The kerfuffle over the Neera Tanden nomination is publicizing an "inconvenient truth":

[Atticus]

taking a stand and speaking with passion about those who oppose it makes a man a "hard charger" and a "force to be reckoned with"; someone "destined to lead".

If, however, a woman dares to do the exact same thing, she is "shrill" and "nasty" and should just "stick to baking cookies".

Strong women only frighten weak men.

[Wounded Bear]

1. Sad, but true...

Thankfully, our new President doesn't think that.

[onecaliberal]

2. Strong women only frighten weak men.

This can’t possibly be repeated often enough.

[pazzyanne]

6. + 1 nt

[paleotn]

16. Bingo!

[momta]

30. I'm considering making it my sig line.

Hope Atticus won't mind if I steal it.

[onecaliberal]

33. True words.

[SharonAnn]

32. My late husband loved what he called "feisty women".

And all women liked him. He talked to them as if they were real people (imagine) and treated them the same.

A male friend told me once he needed to find out his trick for attracting women. I explained to him it was no trick. He thought women were actually interesting people. They just responded to that.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. I'm severely disappointed in Joe Manchin

He voted yes for an rapist -

But will not vote yes because a woman of color said a few mean things?


I hope Jaime Harrison is really laser focused on picking up a few more Senate seats in 2022. I realize we are stuck with him - but I would love to have a few more as a buffer so we don't have to beg him anymore.

[MyOwnPeace]

4. Manchin is just who we knew he was....

He now knows the power he has and is using it fully. We need to trust President Joe's time in the Senate to use his own history with the Senate to pull off a few 'favors delivered' to push through his agenda.

Look back at what Lyndon Johnson was able to do - a Southern Democrat (yeah, they used to exist!) that was able to push through the "Civil Rights Act" in spite of knowing that his 'friends' in the South were NOT happy with him.

We're looking at a year or so of tons of 'give & take' - we're dealing with some that are just plain rock-heads and want to continue the 'Trumpism' (Welcome back, Ted - nice tan!) - we've got (at least we should hope we do) some Republicans that still want to 'do the right thing' - and we've got some Dems that feel that they must 'tread lightly' to keep their job.

THAT is where we are SO fortunate - we've got President Joe with his years of experience and the Speaker of the House that KNOWS how to get things done - along with a most amazing Vice President.

It is going to be a long, slow process.

Keep the faith - keep up the fight - we know that we are right - we must get it done!

[TheBlackAdder]

8. Yep. He's pissed that KXL is back-burnered and is flexing.

[Trueblue1968]

11. I am MORE than severely disappointed in Joe Manchin. can't post my thoughts.

i feel depressed when i feel how he doesn't "jell" with our party.
i just don't have the words. i can't express myself here. i just don't understand him and what he stands for.

[onecaliberal]

35. He stands for himself.

[The Mouth]

37. He stands for getting the most pork for the people of West Virginia

Some people are about the $$$, not ideology.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

38. I'm not. My expectations for him are lower than crocodile piss. nt

[JustAnotherGen]

45. Tell me how you really feel!?!?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

46. .

.

[Lonestarblue]

5. Trump said far worse things, but that was okay with Republicans.

Here is what Republicans have complained about (from NPR): "You wrote that Susan Collins is, quote, 'the worst.' That Tom Cotton is a fraud. That vampires have more heart than Ted Cruz. You called leader McConnell 'Moscow Mitch' and 'Voldemort,' " complained Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio. "How do you plan to mend fences and build relationships with members of Congress you have attacked through your public statements?"

In fact, what she said is all true. Republicans should be asked why they raised no objections to Trump’s many nasty comments about Hillary Clinton.

[DeLurkor]

21. I Must Disagree With Neera Tanden On This

Moscow Mitch is the Undertaker(or wants to be), Rick Scott is Voldemort: https://me.me/i/totallylookslike-com-lord-voldemort-gov-rick-scott-totally-looks-like-6514d80af7ea4ccb96f979cfa9a442ff
Everything else she said is true.

[Oldem]

7. "Hard chargers" and "force[s] to be reckoned with"

have really done us a lot of good haven't they? We're in a colossal mess because of them. I'm not saying that female direction would have avoided all the mistakes. We're all human. I don't see how turning to female wisdom could hurt, shrill or not.

