against family planning. Women find your political voice and the men who love them find your voices as well!!!
Why not have Hilary Rosen on your show to discuss where her comment came from instead of shunning and/or trashing her viewpoint? I ask because Hilary is a lesbian. Lesbians traditionally have had to work very hard because their income is 'all female'. Women still make much less than men on average. It's a reality. You could also have on your show lesbian researchers who specialize in looking at this issue, like M.V. Lee Badgett. Badgett has debunked the myth of gay and lesbian affluence.
Melissa, Hillary R. said the right thing. That is if you listen to all of what she said. You and I know that Romney throws his wife out there to answer any thing HE does Not know. She is just riding the horse for her own hatred for Hillary, because Hillary is gay and she has adopted children. Look Romney wife has not been out there working and wondering how she is going to pay her mortgage or buy medicine or groceries? I am not saying that she never had problems, because she always had the safety of her husband. Look I know what I am talking about I am a single mother and raised 2 children on my own. And it was really hard. President Obama is 110% for women. His first law was the Lilly Ledbetter. Does Romney even know what that means? I don't think so Hello!
I forgot to tell you, I love your show.
I just wanted to say that I'm a single father with 2 children, and I work a job. I do it all. Well to do, stay at home moms aren't the only ones sacrificing for their children.
I don't know much about Ann Romney except that she generally supports her husband politically and is out there on the campaign trail. That does not make me think that she could rightly be compared to Elanor Roosevelt. Generally I think it is true that people of privilege, those who do not work for a living but rely on wealth generated income show little empathy or support for those of us who are employed by others. I imagine that Ann Romney falls in that category. Am I wrong? As for Rosen's comment, perhaps she used the term "never worked a day in her life" in a loose sense--meaning that she comes from a privileged economic status that never has had to enter the wage labor market, experience or contend with workplace issues. Generally speaking I mean Ann Romney has little understanding or empathy for how one is treated in the workplace. Is this wrong? Overwhelmingly I think that as a rule of thumb this is right. Those who have, because of their economic privilege, never experienced the workplace are as a consequence not knowledgeable or empathetic towards those who do. Class based bias is real. Elanor Roosevelt may be the exception to the rule.
Thomas Ammons: You are correct.
This was not the first time I've ever heard it said, whoever "Hasn't worked a Day in his or Her Life" And who did I hear that from; Learn that from, Oh yea My Mom; who worked 10 Years in a Tool and Die Plant; who later worked in Library Preservations; Who carried her own Water; All of it; every last Drop.
Hilary Rosen was Right, Ann Romney has never had to carry her own water; it's not the same thing; and should not be conflated to be the same thing.
Clearly, the outrage over H. Rosen's comments is fake and exaggerated. It's one thing for a mother to stay at home and raise children when the family has the financial and social resources to do so. The ability to engage in activities of worth outside of the home and separate from raising children and/or being a "housewife" is critical to building a woman's worth APART from that traditional role. What is never discussed is the woman who resents being JUST a wife and mother, who has no external stimulation, no input into valuable outside responsibilities, whose worth is tied solely to who she is and what she does in the home.
Anyone who puts serious thought into what H. Rosen said would conclude that there is merit to her point. People with WEALTH do not have the normal day-to-day economic challenges that us "commoners" have. Mrs. Romney saying that she struggled at work is equal to Romney's statement that he knows what it is to get a pink slip. Balderdash.
Watching the show for the first time. Great stuff. Quick hits:
1. Love146 is an organization centered out of Conn. that also fights child sex trafficking around the world.
2. Regarding women at work: I am an older male, Independent, and support women's issues, such as equal pay, etc.; however, I haven't heard a discussion on the negative consequences of the women's movement. To me, it supported a bias for women to go into the workplace, many women did, there was a greater competition for jobs, and in part (other causes being overuse of credit, etc.), an average family now has to have 1.5 to 1.75 full-time working adults to support it. I'm all for women's freedom of choice, but think that some made the wrong decision to go into the workplace. I believe the best model for a family is one person working and one at home, even if it is the man, a la John Lennon (1975-1980). When I was a young middle class kid in the early 70's, almost everone's mom was at home. Now hardly any are. In fact, my best friend's mom was a graduate of Stanford, 3.+ gpa but chose to stay at home. The Women's Lib movement did a lot of good, but also pushed women to find their worth in the workplace. And now, ironically, partially due to women exercising their choice in the workplace over the past 40 years, they now have LESS choice -- many cannot afford to stay home when they want to.
This is just pure folderol. There are millions of women in this country who do not have the benefit of staying at home as your mom did back in the 70s.
