"Women’s groups pounce on Brown for his 'thank god' crack about Warren’s looks"

[ProSense]

Greg Sargent

<...>

* This is interesting: Senator Scott Brown, who may face a challenge from populist Elizabeth Warren, is now calling on Republicans and Dems to compromise on a jobs bill — and is supporting Obama’s payroll tax cut extension.

* Women’s groups pounce on Brown for his “thank god” crack about Warren’s looks, and it seems this story may have, er, legs.

<...>

Krugman: Scott Brown Locks Up The Jerk Vote

[Ineeda]

1. I have seen zilch, zero, nada on TV about this.

Can you imagine if a Dem had said something like that? :mad:

[jenmito]

4. Ed Schultz is talking about this next-coming up. n/t

[DURHAM D]

2. Tweety did about 5 seconds on it.

I think Warren is attractive.

[The Doctor.]

3. She has a brain and a heart.

She's gorgeous.

[customerserviceguy]

5. This is nothing

compared to what the banksters have in store for her.

Besides, even though she didn't bring up the topic of getting nekkid for Cosmo, she could have avoided stepping into that puddle. If she had, she would have also avoided this response. Remember what they say about mud wrestling with a pig.

[ProSense]

7. So

"Besides, even though she didn't bring up the topic of getting nekkid for Cosmo, she could have avoided stepping into that puddle."

...you're saying it's her fault Scott Brown made the comment?

[customerserviceguy]

8. I'm saying that this escalation is the natural consequence

of the interchange during the debate, when a reporter mentioned during a debate that Brown posed nude for a magazine, and asked her how she made money to attend college. She could have merely replied with a straight answer about how she financed her education, but by saying, "I kept my clothes on," she gave him the mudfight that has ensued.

[ProSense]

11. Ah

I'm saying that this escalation is the natural consequence of the interchange during the debate, when a reporter mentioned during a debate that Brown posed nude for a magazine, and asked her how she made money to attend college. She could have merely replied with a straight answer about how she financed her education, but by saying, "I kept my clothes on," she gave him the mudfight that has ensued.

...you're saying her response goaded Scott Brown into showing his true colors.

Do you believe Scott Brown was right to respond in the way he did, and if not, do you have any suggestions as to how he should have responded?

[karynnj]

13. Nice - and the true colors are pretty ugly

[customerserviceguy]

15. Hey, he's the pig

I've said that, and we all know it. There's a little-remembered phrase, "Don't go there," and the debate questioner, Warren, and Brown should all have remembered it. It's irrelevant that Brown did his little Cosmo stunt, it was well known before last year's election, and by keeping it going, it makes this mudfight the story rather than positions on the issues.

Expect a pig to act like a pig, and don't toss him any slop.

[ProSense]

17. You

I've said that, and we all know it. There's a little-remembered phrase, "Don't go there," and the debate questioner, Warren, and Brown should all have remembered it. It's irrelevant that Brown did his little Cosmo stunt, it was well known before last year's election, and by keeping it going, it makes this mudfight the story rather than positions on the issues.

Expect a pig to act like a pig, and don't toss him any slop.

...don't seem to understand. It's not her job to protect Scott Brown's reputation.

[customerserviceguy]

18. No, it's her job to protect her own

And I think she learned the lesson to stick to the issues, not to the silly stuff. I'm sure she'd rather see the media talking about her positions on the issues raised by the OWS protests than this "clothes" business.

[ProSense]

19. You

No, it's her job to protect her own. And I think she learned the lesson to stick to the issues, not to the silly stuff. I'm sure she'd rather see the media talking about her positions on the issues raised by the OWS protests than this "clothes" business.

seem to be under the impression that this episode was a negative against Warren and not Brown. Her comments are not in question, his are.

I'm fairly certain that she and most Democrats are not losing sleep because Scott Brown attracted negative press and pushback with his comment.

[customerserviceguy]

21. And you

seem oblivious to the lesson here that I'm sure Warren now knows very well. You don't give raw meat to the jackals, and that includes the media that loves to repeat Brown's childish remarks.

You want to make this a campaign about her good ideas versus him enabling the Repukes to destroy this country, not about the vain nudie boy versus the ugly feminist. The media loves to trivialize issues, then gripe about how no one takes them seriously.

[ProSense]

23. No

And you seem oblivious to the lesson here that I'm sure Warren now knows very well. You don't give raw meat to the jackals, and that includes the media that loves to repeat Brown's childish remarks.

...you seem determined to blame Warren for Brown's screw up. She gave him nothing. His small mind is responsible for his big screw up.

[louslobbs]

30. +1 for all of ProSense's comments.....they speak for me here.

Lou

[karynnj]

28. As support to you - big name republican female Senators are out defending Brown

by speaking of his impoverished childhood and saying no one should attack him for that. This obviously ignores that NO ONE attacked Brown - unless it was the Republican student leader who asked the strange question as he did. (Seriously, I have listened to candidate debates for decades - this is the FIRST time any were asked how they paid for college.)