[SunSeeker]

9. K & R

[SergeStorms]

10. Absolutely.

I don't understand how any man could be scared of a woman who speaks the truth, no matter how forcefully. Any man who reacts in a negative way about a strong woman shows everyone what's lacking in his character, not hers.

[TimeToGo]

12. Sure, but

The chief number one issue is that she isn’t a republican. Repub women are given passes as well. Maybe not as many as men, but if she were a republican and Biden was GOP, they wouldn’t say a word.

[JI7]

14. Manchin voted against Amy Coney Barrett but voted FOR Kavanaugh

[SergeStorms]

15. Bingo.

Manchin pisses me off to no end. I hope President Biden has a little surprise in store for Manchin. No, actually I hope he has a BIG surprise in store for Manchin.

[TimeToGo]

20. Didn't say it was equal

Just saying the republican thing is real

[ironman99]

13. As a 60+ white male..

I find strong women to be more interesting and very exciting!!!!!!

[housecat]

17. We don't need a DINO like Manchin

[JI7]

19. We do need him right now or McConnell gets control of Senate again

[MyOwnPeace]

22. THAT is absolutely correct....

and Manchin knows it - thus his move to be a 'play-maker.'

[housecat]

48. sad but true. He's still a DINO

[evolves]

18. "Strong women only frighten weak men."

THIS.

[DeminPennswoods]

23. She succeeded Podesta as head of a partisan organization,

the American Center for Progress. No one should be surprised she said partisan things while there. No doubt she said a lot of cheeky things. This shouldn't disqualify her for a job in the WH, but Biden took a risk in nominating her because of her overt partisanship.

When Biden nominated her, I was surprised and the first thing crossing my mind was that it would be a fight to get her confirmed just because she was coming from ACP.

[Atticus]

24. Don't really disagree, but would just comment that she is being opposed tooth and nail by the

Republicans---and Manchin---"just because she was coming from the ACP" while no one seems to bat an eye when virtually all Republican SCOTUS nominees come---directly or indirectly---from the RWNJ Heritage Foundation.

[DeminPennswoods]

25. Technically, the judicial nominees come from the Federalist

Society, but point taken.

I'm still surprised Biden nominated her. It would've been just as easy to put her in WH job that does not need Senate confirmation. Jmho, but OMB needs a good apparachik in charge who knows the ins and outs of the organization.

[UpInArms]

26. In the 80s

I was called on the carpet for being “aggressive.”

I looked at my “boss” and said “If I were a man, you would be applauding me for being assertive.”

[R B Garr]

27. We also saw this in 2016 against Hillary.

It’s notable that one of her main attackers is now worried about “mean tweets” about him. Such irony.

[IronLionZion]

28. Manchin is opposing Xavier Becerra too for similar reasons

Gender might certainly be a factor. Maybe race too. Either way, I wish we had more Dems in the Senate.

[krkaufman]

40. Yerp

See: https://www.politico.com/story/2009/09/van-jones-resigns-amid-controversy-026797

[IronLionZion]

41. We had 59-60 Dems back then

Barely 50-ish now.

[BobTheSubgenius]

29. You could take "weak" out of the last sentence.

Not ALL men of course, but all types of men. The weak ones are just more obvious, I think.

[Blue Owl]

31. K&R

[Scurrilous]

34. K&R

[calimary]

36. VERY good point, Atticus.

“Strong women only frighten weak men.”

[krkaufman]

39. double standard

It doesn’t make the OP premise false, but this seems just as much an example of the double standard by which Democratic personnel/politicians are judged vs the Right. Same thing happened in the early Obama years with Van Jones, with critical Dems quickly capitulating rather than standing their ground.

edit: see: https://www.politico.com/story/2009/09/van-jones-resigns-amid-controversy-026797

[PatrickforB]

44. Interesting point. I've always liked Van Jones.

And, yeah, the Republicans are for sure a bunch of snowflakes. The poor little dears just can't stand (gasp!) critical tweets!

The worst of it, though, as you point out though, is aimed at minorities as well as women.

[PatrickforB]

42. And what, Atticus, does this say about a certain WV Senator who shall

remain nameless?

It boggles my mind how someone could vote to confirm Jeff Sessions but turn down a certain female cabinet pick over some awkward tweets.

[Atticus]

43. Nothing good. nt

[aikoaiko]

47. All must be careful about not getting too far out in front of their skis when speaking with passion

Especially if you need political friends to advance your career.