Oooh, nuance!

It's true! At least, according to the media, the Democratic Party, and of course, the man even our bought-and-paid-for press corpse is starting to call the "presumptuous nominee."

I'm not ridiculous because I'm a PUMA, though. I'm ridiculous first, because I'm a woman, and second, because I'm a woman who refuses to do what Daddy tells me to.

You know, there's just something so icky about being a woman anyway. And kind of embarrassing. I mean, I look down at my body, and I have two bumps where I don't need them, and I'm missing a critical bump somewhere south of my belly button. Ewwwwwww, what's that about? If only I had that bump, I could be in charge. I could do whatever I wanted to and no one would think it was ridiculous.

Look at George W. Bush. This man has the manners of a pig in slop. He talks with his mouth full, he farts, he calls his right-hand man "Turd Blossom," he gives the Chancellor of Germany a shoulder rub, he can't keep from invading peoples' personal space. Of course, his Bushisms are legendary.

Yet is he ridiculous? Why no. For most of his horrific Reign of Error, no one in the press or the Democratic Party questioned this man's credibility or right to be in his seat. He has that scrap of flesh hanging off his pelvis, so he must be respected.

Of course, Hillary was not in possession of that precious penile attachment. Open season, baybee! Let's talk about her hair, her "cankles," her cleavage, the horrifying spectacle of a woman growing older in office! Let's talk about her coldness, her crocodile tears, her laugh, her ambition, her similarities to your "psycho" ex-girlfriend, her (supposed) menstrual cycle! Hahahahaha! Ooooh, it's just all so delicious!

And when women object to this treatment of a woman who has attained a level of success matched only by a few others in our vast country of 300 million people? Why, we are just imagining it. We white women are a problem you just have to live with. How can Daddy fix it? You want a kiss, sweetie? Or maybe you just need to be taken into a room by a man and only one of you comes out?

Well, my lovelies, take a look at what you have wrought. Are you proud of yourselves?

Look at your Beloved, Obama, strutting around Europe as if he were already the President. Look at how poorly he's doing in the polls (recently dropping to 4 points behind McCain in Likely Voters) now that he doesn't have the Queen of All Vaginal Dentatae, Hillary Clinton, to demonize. Look how pompous and arrogant and empty he is. Look how little he has to offer for all the promises he has made. Barack Obama is the poster child for preening, unearned, overweening male pride. No wonder he sends a thrill up fellow traveller Chris Matthews' leg.

The awakening of PUMA is exactly what the terrified little boys who love Obama are afraid of. The idea that women will some day look around and realize how much power they really have makes them simply crazy with terror.

And the fact that men, real men who are comfortable with female empowerment, have joined the movement? Well, how many times have you even seen the fact that some PUMAs are men even acknowledged by the media or the Democratic Party or (Heaven forfend) the presumptuous nominee himself?

My dear little FanBoyz of Obama, members of the "I Hate Hillary Just Because" club, you are the ones who are ridiculous. And you're starting to know it, aren't you?

How does it feel to look in the mirror and realize that people are laughing at you? That you have prostituted yourself for a man who is Just Not That Into You?

I hope that feeling is as painful as it deserves to be. Because thanks to your actions, we are thisclose to being deprived of the only candidate this year who is experienced, qualified, willing and able to lead this country out of Bush's abyss.

Why?

Because she is ridiculous.

Did you need to ask?

Cross-posted at The Confluence

Today I am submitting my questions to Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney for our upcoming interview. Phew! Qweschuns are hard work, as our beloved Deciderer knows so well.

In the meantime, here are some posts to keep you busy:

Charles Lemos has an excellent piece at No Quarter on how Obama is being mocked from all sides of the spectrum.

Riverdaughter explains how to save the Democratic Party.

Firedoglake notices that evangelical outreach has its downside. Who suffers? Why, women, of course.

Joseph Cannon outlines the so-called "Pottery Barn Rule" to the Obamans.

I wish you all a happy Monday. Now, back to work!

As some of my regular readers know, I am a professional singer as well as a politics-obsessed bloggista. Last night, I was privileged to sing in a Concert for Life, sponsored by the Project People Foundation. The experience left an indelible impression on me.

My part in the concert was small: I was there as a "backup" for the Cantor at the temple where I sing. (That temple has long been a partner in PPF's efforts). The rest of the time, I was able to sit, snack, and enjoy the other performers. And what a show it was!

Project People Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of impoverished and AIDs-scourged South Africans. To highlight this focus, PPF opened the concert with performances from South Africans who are part of the cast of The Lion King. They danced and sang with amazing energy, skill and passion. Then, an absolutely phenomenal gospel group sang several pieces that were so inspiring, they almost convinced me to convert. (Oy!) In the middle of all of this was a celebration of Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday, complete with a gorgeous cake.

