Michael Steele says if Hillary is too knowledgeable, she'll come off as a bully

[wordpix]

This in reference to the debate tomorrow, shown on Chris Matthews tonight.

Really, Michael? Is this where women's lib has gotten you? That is, where he said Hillary will be viewed by Repug minions as a bully if she presents herself in command of presidential subjects, and Steele showing no concern that repugs equate being a knowledgeable woman with being a bully. I would love for Hillary to address this issue tomorrow.

In my universe, it makes me feel good knowing she has a longtime background in the issues and already knows the players. Why is that being a bully, Michael? Chris Matthews should have followed up on that.

Inquiring journalists should inquire why does Michael Steele equate knowledge and experience with being a bully?

[rurallib]

1. there's the old double standard - girls got to tone down their intelligence in front of boys

wonder if Steele has any idea how - what? misogynist maybe? - that sounds?

[etherealtruth]

5. You hit the nail on the head :puke:

[wordpix]

9. he said it like, "She will be viewed as a bully"

he did not say he himself will view her that way. However, I found his glib reading of the tea leaves unsettling. It is not acceptable that a knowledgeable woman who always does her homework is viewed as a bully. Period. Steele should be asked by whom will she be viewed as a bully if she shows her smarts?

[Farmgirl1961]

2. Wow -- so being intelligent is seen as a bully????

Whereas being an actual bully is seen as _______________ (fill in the blank)?

WTF!

[Duppers]

41. Didn't that happen to Gore when he debated Shrub?

Seems as if the media slants informed opinions and policies every single time.

[bettyellen]

3. Kelly Coneay said Trump will call her names only if he attacks....

His policies. That flew over Chris Hayes head completely

[MoonRiver]

4. And, we should care what Michael Steel says, because......

[wordpix]

10. my guess is you're not an intelligent woman who

is not liked in certain places and is called bad names because she does her homework and speaks up about issues important to her.

[MoonRiver]

42. I think this is an insult.

But you have worded it confusingly enough to evade a hide. Good job! I am perfectly secure about my intellect, so you can bash away if it gives you pleasure, lol. However, I still don't know why we should care what Republican Michael Steele says.

[redstatebluegirl]

6. Wow does this bring back bad memories of my Dad.

He told me I was to smart and would never find a husband because men hate intelligent women. Of course this is the same man who told me "loose women wear red heels". I bought a pair and wore them to my high school graduation.

I really hate Michael Steele!

[3catwoman3]

23. Love the red heels story!

My mom, now 94, similarly cautioned me about keeping my intellectual light under a bushel basket when I was boasting about having known something, as a nursing student, that some of the med students didn't know. This was back in the early 70s.

I couldn't do it. I knew if I faked who I was, i might be able to do it for a little while, but the real me would eventually have to come out.

I am the only nurse practitioner in a 9 physician pediatric practice. I still get a kick out of it when I know something they don't. Just a couple of weeks ago, I taught one of them the word for excessive drooling - ptyalism.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. This country used to have respect for intelligence and knowledge. . . . . nt

[tblue37]

25. But there has always been a strong anti-intellectual streak, especially in our politics.

Intelligence and education are viewed with suspicion by many people as "elitist." Adlai Stephenson, Al Gore, and John Kerry were all slammed as being too intellectual, while W was someone you could have a beer with.

Ike was a smart guy, but he knew the public, so he appealed to them by not letting them see him that way, but rather as a regular guy. a smart tactic.

W wasn't using a tactic at all, of course. He just couldn't find his own fanny at high noon with both hands.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

43. Yeah, cause smart people don't drink beer right?

Voting based on who you could have a beer with is the dumbest idea ever because that drink with the prez not ever happening. People treat these elections for political offices like they are voting for their favorite football team. The thing is whether or not the Pats win really has little impact on our day to day lives (other than sports conversations and betting if you do that sort of thing) but the results of these national elections impact all Americans and even people outside of this country.

[kacekwl]

8. Maybe they should enact the slaughter rule

like in little league. If you are winning too big game over. Sorry Donnie you're out.

[onecaliberal]

11. Go fuck yourself Michael Steele.

Repig apologist.

[Mamajami]

12. Bullied by the facts and truth. I guess so.

[grossproffit]

13. Did someone turn the clock back to 1950 while I was taking a nap?

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

44. I know...I feel the same way

I wasn't even alive then, not until three decades later, so this all doesn't make any sense to me.

[Iliyah]

14. A small statute women with knowledge of facts and has a plan for

the betterment of America can bully a grown ass man?

The damn excuses are sickening. The GOP and corporate media should be ashamed of themselves, not.

[wordpix]

16. Bully=female + knowledgeable in repug world

I have repubs in my family who are voting for Hillary this time around.