Even back in the 70s thousands of women HAD to work to support themselves. Not everyone had a husband and the 2.5 children and stayed at home baking cookies. Even many married women MUST work because their husbands are unable to do so for any number of reasons. Many women and their children have been abandoned by their husbands.
Since millions of men are working minimum wage jobs women MUST work to make ends meet and yet families are still failing.
This is not the 1970s and their is no reason woman who have spent years educating themselves should not put their skills and education to good use.
Love 146 is an organization centered in Conn. that also fights child sex trafficking around the world.
On your sex Trafficing Story,
I suggest you invite Janette Angell "Call Girl" a former Boston University Professor who found herself propelled into Prostitution; to your next discussion.
And is it not also significant that women's work; Preschool Teacher, Nurse, Caregiver are amoung the worst paid in this country; oh but she can make (or make for her pimp) $200 an hour with her clothes on the floor.
As Janette's book demonatrates its past time we stopped blaming the Women. Nuff said by me. Do read Her book, BB
Why did Melisa hear those words so differently than you or I did? Could it be that this selective hearing and outrage is itself a manifestation of class bias? Liberals are usually elitists and are quick to defend their own, for example comparing Ann Romney to Elanor Roosevelt. Melissa your true colors are shining through.
I don't believe that liberals, as a rule, defend their own. Some liberals and progressive do but there is a virtual silence when republicans and teabaggers make racist comments. How many liberals have you heard defend Mrs. Obama against the racist cartoons and e-mails, caricatures, slurs, digs, vicious and defamatory statements made by the right-wing talk show hosts, blogs, websites, teabaggers and politicians.
I hear nothing but deafening silence.
As an older, white male with 5 African American nieces and nephews around Trayvon's age, glad to see justice get back on track. However, guests of the show need to be careful of stating opinions as facts. We still don't know Zimmerman's motives, but we can say they are highly suspect, given: 1) Zimmerman was told not to approach by 911, 2) Trayvon was unarmed, 3) Zimmerman could have shot him in the leg or used less than deadly force, 4) Trayvon was underaged. However, still in dispute: did he follow Trayvon? I've heard that he said Trayvon came up to him at his car and punched him in the nose and he fell down and hit his head on the sidewalk. True or speculation?
Fact Martin was walking back from the store with skittles and ice tea.
Fact Zimmerman claims to have gone to the store, was driving back home, saw a young black guy walking in the rain and decided that the black kid was acting suspicious or high because the kid was looking around as he was walking.
Fact Zimmerman called 911 and reported a suspicious person.
Fact Zimmerman continued to follow Martin in his truck.
Fact Martin noticed Zimmerman was following him so Martin then went to the sidewalk that ran behind the Apartments where there were no road for Zimmerman to follow him on with his truck.
Fact Zimmerman got agitated that Martin gave him the slip parked his truck, got out of his truck and started running after Martin.
Fact Zimmerman was on the phone with 911 still and 911 asked him if he was chasing Martin, Zimmerman said yes he was 911 told him, "we don't need for you to do that, Zimmerman replies ok then 911 makes arrangements for Zimmerman to met with police near the mail boxes which Zimmerman agrees to.
Fact Zimmerman ignored 911 and continues to chase Martin catches up to Martin and confronts Martin on the sidewalk behind the apartments.
Fact Zimmerman then shoots Martin.
Fact 911 then gets calls coming in about a person screaming for help, a gun shot is heard and the screaming stops.
Fact police arrive and find Zimmerman standing near the body, Zimmerman supposedly has cuts on the back of the head and a bloody nose.
Fact Zimmerman tells police he got out of his truck to look at street signs and Martin jumped him from behind breaking his nose and bashing Zimmermans head on the sidewalk and Zimmerman shot Martin in self defense.
Fact There is no street where Zimmerman confronted Martin sidewalks do not have street signs.
Fact EMT are called treat Zimmerman in the back of a police car, EMT decide Zimmermans injuries are not serious and cancel an Ambulance.
Fact 30 minutes later Zimmerman arrives at the police station, gets out of the police car without assistance. From the grainy video at the police station Zimmerman does not look or act like he had just been through a life or death struggle. What is rather telling is the front of Zimmermans shirt is blood free, a broken nose bleeds badly both externally and internally.
Fact The police release Zimmerman, return his weapon and calls it case closed self defense.
Fact a special DA looks into the case and 45 days later Zimmerman is arrested on 2nd degree murder charges.
Fact the person who handled Martins body for interment said outside of the gun shot wound there were no signs of Martin having been involved with violence. If Martin had punched Zimmerman his hands would have been swollen. Forensics will tell better if Martin had been in a physical altercation as Zimmerman claims.