Finally, the gospel choir closed with a knockout performance of "We Shall Overcome," with the first verse sung in Hebrew to honor the Temple's participation. The entire room stood up and held hands spontaneously. It was incredibly moving to touch strangers and colleagues in such a comfortable way, and sing along with that ultimate anthem of faith and resolve.

That was the sweet, and how sweet it was.

And now, for the bitter.

The performance took place at a large, prominent, mostly African-American church. Barack Obama's name was mentioned twice by various speakers, both times in the context of how inspiring it was as an example to children and adults that an African-American could be nominated as a Presidential candidate. (He hasn't clinched the nomination yet, but I knew where they were coming from.) The folks in the room seemed to agree (I saw a few nods and heard a quiet "Yes!" or two), but there was no applause or loud affirmation of these statements. (And believe me, this crowd was not shy - if you've ever been to a service in a black church, you know what I'm talking about.)

In fact, both of these statements were made by men, and I saw some female faces around the room freeze a little, as mine did. I wondered if the two thoughts that went through my head were running through theirs:

1) Women of color could have been inspired by Hillary as well as Obama; and

2) Why isn't he better?

Let's address #1 first.

Reverend Jeremiah Wright mentioned Hillary Clinton in his controversial "God Damn America" sermon, and his remarks were instructive. He asserted that Hillary hadn't had to work twice as hard as a white man to get the same job. It was a laughable and hugely ironic statement in the context of this primary, considering that Hillary has now all but lost the nomination to a man, although she was the winner of the popular vote and has a resume that, by any objective measure, dwarfs Obama's.

Clearly, gender equality is not a part of Reverend Wright's awareness. As every woman in his congregation could have told him, women do have to work twice as hard as a man in order to get the same job. Of course, even if they are fortunate enough to get such a job, they are paid, on average, 77 cents to the man's dollar.

Is there any reason to assume that Hillary Clinton would not continue her work to gain gender equality as President? No. The only way to beat Hillary was to smear her with false accusations of racism and race-baiting, and that is exactly what his campaign did. Out of an understandable sense of community, only a brave few African-Americans stood up for her or Bill Clinton in the face of Obama's divisive tactics, and those who did were intimidated with primary challenges or, in some cases, death threats from the Obama camp.

As frustrating as #1 is to me, #2 is what really hurt. Why is he The One, as Oprah famously dubbed him? What has he ever done for the black community? What has he promised to do for the black community? Why does he talk down to the NAACP and perpetuate white stereotypes about his own people?

Why doesn't he appreciate how much his community needs a figure of great stature, a person who aspires to be a fighter for social justice for all Americans, a person who strives for peace and an end to institutionalized racism and bigotry of all kinds - yes, even unto sexism and homophobia? Why isn't he humbled a bit by what the unqualified support of the black community means?

It breaks my heart that Senator Obama was not asked these questions by the Party Leaders before they decided to elevate him to national status. Fair or not, an African-American candidate will bear the burdens of his long-suffering community on his shoulders, just as Hillary would be expected to bear the burdens of long-suffering women on hers. And as I looked at all the faces around me last night, holding hands with a beautiful stranger and pledging to overcome, I could only think: African-Americans deserve better. They deserve so much better than vague platitudes about hope and change. They deserve a deep understanding of their plight and a lifelong commitment of time and resources, of heart and soul, towards mitigating that plight.

For all of our sakes, I hope they get what they deserve from America and, should he prevail, Barack Obama. As we all know, it's been a long time coming.

Great news!

I am honored to say that Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) has contacted me and asked me to interview her about her new book, "Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated."

The book is a clear, information-packed, yet entertaining and uplifting look at how women are doing in our society. It also offers concrete action items what we can do as activists on both the micro and macro level in order to better the lives of women in America.

Ms. Maloney has penned an eye-opening must-read for men AND women, as the book is not a polemic, but a fact-based dissection of all the ways in which women still lag behind men in every measurable way: pay, vacation time, job opportunities, vulnerability to sexual harrassment and other abuses of power. All this, and I'm still reading the second chapter!

I have found throughout the primary season that most people don't seem to understand and accept the premise that there is still an enormous amount of institutionalized sexism in America. Reading this book will disabuse people of that notion in short order.

If feminism and gender equality interest you - and they'd damn well better! ;-) - then I'm sure you'll enjoy my upcoming interview with the fascinating, well-informed and tireless Congresswoman Maloney.

Now I hope you'll excuse me - I've got to get back to my reading.