[Demsrule86]

15. So in order for Trump to 'feel' good about himself...

So Hillary has to play stupid? sounds fake...and sexist Michael. A knowledgeable woman is a bully by Republican standards...I threw up a little in my mouth. I thought that crap ended in High School.

[cagefreesoylentgreen]

17. Dominant men are easily threatened by women who seem smarter than them

[tblue37]

27. Trump isn't dominant. If he were he wouldn't need to bluster and squawk so much.

Obama is actually a dominant male. He simply owns the room without having to screech for attention.

[Monk06]

18. Except for Colon Powell the intellectual bar for AA right wing pundits is pretty low

and we're talking high jump not the limbo

Steele can't even step over a bar without tripping on it

[democrattotheend]

19. At the risk of sounding sexist (I am a woman, FWIW)

How on earth does a 5'5" woman come off as a bully against someone like Trump?

[meow2u3]

46. Small, insecure excuses for men fear smart women

Donald is a weak, dirty coward who covers up his chickenshit with a show of bully-boy machismo and Hillary is the bully because she knows her stuff?!

I've heard of projection, but this is downright ridiculous!! This just proves that repukes are just little boys at heart!

[Foggyhill]

20. Oh my... Flashback to the 1950s!

Poor little 6 foot 2 man and his oh so fragile ego....
Does he want mama (sic) Clinton to smile at him so he won't feel so threatened?

Two weeks ago she was at "death's door" and now she can pulverize a grown man with words...
Quite a recovery don't you think?

Next time anyone brings any mention of her health,
lets just point to this and wonder about poor little's Trumpie's failing strength.

[Orrex]

21. I didn't see his actual comment:

Did he single her out because she's a woman? Or because she's smart?

If the former, well, he can take his retrograde bullshit and shove it up his ass.


If the latter, well... Is he wrong? The public is trained to be suspicious of anyone who seems too smart or too knowledgeable, along with anything that smacks of too much "book learnin'."

The media will be happy to feed into that preconception, and Trump will be more than happy to ride that idiot wave of stupidity to higher poll numbers.


Regardless, Michael Steele is an asshole.

[Lil Missy]

22. He's probably right. The standards set for each candidate couldn't be more vastly different.

What's okay for Trump to say or do would be a call for congressional investigations for Hillary.

[radius777]

24. similar 'spin' Rove et al used ahead of the Gore/Bush debates

and it worked to some extent. The media portrayed Gore as an arrogant, robotic know-it-all and Bush as an authentic 'guy you want to have a beer with'.

Of course this time in addition it has the twist of sexism, but it won't work here, as Trump is not a sympathetic, charming figure (like Bush was viewed) but the quintessential blowhard bully-boy who most people want to see 'punched in the mouth'.

Also, after the debacle of 2000 and failures of the ensuing Bush years, the middle of the electorate (which decides elections) I think (at least I hope) realizes how important experience and depth of knowledge is now more than ever.

[still_one]

28. Michael why are you still a republican?

[Thinkingabout]

33. I agree, Michael Steel is laughing about some of the things Trump says.

[elleng]

29. That's the way it is, folks.

'They' can't handle smart, been dumbing down the electorate for years, and been bullying themselves, so calling the opposition 'bully' works for them.

[doc03]

30. Kind of what happened to Al Gore in his debate with "W"

he talked down to "W" and was perceived a bully by the MSM.

[ancianita]

31. Only a weak-ass bully mouth would call an intelligent stateswoman a bully. I hope she mocks him.

[Doreen]

32. time to lower her IQ to his.

This man ( Trump ) has been a bully all of his life and she is going to get into trouble for seeming like a bully because she is smart? Hey maybe he should point out that she is blonde to. Some Repukes...what idiots.

[longship]

34. Normally it's the bully who is ignorant, Michael.

He substitutes his ignorance with a jerk attitude.

[DFW]

35. Oh sure

She should dumb herself down to the point where rednecks feel comfortable having a beer with her. How well did that work out with the previous president?

After the train wreck his party has become by glorifying ignorance, and 8 years of having a smart intellectual in a successful presidency, Steele STILL doesn't get it.

[remaineruk]

38. So a man who hates women will be bullied by one

Utter tosh

He will show his weak hateful character. He will try and bully and bluster his way through. He's never had an equal conversation with a woman. He won't start now. It will be clear who the bully is

[pnwmom]

39. Give me Hermione Gringold over Godzilla any day. n/t

[BlueMTexpat]

40. F**k Michael Steele

for doing this! Yet he is one of the saner Republicans today.

[bigwillq]

45. Trump is the bully (nt)

[BSdetect]

47. Steel is a pissweak apologist for drumph

Whenever he talks he slips in stupid anti Democrat BS. Every time.

Like a wind up dummy.

He is a feeble minded hack.

Totally transparent.