Hillary's opponents are sexist (especially the women)

[Conor Friedersdorf]

The New Republic has published a piece about Nancy Pelosi backing Barack Obama in the contest for the Democratic nomination. Upon seeing it I thought to myself, "Finally, a blow that the Clinton campaign can't explain away by cynically playing the gender card."

Think again!

Some Hillary folks believe that Pelosi assumes Obama would provide better coattails for down-ballot candidates to ride. Others think Hillary is considered too centrist to win Pelosi's love. Still others suspect the speaker has calculated that she'd have more influence under President Obama than President Clinton--partly because Obama has more limited Washington experience than Hillary and partly because, as the Hillary adviser snarks, under Clinton, Pelosi would lose the advantages that attend being "the most senior skirt in the land."

So sexist Nancy Pelosi is opposing Hillary Clinton because she is a woman! (What other reason could there be?) And remember when Hillary told us that being a woman politician meant constantly battling sexism? Never mind! Today's cynical talking point is that being "the most senior skirt in the land" actually confers desirable advantages!!

One almost has to write in the style of Wonkette to communicate the utter absurdity of it all.