First, the editorial department publishes an endorsement in which it unethically suggests that voters choose a man it clearly believes is unqualified to hold high office because he is a “fraud” and a “catastrophe.” Now, the same editorial department, just a week later, publishes a sickeningly sexist comment by former Gov. Tom Kean in which he pats Barbara Buono on the head and calls her a “nice lady” who is “unqualified” to be governor.
What is next? An editorial suggesting Buono serve cookies and hot chocolate at Christie’s second inauguration?
How could a major daily sink so low as to carry–and pay for, because it does– the misogynistic comments of a man, let us not forget, who was qualified for governor only by a) his family’s money, b) a deal he made to become Assembly speaker with David Friedland, a real slimy character who would go on to be indicted and fake his own death, and c) by relying on goon squads headed by thug Tony Imperiale suppressing the vote in Newark.
Kean was only slightly more qualified to be governor than his puppet-master, Chris Christie, who got to the Statehouse via his brother’s purchase of a US Attorney’s position in New Jersey from George W. Bush. And Christie is not even a “nice” man–in fact, he once suggested a woman be attacked with a bat.
They’re all nuts. And, sorry, but so are the people who would vote for this women-hating crew.
I frankly don’t know how any woman could vote for the 19th Century, plantation mentality that pervades both the Republican party in New Jersey and its Democratic poodles like Joe DiVincenzo and Brian Stack.
I know as the father of a daughter and the grandfather of two infant girls–both of whom have more sense than the geriatric twins featured in The Star-Ledger’s editorial pages every week–I will never vote for Republicans or faux Democrats.
This campaign has been rife with sexism from the beginning.
I like what Montclair lawyer Nancy Erika Smith said about The Star-Ledger’s almost incredible gaffe:
“Unless being male is a ‘qualification,’ Kean’s support of candidates with much
less qualifications shows his profound sexism. The entire campaign for Governor
this year has been filled with sexism and misogyny. Christie sets the
tone with his profound lack of respect. These attitudes translate into
policy as well (like Christie’s veto of funding for Planned
Parenthood). Tom Kean owes Senator Buono (and all women in New
Jersey) a very public apology.”
And so does The Star-Ledger. It’s not that the newspaper should not have reported what Kean said, but it should have called him out on it. This should have been a news story in which the comments of a former governor and Christie backer were held up to the ridicule they deserve. Instead, the newspaper just runs them without comment as if insulting women were ok.
Insulting women is definitely not ok.
There will be more to come on this.
Women’s rights are in serious jeopardy. How any woman can vote for Christie is beyond me! His party has many members who don’t think women should have access to healthcare! He defunded Planned Parenthood, the only option for many women to obtain health care and exercise their constitutional right to make personal healthcare decisions. He tried to defund a center for abused children in Newark. He attacked teachers viciously. And his trickle down economics plan – giving $2.1 BILLION to corporations and cut the millionaires tax, while raising taxes on the middle class (by getting rid of the earned income tax credit and the property tax rebate) – hurt women and their children disproportionately. His friends the Koch brothers and his Republican party were behind the shutdown of our government. He has opposed marriage equality, a fair minimum wage, and fair treatment of immigrants. He won’t even support voting rights (he vetoed early voting in NJ and won’t speak out against the Supreme Court ruling gutting the Voting Rights Act. He stands for everything most NJ citizens disagree with. Are people just watching YouTube and not paying attention??????
Keep ’em honest, Bob. Wow, these guys are soooo stuck in the past.
Tom Kean and his son are political figures because of old inherited money. Earning money the old fashioned way is for women, Democratic women. Has any member of Kean’s family ever had to sweat for a dollar?
Republicans are angling for a two tiered system of lords and serfs, with Republicans as the lords. They see the working class as loyal servants.
Appealing to the worst fears and lowest instincts has worked for them. Exploiting ignorance is a sin to most normal people. To Republicans this is a virtue.
Tom Kean’s “Nice Lady” comment is a finger in the eye to the women of New Jersey and women in general.
Partisan hackery and Tom Kean: Perfect together.
These misogynists (and Christie is one) don’t limit their abuse along partisan lines.
How about how they treat Lt. Gov. Guadagno?
They take her out as a prop, but she is prohibited from talking to press and she issues humiliating statements that deny she has any ideas or accomplishments of her own. It’s all attributed to the male boss Christie.
See the quote in the NJ SPotlight story today (10/31)