Collins and Ayotte would not be out there if they did not see this hurting Brown.

Also note, that the NON elected Democrats are attacking Brown over his classless comments. Personally I think they should - just as a precaution - be emphasizing that a Republican asked the question and he was the ONLY one who referred to Brown. Is it the Democrats fault that Brown did this and they didn't? (side question, could the Republican student have been trying to get the Democrats to criticize Brown - and none of them took the bait? )

When even one of the more partisan (RW) Boston Herald columnists says that Brown's comment was below the belt, it is a good sign that this ended up a net negative for Brown. http://bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/2011_1007case_clothed_brown_quip_hits_below_belt

[karynnj]

29. Blue Mass has the video and a vintage article that puts Brown's choice in a different perspective

http://bluemassgroup.com/2011/10/reality-check-nobody-made-light-of-scott-browns-difficult-choices/#recommend-1-31210

The sentence that struck me in the interview at the end was: "Everything was set for me at Boston College, the year ahead was safe."
He already had everything set up to go to Boston College Law School. He was already a graduate of an elite college. It is true - that like Warren - it could have taken 10 years to pay off the loans, but this was not a kid living in a slum right out of Dickens willing to do what was needed to go to college - as he pretty much said. It was a kid tempted by an incredible offer to be part of the fast, beautiful people world of places like studio 54.

[Hippo_Tron]

34. No, the natural response from a politician would be to demand an apology

Of course, Scott Brown isn't always great about watching his mouth. I'm glad, though. It just makes this all more fun to watch.

[karynnj]

9. She was fine - and this is hurting Brown not her

Her comment was very natural - given the question from a Republican student. It was in no way demeaning to respond to a question that included how Brown earned money - that that was not the way she did it.

The funny thing is that there was no real way for the Democrats to use his modeling. But here, a REPUBLICAN asked the question - and she said NOTHING about Brown, just about herself.

Brown's response - the excuses, not the "Thank God", show that he is embarrassed by it - and he was making excuses. That is Brown speaking to Brown - an internal discussion.

[customerserviceguy]

10. Oh, yes, he is the pig in this

But she stepped into the mud with that pig. I believe she's learned her lesson from it.

[karynnj]

12. True, but the analogy doesn't work - as she got not mud on her

The only negatives are from the RW apologists, who would never vote for any Democrat. I assume that this could tip many women independents as the tone of the conversation was disgusting.

[customerserviceguy]

14. Possibly

but there's a near eternity between now and November, 2012. We have not yet seen even the tip of the iceberg that the banksters are cooking up for Warren. By the time they're done with her, this 24 hour story will be quaint.

Let's not forget that there may be male independents who might be swayed towards Brown for doing this, they might have thought that he showed some macho bravado in uttering this, while they had reservations about him for even posing for Cosmo in the first place. It can cut both ways.

[ProSense]

16. Couple of things

You said previously that you "believe she's learned her lesson from it."

What lesson: that he, as you also said, "is the pig in this"?

"Let's not forget that there may be male independents who might be swayed towards Brown for doing this, they might have thought that he showed some macho bravado in uttering this, while they had reservations about him for even posing for Cosmo in the first place. It can cut both ways."

Wouldn't you say that anyone who is swayed by Brown's argument is enabling a "pig"? That's not flattering.

I'm sure Warren can handle herself, but do you think that ridicuolous comments by Scott Brown aren't going to spark outrage and pushback from others?

[customerserviceguy]

20. She's learned to keep to the real issues

Not some silly-ass pictures from decades ago. They have nothing to do with what's at stake in this election, and she knows it. Trying to be cute by taking a questioner's bait just complicates the process of making this campaign about the issues, rather than the goofy stuff the media likes to titter about.

Yes, any male voters who suddenly think Brown found a pair by making snarky remarks about Warren's looks is a pig. But Republicons have always won by appealing to fear, prejudice, and ignorance. The best thing Warren can do is not keep feeding the beast.

Outrage and pushback are not going to be substitutes for keeping the focus on why she's the best choice for Massachusetts voters. Believe me, the banksters who are going to pour megabucks into a smear campaign against her are going to be far more clever than frat-boy Brown about it.

[ProSense]

22. Is

Not some silly-ass pictures from decades ago. They have nothing to do with what's at stake in this election, and she knows it. Trying to be cute by taking a questioner's bait just complicates the process of making this campaign about the issues, rather than the goofy stuff the media likes to titter about.

...that what's upsetting you? You seem more annoyed by Warren than Brown. "Cute"? Really?

Yes, any male voters who suddenly think Brown found a pair by making snarky remarks about Warren's looks is a pig. But Republicons have always won by appealing to fear, prejudice, and ignorance. The best thing Warren can do is not keep feeding the beast.