Someone makes a true statement about the cluelessness of a millionare white woman guarantees 24 hour news coverage of the poor wittle rich woman and the villification of the truth teller.
The racist assault on Michelle Obama began when there were just rumors that Senator Obama would declare his presidential candidacy back in 2007 and have not yet let up.
From taken out of context remarks, racist cartoons and e-mails, there has been a continous attack of racist caricatures, slurs, digs, vicious and defamatory statements
directed against Mrs. Obama by right wing talk show hosts, blogs, websites, teabaggers and politicians.
The usual cannard of uppity, or angry black woman, chewbacca to name a few.
Then we have WI congressman Jim Sensenbrenner who called Mrs. Obama a hypocrite for leading the Let’s Move campaign because she supposedly has a “large posterior.”
And speaker of the KS state house Mike O’Neal, who forwarded a vicious cartoon likening Mrs. Obama to the Grinch and calling her “Mrs. YoMama.”
The deafening silence from the excuses across the media, from both republican and Democratic politicians and especially from most of the black people in the media and public arena tells me that attacks against a strong, educated, beautiiful black women is insignificant. Even if that woman is the First lady of the United States.
Why is that?
Statement correction: " ... attacks against a strong, educated, beautiiful black women are insignificant to these folks."
Wow, I'm new to this and found the two comments above hard to believe, but here are the sources:
And, can we provide a basic lesson in manners, heart, as well as just basic political strategy: Not an apology: "If I've offended anyone..." A true apology: "I blew it; I made a stupid mistake."
Melissa,
Please take the Bible thumpers off your show. Assertions of Christianity do not guarantee morality. I also wish you'd spent more time on the trafficking issue. I disagree with the woman from Voice media, but I'd like to have heard more of her response. It was frustrating that you cut her off to make room for one more discussion of the tired topic of Mitt Romney's campaign.
I really don't see what the fuss is about. In context Ms. Rosen clearly was speaking about women that worked outside the home. She was telling the truth and really had nothing to apologize for. This is the problem with many democrats (they allow the republicans to control the rhetoric). Thats why I love myself some Micael E. Dyson. His conversation can't be controlled and he is always on point. Ms Romney claimed to have raised 5 sons. No one asked if she had "The Help" of a nanny, which is common for women of privledge. There are women (single moms) with 3-5 kids that not only raise her children, but work and go to shool. So if Mrs. Romney think raising five kids with or without the help of a nanny is hard then she haven't seen nothing yet. Cudos for Ms. Rosen.
I couldn't agree with you more. Melissa completely missed the mark on this one!
Trafficking is slavery, but it does not follow that the ads posted on Backpage represent trafficking.
Your guests are clearly pursuing a religiously based crusade. From what I have read online, they have been engaging in a huge propaganda campaign, claiming 100's of thousands of underage girls are being enslaved each year with ZERO proof of their assertions. Approximately 800 underage prostitutes are arrested each year and that has been constant for a decade.
They did not defend their greatly exaggerated claims, but they implied that Village Voice articles critical of them belittled the problem of trafficking. Telling a lie, even with good intentions, is not better than telling the truth and then debating policy based upon facts instead of hysteria.
Your guests said that shutting down Backpage was warranted by saving even a single underage girl from being exploited, even though adult services ads would move elsewhere. Franking that's an extremist position. Would they shut down the internet to prevent adult ads? I believe they would.
I was pleased that you at least saw the logic of Liz McDougal's assertion that closing Backpage would just move adult services ads elsewhere in the internet and that eventually they would move offshore and outside the jurisdiction of law enforcement.
I was also pleased that you saw that decriminalization of prostitution would make it easier to fight trafficking and that criminalizing women in the sex trade was morally wrong.
What wasn't discussed was whether all sex workers should be considered as coerced, which your guests imply. Some women choose sex work for financial reasons and use Backpage as a means to operate independently, so that they keep the proceeds of their work. Shut down such sites and these women are put at more risk of exploitation, not less.
If women control their own bodies, and if consenting adults are free to engage in sex at will, then criminalizing sex when anything of value is provided in trade is ridiculous. Exploitation is evil. But if a woman is acting of her own free will and is in control of events, then there's no exploitation.
Overall the discussion made it clear that your guests are Prohibitionists and motivated by religion, and not logic.
Decriminalization or legalization of prostitution would prevent much of the abuses.
If you wanted to address the issue of sex trafficking again, a wonderful guest would be a former victim, Jamie Walton. You can listen to her story here: smodcast.com/channels/sminterview (episodes #002 & #003)
She also has a charity: viewaskiew.com/thewaynefoundation