The Right Gets a Grip on This Sexism Thing

Conservatives aren't quite sure how to respond to sexism, even when it's really obvious, and even when it's against a woman on their side.

Conservatives aren't quite sure how to respond to sexism, even when it's really obvious, and even when it's against a woman on their side. How did Rush Limbaugh respond to the outrage that Jimmy Fallon's band played "Lyin' Ass Bitch" as Michele Bachmann walked on stage? By fake-introducing Michelle Obama to Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back." The controversy has resulted in some interesting moments, like anti-halal-soup crusader Pamela Geller approvingly quoting the lefty site Feministing and a RedState poster quoting Simone de Beauvoir. Hot Air's Ed Morrissey says the joke shows political bias for sure, but leaves it to the commenters to say whether they think Bachmann should be playing the sexism card. (Many do not think it's a good thing at all.)

Morrissey writes, "It’s always tricky for Republican women to claim to have been victimized by sexism, as conservatives have rightly objected to overly-oppressive political correctness that usually works to pressure the Right into silence. It’s possible to overplay this hand, but on the other hand, it’s important to call out the double standard, too." Commenters rail: "Let others complain on your behalf, Michele. When you start demanding apologies, you lose any sympathy and look like a prima donna." "Bachmann is now officially on my “No fing way!” list. Go play the stupid PC victim somewhere else." "NBC owes me an apology ... for giving Hannity two months worth of material."

Big Government's Dana Loesch, on the other hand, wholeheartedly supports Bachmann's quest for an apology from the network (Fallon tweeted one Tuesday night). Loesch writes, "I can’t wait for the day when progressive males can evolve to a higher intellectual level and debate conservative women on facts, not on sex. Have we ever had a woman president? Who was the last to win the right to vote? Right. Spare me your identity politics -- especially the ideology that had the audacity to hyperventilate over this." The "this" she refers to is the booing of Michelle Obama at a Nascar game. But the person showing the greatest trouble grasping what is sexist versus what isn't is Limbaugh. He was appalled at the disrespect shown towards Bachmann:

So here comes the only female candidate for president of the United States, a Republican, who was introduced this way. She doesn't know what's going on; she didn't pay attention to the song being played. The drummer in the group tweets the next day that they had done this, laughing about it, yukking it up. Fallon sends out a tweet later saying the drummer's been "grounded," but clearly they were having a great time with it. It was disrespectful, a 100 percent diss: "Lyin' Assed B-i-itch." To put this in perspective, Hillary wasn't even on the show, and they have this song, "Lyin' Assed B-i-itch!" Now, you watch, I'm gonna get in trouble for equating Hillary with this.

Clearly he felt a tingling sensation somewhere altering him that people might be offended for some woman-related comment during the segment. He's just not entirely sure which one it is.