That's absolute nonsense. The best thing she can do is continue to back Brown into a corner. Anyone who thinks of Brown's comment in terms of "found a pair" is an idiot, and likely had no intention of voting for Warren.

Outrage and pushback are not going to be substitutes for keeping the focus on why she's the best choice for Massachusetts voters. Believe me, the banksters who are going to pour megabucks into a smear campaign against her are going to be far more clever than frat-boy Brown about it.

You need to read the OP again, Brown is feeling the heat, and he'll slip up often.

Again, Warren can handle the bankers, and that has nothing to do with this current incident.

[customerserviceguy]

24. What's had me troubled about this story

is that it didn't have to be a story. Had she merely answered the question about how she financed her education, she wouldn't have left Brown a target. Yes, "cute". How he raised money for college a long time ago has diddly-squat to do with the issues that she needs to make this campaign about. Hell, how she made money to get through school isn't either, but I guess I expected her to give a simple answer to the questioner, maybe even pointed out that young people are dealing with crushing debt and exorbitant fees to even get into college. That should have been the focus of her answer.

Yes, those who would respond with a chuckle to Brown's comment wouldn't be likely Warren voters, but they might have skipped voting for either of them. I think it's possible that it motivated at least a few voters. And playing the angry feminist will just corral more of those piggish voters into Brown's corner. No, they're not a desirable portion, or even a significant portion of the electorate, but they're out there, and they thought Brown was a wuss for posing for Cosmo in the first place.

I hope that you're right about Warren standing up to the banksters, because they're coming at her with both barrels blazing. If she keeps to the issues, she'll win, but if she lets the media keep bouncing this non-story off of her, she's going to make that an even steeper uphill battle.

[ProSense]

25. Again

What's had me troubled about this story is that it didn't have to be a story. Had she merely answered the question about how she financed her education, she wouldn't have left Brown a target. Yes, "cute". How he raised money for college a long time ago has diddly-squat to do with the issues that she needs to make this campaign about. Hell, how she made money to get through school isn't either, but I guess I expected her to give a simple answer to the questioner, maybe even pointed out that young people are dealing with crushing debt and exorbitant fees to even get into college. That should have been the focus of her answer.

...you're trying to blame Warren for Brown's comment. It wouldn't have been a story if Brown had avoided making his comment. The story is Brown's comment.

Yes, those who would respond with a chuckle to Brown's comment wouldn't be likely Warren voters, but they might have skipped voting for either of them. I think it's possible that it motivated at least a few voters. And playing the angry feminist will just corral more of those piggish voters into Brown's corner. No, they're not a desirable portion, or even a significant portion of the electorate, but they're out there, and they thought Brown was a wuss for posing for Cosmo in the first place.

And here again, you're implying that the negative reaction to Brown's ridiculous comment is actually a positive. That's absurd!

I hope that you're right about Warren standing up to the banksters, because they're coming at her with both barrels blazing. If she keeps to the issues, she'll win, but if she lets the media keep bouncing this non-story off of her, she's going to make that an even steeper uphill battle.

This is politics, Warren has already demonstrated she's prepared to handle it. There is no need to defend Scott Brown from Warren. He needs to be able to defend himself. If today is any indication, he's in trouble.

[customerserviceguy]

26. Well, we'll see how this election goes

I remember seeing all the posts for Warren for president a few weeks ago. She's gotta get elected Senator first, and I believe she's going to stick to issues from now on as the way to accomplish that.

[polmaven]

27. If the question

had been simply - "How did you finance your education", then I might agree with you. But it wasn't. It was the questioner who brought up the Cosmo picture, not Ms. Warren. Her response was humorous, with no sexist put down and no inference at all about his looks. He has now reiterated the image of himself that he began on the night of his election when he started pimping out his daughters.

[customerserviceguy]

31. She didn't have to even go there

What was the undertone of her response that she "kept her clothes on"? It was to swing at the softball that a reporter tossed her, and imply that taking one's clothes off is worse than keeping them on. It was intended to make him look like a vain, silly, even possibly less than moral individual for doing that. It certainly wasn't about anything that is facing either Massachusetts or the nation.

The unfocused OWS protests could use her leadership, she's probably one of the most knowledgeable people in the country on banksters and their tricks. Instead of talking about goofy stuff Brown did during college, she should put a great emphasis on how having her in the US Senate would help to accomplish the goals of the people who are disillusioned about Wall Street. Now, the story is about 'nature boy' and 'ugly feminist', and it distracts from the message she really needs to get out.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

6. What a vain SOB

She's going outclass him in every way during this election cycle.

[lunatica]

32. He's prurient and it now gives him a creepy factor on top of dumb

[juajen]

33. I think she is adorable. What the hell do they want, Julia Roberts?

Talk about sexism. This takes the proverbial cake, and I'd like to shove it down his throat. I love her comeback, "I'll survive". Great!